Spells of Old

Benjamin Medrano

Spells of Old by Benjamin Medrano

© 2017 Benjamin Medrano. All rights reserved.

Contact the author at BenjaminPMedrano@gmail.com

Visit the author’s website at https://benjaminmedrano.com/

Sign up for the author’s mailing list at http://eepurl.com/cGPT-b

Cover Art by Jackie Felix Wei

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental or with direct permission.

Contents

Acknowledgments

The Story So Far

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Epilogue

Author’s Note

Acknowledgments

Jessica, I couldn’t do this without you.

Joe, thanks for helping me with the ideas.

The Story So Far

In the midst of a quiet war between the two elven kingdoms of Sifaren and Yisara and the slaver kingdom of Kelvanis, a dungeon was discovered. The heart and mind of the dungeon was Sistina, a tree with a dryad-like body. She rescued crown princess Phynis Constella of Sifaren from magically enforced slavery as well as a number of others, inadvertently leading to Phynis falling in love with her.

Suspicious due to a decade of war, Queen Calath Constella panicked over this revelation and ordered Phynis’ guards to bring her back to the capital of Sifaren. Her guards brought Phynis into an ambush by accident, in which Phynis was mortally wounded. Only Sistina’s aid managed to return Phynis to life within moments of her death, in which time Sistina fully repaired even the magical change that led Phynis to love her. The upset dungeon chose to give an ultimatum to the guards and other agents of Sifaren, informing them that they were unwelcome unless they chose to submit to an order to not betray the dungeon or any others within it.

Now aware of the Princess’ presence within the dungeon, Kelvanis’ Adjudicator, Jared Falgrave, came to capture her using his Jewels, a group of seven magically modified, enslaved elven priestesses of the goddess Medaea, to break into the dungeon in his attempt. Sistina ambushed his attack with traps and a war golem she had created, defeating the attack, capturing some of the soldiers, and freeing the Jewels in one fell swoop.

Unfortunately, while the elves of Sifaren prepare to leave as Sistina demanded, they are not yet aware that Kelvanis has captured the goddess Medaea, and have set plans in motion to corrupt her to their bidding…

Prologue

Fate reached out and laid his hand gently on the tapestry. Before him were the tangled lives of mortals and immortals alike, woven together in a breathtaking pattern that few others could even begin to understand. Only his own lady could truly comprehend the breathtaking depth of the tapestry that slowly weaved itself before his eyes.

Each thread possessed its own purpose, no matter how short it might be. Some threads were those of infants stillborn, their threads cut short almost as quickly as they’d begun, but impacting the fate of their family despite that. Other mortal threads were long or short, as seemingly insignificant threads touched on dozens of others. Those of dragons, gods, and other beings of power were still longer, and touched on countless lives that they impacted. Greater still were the threads of the primal gods, those which formed the edges of the tapestry, giving it form and solidity.

But it was a single, seemingly insignificant thread that he gently plucked. And at his pluck, the thread shone a bright gold through the entire weave, and the Destiny of that thread appeared in his mind, causing Fate himself to shiver. He looked back through the thread, at the countless lives that the thread had touched. He saw how the thread passed through the devastation of the Godsrage itself, into the long past of the world, and where the ancient magic had once touched that thread ever so gently and changed its path.

“What troubles you?” A resonant voice spoke in Fate’s mind unexpectedly. The voice was rich with power, echoing in Fate’s very bones.

“She does, My Lady. I still find myself surprised that you allowed the royalty to cast that spell,” Fate replied aloud, his voice soft as he looked on that thread. “They changed the very weave of Destiny with that spell.”

“No, they did not.” The voice of the Timekeeper was calm, almost complacent, as the primal deity who watched over Fate gazed on the weave.

“How did those mages not change the weave? She was destined to die in that tomb, My Lady. It was her destiny,” Fate protested, touching the slight change to the weave, when a single repositioned rock had led a prospector into an ancient cavern.

“Because Time is not written until it has happened, Fate,” the Timekeeper’s voice spoke, and the word caused reality itself to ripple around Fate, as though the multiverse itself stood still in awe for a bare moment.

“But—” Fate took a moment, trying to speak, but was forestalled by his lady.

“We set up Time and Destiny, Fate. We watch over it, and keep it from being damaged.” The Timekeeper’s voice rippled time and the tapestry itself seemed to still for a moment, but her voice was gentle. “But it is the privilege of all mortals to remake their destinies, should they have the power and ability to do so. And for all that has occurred, she who is now known as Sistina did not have a hand in what has happened. Now she is mortal, yet immortal, and her future is her own to shape. Let her go.”

Fate paused for a moment, tempted to break the strand that stood out for a long moment. But at last he bowed his head and let go of that unimaginably ancient thread, looking over past a point where the thread could possibly break on its own, then potentially stretching out even longer than his own. And Fate replied softly, letting out a faint sigh. “As you say, My Lady.”

* * *

Sistina watched the elves preparing to leave and let herself smile inwardly. She had demanded that when the siege by Kelvanis’ forces ended, those who were unwilling to serve her had to leave. However, those who had chosen to stay were on the receiving end of some anger from a few of those who were leaving.

Not that many were choosing to stay, though. Of course, Phynis was staying, but Sistina had been uncertain if any others would choose to do so. Desa had been obviously torn between her loyalty to Phynis and her oaths to Sifaren, and up until the previous night, Sistina hadn’t been sure which way the mage would fall. But in the end, Phynis’ captain had chosen to stay with her after penning a letter to her Queen. Along with Desa had come five other guards, Alissa, Evrial, Helia, Lisa, and Skylark. Of the guards, only Alissa and Skylark hadn’t been branded by Kelvanis, which made Sistina all the more surprised that the women had chosen to submit to something that wasn’t much different.

Among the civilians, only a handful had chosen to stay. The two dozen guards under Lieutenant Vander were leaving, as were Farlon and most of the researchers. Among the few exceptions were the ones she was watching.

“What do you mean, you’re staying? You’re going to end up magically claimed, just like the people who get captured by Kelvanis!” Farlon exclaimed impatiently, gesturing sharply to the east in his anger and nearly striking a nearby assistant with his emphatic gesture.

“No. I will be living in Sistina’s dungeon, and will continue my research in the library. I asked Sistina myself.” Zarenya Threadweaver spoke with quiet dignity, the middle-aged dusk elf standing straight and firm under the demands of her taller colleague. “Ellis has chosen to stay and assist me. We will continue to perform our calling, and she will give us the freedom to do so.”

“How do you know that she’ll allow that? Once she binds you, you’ll have no choice but to obey her,” Farlon countered, scowling. “You’re risking both your freedom and his on a—”

“No. Sistina could have simply chosen to kill all of us. She could have never given us permission to come here. She could have expelled us into the waiting arms of Kelvanis’ army after we lost her trust.” Zarenya’s voice was calm as she denied his complaints. “Instead, she gave us time. I trust her, Farlon. I’m staying, and you aren’t changing my mind.”

“You foolish, pig-headed… fine! Have it your way!” Farlon threw up his hands in disgust and stalked away, leaving the other researcher with a slight smile on her face.

Sistina thought she liked the researcher. The woman was generally almost silent, and this had almost been the most that she’d heard from Zarenya since she came to the dungeon. In all honesty, Zarenya reminded Sistina of herself a little. The researcher’s assistant, Ellis, was a handsome, loyal young man who had more than a bit of a crush on his mentor. Sistina had no idea how the relationship would develop, but it really wasn’t her business. Instead she turned her attention to the other two from Sifaren who were staying.

The last two were some of Phynis’ maids. Lady Maria Northbrook had been with Phynis when they’d been captured by Kelvanis, and she was a level-headed, polite woman. Sistina thought she was good for Phynis, even if the former princess spent a lot of time avoiding Maria’s nagging about her appearance. Another surprise was that Jean Dailos had chosen to stay. Jean was a mousy, nervous maid that had come with the group on their trip down, and whom Sistina had expected to leave. She didn’t object, but it was certainly a surprise.

On the other hand, Sistina felt more than a hint of relief that the others she’d rescued had chosen to stay with her. Ilmas, Lily, and Sina had become something of a reassuring presence in her caves, and without them she’d feel almost empty. She still wasn’t certain about the priestesses she’d rescued, but Amethyst, Diamond, Emerald, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire, and Topaz seemed to have no interest in leaving just yet. In fact, the priestesses seemed almost gleeful about being in the dungeon. From what Sistina could tell, their enthusiasm was more that they were free of Jared, the Kelvanis official she’d captured during their attempted invasion. At some point, she needed to properly interrogate him, but she intended to wait until he was healed a bit more.

Sensing that Phynis was close, Sistina opened her eyes and smiled at the elf. Phynis giggled, approaching to sit and lean into Sistina’s side with a soft sigh, closing her sky-blue eyes as they sat under Sistina’s tree.

“I love you,” Phynis whispered, her voice almost inaudible even within the canopy of branches. The elf’s hair was no longer coming in silver, and was instead a metallic pink that surprised Sistina a little. When she’d brought Phynis back from the edge of the grave, Sistina had tried to make Phynis’ body as perfect as she could, and back to what it should have been, but it was possible that since Phynis commonly dyed her hair pink, that Sistina’s unconscious had adjusted the other woman’s hair. She hoped it wouldn’t matter. Wrapping an arm around Phynis’ shoulders, Sistina pulled her close.

“Treasure,” Sistina spoke softly, forming the word with care. It was easier to speak than it had once been, but it still wasn’t something she was used to. She could understand any language she’d heard thus far effortlessly, but actually putting her thoughts into words was all but an exercise in frustration.

Phynis giggled, and Sistina smiled slightly at the sound. But something about it felt off, and after a moment, Sistina opened her eyes and studied Phynis’ face. There was a shadow to it, a hint of sadness that Sistina could barely see. It took her a moment of debating, but she stroked a finger along Phynis’ cheek and asked softly when the elf opened her eyes, “Sad. Why?”

“I’m not sad,” Phynis refuted. At Sistina’s skeptical look, she flushed and looked downward, shifting a little. Finally, after a moment more, she sighed and shook her head. “Fine, I am sad. I’m sad because everyone is leaving, and with it goes part of my past. I was a princess, Sistina, and I was more than that. I was the crown princess, destined to rule Sifaren, and then it was just… stolen from me. Kelvanis captured me, and a stupid brand was enough to take everything I had trained for my entire life. I once dreamed of being a powerful hero or adventurer, but my duty got in the way. Now I’m past thirty years old, without a hint of training that would actually help you. It’s frustrating, and I’m sad because I was betrayed by my own family.”

Sistina slowly considered what Phynis said, then nodded gently. Her thoughts were racing, and after a moment, they fastened onto the city buried under the mountain around them, the fragments of the ancient capital of Everium. And as she considered them, an idea crystallized in her mind. But for now, she set it aside and instead tilted her head, opening the passage outward as the Sifaren group began to leave, and asked, “Teach? About Everium?”

Phynis’ eyes brightened at the offer and her frown vanished abruptly. “I’d love to learn what you can teach me, Sistina!”

The smile made everything better, and Sistina smiled in return. Leaning forward to give Phynis a gentle kiss, Sistina resolved herself. Phynis didn’t deserve what had happened to her. So if she couldn’t inherit her own kingdom, Sistina would just have to create a kingdom for Phynis to rule.

Chapter 1

Ducking under the arm of the lumbering vine monster, Daniel brought his full strength to bear as he swung his sword at the creature’s torso in an attempt to cut it in half. The blade cut through several thick vines before slowing, then shuddered to a stop as it got stuck halfway into the monster. Cursing, Daniel almost instinctively let go of the hilt and rolled away as the gaping maw of the creature snapped downward at him, his heart racing as he bounced back to his feet.

“Sloppy, Danny!” Darak called out lazily as the dwarf stood in the back next to Joseph, the two men watching their fight. “Those things are a damn sight slower than Penny is. You don’t have the strength or weapon to cut through it easily. You need to attack it where it’s weak, not right in its armor.”

“You could help, you know!” Daniel retorted, weaving past the creature and grabbing his sword. Tearing it free with both hands, he fell back, keeping an eye out for any potential pitcher plants.

“Hah! Nope, you all need the experience. This is the first room, get used to it.” Darak laughed, prompting a soft chuckle from the cleric next to him. Daniel didn’t waste his breath, instead replying with a rude gesture as he darted away from the monster, looking to see how the others were doing.

Eileen and Sayla had teamed up against another of the big plant-monsters, and he glanced over just in time to see Sayla’s dagger cut a critical joint in one of the massive thing’s legs, toppling it onto the ground heavily. Eileen took the opportunity to take off one of its arms, and Daniel blinked in surprise, wondering how in the blazes she’d managed that with a shortsword. Meanwhile, Eric had just about dealt with the hanging plant that kept trying to grab him, his spear just barely giving him the reach to attack the massive bulb near the ceiling. What was it that Darak had called it, a devouring bulb? He hated the things after what they’d done to Sina, but a crossbow wasn’t much use in these close quarters. Reloading just took too long to be practical.

“Look for thin spots,” Eileen called out, glancing at him. “Think of them as weak points in its armor! Most of the vines are there to keep you from cutting limbs off.”

“Right. Thanks,” Daniel replied, focusing on his opponent for the moment and frowning. Thin spots, huh? Well, the joints were thinner, but the clumps forming them seemed thicker, too. Maybe just hit them several times? Taking a deep breath, he plunged into the fight again, mentally swearing about being in melee with a venomous bush.

Like Darak had said, at least the monster was slower than Penelope. The woman moved like a striking serpent, and she didn’t hold back at all, so dodging the vine creature was almost second nature by comparison. Daniel focused on making relatively light, fast cuts, and saw a few breaks in the vines start to appear as he sidestepped the creature and shoved it away from him with a kick.

No matter how strong the creature was, it was already off-balance when he kicked it, which sent it toppling forward. The plant monster tried to catch itself with one arm and Daniel grinned in delight as there was a cracking sound and one of the creature’s arms broke free, sending it toppling farther forward. But then he froze in shock.

The monster tried to catch itself again, but this time, the floor gave way in front of it. The creature fell into the pitcher plant with a loud splash, and Daniel watched with an open mouth.

“Well, I suppose that’s one way to do it,” Joseph spoke after a moment, chuckling softly as Darak gaped.

* * *

“Right, then. So now to critique your work,” Joseph spoke mildly about ten minutes later, sitting on a rock. “Darak, you first.”

“Whatever you say,” Darak grunted, frowning slightly at them. “First off, you shouldn’t have focused on the damned dangler, Eric. After the others trimmed its vines down to size, it had to move closer to be any sort of threat at all, and the thing moves slow as molasses. You left Danny to face one of the big lugs on his own, and at your skill level, those things are dangerous. He got damned lucky to manage to throw it into a pitcher plant.”

“To be honest, that wasn’t intentional,” Daniel admitted, shaking his head. “I just wanted it to get away from me. That was pure luck, though I might try using that strategy again.”

“Fair enough. I just was remembering one of those things strangling Henry and didn’t want it to happen again,” Eric spoke after a moment, sighing slightly. “Sorry, Daniel.”

“It’s fine, Eric. That’s why we’re here, to figure out what we’ve been doing wrong,” Daniel replied with a shake of his head. “I’m a little out of my element since I was more of a marksman.”

“That brings me to the second part. Your weapon is shitty for your skill set, Daniel,” Darak spoke bluntly, gesturing at the human’s longsword. “You’re lithe and quick. The only one of you lot who’s good for hitting something with brute force is Eric. I’d suggest he takes up an axe and shield, a flail, or even a glaive. I’d be a little leery about polearms because of how narrow tunnels can be, but so far, the dungeon’s been good about putting most monsters in caves. You should think about either making more precise attacks, Danny, or possibly picking up some throwing axes. Use your marksmanship in a way that works in a dungeon.”

“Hmm. That makes sense, though I’d have to be able to afford it,” Daniel replied thoughtfully, considering the idea as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“There are all things you need to consider in the future, not something that needs to be fixed now,” Joseph spoke up kindly, looking at each of them in turn. “With your current skills and both a little practice and some form of healing, I think you could eventually clear the first floor of the dungeon. The problem is that this was only the first room, and you simply don’t have the stamina to keep it up without injuries.”

There was a chorus of assent, and Daniel felt himself straightening at the praise, before Eileen asked, “What about me and Sayla?”

“The pair of you have good teamwork, unlike the ugly lugs over here.” Darak chuckled, pointing a thumb in the direction of Daniel and Eric. “You work well together, but you’ve got some issues of your own. Sayla. You have too many flashy movements which tire you out quick. Eileen, you focus on your opponent too much. I saw you nearly step into a trap twice in the fight, and that would’ve sent everything downhill fast.”

“In addition to that, save for Daniel, all of you were focusing on your own fights too much,” Joseph interjected, frowning at them. “You’re a team. You need to keep track of who needs help, and draw enemies into positions where your friends can hurt them badly. You need to keep track of where the traps are and use them like Daniel did. Survival comes first, for the entire team. If you lose one ally, that allows the opponents to concentrate on the remainder of you and defeat you one by one.”

“Alright.” Eric’s eyes lit up at the explanation, then frowned. “That explains part of why we got beaten so badly our first time in. Everyone was too focused on their own fights, and ignored each other until it was too late.”

“Most likely,” Darak agreed, shaking his head. “Now let’s move on to the rewards you’ve earned!”

Stepping into a corner of the cave, the dwarf leaned over with a dagger and carefully removed a white flower with as much of the stem attached as possible. Holding it up, he asked, “Do any of you know what this is?”

“Ahh… no?” Daniel admitted, blinking in surprise. “It’s a flower.”

The others at least had the wisdom to shake their heads, and Joseph suppressed a snort of laughter, grinning as Darak shook his head.

“Ah, boy… you have a lot to learn. Of course it’s a damned flower! This, however, is violetroot. If you dug it up, its roots are quite obvious,” the dwarven warrior chided, then frowned. “Don’t dig it up, though. You just need the flower and stem. Violetroot is the primary ingredient to high-class healing potions, when properly dried and preserved. I’m not sure what the going rate for these is right now, but a single flower’s probably worth right around a silver. These aren’t a bad reward at all.”

“Oh.” Sayla’s eyes went wide. “How many flowers are there?”

“A single plant generally has two to three flowers,” Joseph told them, looking at the plant in the corner. “This one appears to have two more, which is better than normal. You’re only going to have one problem.”

“What’s that?” Eileen asked, moving to where she could examine the plant.

Darak chuckled, handing her the flower and grinning. “Selling them. These aren’t nearly as useful if you don’t have an alchemist nearby, and I haven’t seen any in town.”

“Oh.” Daniel’s hope for his finances went sour as he frowned. “Well, that sucks.”

“Don’t worry, lad. When the guild gets here they’ll have alchemists with them. I guarantee it,” Darak comforted, dropping a hand heavily on Daniel’s shoulder and chuckling. “And believe me, I don’t think they’ll take too much longer. Dungeons with good alchemy supplies are nowhere near common enough for their tastes.”

“Ah, well that’s better than I hoped,” Daniel replied, moving Darak’s hand and massaging his shoulder for a moment.

“Are we going to continue or head back?” Sayla asked, stepping forward to carefully harvest the other flowers, handing them to Eileen one at a time.

“I think that going back would be best. You four need time to think about what you learned, and you’re tired,” Joseph replied after a moment of thought. “Besides, the soldiers seem to be in a bit of a panic lately, and I’d rather not get too far from Penny and Nirath.”

“I wonder what happened?” Sayla asked aloud, getting up from collecting the flowers. “They’re definitely riled up.”

“Wish I could tell you,” Daniel muttered, shaking his head. The disappearance of the Adjudicator didn’t bode well.

* * *

Ellis looked down at the mark that Sistina had left around his left wrist and frowned, flexing his hand for a moment. The mark was faintly warm, but it looked like a simple black tattoo in the shape of roots or vines circling his wrist. He didn’t feel any different, though.

“This isn’t quite what I was expecting. From what I’ve heard, the brands that Kelvanis uses are quite painful when placed. I barely felt this,” he finally spoke, shaking his head.

“Inefficient. Less constraints,” Sistina replied, tapping the mark on his wrist. “Simple.”

“Huh. If you say so. I’m glad you let us stay, Sistina. From what was said, you were a bit upset with what Desa and the others did,” Ellis replied, blushing faintly at how calmly the beautiful dryad touched him. “Having to leave would be exceedingly unpleasant.”

“Saying that she was upset is like saying a desert is somewhat dry,” Phynis interjected with a soft snort.

Ellis blushed again at that, looking around him before stepping back near his mentor. Save for the prisoners, everyone left in the caverns was gathered under Sistina’s tree, and Sistina had just finished marking all their company who hadn’t been branded. Zarenya, Desa, and five of the princess’ guards, the princess herself and two of her maids, the seven jewel-hued priestesses of Medaea, and then the three slaves who’d been living here were gathered together. Compared to the numbers who’d been present only a day prior, there were almost none of them in the dungeon anymore. But Sistina seemed relatively happy, and she looked at Lily pointedly.

“What?” Lily asked, looking startled as everyone focused on her.

“Speak for,” Sistina replied patiently.

“Why me? I’m a glorified gardener, for crying out loud!” Lily protested, anxiously taking a step back.

“Because you understand her better than anyone else here,” Ilmas spoke up, obviously amused at his girlfriend’s protests. “You’ve been here the longest, and she sees you as her spokeswoman, until she can be bothered to speak for herself.”

“Agreed,” Sistina added, smiling gently at Lily as the woman scowled at each of them in turn.

“Fine. But I want it to be clear that I’m doing this under duress!” Lily replied, sighing as she stepped forward to Sistina. Ellis noticed that she eyed the dryad suspiciously as she said, “Alright, I hope that you aren’t feeling quite as angry as last time.”

“Calm,” Sistina assured her, then reached up to hold either side of Lily’s head for a long moment. Lily seemed to grow distant for a few more moments, then her eyes focused as Sistina pulled away.

“Hmm. I see, well, that definitely wasn’t as bad as last time,” Lily spoke in a much calmer tone, making Ellis wonder just how bad this ‘last time’ had been. Turning around to face everyone else, Lily took a deep breath before speaking. “So, Sistina wants me to communicate her overall desires and some of her short-term plans. Her first and only directive is that no one is allowed to actually betray her or any other resident of the dungeon, nor are you to significantly harm anything inside. It’s fairly simple and I think it makes sense, so I don’t think anyone will object to that.”

Ellis nodded silently, as Desa asked, “What about the prisoners? We don’t have enough people to guard them easily.”

“Ah, yes. Sistina indicated that she is going to imprison them in a separate cavern with its own supplies for the time being, which will be guarded by a golem. It’ll be quite separate, though, so she won’t be able to monitor the room as easily,” Lily replied with a nod. “That’s one of the near-term plans she had. Another is that she’s going to be setting some rules of the dungeon which she’s going to post outside the entrance, and among it is going to be indications that dungeon servants are going to be left unharmed. She apologizes for the term, but it’s the best one she could come up with. She also is going to make a small cavern where we can offer adventurers supplies or minor services if we so desire. If anyone has requests for equipment or lodgings, you’re to come to me or Phynis and we’ll talk it over.”

“Uh, why is she having you take care of things? We just asked her directly before,” Ellis asked hesitantly, feeling slightly nervous as attention turned to him. “And what about me and Sage Zarenya?”

“Both of you get to do what you’d like, though you’re going to have to do more of your own housekeeping now that the cooks and other servants left,” Lily told him directly, then hesitated and looked at Sistina, who nodded. “As for why, she’s decided to conserve mana as much as possible, save for finishing a handful of projects. The presence of those not linked to the dungeon drains Sistina’s mana reserves slightly, so it was actively harming her growth and power to have our company here before. With us linked, we almost function as amplifiers, increasing her ability to absorb mana. She’s only populated a little over half of the floors of her dungeon thus far, and the adventurers have been talking about other adventurers that will be arriving soon, so she needs to use as much power as she can for that purpose.

“Furthermore, we’re in the middle of the ruins of the old capital of Everium. There are other buildings Sistina wants to unearth and refurbish, and one that has a distinct taint of necromancy she wishes to clear. Each task takes mana, and to fully refurbish the entirety of her domain might take up to a year of preparations,” Lily explained, then shrugged. “And beyond that, there are certain other problems that came to her attention. Diamond?”

Ellis blinked, opening his mouth for a moment, then shutting it again as he tried to process the full explanation. Diamond stepping forward distracted him, though, and the beautiful priestess in her white robe cleared her throat.

“I will not go over the full depth of the problem, but what I feel I can tell all of you is quite bad enough. My fellow priestesses and I were captured by Kelvanis’ Enforcers from a hidden temple of Medaea in the south-eastern reaches of the Godsrage Mountains.” Diamond’s voice was clear and beautiful, and Ellis almost felt captivated by it, but shook himself free of the spell after a moment. “Unknown to almost anyone, the temple possesses a ley line node that links to another in Golden Vale. While it can only be used to teleport to Golden Vale from the temple, it has gone unused in several generations. Unfortunately, Adjudicator Jared of Kelvanis learned of it and had already given orders before we set out to come here. The priestesses of the temple are sixty-eight in number, and all of them were branded and forced to pretend nothing was wrong in our absence.

“Kelvanis intends to use the temple to teleport a raiding force into Golden Vale and kidnap the heirs of all the noble families during their annual gathering in Golden Vale.” Ellis gasped in horror, hearing at least three other sharp intakes of breath from others as well as Desa’s soft swearing, but Diamond kept going inexorably. “They intend to use the heirs to force the Queen of Yisara to set aside her crown and turn herself over in trade, since the nobles would likely view their heirs as more important than their queen. Furthermore, they intend to force a peace treaty between Kelvanis and Yisara in the aftermath of this so that they can focus their forces on Sifaren.”

“Dear gods above, preserve us all,” Desa murmured, then asked, “Why are you telling us this? Do we have a chance to stop it?”

“The military force for the raid was setting out shortly after we left Westgate. They will likely be moving slower, but with Sistina’s permission, my sister priestesses and I intend to go attempt to stop them, rescue our fellow priestesses, and warn Yisara,” Diamond replied heavily, smiling thinly. “If nothing else, we now have the power to challenge even the companies that were assigned to the raid. But if we are too late, we will simply retrieve our fellow priestesses, sabotage the node, and return here. I pray it does not come to that, but the timing will be close. But we will only go if we have Sistina’s permission to do so.”

“Your lives. Your choice,” Sistina spoke simply, smiling sadly at them as she shrugged. “Careful.”

“Thank you, Sistina.” Diamond gave a deep bow from her waist, and the other priestesses followed suit, somewhat to Ellis’ shock. “You gave us our lives back, and gave us the chance to defend that which we believe in. We intend to leave at nightfall, once we have sufficient supplies.”

“I’ll help gather supplies for you,” Lily promised, then smiled wanly. “But on that… unpleasant note, that’s all that we had to discuss. Does anyone have any questions?”

Some of the others did, but Ellis simply stood there, stunned. Then he realized something, and spoke softly to Zarenya. “Um, I just thought of something, ma’am. This seems rather historic, so shouldn’t someone be writing down what’s been going on the last few months?”

“A good point, Ellis,” Zarenya replied in a mild tone, turning her deep blue eyes to meet him, before smiling slightly. “Why don’t you get started?”

“Ah… yes, ma’am,” Ellis replied, feeling slightly bewildered and out of his depth. His eyes happened to meet Ilmas’ across the circle from him, and the other man gave him a sympathetic smile.

Chapter 2

A high-pitched, haunting sound echoed through the hills, causing Merric to jump slightly. He turned to the north, peering across the border into the Republic of Alcast as he asked, “What in the blazes was that?”

“No freaking clue. Might be a dragon, but I’ve never heard one of ‘em either,” Joric replied, scanning the horizon.

“I don’t think so… wait, what’s that there?” Merric asked, pointing toward what looked like a white cloud of smoke coming toward them. It dissipated too quickly to be smoke, though, and there was a cloud of dust behind it!

“Huh? I do—” Joric began, but it was at that moment that their commander spoke up.

“Watch! What in the hells was that?” Commander Calvin bellowed angrily as he came out of his office.

Glancing back at the slightly heavyset commander, Merric winced but snapped to attention. The commander had shown up as a replacement a few weeks before, and from what the grapevine said, he’d been a lord of a fortress on the Sifaren front before that. Merric had no clue what the man had done to get exiled to this minor border fort, but he’d been in a foul temper ever since he’d arrived.

“Not certain, sir!” Merric replied, gesturing. “I can see what looks like a dust trail and a white cloud that quickly vanishes coming from that direction, but I can’t tell quite what it is.”

“What? What’re you talking about, you stupid… point it out to me!” Calvin fumed, stomping his way forward, his mustache drooping as he stepped into the gateway.

Merric swallowed his anger and replied respectfully. “Yes, sir. Right there.”

The cloud had definitely come closer at this point, and Merric realized it was approaching at an unsettling speed. Now that Merric examined it, there seemed to three sources of the odd white mist. Each of them seemed to be following the road first. The commander looked in the direction, frowning, then shook his head.

“Well, I’ll be damned. It is there. What in the hells is that damned thing?” Calvin asked, then waved off the others. “Oh, don’t bother answering. If I don’t know, there’s no way any of you know. I… wait, is that a wagon?”

His exclamation cut through Merric’s irritation, and the soldier’s eyes went wide as the thought triggered a memory of a friend’s description after returning from a trip. Looking slightly closer, Merric thought he saw the outline of a wagon in the front, surrounded by dust and without the sign of any horses or oxen.

“Sir, the cloud reminds me of what a friend of mine described when he went on a trip up north to Targavon. Could that be a steam wagon?” Merric asked, gesturing out. “He said that they produce steam that comes out of the top of the engines, and that seems to fit the description.”

“What? Why would a steam wagon come down here? That’s just… well, I’d say it was ridiculous, but I can’t think of what else that damned thing might be.” Calvin started out almost dismissive, but his tone softened as he glared at the object approaching. “Stone! Get a full squad out here! We’ve got company on its way, and fast.”

“Yessir,” Sergeant Stone rumbled, and quickly moved to muster a few more soldiers. There was only a platoon in the border post, with a second platoon on patrol at any one time, so they didn’t have many more men to begin with.

As the troops mustered, the objects came closer and Merric’s eyes widened still more. It looked like there were three of the steam wagons in total, and each of them was towing two more wagons behind them. Even worse, each of them was moving at almost the same speed as a horse at a full canter, which was ridiculous. He’d thought that Ivan’s descriptions were tall tales, but these wagons seemed to have no issues traveling at insane speeds. Why, they had to be covering twenty miles every hour!

The wagon trundled forward quickly enough that Merric could now see a man sitting behind a set of levers, wearing tight-fitting leather clothing and gloves, as well as a leather cap and green-tinted goggles. The human was clean-shaven as well, and seemed to be grinning as his wagon, the wheels of which seemed to be moved by strange metal arms, came tearing down the road. As it came closer, the wagon let out another of those loud, wail-like whistles and began to slow down.

The approach also let them hear the faint chuffing sound coming from the machinery, and metal squealed as the massive wagon slowed to a stop in front of the border post. The wagon was a good twenty feet long, with most of the rear half taken up by a metal boiler and other machinery that was utterly incomprehensible to Merric, and each of the wagons hitched to it were well-built and large in their own right.

“Hello! Is this Kelvanis?” the man sitting in the driver’s seat asked in a deep voice, pushing up his goggles. The skin near his blue eyes was cleaner than the rest of his face, giving him an oddly raccoon-like look.

“Yes, it is. This is the Alcast Border Post, and I’m Lieutenant Calvin Mordin. May I ask who you are, and what business you have here?” Calvin spoke up, not sounding surly for the first time since he’d arrived, as he stepped forward, but not too near the wagon. Merric couldn’t blame him; the wagon’s wheels were reinforced with metal and would likely snap bones like twigs.

“Excellent! I’m Artificer Albert Windgale, member of the Western Adventurer’s Guild. My companions and I are on our way to establish a branch near your new dungeon in Granite Point,” the man replied readily, smiling broadly. “I don’t suppose you could point me in that direction, could you?”

“I see. Well, regulations state that you’re allowed entry into Kelvanis to reach the dungeon, Master Windgale,” Calvin replied after a moment, blinking in surprise. “I was unaware that the new town had a name yet, but if you follow the signs that lead to Westgate, you can get precise directions from the guards there. It’s a bit far from us, so I don’t know the route you’d need to take.”

“Well, I’m much obliged! My apologies for being abrupt, but we’ve got miles more to go today, Sir Mordin,” Albert replied with a smile and nod. “Have a good day!”

Pulling down his goggles again, Albert adjusted them, then pulled a couple of levers. The wagon lurched, metal squealed, and the chuffing began again as the huge vehicle began to slowly move again. Using a pair of levers, the driver guided the wagon around their outpost and started to accelerate. Each of the other two wagons followed him, their own drivers giving them a nod in turn as they passed by. Merric thought he saw passengers in the last wagon, too!

“That… that was impressive,” Joric spoke at last, obviously shaken and stunned as the wagons pulled away from the outpost at absurd speeds.

“Smartest thing you’ve said in ages,” Merric agreed, shaking his head. Turning to Calvin, he saluted again. “Orders, sir?”

“As you were, private. That was certainly interesting. It’ll also likely be the most interesting thing we see before winter hits,” Calvin replied with a shake of his head. “Suppose I should’ve ordered us to search his wagons, but I don’t think he would’ve stopped.”

“No, sir, I don’t think he would have,” Merric agreed, prompting a chuckle from his superior, who patted his shoulder as he headed back to his office.

Merric turned back to his post, occasionally glancing in the direction of the vanishing steam-powered wagons. They were certainly impressive feats of magic and engineering. He’d have to apologize to Ivan for doubting him.

* * *

Albert adjusted the speed of his engine, scowling at his control board as he muttered. “Stupid backwater roads. I can’t get above half speed.”

He checked the compass again to make sure they were going the right direction, ignoring the bouncing of the wagon with practiced ease, pulling the levers to adjust the course down the road again.

The roads might be utter garbage, but Albert had to admit that the countryside was pretty enough, and there were signs that civilization was starting to crawl out this direction. It might be slow, but he imagined it would accelerate with a dungeon out here. Who would’ve thought a dungeon would appear all the way out in the middle of the old wastelands, anyway? This entire region had been so devastated that it’d been written off in the millennia following the Godsrage, and no one from the Adventuring Guild had even bothered to come through and properly map the region.

That was the only real reason he had bothered to stop to talk to the guards in the one guard post at the border, anyway. At the thought, he spotted a road junction, and he pulled on the lever to let out a whistle, warning the following wagons he was going to change speed as he slowed down.

“Let’s see… Westgate, was it?” Albert muttered. But at the worst possible timing, a bug came flying out of nowhere and straight into his mouth, causing the artificer to splutter and spit in disgust.

Chapter 3

“Are you sure you want to do this yourself, Sistina?” Phynis asked, looking worried. “I wish I could come with you.”

“Not safe,” Sistina said firmly, looking at the wooden board they’d been working on, then glancing up at Phynis, pointing at her. “Target.”

“Ugh, you always bring that up.” Phynis sighed, then frowned. “But I have to ask, Sistina… why do you even bother with the sign? Dungeons don’t normally do things like this, do they?”

“Two reasons,” Sistina replied, considering her response for a moment. “Adventurers dangerous. Expect challenge. Expect reward. No challenge, reach here. No reward, try to kill. Must entertain. Second reason? Entertaining to watch. Interesting experiments. Fun.”

“You… you find it fun to challenge the adventurers without killing them,” Phynis stated, looking stunned by the information. Sistina nodded, and Phynis shook her head in disbelief. “And now you’re going out where they can get to you?”

Sistina smirked and nodded again. “Interesting.”

“Umm, she doesn’t actually need her body, I’ll point out. Unlike the two of us,” Lily chimed in, reddening slightly as she added. “At least I’m not important enough anyone will remember me after a full year missing.”

“I suppose… but as long as you stay safe, that’s what’s important. Be careful,” Phynis replied after a moment, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Sistina.

The dryad smiled and hugged her back gently, nodding. “Yes.”

Phynis broke down into giggles at that, smirking as she exclaimed, “You always say that! You know other words!”

Sistina smiled slightly, gently leaning in to kiss the elf for a moment. Breaking away from the warmth of her princess, Sistina smirked as she added, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Yes.”

* * *

“So, do you know what the hell is going on, that’s causing the soldiers to be running around like ants after someone just kicked the anthill?” Sayla asked, gesturing with her mug at the patrol that had just hustled toward the north.

“Yep,” Daniel replied, taking a pull from his own mug as he sat back. He didn’t say anything else, holding the ale in his mouth to savor the taste for a moment before swallowing.

“Are you going to tell us? Or will they not let you?” Eric asked a moment later, the big man smiling at him as he exchanged amused looks with Eileen.

“Oh, right. Well, first Adjudicator Falgrave went missing after punching a hole into the mountain to go after some elves from Sifaren, then a patrol found signs of a large group of elves that left posthaste about two days ago,” Daniel replied, shaking his head as he sighed in annoyance. “I was supposed to be back on duty, but that was before the Adjudicator disappeared. Now Lord Evansly is panicking about how the higher ups will react, so me getting back on duty got put on hold. It’s a huge mess.”

“Holy shit. Aren’t there only four Adjudicators in the entire nation?” Eric asked, his eyes going huge. “One going missing would be bad, right?”

“Five, actually. Adjudicator Falgrave was about the equivalent of a duke in other nations, and they gave him the western territories that were taken from Sifaren and Yisara,” Daniel replied, shrugging slightly. “Difference is that the title isn’t inherited or anything like that. I know there’s the High Adjudicator in the capital who oversees them, then the Archon, so yeah, it’s a massive problem. I don’t even want to know what chaos is coming in its wake.”

“Huh. I’d heard a few bits, but didn’t know the lug who went missing was quite that important,” Darak interjected from the next table, shaking his head. “Hopefully it doesn’t impact us here. I know the Guild won’t be amused if people try to stick their noses too far into our business.”

“I don’t know about that, but—” Daniel began, only to be interrupted as Penelope stepped through the door.

“Darak! Get your ass out here!” the rangy warrior called out, an odd look on her face that Daniel almost didn’t recognize, a look of surprise. “Some people just came out of the dungeon! And no one saw them go inside to begin with!”

“What? Why does it matter that no one saw them go inside?” Darak grumbled, but Daniel noticed that in spite of that, the dwarf instantly reacted, nodding to the barmaid as he said, “I’ll settle up once I’m back inside. I’m not going anywhere, lass.”

“Just get your sorry rear outside!” Penelope retorted as she opened the door and left herself.

“I think I’ll take a look too,” Eileen spoke up as the dwarf headed for the front door.

“Anything that has Penelope in a shock is worth checking out,” Eric added with a chuckle, rising to his feet.

Daniel nodded his agreement, standing up and scattering a couple of copper on the table and nodding at the maid before heading for the door in the wake of the others.

Stepping out into the crisp mountain air, Daniel took a deep breath and calmed himself before shaking his head. Sayla’s attention had been growing more pronounced over the last few days, which made him feel strange. On the one hand, it was somewhat flattering, as she was an attractive brunette with intense hazel eyes. On the other hand, Daniel found himself uncomfortable due to his memories of Sina. Her death had hit him enormously hard, and the very idea of getting close to another woman only a few months later almost made Daniel sick to his stomach. Though he did have to admit the attention was pleasant.

All thoughts of discomfort vanished as he looked toward the dungeon entrance, though. A half-dozen steps to the right of the humble cave were a pair of women that Daniel had never seen before, and he almost swallowed his tongue at the sight of them.

The woman on the left was half a foot shy of six feet in height and had soft blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, exposing her long, slender ears and gold-tinged skin. The dawn elf was quite pretty, but she seemed to be focusing on what the other woman was doing, not giving him a chance to see her eyes. She was wearing soft, finely-made clothing in deep green as well as fine boots, none of which looked like they’d seen the chaos of the dungeon. More puzzling to Daniel were the dozen finely planed boards she was holding. The elf was pretty enough that normally Daniel would stop to admire her, but the woman next to her was beyond words.

On the right was a woman standing six feet tall and with hair like spun gold that fell almost to her knees in a glittering cascade. She looked like an elf with pale white skin that had a pattern that reminded him of the grain of wood, but she was far more curvaceous than any elf he’d ever seen before. The woman was wearing a flowing white top and skirt that fluttered in the breeze, leaving much of her midriff exposed, though she didn’t seem to notice. Her golden lips were pursed as she adjusted a pair of thick wooden posts that had been sunk upright into the ground. She was the most gorgeous woman Daniel had seen in his life, but there was something else about her that drew his attention. There was a sort of captivating presence to her, even though all she was doing was standing there.

“Shale and stone, what’s a dryad doing with that much mana?” Darak muttered, jolting Daniel out of his daze.

Looking around the clearing, Daniel realized that there was a huge gathering of people gawking at the two women, yet none of them had come close to them yet. Not even the guards, who looked both enthralled and terrified for some reason. Standing nearby were Darak, Joseph, Penelope, and Nirath, as well as his own group. Clearing his throat, Daniel asked, “What do you mean, Darak? That’s a dryad?”

“Not like any dryad I’ve ever seen before, Danny, but yeah.” The dwarf nodded, looking at the others. “You feel that… presence about her? That aura of awe?”

“Uh, yeah, I do,” Daniel replied after a moment, blinking several times. “It makes it hard to look away from her.”

“That’s her mana,” Joseph almost whispered, shaking his head slowly. “I… I can’t tell how much there is.”

“It’s beautiful.” Nirath’s voice was filled with dreamy wonder, startling Daniel as he saw Nirath fully smile for the first time since he’d met the reserved elf, her expression enraptured as she stared at the dryad. “A coruscating fountain of light, surrounding her like a cloak of stars.”

“Uh, Nirath? Snap out of it, would you?” Penelope looked concerned, waving a hand in front of the elf’s eyes. “You’re creeping me out.”

“Why is how much mana she has such a big deal?” Sayla asked softly, even as Nirath slowly blinked and turned her gaze to them, her smile broad.

“Because it’s a measure of her power. I am an adept-ranked magister, while Joseph is just barely at the rank of master,” the elf replied slowly, making Daniel feel like she’d been drugged. “She is a grandmaster at a minimum. I have seen no more than four grandmasters in my life, and the power is… intoxicating.”

“Only to crazy people like you who can feel the mana too easily,” Darak muttered in return, shaking his head. “The question is where she came from, and what in the damn hells she thinks she’s doing.”

“Looks to me like she’s putting up a sign, Darak,” Eric drawled, smirking as the dwarf gave him a caustic glance.

The dryad had finally seemed satisfied with her posts, each standing about eight feet tall, and had taken several boards from the elven woman. Reaching upward, Daniel watched with surprise as the ends of the board melted into the posts, securing the board as the dryad decided it was in the right place. Letters were etched into the wood and painted in black, though he couldn’t read them from this distance.

“I can tell it’s a sign, you arse. I’m wondering what it’s all about,” Darak huffed while frowning.

“Well, there’s one sure way to find out,” Daniel replied calmly, and then he started walking toward the odd pair. He felt a strange sense of déjà vu, since this was the second time he’d approached an odd group in this same clearing.

“I suppose there’s something to be said for his guts,” Penelope whispered behind Daniel, and Daniel barely suppressed a smile at her comment. Neither of the women reacted as he approached, though the elf did glance in his direction, giving a glimpse of her sky-blue eyes.

“Excuse me, but I just have to ask what you’re doing? I haven’t seen either of you in town before,” Daniel asked. He’d stopped a good five feet away when he almost felt like he’d suffocate if he came closer.

“Ah, Sistina wanted to put up the sign today. So, we came out to get the job done,” the elf mumbled shyly, looking away from him.

“While I suppose that’s an answer, that isn’t exactly what I meant,” Daniel replied, glancing at the top of the sign and frowning slightly. It said that it was the ‘Dungeon of Everium,’ which seemed odd. After a moment, he continued, “I meant to ask why you were putting a sign out at all.”

“Oh! We’re just putting up the rules for the dungeon. So that everyone knows what they are before going inside.” The elf looked far more relieved, smiling slightly as she handed over another board to the dryad, who continued working calmly as she carefully made certain that each board was flush with the previous one. At least the edges of the panels weren’t fusing together, which was a relief.

“But… no one can make rules for a dungeon,” Daniel protested, surprise causing his brain to hiccup slightly.

“Wrong. The dungeon can make rules. She just doesn’t like penalizing people without giving them fair warning. Thus, the rules,” the elf countered, then smiled. “I should know. I live in there, after all!”

Daniel’s eyes went wide with shock, and he stood there for a moment, just as he heard muttered curses from Darak. After a brief pause, he managed to ask, “Y-you live in there? How? I’ve gone inside twice, and it’s incredibly deadly inside! How can you even survive?”

“Complicated,” the dryad spoke at last, taking a final board and putting it into place before straightening and looking at him with leaf-green eyes.

“Mmmhmm. Simplest way to put it is that I belong to the dungeon,” the elf told him, relaxing slightly as she looked at the dryad. “Done, Sistina?”

“Yes,” the dryad replied, glancing around the clearing for a moment, her eyes lingering on the adventurers before she pointed at the board. “Rules. Important.”

“But who—” one of the guards spoke up, only to have the dryad ignore him, walking toward the dungeon.

“Sorry, she’s really difficult. Good luck, and follow the rules!” the elf replied, and then scampered after the dryad and into the mouth of the cave, her footsteps echoing behind her.

“What the hell? Darak, can people really live in dungeons like that?” Daniel asked, as not just the adventurers but at least another dozen onlookers started forward.

“Sort of. Joe? You’re better at this sort of thing,” Darak asked, looking at the cleric.

“Well, most people who ‘live’ in a dungeon are just surviving in a safe zone. Not all dungeons have them, and safe zones are usually not terribly pleasant places. They’re usually empty stone rooms with nothing useful to them,” Joseph began, shrugging. “Usually it’s some merchant or smith who’s set up shop there and survives on supplies brought in by adventurers. It isn’t the safest, since getting in or out can be difficult, but a few make a lot of money off of such. There’s another type, but it’s extraordinarily rare. That elven girl is probably the second type.”

“Which is?” Daniel asked, glancing at the sign.

“Essentially, they’re the representative of the dungeon, we call them Voices. Dungeons generally can’t speak, but a few learn to infuse a mortal with their power, who communicates their desires. You never touch someone like that. Not if you want to live when you go into the dungeon,” the cleric explained, frowning slightly. “That’s part of why I wanted Darak out here. When those two came out, the guards tried to accost the elf, only to have the dryad brain one of them with a signpost before she got to work. I’m betting she’s a boss monster inside, and if so, we’re in trouble.”

“Actually, I think this could be even weirder, Joe. Read the damn sign,” Penelope interjected, nodding at the sign.

“Hmm?” Joseph blinked, then actually looked at the sign more closely. Considering the situation, Daniel followed his example.

Dungeon of Everium

Each floor of the dungeon will always be composed of between 10 and 15 chambers connected by tunnels. Only the first and last chambers of each floor can connect to other floors.

Every 10th floor possesses an exit marked with a star that connects to a tunnel leading to the surface. All tunnels link together, and possess heavily trapped doors to prevent floors from being bypassed. Should these doors be deliberately breached, these exit tunnels will be removed.

The first time an individual reaches the end of a floor, there will be a reward of 10 silver marks per floor cleared. To receive this reward the individual must meaningfully contribute to clearing the floor. This reward changes to 10 gold crowns per floor at the 51st floor, and will be replaced by further rewards at the 101st floor.

Tunnels that have a shield sigil with three parallel claw marks across it are beast lairs. Entry is forbidden.

Caves with a sigil of a tent are a safe zone, where monsters will not enter.

Do not foul water sources. Do not deliberately destroy plants that are harmless. Do not uproot rare ingredients; take the useful parts and leave the rest of the plant to regrow the herbs. Violating any of these specific rules may cost the violator their rewards, or turn monsters of the dungeon against the individual. This depends on the severity of the violation.

Do not attempt to take machinery or forging equipment from the foundry. Basic gear, such as weapons, armor, and similar items are free to be taken.

Do not attempt to tunnel through the dungeon, and do not attempt to open additional entrances into the dungeon.

Dungeon servants will sometimes be available to assist adventurers. These individuals are not to be harmed, and will not be attacked by dungeon creatures. Services are negotiable depending on the individual.

Rarely, the dungeon may choose to spare an individual and offer to allow them to serve the dungeon for a period not less than 1 year in exchange for their lives.

There was a strange sound from nearby, and Daniel glanced over, only to freeze in shock at the sight of Darak’s eyes almost bugging out.

“A… a hundred floors? What in the bowels of hell? That’s over a thousand chambers! A thousand!” Darak gasped, managing to get past his choking, staring over at Joseph. “How the hell are we supposed to clear something like that?”

“I have no idea. But this tells me that this dungeon hasn’t been increasing the difficulty as we go down by accident, that’s for certain,” Penelope replied, her voice grim.

“It’s also giving us easy ways out after we’ve gone fairly far inside, though,” Joseph countered, seeming much more sanguine about the text. “This is… interesting.”

“Alright, what’s the big deal?” Eric finally spoke up before Daniel, his voice impatient. “This seems really weird, yeah, but it doesn’t seem bad to me.”

“Let’s step away from the crowd and discuss things there, why don’t we? This is a bit complicated,” Penelope suggested, and at their nods they drew away, heading back for the tavern.

“So where to start? That’s a mess of a signboard, and changes everything we thought we knew about this dungeon,” Darak asked, sitting down and running a hand over his beard.

“The rewards,” Nirath said simply, finally beginning to go back to normal as she shook her head. “Those were most unusual.”

“How so? I mean, it’s a lot of money, but we only managed the first room, not even the first floor,” Eileen asked. “Ten silver is about a hundred days stay in a common room if you lived frugally, but that isn’t exactly incredible.”

“What’s surprising is that it’s explicitly stated, Eileen,” Joseph answered, frowning slightly. “Some dungeons give fairly consistent rewards in particular places, but I’ve never heard of one that gave a set reward for certain tasks.”

“Untrue. The Great Labyrinth,” Nirath corrected gently.

“A fair point,” Joseph acknowledged with a nod, but looked at the others seriously. “The Great Labyrinth is an incredible place, and it does occasionally give consistent rewards, but we don’t know much about them. We don’t qualify to go there yet.”

“If that wasn’t weird, there was the bit about dungeon servants, though. I’ve heard of dungeons that had a spokesperson of sorts, but never one with servants. Especially if they don’t get attacked,” Penelope chimed in, the warrior seeming almost back to normal. “And that it might actually occasionally let someone live if they serve it for a time? Never happened before. Ever.”

“That’s… odd, I’ll admit, but it doesn’t seem that bad. I mean, those are only a few items on the list,” Daniel spoke after a few moments, musing and frowning. Did that mean that Sina’s death was intentional? That somewhat roused his anger toward the dungeon, though he wasn’t entirely certain what he could do.

“No, no. You don’t understand, Danny,” Darak countered, shaking his head. “The entire sign is beyond unusual. I’ve never heard of one being put up by the dungeon itself before! And the size of the dungeon is incredible. When we first got here we thought it would have twenty rooms, and maybe as many as forty if it was particularly big. Now we’re seeing indications that it has hundreds, Daniel. That changes everything.”

“Wait, what? What about the dungeon you came from?” Daniel protested, looking between the older adventurers. “You said that you’d gone through another before, right?”

“Yes, the Cerulean Dungeon,” Joseph agreed, nodding slightly. “It’s a water-themed dungeon that was discovered approximately ninety years ago.”

“How many chambers or rooms does it have?” Eric asked, tapping the table slowly.

“Sixty-three known, last we were there,” Nirath spoke with precision. “And the layout rarely changes significantly. That this dungeon wasn’t discovered until it reached its current size is disconcerting.”

“I need a drink,” Darak muttered, and raised his hand to flag down the waitress. “An ale, please.”

“A pitcher for the table, actually? I think we all need a drink,” Joseph interjected.

“Of course, right away,” the woman promised, then left them to their conversation.

Daniel took a deep breath, his eyes meeting Sayla’s. She looked concerned, and after a moment he steadied himself and leaned forward. His voice was firm as he looked at Penelope and the others. “Okay, if we’re going to join the Adventuring Guild, I think that this means we need to know more about dungeons.”

“Fair point,” Penelope replied with a chuckle, sitting back in her chair before she asked, “What do you want to know?”

* * *

“So a dryad and elf came out of the dungeon, and the guards tried to question the elf to see if she was a slave,” Lord Evansly spoke patiently, looking out the window of his office.

“Yes, sir,” Lieutenant Tarys replied, still standing at attention.

“What were they going to do to check, disrobe her?” he asked, turning to look at Tarys, and she winced at the scowl on Evansly’s face.

“They didn’t say what they were going to do, sir,” Tarys told him, feeling somewhat nervous. This hadn’t been a good month for her.

“And then the dryad hit one of them over the head with a signpost, and they backed off?” her lord continued, his tone growing weary.

“That’s what I was told, My Lord,” Tarys replied helplessly.

Letting out a deep sigh, Evansly turned around and sat, rubbing his eyes. After a moment, he spoke again, “Well, shit. Lieutenant, we have very specific orders involving the dungeon. These came down from the Adjudicator, and from the Archon above him. Let the soldiers know that those who enter or leave the dungeon are to be left alone. Screwing around with the dungeon is completely off-limits. I know what orders you gave, so I trust you, Tarys. Just make sure they don’t bring down the Justicars on our heads, please?”

“As you say, My Lord.” Relief flooded Tarys and she saluted, bowing deeply. “I’ll make certain that they are well aware.”

“Good. Thank you Tarys.” Evansly smiled slightly, though it didn’t dispel the lines of worry on his face. “This has been one hell of a month.”

Chapter 4

Phynis froze in place, staring at the mug of water in her hands. Or, if she was being more accurate, she was staring at the broken mug that was now filled with ice. The slight pain where several splinters had pierced into her hands woke her from her daze, and Phynis hissed as she set down the mug, trying to piece together what had just happened.

“Ow.” Phynis gasped as she began to extract the thin wooden fragments from her palm. Each was painful, but she couldn’t help replaying what she’d been doing a minute earlier.

Lily and Sistina had left to go up to the town above, and in their absence Phynis had found herself feeling awfully lonely. It was so safe in the dungeon that her guards had found themselves occupied with other tasks, and the handful of them practically rattled around the cave system like pebbles in an empty warehouse. So she’d gone to sit under Sistina’s tree and thought about what it was she wanted to do with her life. As she’d been thinking, she considered what would happen if anyone hurt Sistina, and icy anger had rushed through her. Through her, and out her hands, she realized, looking down at them in bemusement.

“What just happened?” Phynis asked softly, and almost at the same moment, she heard the sound of rapid footsteps, as if someone was running.

Sistina burst through the swaying fronds of her tree’s canopy, then paused a moment as she looked at Phynis and slowly relaxed, letting out an obvious breath of relief.

“Sistina? Why did you…?” Phynis began, then paused, somewhat uncertain.

“You hurt. I sensed,” Sistina replied simply, pointing down toward Phynis’ midriff. “Worried.”

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize that you could sense that.” Sistina blushed, then looked down at her hand. “I’m not sure what happened. I got really angry at the thought of people hurting you two up there, and then the water turned to ice.”

The dryad stepped closer and knelt next to Phynis, gently taking her hands. The dryad carefully touched each open wound, causing a green light to flare for a moment as cool energy flowed through Phynis’ hands and the wounds closed. She continued to remove the splinters gently, and far more easily than Phynis, healing each wound as she went. As she did so, the sound of more footsteps reached Phynis’ ears, and Lily came into sight, looking slightly winded.

“What happened, Sistina? I’ve never seen you move that fast before,” Lily asked, wiping her brow with one hand.

“I’m afraid I managed to hurt myself, and Sistina worried it was something major,” Phynis explained, looking down at the mug. “Somehow the water turned to ice, and I ended up with a bunch of splinters.”

“Oh, that’s good. That it wasn’t major, not that you got hurt. How’d it happen?” Lily asked, stepping closer again. Phynis grinned slightly internally at the evidence that Lily was getting used to treating her like a normal person.

“Magic,” Sistina interjected calmly.

“Well, I’d guessed it was magic. I just don’t know where it was from,” Phynis replied, trying to repress a bit of impatience at Sistina’s response. How else would water turn into ice suddenly, anyway?

“No.” Sistina looked up to meet Phynis’ eyes, then reached out to gently touch the middle of Phynis’ chest. “Magic. Yours.”

“What?” Lily yelped, her eyes going wide. “I didn’t know you could use magic, Phynis!”

“That’s because I can’t. I was so busy training to rule Sifaren I never had time to learn,” Phynis replied slowly, blinking in surprise. “How could I possibly use magic?”

“You died,” Sistina said simply, shrugging as she looked at Phynis with sorrow. “Healing difficult. Mana infused Phynis. Magic awoke.”

“Wait, what do you mean I died?” Phynis asked, suddenly going pale. “Was this when I was shot?”

Lily’s face turned slightly green at the explanation, but Sistina nodded slightly, her voice gentle. “Momentary. Healed, restored. Was close.”

“I didn’t realize it was that close,” Lily murmured, her eyes wide with shock.

“Neither did I,” Phynis replied, feeling slightly numb. It took her a moment before she slowly asked. “And it awakened my magic?”

“Yes. Strong magic.” Sistina nodded firmly, then frowned. “Training needed.”

“If I could freeze water by accident, I think you’re right,” Phynis replied, letting out a faint giggle. “Could you teach me?”

Sistina shook her head firmly. “Bad teacher. Desa.”

“Just because you can’t talk easily. You need practice, Sistina,” Phynis admonished, smiling as the last injury was healed. “But I can talk to Desa about it.”

“Words hard,” Sistina spoke firmly, shaking her head.

“You keep saying that, but you’re getting better,” Lily interjected, grinning slightly.

Sistina sniffed almost dismissively, closing her eyes as she refrained from comment. Her reaction prompted both women to giggle.

* * *

Sistina watched the two women leave, then closed her eyes and allowed herself to rest as she checked to see just how much damage she’d dealt to her body in her run. The pain from Phynis had been so unexpected that she’d ignored all restraint in her attempts to rush to the other woman, uncertain what had happened. In her instinctive flight, she’d even forgotten that she could have pulled out of her body to check on the princess, and her body had not been up to the strain.

The dryad’s body looked fine on the surface, but internally it was a different story. Muscles in her legs had torn, ligaments had nearly snapped, and some of the wooden ‘bones’ had impacted one another badly, splintering slightly. It wouldn’t be too hard to heal, but if Sistina did so it would take more mana than she wanted to use just now. What she had planned would take immense amounts of mana, and she didn’t dare expend it on minor luxuries. So instead, she used just enough to ensure the injuries would heal, then closed her eyes to let herself deal with the pain as it healed naturally.

At least she didn’t have to stay in her body, unlike anyone else who was recovering from their injuries.

* * *

“Are you alright, Adjudicator?” Private Derek asked, handing over a mug of water.

“Please, just call me Jared,” Jared replied with a wince, taking the mug and sipping at the water. “We’re all prisoners, so there’s no need to stand on ceremony.”

“Maybe so, sir, but you’re the only one who fought to the bitter end. I’m a bit ashamed that I ran,” Derek replied guiltily, looking down at the ground. “Not that I got far.”

A day earlier, Jared and the others had been moved to a new cave under the mountainside. It was a decently sized cavern, about eighty feet on a side and with small side-caves that contained bedrolls and other supplies. The crystal on the ceiling shed light, granting the illusion of day and night, while a riot of edible plants and fruit trees surrounded the large spring in the center of the chamber. The elf who’d led the way had icily informed them that it was their own responsibility to ensure that they didn’t run out of food, then had left them.

There were exactly twelve of them in the cavern, all the survivors of Jared’s ill-fated attempt to capture Princess Phynis Constella again. Five of them had been swallowed by pit traps that had dropped them into pitcher plants. From the descriptions, it sounded like the plants had put those five to sleep, while all but Jared had tried to run, only to end up surrendering to the elves. All the others, nearly forty men and women, had died under the arrows of the dusk elves or to the enchanted fists of the golem.

A golem which blocked the exit of the cavern they’d been moved to. Jared’s eyes drifted to the huge figure and shivered slightly. The golem was a blocky humanoid form, with the surface seemingly melted to glass. Etched into the golem’s surface were intricate runes that glowed with faint crimson light. He’d seen the flames it could emit, and all the damage they’d dealt to the golem was gone now. It was the sight of the golem and how strange the area they were in was that told him they were in the dungeon, a thing he hadn’t thought was possible. How could anyone live in a dungeon?

Shaking his head to clear the extraneous thoughts from his mind, Jared smiled at Derek again, his voice quiet. “I don’t blame you, Derek. I completely fucked up this time. If I’d known we were invading the dungeon I wouldn’t have even have tried. Instead I got most of your company killed, and it was only right that I die fighting. If I hadn’t been offered the chance to surrender, I would have died too.”

“How were you supposed to know, sir? Your ribs are cracked, your arm broken, and to my knowledge, everyone said the dungeon went downward, not west,” Derek asked, looking worried. “I don’t think anybody here blames you.”

“They should,” Jared replied with a sigh, settling back. “Still, we can’t do anything but wait. Once I’m mobile, I’ll see about helping out around the cave.”

“As you wish, sir,” Derek replied respectfully.

* * *

“You did what?” Desa asked, obviously startled as she stared at Phynis.

“Some of my thoughts upset me, and the water froze so fast that the mug shattered in my hands,” Phynis replied, feeling a little uncertain about Desa’s reaction. She held up her hands and added, “Sistina healed my hands, so I’m fine, but she said I need training and that she’d be a bad teacher.”

“If you did that, I’m not surprised you need training. I’m just shocked because if it’s enough mana to react that violently to mere emotions, I have no idea how much power it would take,” Desa replied, setting her book down carefully. “I’ve heard of minor indications around particularly talented individuals, but nothing on that scale.”

“Uh, well, she said it was in part triggered when she healed me,” Phynis told Desa, deciding that it would be far better not to mention the fact she’d died briefly. That would just upset Desa, and the mage was uncertain how to act now that she’d resigned her commission in Sifaren’s Royal Guard. Their relationship was slowly on the mend, but… actually, that might have been part of why Sistina had sent her to Desa. Considering the possibility, Phynis slowly grew certain that was the case. She’d seen Sistina share knowledge with Lily, and she suspected that her own connection wasn’t any weaker than the gardener’s. It would be just like Sistina to gently nudge them together to help them reconcile.

“Considering how much mana I felt her gather to heal you, I suppose that makes sense. I couldn’t believe how much mana she was using.” Desa shook her head and sighed. “I never thought healing you would take that much power.”

“I didn’t realize. I felt something while I was unconscious, but it’s hazy, and I can’t really remember much. Mostly a pair of violet eyes,” Phynis mused, shaking her head and sighing slightly. “The question is, will you help?”

“Of course I’ll help!” Desa replied, looking surprised and almost betrayed by Phynis’ doubt, making Phynis feel guilty for asking. “Take a seat. Let’s figure out just how much mana you have and work from there.”

“Thank you, Desa,” Phynis replied softly, taking a seat across from Desa. The library was largely quiet, and she cleared her throat before asking, “How do we check my mana?”

“Hold out your hands and try to relax. I’m going to try to probe you and find the core of your mana. That’ll allow me to measure it,” Desa explained, clearing her throat as she added, “It will feel a bit uncomfortable, I’m afraid. Try not to resist, but it might take a couple of attempts.”

“I think I can manage that,” Phynis replied, smiling a little as she extended her hands with her palms up on the table.

Desa pushed her book to the side and laid her own hands over Phynis’. For a long moment Phynis didn’t feel anything but the warmth of Desa’s palms. Finally, a faint, almost tickling sensation brushed against her palms, causing her to shiver slightly.

“There we are,” Desa murmured, opening her eyes a crack and smiling as she admonished, “Try not to resist.”

Phynis was about to reply, but her words turned into a sharp gasp as it suddenly felt like two needles had just been thrust through her hands and into her wrists. Her hands spasmed, and she almost pulled away out of instinct.

Grabbing her hands and holding them, Desa admonished, “Let me in, Phynis. If you do, it’ll stop hurting, I promise.”

“I’m t-trying,” Phynis gasped, arms almost vibrating as she tried to work through the pain, which wasn’t dulling at all!

“Just relax your arms. Let each muscle grow limp, and just let it flow through you,” Desa urged softly.

Phynis tried to do as she said. It was just so hard to concentrate with the pain. Her muscles didn’t want to relax at all. For several long moments there was no progress, until she felt something relax ever so slightly under her efforts, and the pain eased in response. It was like learning there was a new muscle in her arms, and slowly, she managed to relax the resistance, and the pain subsided until it just felt like two cool veins of ice were in her arms.

“There we go. Was that really so bad?” Desa asked, smiling sympathetically.

“Yes. Yes it was, Desa,” Phynis replied crossly, taking a deep breath. “That hurt more than I expected.”

“Well, maybe I’m just misremembering. I’m sorry it hurt,” Desa apologized. “Now, let’s continue. Just hold your resistance back like that, Phynis.”

“I’ll do my best. This is harder than I expected,” Phynis replied, working to keep that ‘muscle’ relaxed as the cool probes seeped deeper into her, extending up her arms slowly. It was such a strange sensation, feeling them slide through her body effortlessly.

“You can do it, Phynis. Just give me a minute,” Desa murmured softly, her eyes half-closed again.

After a few moments, the probes reached her torso, and immediately reached toward her heart. If Phynis remembered right, there was a potent magical center there, one of seven along a person’s spine. The reason why Kelvanis branded their slaves on the lower abdomen was believed to be because it was right over the lowest one of the seven. The cool veins reached her heart, touched it… and Phynis felt an explosion of warmth, her vision vanishing in a flash of white for a moment as the probes evaporated into nothing.

“Dear gods in the heavens!” Desa’s voice was shockingly loud as her hands recoiled. She was staring at Phynis in shock as the elf’s vision cleared again, jaw all but hanging open.

“What happened, Desa?” Phynis asked, frowning in worry. “Is… is something wrong with me?”

“Wrong? You might say that, but for entirely the wrong reason!” Desa gasped out, shaking her head. “You have too much mana. Far, far more than you should have without centuries of training! How… oh. Oh, she gave you the power! When you were hurt… Sistina gathered an enormous amount of mana and pressed it into the open wound, directly into your heart! And you didn’t just heal, you took it!”

“What are you talking about, Desa?” Phynis asked, confused at the excitement and shock in her bodyguard’s eyes. “I thought all the mana was used to heal me!”

“So did I. But it wasn’t.” Desa calmed slightly, shaking her head. “Your body took that mana and used it as a… a nucleus of sorts. Instead of having to build up your mana reserves the way most people do, you instantly gained a supply that is absolutely immense. No wonder you could accidentally freeze water, when most people need a specific spell to manage it!”

“How much mana are you talking about?” Phynis asked slowly, trying to adjust to the concept, and Desa just snorted.

“How much? I don’t know how to describe it. Not even close,” Desa replied softly, but grinned. “On the other hand, I can tell you this much. If you have even half as much talent at learning magic as you had with statecraft, you might be in the running for becoming the most powerful sorceress on the continent, given a few decades.”

Phynis’ eyes went huge at the implication, and she swallowed hard before speaking in a quiet voice. “Oh.”

Chapter 5

Albert grinned as he finally came into sight of the town. He was almost done with the sorry excuse for a trail, and that was fine with him. What a pain in the ass it had been getting through the mud-clogged section about ten miles back… fortunately, steam engines were much less impressed by mud than most horses or wagons. But he finally made it, and that made him happier than he could express. Even if he was in a godsforsaken backwater.

Spotting a few figures near the entrance to the town, Albert grinned and pulled on the rope that activated the steam-whistle and watched them jump as it wailed. It was always so much fun to watch rubes panic at the sound of a mere whistle!

* * *

“What the hell was that?” Sayla asked, looking up with her hand of cards as she almost jumped out of her seat. Daniel had to admit that the sound of the mournful, high-pitched sound had startled him as well, but he hadn’t much more than twitched.

“Ah, the Guild’s here!” Joseph spoke happily, setting down his cards and nodding. “I’m bowing out, I’d like to go meet them.”

“And that was a steam whistle, Sayla,” Penelope added, following his example. “You’ve heard of steam engines, right?”

“Only in vague terms. I hear there’s a steam ship that visits the ports around the Medan Sea on occasion, but I’ve never been to that part of Kelvanis,” Sayla replied, hesitating a moment as everyone began to fold around her, then sighing and setting down her cards. “Drat. I had a good hand for once.”

“I’ve seen the steamer before. The White Wind,” Daniel interjected, smiling slightly at the memory. “When I first saw it, I thought it was the most ridiculous-looking ship. But it’s fast, and not reliant on wind.”

“Oh, what type of ship is it?” Darak asked curiously, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve heard of a few steamers, but they aren’t too common yet.”

“Ah, it was a fairly big ship, about two hundred feet from prow to stern, but with big paddle wheels on either side of the centerline,” Daniel replied, shaking his head. “I first saw it at rest and wondered how it could even work.”

“That would be a sidewheeler. I’m surprised one comes through these parts. Steam engines are pretty damned expensive, even if the Guild does like them a lot.” Darak nodded firmly. “I’m more surprised that anyone out here had seen one.”

“People do travel, Darak. Even if you didn’t like Alcast, that doesn’t mean it’s not a pleasant place to visit for some people,” Joseph chided, leading the way outside.

“Bah. Country fields and forest hunting? That’s for other people,” Darak muttered.

“Where would you like to vacation, Darak?” Eric asked curiously, and Daniel suppressed a spike of jealousy as he saw Eric’s fingers laced together with Eileen’s.

“Me? Skymount. I’ve heard that the architecture in the mountain is absolutely breathtaking,” Darak replied after a moment, the dwarf rubbing his chin in embarrassment. “I’m the worst architect you’d ever meet, but I love seeing well-made buildings.”

“Huh. I’ve never heard of Skymount before,” Eric mused, stepping outside ahead of Daniel. He seemed to be about to continue, but fell silent for a moment before speaking. “Alright, I’ll admit that that’s a heck of a sight. Are wagons like that normal back where you come from?”

Daniel followed him, feeling slightly curious, and his jaw almost dropped at the sight of the three massive wagons sitting outside the gates. It was weird enough that they didn’t have horses and that they had smokestacks, but that each of them was composed of a train of three huge wagons startled him.

“Hardly normal.” Penelope laughed, shaking her head. “Those are unusual, but it explains how the others got here so quickly.”

They watched as the guards finished talking to the first driver, and one by one the wagons pulled into the town square, taking up most of the open space as they creaked into place alongside one another, and the sounds of their engines slowly died away.

The driver of the head wagon hopped down from his perch, pushing up his goggles and removing his gloves. Meanwhile, a host of nearly thirty people poured from the various wagons. They were predominantly humans, but four dwarves and three elves could be seen among them as they began talking and unpacking.

Penelope strode forward toward the lead driver, and she spoke cheerfully. “Albert! What did you do to get exiled all the way out here?”

Daniel saw the man do a double take, blinking several times, and then he grinned and laughed. Wrapping her in a bear hug, she returned it as he exclaimed, “Penny! I never expected to see you out here! Did Kettle keep it from me on purpose, I wonder? And where’s Joseph?”

“I’m right here, Albert. It’s good to see you,” Joseph replied warmly, smiling as the two broke up their hug and he and Albert shook hands vigorously. “Seriously, though, what are you doing out here?”

“Why wouldn’t I be here? I heard that some interesting ingredients were found in large numbers at a new dungeon, and Guildmaster Kettle had nominated me to be the next guildmaster. So, they decided that I should found a new Guild house out here,” the man replied, pulling off his cap and revealing an unruly mess of dark hair. “I just didn’t know any of you were here! And who’re these people? I recognize Darak and Nirath, of course. How are you two?”

“I am well, Artificer,” Nirath replied with a slight nod of her head.

“I’m fine, sir. And these are prospective guild members,” Darak replied respectfully, introducing each of them in turn. “Daniel, Eileen, Eric, and Sayla. They all managed to survive the dungeon and catch our attention, so we’ve been mentoring them a bit.”

“This is my layabout older brother, Albert Windgale,” Penelope told them, grinning broadly. “And by layabout, I mean that he’s actually an extraordinarily skilled alchemist, artificer, and earth mage. I never thought we’d get someone like this jerk out here!”

“Hey, don’t ruin my reputation in front of prospective members!” Albert chuckled, smirking for a moment before abruptly focusing on them, his gaze and voice suddenly serious. “So, you, Eileen, what’re your skills?”

“Um, I’m a scout, sir. I’m better than most of the others at spotting things out of the ordinary. I’m also fairly good with a shortsword,” Eileen replied, seeming taken aback.

“I’m not a sir. Unlike most of the guildmasters, I still work.” Albert brushed the term aside, focusing on Eric next. “You, Eric?”

“I’m the bulky lug of our little group. I’m nowhere near as strong as Darak, but I hit harder than most of the others, but I’m a little slower too,” Eric admitted readily, shrugging. “My job is to hit hard and take them down. Hopefully I can get decent armor sometime soon.”

“Hmm. Daniel. Explain,” Albert continued, staring Daniel in the eyes and making him feel very uncomfortable.

“Well, I’m a soldier of Kelvanis. I was primarily trained as a crossbowman, but I’m decent with a sword,” Daniel told the man honestly, shifting from one foot to the other. “I’m not as good at it as Eileen, but I’m fair at scouting, too.”

“And I’m more the sneaky type, and use daggers,” Sayla spoke first, her voice soft as she almost glared at Albert. “I’m not strong, but I’m fast and accurate.”

“Right. So at least we’ve got a trap spotter. Any of you good at disabling traps?” Albert asked, obviously skeptical.

Eileen and the others looked at each other before Eileen spoke, slightly hesitantly. “I have a little training with it, but I really only had to deal with snares or the like.”

“I see. So, we have a group without a healer or a mage. This could get ugly for the four of you.” Albert sighed, shaking his head as he looked at Penelope. “Really, Penny?”

“Shush, you big turkey,” Penelope scolded, shaking her head at him. “There are plenty of groups that don’t start with mages or the like. That’s why we’re mentoring them, dumbass. We’ll help them each get at least a bit of their magical potential awakened, and see where they can go from there.”

“Besides, that’s why the guild has alchemists,” Darak drawled, smirking. “They bring you ingredients, you buy them, they buy minor potions and the like to keep them alive, and you repeat. So leave the newbies alone, Albert.”

Albert rolled his eyes and sighed theatrically, giving Daniel and the others a slight grin as he spoke again. “Sorry about that, you four. Seriously, you need to be careful, though. Until you have a healer, a single mistake could kill all of you. Penny might be a bit sadistic, but she’s really good at her job. Eileen, I think you could learn a lot from her, especially about traps.”

“Thank you, Mr. Windgale,” Eileen replied, smiling now, and Daniel relaxed as well as the guildmaster seemed to back down about how bad their chances were.

Behind them, a good amount of gear had been unloaded, looking to mostly be the personal belongings of the people who’d come with Albert. They’d begun streaming toward the inn, but a few had approached the dungeon entrance instead.

“Just Albert will do. We’re not a military force, after all,” Albert replied. Turning, he nodded toward the dungeon entrance. “Anyway, what’s with the sign by the dungeon? It looks to be a bit more than a warning sign. The kingdom didn’t decide to try to regulate it or something, did they?”

“Not at all. It’s weird, but I think this dungeon’s even stranger than most of them, Al.” Penelope shook her head and replied seriously. “We saw what had to be a dungeon’s Voice, and the sign was the rules that were communicated from the dungeon. Worse, this dungeon has to be at least five times the size of anything we’d expected.”

“It claims it has a hundred floors of ten to fifteen chambers,” Daniel commented, and Albert spun to stare at him.

“What? That’s utterly ridiculous! There’s no way that a dungeon could grow to that size without us detecting it,” Albert said flatly, shaking his head. “Bad enough that there’s a Voice, but that’s just preposterous.”

“Be that as it may, Albert, that’s what the sign says,” Joseph refuted, shaking his head. “Read the sign yourself if you don’t believe me.”

“I’ll do that. After I’ve taken a bath, shaved, and gotten a proper meal,” Albert replied with a slight frown. “I’ll figure this out, one way or another.”

“The inn is right there,” Daniel volunteered. “They have decent rooms.”

“Well, Daniel, mind leading the way?” Albert asked him, batting his pants to knock the dust off.

“Not at all.” Daniel led the way to the inn, repressing his desire to ask questions about artificers and alchemy.

* * *

“Hello, Mr. Windgale. I’m Lord Aric Evansly. I’m in charge of Granite Point and the local environs,” Evansly spoke warmly, offering his hand to the other man. “I’m given to understand you’re the leader of the expedition from the Western Adventuring Guild?”

Albert nodded and smiled back. The human man was modestly tall and rather handsome, clean-shaven and with carefully trimmed black hair that had been combed back, still wet from a recent bath, Evansly noted, but it was his eyes that he focused on. Those eyes were a common blue, but the intelligence and steel in them was striking. Albert’s voice was polite, as he replied.

“Yes, Albert Windgale, actually. It’s nice to meet you, Lord Evansly.” Albert nodded. “And you are largely correct as to my position. In fact, I needed to meet with you for another reason.”

“Please sit, Mr. Windgale,” Evansly said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. As Albert sat, he circled the desk to sit himself. “What can I do for you?”

“The Western Adventuring Guild wishes to establish a guild house here to assist in the delves of adventurers into the Dungeon of Everium, as well as to recruit additional members,” Albert spoke bluntly, lacing his fingers together in front of him as he looked Evansly in the eyes. “I was selected to lead the expedition and to be the guildmaster of the new branch. Unless this is unacceptable, we need to purchase land for the guild house.”

“Ah! I wasn’t certain that such would be the case, but my superiors had anticipated the possibility of such. The Archon of Kelvanis is supposed to have once been a member of the Southern Adventuring Guild,” Evansly replied, smiling back at Albert.

“Indeed? May I ask his name?” Albert asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

“Ulvian Sorvos,” Evansly replied, shrugging. “We have few enough adventurers in our part of the world that I’m afraid I don’t know much more about him.”

“Ulvian Sorvos… I don’t recall hearing the name. But he’s from a different branch of the guild, so I suppose that shouldn’t be surprising.” Albert looked thoughtful for several long moments. Finally, he shook his head and smiled. “Regardless, will we be able to buy land for the guild house?”

“Of course, Mr. Windgale! How much land are you needing?” Evansly asked, standing and stepping over to his map case. “I’ve maps of the planned town layout, so if we could work around that it would be preferable.”

“We should be able to manage that. Why don’t we take a look at your map first?” Albert suggested, smiling broadly. “How much land we need versus how much is preferred is quite different, is it not?”

“A fair point. One moment here.” Evansly pulled out a map and nodded, smiling as he returned to the table. “Now then, here are our current plans.”

Both of them leaned over the desk and began to discuss where to put the guild, and what should go where.

Chapter 6

Looking out the window, Justicar Hall frowned as he watched the company of soldiers stream out of the front gate of the Westgate fortress. Captain Marath wouldn’t have been his first choice to reinforce Lord Evansly, but Hall didn’t have any other choices available. Kelvanis’ forces were just spread too thin at the moment, and even with the recently rehabilitated captain’s forces, Evansly would be hard-pressed to block any outside access to the dungeon.

Matters weren’t helped by the disappearance of Adjudicator Falgrave, either. Hall had never entirely understood why the Archon liked Jared so much, but the man had been reasonably good at his job, causing fewer problems that Hall had to deal with than any of the other four Adjudicators did. He wasn’t looking forward to Jared’s replacement, when one was eventually chosen.

In the meantime, Hall needed to go through all the paperwork that had piled up in the Adjudicator’s absence. There were reports from the military and spies alike, and it was possible that some of them had information on just how this debacle had come about.

Snorting softly, Hall shook his head and sat down at the desk. Glancing at the piles, he decided to start with the reports from the spies. Those seemed likely to be the most time-sensitive of the documents, and the most likely to be of use. Picking up the letter opener, he slit the top of the first one and pulled out the document.

* * *

“Report,” Major Thompson growled, tapping a finger impatiently on his saddle horn. The major was a big man with dark hair and eyes, and his build had led many to think that he was a muscle-bound fool at first. Unfortunately for many of those people, Thompson not only possessed a keen mind, but also a determination to succeed. That was why he was in charge of their mission, and he was also rather annoyed.

“The trail ahead washed from recent rains, sir,” one of the scouts reported, the man’s tired face streaked with dirt. “We can get around it, but it’s going to delay us at least two hours.”

“Damn it. There’s no way to get across?” Thompson asked, his scowl deepening.

“While we might be able to rig a couple of ropes, there’s no way we could get the horses across, sir,” the scout replied respectfully, shrugging slightly. “The lieutenant said he didn’t see a way past it without taking another route.”

“Shit. Well, go ahead and get the lead elements started on the new path,” Thompson ordered, scowling as he looked around him. The man saluted, then trotted toward the front again.

Just over two hundred and fifty men and women were with him, most with mounts, including an entire platoon of mages. This was an elite force, save for the group whose job it was to lead the priestesses at this temple back to Kelvanis, and they were being delayed by a trail being washed out! It frustrated him, but Thompson reminded himself that he’d taken into account potential delays when he’d set out. He had time to spare.

In relatively short order, the line of soldiers began to creep forward again, and Thompson held back his urge to command them to move more quickly.

* * *

“You know, I expected to not have to hike so much when I joined the priesthood,” Ruby commented, catching her breath as they waited for the others to crest the ridge.

“And look at us now. Skirting the dangerous regions of the Godsrage Mountains, without a single attendant in tow. Nothing but the clothes on our backs and packs filled with basic supplies,” Diamond teased, extending a hand to Emerald. “High and mighty priestesses that we are, hmm?”

The other priestess took it with a smile of thanks, then took a seat on a convenient rock while she took a sip from her waterskin.

“Please don’t tease, Archpriestess,” Opal spoke as she reached the top. The orange-tressed priestess shook her head and then paused, frowning for a moment. “Come to think of it, why didn’t you pass on the mantle yet? It’ll take the ring to your successor and warn the church that something’s wrong.”

“Because although it would give them some warning, the church likely wouldn’t think to warn the government, which wouldn’t help at all with the attack on Golden Vale. I also still need to check Our Lady’s abode. Without the ring, we can’t get in,” Diamond replied quietly, frowning to herself. “I fear they might have done something to Her. Or worse, that they might have somehow abducted Her. We have to know. I warned Sistina of the possibility, but we’re just guessing at the moment.”

“I entirely agree,” Emerald spoke softly, the quiet woman looking up at them in determination as the last three joined them. She passed her waterskin to Sapphire, the other priestess nodding her thanks as Emerald continued. “Whatever Kelvanis is planning, they must be stopped. And Sistina is the first ray of hope we’ve had in years. I don’t know how that library survived the Godsrage, when no others of that size have been found intact, but it’s the only hope we have.”

A murmur of agreement chorused around the circle, and Diamond smiled slightly, happy with how well her fellow priestesses were holding up. But it was at that moment that Amethyst spoke, her voice hesitant.

“Speaking of Sistina, has anyone else felt the distinct urge to turn around and go back to her?” the priestess asked, looking concerned. “I’ve been feeling a little anxious ever since we left.”

“I have too. I’m guessing it’s probably part of whatever Jared did to our heads,” Topaz replied, shifting from foot to foot. “I wish we’d had more time to discuss things with Sistina, but I fully agree that we have to rescue the other priestesses before they end up like, well… we did.”

“Agreed. And I also feel that urge. I suspect everyone does, yes?” Diamond spoke calmly, looking around the group as they each nodded. A tiny part of her was irritated that Amethyst had brought the subject up, since an insistent part of her mind was whispering that she should go back to the dungeon, but she overruled it as she continued. “Obviously, the only solution is to get there, wreck the teleportation formation and disrupt the ley line, and get back as quickly as possible. Which means we can’t stay here resting.”

Diamond’s words prompted a chorus of groans, but none of them objected as they rose from wherever they were resting. As they moved, Diamond frowned and shook her head, sighing. Even if they made perfect time, whether or not they reached the temple in time to stop the attack was up for debate.

* * *

A mental sound, like a soft bell being rung, disturbed Ulvian’s examination of Medaea. He scowled at the sound, glancing upward as he muttered, “Why now?”

“Lord Archon?” one of the succubi paused and asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing, Wenris. Just someone trying to contact me via mirror at the most inopportune time,” Ulvian explained, shaking his head. “What is it with their timing? I swear that I haven’t gotten through a single examination without being interrupted.”

“It isn’t like she’s going anywhere, Lord Archon,” Wenris replied in obvious amusement. “You’ve seen to that rather nicely.”

“True enough!” Ulvian replied, stepping back and smiling at the succubus appreciatively, then looking back at Medaea.

The goddess hadn’t moved since she’d been placed on the altar weeks before. Well, that wasn’t entirely true, if he was being honest. She’d trembled a few times, but the precautions he’d taken at the direction of his patron were effective. Medaea never woke from her slumber, and over the last few days, he’d finally started to see the faintest hints of their ritual affecting the slumbering goddess.

Five succubi were slowly transforming the five female Enforcers who’d helped capture Medaea into succubi themselves, and the resulting demonic energies were being sent through a magical array and into the trapped angel of Medaea. The angel’s corruption was progressing swiftly enough, and Ulvian smiled as he looked into her prison, seeing the despair, desire, and confusion in the angel’s eyes, as her halo and wings slowly darkened day by day. Her acquisition had allowed him to work far more swiftly than he’d anticipated, as funneling such energy directly into Medaea would have certainly awakened the goddess prematurely. He rather liked living.

Instead, the angel allowed him to use sympathetic magic on Medaea. She never actually touched demonic energies, but her mindset was being influenced by her angel, weakening her and rendering her vulnerable to the shaping stones and mindshards that had been implanted into the goddess’ flesh. And now her golden hair and bright red lips had begun to darken, if only around the edges.

Another chime of the bell in his mind cut off Ulvian’s train of thought, and he swallowed a curse, shaking his head. It wasn’t the fault of whomever was calling that he’d been busy, so he gave a nod to Wenris and smiled. “Take care of her for me, Wenris.”

“Of course, Lord Archon. It’s what I’m here for,” Wenris replied with a sunny smile.

Smiling more, Ulvian headed upstairs with a bounce to his step. He did like having His Lady’s succubi around. They were always eager to please.

* * *

Wenris watched Ulvian go, smiling as she did so. She enjoyed the company of the evil bastard most of the time. It almost made her sad that she was about to betray him. The key was to do so in a way he wouldn’t notice, nor would her supposed lady. Taking a quick glance around, Wenris realized that none of the other succubi were in sight, which made her smile grow wider as she murmured. “Finally! Took long enough. This should be about the right timing, too.”

Reaching into a pouch at her side, Wenris pulled out a delicate-looking chisel and hammer, and leaning down, she set the chisel against a particular portion of the diagram and destroyed it with a single strike. Oddly enough, there was no sound from the blow, and she put away the chisel, smiling as she saw that the diagram looked almost perfect, save for the tiny portion that was damaged. Pulling out a tiny packet of dust, she blew it against the damaged symbols, causing the stone to shimmer for a moment before an illusion perfectly covered the damage, making it look as though nothing had happened.

With another glance around, just to be safe, the succubus pulled out a small vial of deep crimson liquid and swallowed hard. If the other succubi caught her at this, she could only hope for a quick death. Fortunately, she had a way to ensure that, but she’d far prefer not to be caught at all.

After she uncorked the bottle, the scent that wafted to her nose caused an almost overwhelming need to wash over Wenris. She wanted to drink it, but resisted only with difficulty. Carefully reaching out, she tilted the vial to allow a single drop to fall on the gem over Medaea’s forehead. The drop of liquid was thick and heavy, but it vanished into the gem without a trace of its existence. Repeating the process with each of the other three exposed gems, Wenris quickly closed the now-empty vial and put it away before looking around her again.

Relieved to see that no one had come into view, Wenris smiled and looked at Medaea again, murmuring softly. “I said I’d take care of you, Lady Goddess. I don’t know what you did for My Lady to ask me to intervene on her behalf, but it must have been impressive. Rest well.”

* * *

Upstairs in his office, Ulvian straightened his robes before channeling mana into his mirror effortlessly, putting a smile on his face. A smile which quickly grew more real as the image of a man in crimson plate, with short brown hair and almost black eyes appeared in the mirror. He exclaimed with warmth, “Ivan! I’m surprised to hear from you so quickly. Didn’t you just reach Westgate this morning?”

“I did, Lord Sorvos,” Ivan rumbled softly, nodding his respect and giving a thin smile. “Reinforcements are on their way to Granite Point now.”

“Excellent work! You can’t have been there for more than four or five hours, though, so what brings you to contact me this quickly?” Ulvian asked, feeling some of his unease vanish. Justicar Ivan Hall was one of his most trusted friends, so he was certain the man would get the job done. He was also far too blunt to beat around the bush about problems.

“I started by going through Adjudicator Falgrave’s intelligence reports, especially from his embedded spies. I wish that he’d waited for them before going haring off to the dungeon,” Hall replied with a scowl, shaking his head. “The man had or has extensive spy networks in place both in Sifaren and Yisara. Unfortunately, one of the reports arrived a good three days late to save him from his folly.”

“Jared’s a good man, Ivan, and above all, he’s loyal,” Ulvian replied patiently, smiling at his ill-tempered friend. “But what is it that they found?”

“The reports are inconclusive on many details, but what they agree on is that during Princess Phynis’ escape the first time around, her rescue party encountered an elf and a dryad. Names vary between reports, but the best guesses I’ve seen are Lily and Sistine.” Hall’s tone was blunt, and he scowled more as he added, “And apparently, the dryad is actually the dungeon itself, and was on rather good terms with the princess. Worse, there were rumors that the dryad could break the slave brands.”

“What? That’s ridiculous!” Ulvian’s smile vanished as astonishment rushed through him. “Dungeons never are living beings like a dryad! They’re spirits, usually bound to an object or the like. And the idea of breaking a brand… that’s utterly preposterous! Believe me, Our Lady made certain of that before we even began this!”

“Regardless of whether or not you think it can be done, both are what people in Sifaren believe. One of the sources is a noble, and the Queen seems to believe it,” Hall stated flatly, shaking his head. “I dare not assume they’re wrong until proved otherwise. Remember, many people thought the slave brands were impossible.”

“Still, this is just… no, you’re right. I can’t allow myself to assume they’re wrong either,” Ulvian replied slowly, resisting the urge to pace as his thoughts raced. “And just because a dungeon never has had a body like that before doesn’t mean it couldn’t now. The Godsrage Mountains are where over a dozen gods died, so it’s entirely possible that a dungeon could mutate somehow.”

“Your orders?” Hall asked impassively, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Same as before. We don’t have the manpower to do more just yet,” Ulvian quickly decided, looking Hall in the eyes. “You know what terms we’re going to offer Yisara, and I’m giving you full authority to negotiate on our behalf.”

Hall nodded and asked, “And the matter of the brands?”

“I’ll contact our patron to see if there’s any truth to this,” Ulvian spoke, suppressing the note of trepidation in his voice. “And if Jared still lives, I’ll see about learning what he knows.”

“As you say, Lord Sorvos.” Hall bowed his head and asked, “By your leave?”

“Get it done, Hall. We’ve come too far to be stopped now,” Ulvian told his friend, a hint of worry creeping into his tone. Cutting off the flow of mana, the mirror only showed himself again, looking slightly wild-eyed.

Ulvian swallowed hard, closing his eyes as he braced himself. Preparing to contact their patron would not be something he could do in a day, not if he was to avoid her wrath. But it had to be done. As he’d told Hall, they’d come too far to change course now. Besides, a not-insignificant part of him was looking forward to the conversation.

Chapter 7

Pulling the thread of awareness from her physical body, Sistina winced slightly at the pain which still wracked it. That run had not been good for the body at all, and had left her far less mobile than before. Still, it wasn’t like she didn’t have other things to do.

Checking to be certain that Phynis was still practicing the basics of magic with Desa, Sistina happily noted the smile on the princess’ face. Phynis had needed something to occupy her time, and the two women were quickly mending their relationship. That Desa had actually resigned from the Royal Guard of Sifaren had obviously meant a lot to Phynis.

It was when Sistina saw Desa gently reach out and guide Phynis’ fingers through the gesture of the light spell that the dryad paused, considering the princess and mage for a long, long moment. Was it possible that there was something more than mere friendship there, between them?

Watching the look of concentration on Phynis’ face, Sistina found herself wondering for a long moment, before she decided it must be something else. Almost like they were siblings, or sisters. The very thought sent a thread of jealousy through her, which caused Sistina to pause, wondering where it had come from. She tried to follow the thread, but it led into the murky morass of dissolved memories that concealed Sistina’s past even from herself. As a hint of sudden loneliness struck her, Sistina returned to her body for a moment.

This time she almost reveled in the aches and pains, the proof that she was alive. And it was in that moment that she spoke for the first time without others nearby, asking the question that had begun to haunt her for the first time. “Who was I?”

* * *

The magic fizzled in Phynis’ hands again, a spark of light flaring to life so brightly she closed her eyes in pain before it guttered out. She kept her eyes closed for a moment, the afterimage of the light almost seared into her eyes as she waited a moment before speaking, pained. “Well, I got some light that time.”

“You put too much mana into it, Phynis. It overloaded the spell and made it flare before breaking. Ow,” Desa explained, rubbing her own eyes as Phynis blinked at her. “This isn’t a problem that normally happens in training, you simply have too much mana. It’s going to take you quite a bit of time to learn to only use a tiny amount, I think.”

“Mm… it’s difficult to use any less than what I did, though. I start weaving, and it just gushes into the spell,” Phynis complained, looking at her hands and frowning.

“That’s why you have to practice. If you don’t, you’ll never get the hang of it,” Desa chided gently, smiling. “You’ve got some talent, Phynis, and more power than I care to think about. You just have no skill as of yet.”

“It’s not like I’ve had lots of chances to practice before this. My magical potential was minor before we came here,” Phynis replied, sighing. “I just have to wonder how Sistina can so effortlessly create spells like we’ve seen her use? This is hard, and it’s a mere cantrip!”

“I have absolutely no idea. Pretty much from the beginning we’ve seen her try to communicate in high-level magical concepts that I can barely begin to comprehend,” Desa replied with a shrug, a helpless look on her face. “We know she had a previous life, but no idea what that life was. I assume she was an archmage or the like.”

“That would make sense. Maybe a druid, since she loves plants so much?” Phynis suggested, smiling as she glanced over at a nearby rose bush.

“A distinct possibility. However, we need to focus, Phynis. You’ll never get anywhere if you let yourself get this distracted,” Desa scolded.

“Yes, Desa.” Phynis sighed in resignation, and went back to trying to make the light spell actually work.

Chapter 8

Watching the cartloads of wood, stone, and other construction materials being piled in one of the larger clearings, Daniel shook his head and murmured, “I wonder what they’re doing?”

“What’re you talking about?” Sayla asked, blinking as she looked up from her pack.

“Oh, just the site where the Adventurer’s Guild members are hanging out. They’re piling tons of materials all over. I’ve seen enough other buildings under construction here to know they haven’t even bothered starting on a foundation yet, either,” Daniel told her, gesturing at the large construction site. “I’m trying to figure out what they’re doing.”

“Ah. Joseph, do you have any idea?” Sayla asked, glancing over to the cleric, who was re-tying his boots.

“Hmm? Oh, they’re preparing to have earth mages build the guild house,” Joseph explained after a moment of confusion. “The Guild doesn’t like having to wait long periods to have a guild house constructed, so they’ve worked out a series of spells to rapidly fabricate the structure, depending on what materials are in the area. Generally, the actual construction takes three to five days.”

“What? They can finish building that fast?” Daniel asked, shocked by the idea. “How big is it going to be?”

“It’ll be about as big as the barracks, maybe a bit bigger,” Darak interjected, nodding at the large barracks and training ground. “Usually has three floors, too. Remember, there’s a lot of mages in the guild, and the spells were researched specifically to build the same structure rapidly. All they need are raw materials to work with.”

“That’s impressive,” Sayla murmured, closing her pack and hefting it for a moment. “I know that the road out this way was made by earth mages, but a road is pretty simple.”

“If you can call that a decent road,” Darak replied, snorting. He paused, then continued. “I suppose I might be a little unfair, but the roads you have out here are barely passable enough to call roads. At least in my opinion.”

“I didn’t think they were all that bad,” Eric protested, hefting the axe he’d traded in his old spear for. “What are roads like up north?”

“Generally, they use stone for roads in cities. Poor roads are cobblestone. Outside of cities, gravel is the minimum that’s considered a decent road,” Penelope replied lazily, sitting in a chair under the awning of the tavern, reading a book. “The roads out here are more of trails, in my opinion. They wouldn’t last long with steam wagons around.”

“Well, that’s a damper. I thought they were pretty good roads,” Eric muttered, shaking his head.

“Doesn’t matter, really. We’ve got a delve ahead of us, so get your heads straight,” Darak barked, grinning to reduce the sting of his comments. “I’m curious to see how the new changes to the dungeon look. Assuming we can see them, at least.”

“Right, right,” Eric replied, nodding as he waited. “I’m done getting ready.”

“Oh, I’m ready. Sorry, just got distracted,” Daniel apologized, looking at the others, then at the dungeon entrance. “I’m a bit surprised you four didn’t go on a delve since the guild got here, though.”

“That’s because we want to wait for the Guild to evaluate the things we’ve extracted from the dungeon first,” Joseph explained, then paused and added, “In addition, we’re somewhat wary of going too far since those soldiers went missing. I’d rather wait for the Guildmaster to analyze the exterior of the dungeon and figure out exactly how big it actually is.”

“I’m rea—wait, he can do that?” Eileen looked up incredulously. “Why didn’t he come here to begin with, then? Isn’t a new dungeon important?”

“Because the magic we use to detect dungeons should have found this one long before it reached its current size,” Nirath spoke calmly, shaking her head. “The aetheric ripples of a dungeon’s magic generally become detectable about the time it reaches twenty chambers or so. That this one didn’t get detected until now is troubling.”

“What do you mean by ‘aetheric ripples’?” Daniel asked, frowning at the unfamiliar term.

“Mana flows through a medium called the aether. Think of it like air, and mana is like smoke or mist,” Joseph told him, shrugging. “None of us have made a detailed study of it, but as a dungeon grows it begins using so much mana that it causes ripples, like a stone thrown into a pond. That allows the guild to detect the dungeon and go find it.”

“Huh. I think I can wrap my head around that,” Daniel replied after a moment, considering the idea before shrugging. “Though I suppose it doesn’t really matter. You ready, Sayla?”

“I am.” The other woman nodded, smiling at him as she shouldered her pack.

“Right. Let’s get on with this,” Darak growled, and began walking purposefully toward the entrance.

Behind them Penelope called out, “Be careful, all of you. I’d prefer not to lose my guild juniors!”

“They’ll be fine, Penny!” Joseph called out, chuckling before he murmured to them, “Just don’t make me a liar, hmm?”

“Don’t intend to, Joseph,” Eric replied, his fingers nervously gripping his axe.

Stepping into the dungeon’s entrance, the group advanced more cautiously than normal, as they were uncertain what changes might have been made since the sign was put up. Daniel paused, frowning as he heard a faint banging sound from ahead.

“What’s that?” Sayla asked softly.

“Sounds like a hammer. Keep quiet,” Darak cautioned, then took the lead, his axe in both hands as the dwarf moved slowly and carefully up the tunnel.

The tunnel seemed unchanged for the most part, but after a dozen yards, the sound of the hammer had grown much louder and the tunnel flared outward into a slightly larger chamber. To the left was a small alcove with a stone door inset into it, bearing a large symbol of a star with a circle around it. On their right was a second stone door, this one bearing an elegant metal handle and with the words ‘Dungeon Storeroom’ carved into it. The hammering was coming from the other side of the door, and it was about that point that the sound stopped.

“What the hells?” Darak asked, looking at the door in bemusement. “The other one is obviously the exit that was mentioned, but what’s this all about?”

“It says it’s a storeroom. You could always open it and find out, after I’ve backed away a little,” Joseph retorted casually, grinning at Daniel as he spoke.

“Shut up, Joe. It’s made of stone, and I can tell you that it’s safe,” Darak replied, reaching out and turning the handle, surprising all of them with how quickly he acted.

The handle turned easily and the door slid open nearly silently on its hinges. The room it revealed was almost normal, the corners squared off, and golden crystals in sconces on the walls illuminating the room. Several sets of wooden shelves were set up along one of the walls, while a pile of wooden parts, nails, and a hammer sat in the center of the room. A dusk elf paused, staring up at them from where he’d just wrestled another set of shelves upright, obviously startled, and he muttered, barely audible, “Shit, I thought I locked the door.”

“I-Ilmas?” Daniel sputtered, his eyes huge as shock all but paralyzed him. He recognized the man, as Ilmas had fallen into a pitcher plant the same day that Sina had died. Daniel had been certain both of them were dead, but he barely managed to ask, “You’re alive?”

“Wha—oh shit!” Ilmas quickly backed up, picking up the hammer and brandishing it at them. “I’m not leaving the dungeon, so don’t even think about trying to drag me out of here!”

“What the… do you know this guy, Danny?” Darak asked, seeming more bemused than threatened by the elf.

“Ah, that’s Ilmas. He was in front when I scouted the dungeon originally. I saw him fall into a pitcher plant, so I thought he was dead,” Daniel explained, still dazed by the unexpected sight of the elf. “We were forced to run, like I told you. And I’m not going to try to bring you out, Ilmas. How are you even still alive? Is Sina alive?”

“Uhh…” Ilmas visibly hesitated, the hammer lowering ever so slightly.

“Hey, Ilmas. My name’s Darak Stoneblood. Are you one of those ‘dungeon servants’ that are mentioned on the sign?” Darak offered, lowering his axe to the ground and smiling at the elf, though Daniel was fairly certain that Darak could be on the attack before any of them could blink.

“Yes, I guess so?” Ilmas replied uncertainly, standing up straight again as he lowered his hammer. It didn’t escape Daniel’s notice that the elf was watching him with distrust. “I’m Ilmas of Sorvale. And as to the question, it seems that the dungeon doesn’t care for killing slaves who had no choice whether or not they entered the dungeon. Unlike Kelvanis, at least.”

“Wait, you’re a slave?” Joseph interjected, seeming startled.

“I was a slave,” Ilmas corrected, crossing his arms and almost hitting himself with the hammer, frowning. “The dungeon screwed up the magical binding, so I don’t have to follow the orders of slave masters anymore. Good riddance.”

“What? How is that possible?” Eileen yelped, her eyes going huge.

“Hey! Focus, people,” Darak barked, shaking his head. “While this is all interesting, we should discuss it on our way out of the dungeon. Ilmas? May I ask what this room is for?”

“Oh! This was… the suggestion of one of the other people. If people lose gear in the dungeon, we’re going to bring it up here and let those who challenge the dungeon pick it up, for a small fee,” Ilmas explained, nodding at the shelves. “There’s some discussion of selling some basic gear, too, but that hasn’t been decided yet. The main reason that we’ve got the room, though, is for somewhere those of us who live in the dungeon can stay while waiting for… well, people like you. Mostly I’m going to be the one up here, and I’ll happily come along with groups and haul out anything you pick up for a copper per floor.”

“That, uh… okay, I guess that makes sense.” Joseph seemed bemused. “And the dungeon just ignores you?”

“Yep. I walk past monsters and traps without a problem. But I won’t scout for you, I won’t distract monsters for you, or anything like that,” Ilmas told the cleric, seeming to relax as he smiled slightly. “The dungeon’s nice to me, so I’m not going to help you try to beat it. Besides, it’d just fight back. And I’d lose.”

“That seems fair enough to me. Just unusual,” Darak replied after a moment, then shook his head. “Right, well, sorry to bother you, Ilmas. We’ll be on our way.”

“Not a problem, Mister Darak. Please close the door on your way out,” Ilmas replied, seeming to relax still more.

“Umm, one second, Darak,” Daniel told the dwarf, then looked at Ilmas. “Please, Ilmas, did Sina survive too?”

Ilmas paused, staring at Daniel for a moment, then replied slowly as he shook his head. “Ask after you reach the fifth floor, you slaving bastard, and I’ll reply. And not a damned floor sooner.”

Daniel’s shoulders slumped, then he nodded. The others were staring at him curiously, but he finally replied after a long minute. “Alright. I suppose that is a fair reply. Thank you, Ilmas.”

Stepping out of the room, they closed the door while Daniel brooded. Hope and fear were playing through him, and he almost started when Eric asked, “Who’s Sina, Daniel?”

For a long, long moment Daniel was tempted not to reply. But looking around at his friends, he sighed and shook his head. “Another slave we lost in here, at the same time. She got grabbed by one of the vine pods. She was… also my girlfriend, though we’d been keeping it secret.”

“Ah!” Sayla’s gasp was loud, and Darak shook his head.

“You’re a fair way from having a chance at the fifth floor, Danny, but you’ll get there. Just don’t push too hard, or you’ll die,” the dwarf said kindly, smiling and giving his shoulder a squeeze.

“I won’t.” Daniel took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Nodding, he said. “Shouldn’t we keep going?”

“That seems like a good idea,” Joseph replied with an approving nod. “Everyone keep an eye out—we don’t know what else is ahead of us.”

And they began to move deeper into the tunnels, while additional echoes of a hammer started up again from the room they’d left.

* * *

“Damned, idiot, slaver…” Ilmas muttered under his breath, pounding in the nail for the counter he was assembling, fuming internally.

How dare the bastard actually ask about Sina after they’d been left to die? The fake concern on Daniel’s face just pissed Ilmas off, especially considering that the man hadn’t lifted a finger to stop the abuse of Ilmas and the other slaves when they’d been attached to his squad.

Ilmas was tempted to tell Sina about the encounter for a moment, but as he aligned another panel, he murmured, “No. She’d just be annoyed. No reason to bother her because of him.”

* * *

“Hey Darak, look at this!” Eileen’s voice drew Darak’s attention away from polishing his axe blade.

The group had just completed the third room they encountered in the dungeon. The room had been fairly typical, with a few of the thorn shamblers, a couple of traps, and two of the vine pods as well. It’d been a bit difficult for the newbies, but they’d managed without any help, impressing Darak somewhat. Now they’d been collecting their rewards, and Eileen’s comment seemed surprisingly excited.

“What is it?” Darak asked, raising his eyebrows at the taller human.

“I found a coin over in the corner. It isn’t minted in any kingdom I recognize, though,” Eileen explained, offering the coin to him. “Do you think it’s fake?”

“Let me take a look.” Darak took the coin and examined it with Shale’s assistance. The elemental made it much easier to appraise metal and stone, helping him spot flaws and impurities.

The copper coin was obviously recently minted, as it wasn’t even slightly tarnished. It wasn’t pure copper either, but it was about as close as any other coin he’d seen before. Unlike many coins, though, the edges had been formed cleanly and given a ridge pattern to them, making it much harder to shave without being obvious. The front face was that of a female elf, while the back had the symbol of a tree with dangling branches.

“Huh. This looks to be about your average copper, even if I don’t recognize the mint,” Darak replied after a moment, nodding as he offered it back. “It can’t be terribly old, either. Not a hint of green to it. Should be useable at most stores, especially if they show up in the dungeon frequently.”

“Great! I was hoping, but fake coins are dangerous to own.” Eileen looked relieved, smiling at the others. “It might not be much, but it’s money, right?”

“Very true!” Eric replied, grinning. “So, do we keep going or not?”

“We probably should stop here for the day. You four are looking somewhat worn out,” Joseph interjected.

“As much as I want to keep going, I think you’re right,” Daniel replied, and Darak frowned as he saw a hint of tension between the soldier and Sayla.

“Well, let’s get going then,” Darak told them, hefting his axe. Whether they were having relationship difficulties or not, they needed to figure it out for themselves. Either way, they’d done pretty damned well even with the tension, so he wasn’t too worried.

Chapter 9

Ulvian ignored the whimpers of the young woman chained down in the center of the circle, instead checking the sigils one last time. The circle was immensely complex, and of such dark magic that if the other authorities in Kelvanis saw it they would immediately rise up in revolt against him. Slavery or summoning succubi was well within what they were willing to tolerate, but contracts with demon lords were an entirely different matter. More than a few kingdoms that had openly turned to demon worship had been destroyed when their enemies rallied against them. That was why Ulvian was taking a much more cautious approach.

Finally satisfied that the sigils were all correct, Ulvian nodded and smiled, kneeling within the circle as well as he began channeling mana into the array. One by one, the symbols lit up with deep crimson light, shimmering through the room and across the offerings that he’d brought with him. There were no chants, no words to this ritual. Simply a circle and risking himself.

With a faint pop, the air changed from the slight chill of the underground chamber to a warm, humid heat. The atmosphere smelled of nectar and flowers with the faint underlying scent of sulfur, and he was kneeling on a long carpet in a vast throne room.

Ulvian raised his eyes ever so slightly, just enough that he could see up the two dozen steps of the dais to the perfect, booted feet of His Lady.

* * *

Irethiel looked down in amusement as her mortal puppet appeared, on his knees as was his place. Beside him was an elaborate coffer that she knew was filled with precious jewels, and beside that was the young human maiden he’d prepared for her, unblemished and without the slightest brand. The heady scent of the young woman’s terror almost tickled Irethiel’s nose, and she breathed it in, smiling as he spoke.

“Ulvian Sorvos brings gifts for thy pleasure, and seeks the guidance of the Demon Queen of Chains.” The man most knew as the Archon spoke humbly, but Irethiel could see the adoration in his eyes even when he only looked at her boots.

The attractive man had fallen for her utterly even with just the descriptions written in tomes, and had slavishly worked until he’d found a way to bring himself here, to her palace. And before her guards could destroy the impertinent mortal and his companions, he’d desperately explained what he was offering Irethiel. Ulvian had offered her legions of souls, using her own demonic rituals adapted so that he could bind other mortals to her even when they were unwilling. The magical brands could only truly be placed by mortals and would enslave the bearers, but that was well within her purview of power, and none of the other gods could directly intervene. All he’d asked in exchange was for a tithe of power and the opportunity, the merest chance, to court her.

Irethiel had agreed, and Ulvian had performed well beyond her modest expectations. The thousands of souls he’d bound to her had already swelled her power greatly, and the binding of Medaea was simply delicious. Her millennia-old rival was in his hands, and slowly being corrupted to her own service with the aid of Irethiel’s succubi. It was only that he had successfully captured Medaea that had convinced Irethiel to send Ulvian five of her most faithful succubi. Oh, Ulvian would command Medaea in her stead, but Medaea would be hers. And within a decade or two, Irethiel would ascend from the rank of a mere demon lord and become a true god. Perhaps not a primal god, but no one could ascend to that height. At least not yet.

Irethiel was pleasantly surprised with how her gamble had played out, and inclined to give Ulvian his chance. Not that she would let him realize that, of course. She couldn’t let him grow complacent.

“And what guidance is it that you seek, to bribe me with such… trifles?” Irethiel asked in a voice that echoed with power, standing from her throne and stretching her wings behind her, setting her flaming halo alight. “Why do you dare stand before me, Ulvian Sorvos?”

Irethiel held back a smile as he shivered in ecstatic fear.

* * *

His Lady’s voice was like nothing else in the world, and Ulvian shivered at the sound of it. That throaty, sultry voice spoke of every promised desire in all the world, and the fire within it reminded him of passion that he couldn’t possibly imagine. And at her inquiry his eyes rose slightly, causing him to quiver again, all but swallowing his tongue.

Medaea might have been among the most beautiful beings others could imagine, but her beauty was almost like that of a statue. It was the beauty of a goddess who was out of reach, disdaining of those who might reach for her. Irethiel was something far different from Medaea. She was a demon lord of lust and succubi, and she was made for temptation. The deep crimson skin almost the color of blood stood out against the black leather of her boots, and her corset was made of the same black leather, fitted with gold trim and strategic cutouts. The prehensile tail behind her swayed with a hypnotic rhythm, and her bat-like wings were dark as they extended behind her. Ulvian didn’t dare look at her face, though, knowing that looking on her beauty would strike him dumb for hours. Even the memory of her black lips, flame-like eyes, and gold-streaked black hair was enough to cause his pulse to race.

It took him a moment to gather himself, licking his lips. Finally, he spoke softly, humble before her. “These are merely tokens of my esteem for you, My Lady. While they may be almost of no value to one such as yourself, they are the best I was able to gather unnoticed. I beg your pardon for their worthlessness, My Lady, and will bear any punishment you so desire.”

The long silence of Irethiel was deafening to Ulvian. The hall had other demons present, but he didn’t dare look at them, fixing his eyes on the floor. A few moments later, the panicked whimpers of the girl vanished, and he realized she and the other offerings had vanished without a trace. It was then that the demon lord spoke again, her power thrumming in the chamber and echoing in his very bones, restrained just enough to not harm him.

“They will suffice, due to your supplications,” she replied slowly, taking a seat in her throne once more. “Why have you come here?”

“A situation came to my attention which disturbed me, My Lady, and I cannot answer the truth of it without your aid,” Ulvian explained, swallowing hard. “A dungeon was found on the edge of the Godsrage Mountains, which would not normally worry me. However, my spies have word that it is protecting and communicating with some of the elves of Sifaren, including their former Crown Princess, Phynis Constella. Princess Phynis was branded with a royal crest before she escaped, and thus I had been unconcerned with her escape. The spies report that the royalty has spoken of the dungeon somehow breaking the power of the crests. I believed such to be impossible, but believed it best to approach you to see if there was any truth to the matter.”

“That is quite a disturbing claim, for there is no way to my knowledge to break such bindings either,” Irethiel spoke slowly, then paused for a long moment. A hint of anger filled her voice, and he shuddered as the vibration of her power sent pain through his body as she spoke again. “But she is not in my domain, nor can I sense her brand. I know that she was mine, yet now she is not. Either there is some way of breaking your bindings, which would quite incense me, Sorvos, or another demon lord who can bind others is stealing that which belongs to me. You will find out how this is happening. No mere dungeon could steal a soul-binding crest. And if you find those who have been stolen, simply brand them once more to return them to me.”

“As you command, My Lady,” Ulvian agreed, smiling as he bowed deeply in supplication. Hesitating a moment, he asked cautiously, “If I may make another request, My Lady? One of my Adjudicators vanished in the dungeon, Jared Falgrave. He bore one of the crests of command, also binding him to you. May I ask if he still lives, that I might contact him for further information?”

“Impertinent!” Irethiel’s voice thundered in the chamber, and Ulvian gasped, his bones almost shattering at the word. But fortunately, she did not speak more for another long moment, and her voice was seething with anger but harmless as she answered his question. “He still lives. Now go back to your kingdom, Ulvian Sorvos, and do not contact me again with ill news, lest I harvest your own soul early!”

With the sound of a thunderclap, Ulvian reeled, then found himself back in the middle of his ritual circle once more. Blinking several times to let the residual pain of the shout subside, Ulvian finally smiled and bowed his head, murmuring softly, “As you command, My Lady.”

* * *

Jared watched the others exercise from his cave, sitting against the wall as comfortably as he was able. His ribs were feeling slightly better, but his arm was splinted and would take quite some time to heal. Still, it was better than being dead, he supposed. Every couple of days, one of the elven soldiers would come check on them, and they’d brought the bandages and such as well, even if the women had been rather frosty and distant so far.

“Ah, there you are, Jared!” Jared nearly jumped out of his skin when the Archon’s voice resounded in his head, causing a spike of pain to lance out from his arm.

“Argh! W-what? Archon? How are you talking to me?” Jared asked, shocked as he looked around. Mental communication was generally only available over relatively short distances, so it was surprising.

“Via magic, my boy. I’ve got a lot of tricks up my sleeve that you don’t know about,” the Archon replied in a friendly tone. “Do keep your voice down, though. It wasn’t easy piercing the wards around you. Now, why don’t you tell me what happened to you, and where you are now?”

“Umm, yes, sir,” Jared replied, gulping hard as he resisted the urge to rise to attention, which would only aggravate his arm. “I’m inside the dungeon. I think she put those of us she captured into a safe zone, since it doesn’t seem to have elevated ambient mana. We—”

“She? What do you mean by that?” Ulvian interrupted, his tone betraying surprise.

“The dungeon, they called her Sistina. She looked like a dryad, sir. I had the priestesses I’d enslaved melt a hole in the rear side of the mountain, thinking it wasn’t part of the dungeon since the princess was inside, and we invaded. When we got inside, the dungeon dropped the priestesses down pit traps to get rid of our magical support, right as she sent a war golem after us,” Jared explained, wincing in pain at the memory. “Without them, we didn’t have shields that could stop it, and its attacks were enchanted with fire. We fought as best we could, but I was crippled at the end, and the dryad gave me the choice of death or surrendering. I chose to surrender.”

“I see. That is most interesting,” Ulvian replied contemplatively. After a moment, he explained, “I had Justicar Hall see to Westgate after your disappearance, and he found some interesting information in the spy reports from Sifaren’s court. It claimed that there was a dryad in the dungeon that could break the brands. I didn’t expect it to be somewhat true. What about the latter aspect? Can it truly break the magic of the brands?”

“Damn, I wish I’d known about that before I invaded. It would’ve changed my plans a lot, sir.” Jared’s slight elation dimmed at the news, shaking his head again. “But no, she can’t. One of the priestesses, the first one I caught, came and taunted me, saying that the dungeon claimed her brand somehow. It cut her off from my commands, which I admit I found quite disturbing.”

“That is certainly troubling, but much less than if the dungeon could break the brands somehow. I’m glad that you’re alive, Jared, and I hope you can gather more information for me,” Ulvian spoke after a moment, obviously considering the situation.

“There isn’t much else I can do, sir. My arm’s broken, I’ve got cracked ribs, and we’re stuck in a side cavern guarded by the golem,” Jared explained respectfully. “They barely even visit us, leaving us trapped down here.”

“Then when they visit, capture one of them and interrogate them,” Ulvian replied mildly, as if he was smiling congenially. “I need information, Jared, and you’re the only one in a position to give it to me.”

“But that would just get us killed, sir! I don’t see how that would help at all,” Jared protested, starting to grow worried. “I couldn’t get you the information if I was dead!”

“Ah, but that’s where you are wrong, Jared. And that wasn’t a request, Jared. This is an order.” The Archon’s voice grew firm in Jared’s head. “You will capture and interrogate one of your captors, killing if necessary. And you will kill yourself rather than let yourself be questioned again. You also may not divulge that this was by my orders under any circumstances.”

“That—” Jared began to reply, shock going through him, when he suddenly felt his command crest flare to life. The brand on his arm normally seemed like a simple tattoo, but he knew its magic was what allowed him to command Kelvanis’ slaves. It was only as a compulsion to obey flooded through his veins that he realized, to his horror, that it was a slave brand as well. And it was a moment before he spoke, his voice unsteady, “A-as you command, Lord Archon.”

“Good man, Jared. I just wish you hadn’t gotten yourself captured,” Ulvian replied cheerfully, and then the connection cut off.

Jared slumped back against the stone wall in the aftermath, mentally reeling at what had just happened. Slowly, his eyes lowered to his arm, and he murmured softly, “What… what are these? What are they really? They can’t be just slave brands, not if they can be used against us. Can they?”

That unanswered question haunted him, and he looked up with haunted eyes to his soldiers, who were almost blissfully cracking jokes with one another while they tended to the rows of carrots.

Chapter 10

Diamond nearly lost control of her shield as the high-pitched scream washed over her, the sound piercing deep into her head and almost bursting her eardrums. The shield muted the worst of the audible assault, but the stone shattering beyond the sphere-shaped area of the shield was a sobering reminder of what would happen to Diamond if she didn’t keep the shield up. A cry of pain to the left drew Diamond’s attention, just as the earth-shattering scream came to an end.

Ruby had fallen to the ground, groaning as she bled from where it looked like a rock had struck her in the head. Diamond could see she was mostly uninjured, and let out a breath of relief that the woman’s spell had failed toward the end of the attack. She turned her attention back to the monster attacking them.

The creature looked like nothing less than a gigantic, crystalline worm nearly four feet in diameter and a dozen yards long. The creature’s tooth-lined maw was enormous, and the resonating scream it’d unleashed as it ripped out of the ground had been devastating, nearly killing half their number before they’d managed to cast their shielding spells. Now Topaz, Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire were all out of the fight, and the monster hadn’t even been touched after unleashing two of its stone-rending roars.

At least this time the creature didn’t let out another scream, and Diamond dropped her shield as it began to slither ominously toward Ruby’s prone form, the sound of grating stone against stone resounding from its movements.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Diamond hissed, weaving a spell as she spindled mana together as quickly as she could. From the look of its scales, the monster likely would ignore any light-based attacks, and most physical attacks would simply bounce off. Since the Godsrage Mountains were noted for their cold-aligned creatures, that meant her best bet was fire. Unfortunately, Diamond wasn’t terribly skilled with fire. However, the time she’d spent with Jared hadn’t been wasted, and Diamond smiled thinly as she finished her spell.

A white-hot lance of light blasted from her hands and up into the cliffside above the worm. For a moment there was no effect, before the first molten drops of stone fell down from the hole she was boring into the cliffside. As the drops hit the monster, it screamed again, and this time, that world-rending shriek caused Diamond to gasp in immense pain, disrupting her magic and shaking her very bones to the point she felt that they would shatter.

That same scream cut off abruptly a moment later with a sudden, rumbling crash. It took Diamond a moment to recover, wincing as she looked for the monster, and gawking as she saw the spot where it had been. A mound of rubble had fallen over the area, just barely short of Ruby’s body, and a large portion of the cliffside above where her smoking hole punched into it was missing.

“G-good job, Diamond! Did you know its own scream would drop the cliff on it?” Amethyst spoke up nervously, and Diamond looked at the other woman as she continued the healing spells she was casting on Emerald.

Coughing up some dust, Diamond winced and climbed to her feet, moving to check on Ruby. “I’m afraid not. I was intending to dump lava on it, and hopefully scare it off. That was fortunate for all of us.”

She was relieved to see that while battered, Ruby looked like she was alright. But that relief faded as Opal spoke, much more unhappily. “While it’s good we’re all alive, this is going to slow us down.”

Looking at the devastated mountainside and their injured companions, Diamond winced and nodded, her voice heavy as she prepared a healing spell. “Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. I hope we aren’t too late.”

“From your lips to Our Lady’s ears,” Amethyst murmured, and Diamond cringed even more.

She hoped that Amethyst’s prayer was right, and that her own fears were wrong. The question of what Serel had done to Medaea haunted every step they took back toward their temple.

Chapter 11

Coordinating the weaving of his spell with Dorn, Albert watched the upper floor of the new guild house take form, satisfaction and pride flowing through him. It was especially satisfying with how the locals were reacting.

The masonry structure’s lower two floors were imposing and of far better construction than anything else in the city, forming a tavern, smithy, and outbuildings for alchemy and enchanting, and a set of stables as well, all surrounding a large training yard. The second floor was primarily rooms for guild members, while the third would be where the offices would be.

Right now, onlookers gawked as the stones floated into the air, re-shaping as gravel liquefied and solidified seemingly instantly to mortar the stones into place. Timbers shaved down to the proper size and took their place as cross-beams and structural supports, as weeks of work passed by in mere seconds.

The mana expenditure of such a spell wasn’t small, but it was far smaller than it would have been if Albert had tried to build each component individually. It was why the Adventuring Guilds had researched comprehensive spells to build standardized guild houses ages before. This way, no matter where a dungeon was found, they could build a guild house in a matter of days and be ready for the influx of adventurers.

It took about ten minutes before the last of the slate tiles slotted into place, and in tandem, Albert and Dorn ceased their chanting, lowering their arms and exchanging grins. Albert nodded, complementing the older man. “Good job, Dorn! Your skill with shaping wood seems to have improved again.”

“I’ve been practicing, Guildmaster,” Dorn replied humbly, the white-haired man smiling and bowing his head slightly. “I doubt I’ll ever reach the rank of grandmaster, but only time will tell.”

“Hah! I think you’ll make it, Dorn. You’re dedicated enough to manage it, given enough time.” Albert chuckled, then grinned at Evansly, who he saw standing nearby. “So, Lord Mayor, what do you think?”

“I think that I wish I had two dozen mages like each of you,” Evansly replied, obviously awed as he shook his head. “In three days, you built a structure fit to be a keep! Three days!”

“From what I’ve been told, the guild refined the spells over the course of decades to the point we can build the guild houses this quickly, so we can’t build just any sort of building this quickly,” Albert told him, grinning again as some of his subordinates began to survey the building. “But it’s always impressive to see. I’ve only been involved in building one other guild house, and it’s amazing to see how people react.”

“That explains why kingdoms don’t just have their mages build walls and fortresses, that’s for sure.” Evansly sighed, shaking his head. “It doesn’t keep me from wishing, though.”

“True enough!” Albert chuckled and grinned. “But if you’ll excuse me? I need to inspect the building and get people started moving in. Then I need to examine the mountainside.”

“May I ask what you’re doing? I’m afraid we’ve had insurgents from Sifaren in the area, so I’m somewhat concerned about people’s safety,” Evansly asked, suddenly looking nervous.

Albert raised an eyebrow at the comment, but let it pass. He’d heard enough from Penelope about the local affairs to know that the man was trying to put a good face on Kelvanis’ quiet war with both neighboring elven nations. But it wasn’t the Guild’s place to interfere in the affairs of a host nation unless they were trying to interfere with the exploration of a dungeon, and he wasn’t going to put their members at risk. Instead, he explained, “I’m just going to be setting up some aetheric sensors around the mountain to try and gauge how large the dungeon actually is. Normally, we detect a dungeon when it grows to a particular size based on how far away it is. With how far from our nearest Guild house this is, this dungeon should have had no more than approximately twenty to forty rooms, depending on each room’s size, and been about two to three hundred feet across. This dungeon seems to have exceeded that size by a fair margin, so we’re trying to figure out why that is.”

“Aetheric sensors? Aren’t those sorts of devices usually used by skilled artificers?” Evansly asked, blinking in surprise, then light dawned in his eyes. “Oh! You said you were an artificer, but I didn’t realize you were that skilled! Sorry, we’ve only had… well, middling artificers at best come out into these parts.”

“Oh, I’m quite aware. You know why, don’t you?” Albert asked, watching a man pull out the sign to hang in front of the guild. The pole had been built with the structure, but they never tried to take care of all the fine details, like the furniture and doors.

“Actually, I don’t,” Evansly admitted, shaking his head. “I know that we haven’t had nearly as many artificers, or as powerful mages develop out this way, but I don’t know why.”

“Honestly, it’s because of your mountains over there,” Albert replied, gesturing toward the heart of the mountain range, then frowning slightly. “The gods who died here… before they died, legend has it that they burned the world tree to the ground, and it was its death throes that allowed the gods of darkness to prevail. At least that’s what I’ve heard in the capital. Regardless of what did it, we’ve long known that the aether out here is much wilder than in other regions of the world. While some mages can handle the mana from it more easily, most can’t, and the delicate magical machinery that artificers like me handle? It just didn’t work. Often it would overload and explode, so we avoided the region.”

“Oh. I’ve heard a few bits and pieces about such, but I never really… really, the world tree?” Evansly seemed surprised, then paused a moment before asking, “But why can you come here now? You’ve got the steam engines and all.”

“Over the millennia, the aether has calmed to the point that our equipment functions. Oh, I wouldn’t take any of it into the heart of the mountains, but I imagine a few centuries back you probably could have managed some of the simpler devices out here. It’s probably just been habit keeping everyone from coming out this way,” Albert told him, grinning slightly. “Fortunate that you had a dungeon here, isn’t it?”

“I can agree there. Knowing that we could have had things like that sooner is somewhat depressing, but at least it’s begun to change,” Evansly replied with a sigh, shaking his head. “I’m going to have to do some research. I really don’t know much about magic.”

“It’s a worthwhile subject to study. However, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an inspection to perform.” Albert nodded, smiled, and slipped away before he could be dragged into another discussion with the mayor. At least the man had enthusiasm, but that didn’t make him the best company in the world. Albert honestly never would have associated with the man if it wasn’t required for his position.

Reminding himself of his task for after the inspection, though, Albert’s eyes brightened and he began humming a jaunty tune. He loved actually getting the chance to analyze magical readings!

* * *

Setting up the sensor wasn’t terribly difficult. Each leg of the metal tripod could be extended to allow it to sink one of the legs into the ground on most terrain, and the spikes built in meant they wouldn’t move easily once anchored. The rest of the device looked a lot like a long metal spike with a crystal at the top, but even that was a simplistic description. Each of the eight sides of the sensor was a carefully sanded steel sheet that had been welded together, both interior and exterior engraved in complex magical symbols that had been filled with gold or silver. The entire device was a single unbroken whole, from the purple-hued adamantine alloy spike on the base, to the platinum wiring that connected the sapphire to the rest of the device.

That was why it made Albert’s heart lurch slightly every time he slammed the spike into the ground and the device shuddered in his hand. The last thing he wanted was to hit an unexpected rock and have a seam rupture, ruining countless hours of work in an instant.

Fortunately, the sensor plunged into the earth easily this time as well, and he let out a wordless breath of relief, letting it sit while he pulled out his recorder, making certain the gem within was holding the aetheric readings the sensor was collecting. Satisfied by the soft white glow of the gemstone, he put away the small pendant and waited, looking around him.

“Fairly pretty back here… and that must be where the one bureaucrat went missing. Stupid bastard,” Albert muttered, his eyes coming to rest on a stone cliff. It wouldn’t have been remarkable if there hadn’t been a trail of cracked stone that he recognized as having previously been molten trailing away from it.

“If they’d asked, I would’ve told them that it was a bad idea,” Penelope replied calmly, leaning against a tree in boredom.

“I wasn’t talking to you, sis,” Albert told her, grinning slightly.

“Oh, then why’d you talk aloud?” she asked, raising both eyebrows. “Is your brain wandering off into the aether, like Kettle’s?”

“I asked you along because no one ever lets the guildmaster go anywhere alone,” Albert replied, his voice dry. “With you, at least I know what to expect.”

“Heh. Whatever you say.” Penelope smirked, and fell silent for a minute. It was a while, but he could tell she was thinking, and finally she asked, “Why do you think this dungeon is so unusual? I didn’t ask why, but Joseph seems a little bit wary of it. He has since we started noticing the power level changing as we progressed through floors.”

“Hmm. If I’m being honest, I haven’t the foggiest clue off-hand, Penny,” Albert replied seriously. “But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that there hasn’t been a dungeon spotted within a thousand miles of these mountains since the Godsrage. And I’ve been wondering if maybe they just have been lost in the noise of the aether? Or maybe there’s something about the location that’s messing up the sensors. I honestly don’t know.”

“That’s why you’re out here, isn’t it? Not because you wanted to be the guildmaster,” Penelope responded after a moment, smiling slightly. “You wanted to be the one to investigate, and Kettle held it ransom until you agreed to be guildmaster.”

“You know me far too well, Penny.” Albert chuckled, then grinned. “But while that’s true, I did manage to get Dorn as my second in command. He’s going to handle most of the regular work, which will let me get some research done instead.”

“Actually… thinking about it, my explanation doesn’t make any sense either. You could have come out here as a regular adventurer.” Penelope frowned, and her eyes narrowed slightly, making Albert’s heart begin to race in anxiety. “How did he manage to maneuver you into this?”

“I may, just may, have been under guild house arrest?” Albert offered weakly, looking at the sensor post.

“Albert… what did you do?” Penelope demanded. At that moment, his recorder chimed, filling him with a sense of relief.

“Oh, scan done, on to the next location!” Albert spoke brightly, quickly dislodging the sensor and folding the tripod. “Let’s go!”

“Albert!” Penelope followed him, her tone growing more pointed, and he rapidly picked up his pace.

* * *

Much later that night, Albert looked over the mana levels he’d recorded via the sensor and frowned, muttering under his breath, “What in the hells? This can’t be right.”

His sensor could clearly detect the border of the dungeon just outside every side of the mountain, but the readings were completely wrong. The ripples of its presence should have been dozens of times higher than they were if it was that big. With the mountain being nearly five miles across at its base… this made no sense to him in the slightest, and he frowned. To be the size it claimed it was, the dungeon had to be hundreds or thousands of years old, not a few decades.

Albert knew he would have to get his sensor inside the dungeon to figure out what in the hells was going on. The other readings he’d picked up were also strange, but the number of ley lines in the area was inconsequential beside how huge the dungeon seemed to be.

Chapter 12

“Your Majesty? There’s a dispatch from Commandant Reems for you. It was marked as urgent.” Captain Laila interrupted Calath’s paperwork with a knock at the door, her expression serious.

“Oh? May I ask why you look concerned, Captain?” Calath asked, setting down her inkpen and rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly.

“The messenger told me that the guards from the dungeon arrived at the fort just before he was dispatched,” Laila explained, her frown deepening as she added, “He didn’t remember the full number of them, but there was no mention of the princess.”

“Phynis is no longer a princess, Captain. She made certain of that with her last missive,” Calath replied gently, a hint of anguish crossing her face as grief nearly overwhelmed her again. “Bring me the dispatch. We need to learn what has happened since our last messages from them.”

“As you say, Your Majesty,” Laila acknowledged, bowing deeply before leaving the room.

Calath tried to go back to the reports, but her mind wasn’t able to focus on the overview of crop supplies for the winter after the interruption. The supply was sufficient for Sifaren to not starve and avoid rationing, which was the important thing. Instead, her mind was focused on her daughter and former heir, the young woman whom she’d driven away with a few ill-chosen decisions. What was Phynis doing now? Did she still feel that she loved the dryad manifestation of the dungeon, Sistina?

The very thought of Phynis being in love with a dungeon filled the queen with fear. According to the records in the archives, even the best of dungeons tended to be ruthless and kill opponents without remorse. It caused the very thought of her own daughter choosing to bind herself to such an unknowable being to frighten her. But at this point, there was little Calath could do, with Phynis having officially removed herself from the rolls of the family line with a decisiveness that had shocked even her mother.

The door opening broke Calath’s train of thought, relieving the monarch somewhat. She’d been stewing over the subject for a week and a half, and hadn’t come up with a single good answer to her question of what to do. Laila stepped into the room with a small packet of letters and wordlessly brought them to her monarch.

“Checked for poisons, I presume?” Calath habitually asked, glancing up at her guard.

“Yes, My Queen,” Laila spoke softly, taking a step away as Calath untied the small bundle and looked through the letters.

A letter from Commandant Reems was on top, but the queen set it aside. The man was overly pretentious, and rarely had anything important to say. Not finding a letter from her daughter, she looked for the one in Desa Iceheart’s handwriting and opened it, frowning at how thick the letter was. Within were several sheets of paper, and she unfolded the top letter to read it.

Queen Calath Iris Constella,

It is with great difficulty that I send this letter to you. The struggle between my devotion to Phynis and oaths to Sifaren has taken a toll upon me, and prior to the events of my last missive, I had chosen to honor your commands above all others. However, Phynis’ near-death due to my orders has forced a degree of personal reflection upon me. That I was caught between oaths to state and oaths to my charge is a matter that I lay at your feet, for you bear responsibility for it.

Today we were attacked by the forces of Kelvanis. Fifty soldiers of Kelvanis, led by Adjudicator Jared Falgrave and supported by seven powerful enslaved priestesses of Medaea, assaulted the cavern through the entrance they located because of the attempt to remove Phynis from the dungeon. The attackers had more than enough power to overwhelm all of our defenses, and yet they failed because of Sistina. She neutralized the priestesses without slaying them and unleashed a war golem of her own creation on the attacking soldiers. It was a massacre, Your Majesty, and I believe it was a demonstration for us.

Tomorrow, Sistina expects all of us to leave, save those who submit to her demands. I, as well as Lady Maria Northbrook, Jean Dailos, Ellis Bookbinder, Zarenya Threadweaver, Sergeant Farris, and Privates Alissa, Evrial, Helia, Lisa, and Skylark are going to submit to her directions. As such, those of us in the military have enclosed our letters of resignation behind this letter, My Queen. We will continue to guard Phynis as best as we are able. I simply ask that you do not hold it against our families, for we came to our decisions on our own.

Sincerely,

Desa Iceheart

Eyes widening in disbelief, Calath quickly shuffled through the other letters, and found that each was precisely what Desa had said they were. After a moment, she spoke softly, strain in her voice. “Captain Desa has resigned, along with several of her subordinates.”

“Why would she do that?” Laila’s poise broke as she looked at Calath in astonishment at the information. “She’s one of the most loyal women I’ve ever known!”

“Essentially, she felt trapped between my orders and her oaths to Phynis. And after Phynis was nearly slain, Desa decided that she would stay and protect her,” Calath replied grimly, slowly shaking her head. “I find this… upsetting.”

“I understand, Your Majesty.” Laila regained her poise, standing at attention as she asked, “What would you have me do?”

“I’m not certain yet. Let me finish the other letters first. I do hope that there is better news in them.” Calath sighed, and opened the next letter.

* * *

An hour later, the queen sat back with a frown, considering the letters in front of her.

“The information that we could potentially break all of the brands if we can kill the demon behind them is encouraging, at least,” Laila spoke calmly, a slight smile on her face, but it faded somewhat as she continued. “It is rather unfortunate we don’t know who the demon is, however.”

“Quite. Though the fact we didn’t know that these brands were of demonic origin is worrying. None of our spies have so much as whispered about that possibility,” Calath replied softly. “I wish that we had been able to get more information. Farlon did well in the time he was there, but if he had been able to research longer, it’s possible he could have found a way to identify the way that the brands were made, and neutralize them.”

“Perhaps he would have. Perhaps not, though. The library is thousands of years old, Your Majesty, there is no guarantee that this is part of the ancient records,” Laila reminded Calath gently.

“You may well be right, Laila, but I don’t think we can take that risk. We need the information in the library.” Calath paused for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. “I’d like to send a force to retrieve Phynis and the library, but winter is fast approaching, and we don’t have the soldiers available. I am afraid that it might have to wait until spring.”

“Would you like me to start gathering a force for the task, Your Majesty?” Laila asked.

“Please do,” Calath replied. With a sigh, she shook her head, then paused and quickly corrected herself, looking at Laila. “Laila, I did not mean to prepare a force to attack the dungeon. Desa’s report already made me realize how grave of a mistake that would be. The army is to punch through Kelvanis’ lines, is that clear?”

“Ah, I am afraid I had… misjudged your intentions somewhat,” Laila admitted, pausing to think before asking, “How are we to retrieve them, then?”

“Find someone that Phynis liked and trusts. Ask them to join the force, and see if they can’t convince her to help,” the queen ordered, taking a deep breath. “We need to get the information, and correct my mistakes.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” her guard replied with a bow.

Chapter 13

“Are you sure you want to do this, sir?” Derek asked, obviously worried as he looked at Jared. “I mean, attacking one of the visitors for information seems a little dangerous.”

“It’ll be fine. They’ve come into the side caves before, out of sight of the golem without a problem,” Jared assured the man, smiling reassuringly. Internally, he was screaming about how bad of an idea this was, but the orders compelling him were too deeply ingrained. “And since she’ll know we have no way out, she should tell us what we want to know readily.”

“If you say so, sir,” one of the others, Private Hunter spoke up, her voice dubious but accepting. “Do you really think they’ll visit today?”

“Their visits have been every three to four days, and it’s been three days so far,” Jared explained, nodding toward where the entrance was. “If they don’t visit today, they’ll come by tomorrow. Either way, I want to know more of what’s going on here. I’m tired of sitting here passively.”

“I suppose you’re right, sir. I just hope they don’t get too upset with us,” Derek replied, stretching as he stood. “But I understand what you mean. I’m getting sort of stir crazy here.”

Jared smiled back as he spoke warmly, even as internally, his worry grew. “I totally understand what you mean. It’s why I want to question whoever visits.”

“I’ll do my part, sir,” Derek promised, heading off to work out and keep an eye on the entrance.

Sitting back against the wall, Jared’s anxiety grew slowly. He didn’t want to implicate the soldiers in what was going to happen, but the brand on his arm gave him no choice. It was only now that he realized what Topaz and the other Jewels must have felt when he gave them orders.

At this point, there was nothing he could do. They hadn’t visited, so he couldn’t apologize to them. And he’d probably never get the chance to do so.

* * *

“What books is she reading, Ellis?” Zarenya asked, sipping at the tea he’d brought her and nodding in Sistina’s direction.

Looking up from his lunchtime salad, Ellis blinked a couple of times as he processed his mentor’s question. Sistina was sitting at one of the benches, a stack of tomes next to her as she flipped through them, reading with an ease that he couldn’t help but envy. As skilled at reading ancient elven as he’d become, he had far less proficiency with the myriad dialects and older languages that filled the library, while Sistina seemed able to read them effortlessly.

“Ah, I believe that when I looked they were primarily architecture and engineering texts,” he replied after swallowing. It really was an excellent salad, and he looked back to Zarenya as he continued. “A few of them were guides to some of the ancient cities as well, complete with maps.”

“Interesting. I wonder if she’s investigating what other structures could be buried down here with us?” Zarenya mused. “That doesn’t explain the engineering tomes, though.”

“Maybe she’s trying to figure out how to piece together buildings that aren’t mostly intact?” Ellis suggested, spearing a cucumber slice with his fork. “I have to assume that most of the buildings in the city weren’t nearly as solid as the library.”

“That might make sense. We’d have to ask her, but I’d rather not interrupt,” Zarenya replied slowly, then shrugged. “We’ll find out, or we won’t. We’ve got our own job.”

Reminded of the stacks of books they still had to translate and go through, Ellis winced and nodded. “True enough. There’s a lot of work ahead of us.”

* * *

Farris hummed softly to herself as she carried the basket of spare clothing, bandages, and a few tools down toward the prison cavern. Normally, one of the other guards would be bringing the basket to the prisoners, but she’d decided that she needed to check on the injured among them and make certain that they were healthy. While they might be prisoners, there was no need to mistreat them. Even if Kelvanis didn’t have the same regard for elven lives, she couldn’t allow herself to fall to their level.

But even so, Farris glanced down to be certain her knife was in its sheath. While she didn’t want to hurt the prisoners and didn’t dare bring a deadlier weapon, it would be foolish to enter the cavern completely unarmed. Reassured by its presence, she smiled as she reached the door, pushing it open with one foot and slipping out of the tunnel.

The cave where the prisoners were kept wasn’t enormous, but she saw several of them tending to the garden. Farris’ opinion of them rose slightly when she saw they were actually doing a good job of it, and she nodded to the closest of them.

“Hello! I’ve brought some changes of clothing, gardening tools, bandages, and soap for all of you. Would one of you take the basket?” Farris asked, stepping out from behind the golem and moving toward them.

One of the men nodded, stepping forward with his arms outstretched as he gave a nervous smile. “I’ll take it. New clothing will be a blessing, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, I’m also here to check on all of you. You had a few injured, didn’t you?” Farris asked, handing him the basket and smiling in return. “I just want to make sure you’re all healing well.”

“Oh yes! Most of us are fine, but Earl and Jared are still resting. Jared’s injuries haven’t been healing as well as we’d like, though,” another soldier, one of only two women, volunteered.

“Jared… he’s the Adjudicator, correct? The one who got mauled by the golem?” Farris asked, her brows furrowing as she considered what she remembered. “He had cracked ribs, torn muscles, and a broken arm, so I’m not surprised. What about Earl?”

“Yes, that’s Jared. Earl took an arrow in the leg, and it hasn’t healed well,” the woman explained.

“Well, let’s take a look at Earl first. If it was just an arrow, it could be infected,” Farris directed, smiling slightly as she added, “I should be able to deal with any infection, though. I just want to get it done sooner than later.”

“Thank you. He’s resting in this cave over here.” The soldier smiled in relief, leading the way to one of the side caverns.

Laying in the cavern was a stocky, bearded human, his upper thigh swathed in bandages. The dark-haired man shifted, then blinked as he spoke, his voice deep. “Hunter? Who’s this?”

“I’m Farris Skyblessed. I’m a healer, and here to check on your leg. With your permission, of course?” Farris paused, waiting for his reply as he looked at the woman.

Hunter nodded to him. “She said she was here to check on our injuries, and thought yours sounded like they were more urgent.”

“In that case, sure, Miss Farris. My leg’s been bothering me, and it’s just not healing right,” Earl told her, wincing in pain as he shifted.

“Of course, Earl. Just one minute, and I’ll see what I can do,” Farris assured him with a smile.

Closing her eyes, Farris murmured the words of a spell, reaching up to touch her eyelids with the fingers of one hand. Feeling the magic take hold, she opened her eyes and looked down at Earl.

Farris wasn’t looking at the purely material world anymore, instead choosing to see life itself, leaving everything else hazy. The golden glow of life energy pulsed through the man’s veins, dimmed to an almost muddy hue by the frailties of flesh. It took practice to learn what the different hues of golden light meant, and Farris mentally shook her head as she saw the pulsing of his heart. The man would likely never be old, not with a heart that was prone to failure. Making note of the other minor problems, she instead focused on his leg and winced slightly.

A faint greenish hue to the muddy gold pervaded the flesh around the injury, indicating an infection of some kind. At least it told Farris what the problem was, and she let out a sigh, letting her sight fade as she explained, “Your injury is infected. I can purge the infection and speed the healing for you, but even so, it will be a few days before I would care to allow you to walk.”

“Dammit. I was afraid of that.” Earl let out a deep breath and asked, “So, what do I need to do?”

“Just relax and let me work,” Farris told him, kneeling next to the man and pulling more heavily on her mana as she chose the spell that she wanted to use. Taking a deep breath, she began to chant the words, weaving the spell quickly and carefully.

Earl let out a soft hiss of pain as the spell forced the infection out of the wound and into the bandages, staining them a red hue. Farris quickly undid the bandages, sliding them aside to where they could see the open puncture wound for a moment before the second part of her spell activated. The wound rapidly began to close and heal. In mere moments, it looked like it had been healing for a week, and Farris smiled as the spell came to an end.

“There. Eat well for at least a week, and don’t over-exert yourself. Don’t walk until tomorrow at the earliest, either,” Farris cautioned Earl, frowning at the bandages. “I’ll dispose of these. Hunter, was it? Do you have one of the baskets from the other days that I can use?”

“Uh, yes, of course. Just give me a minute,” Hunter replied, obviously surprised. She seemed to have been thinking hard about something, but she turned and jogged out of the cave.

“Damn. That feels much better, thank you,” Earl spoke in wonderment, looking at the injury.

“You’re welcome, Earl,” Farris told him, smiling slightly at the praise.

“I have to ask, though, why does your healing work differently than the priests? Most of them, they just instantly heal wounds or the like,” Earl asked, looking up at her. “Yours seemed slower for some reason.”

“They’re generally light mages, or have divine blessings that aid in healing magic. I use nature magic in a different way than priests do,” Farris explained. “Theirs is faster and more thorough, but my method requires less mana and is slightly easier to use, though it requires more knowledge of the body.”

“Huh. I suppose that answers the question,” Earl murmured, obviously only barely understanding the explanation. “Thanks, though. I’d hate to have lost my leg.”

“I’m not sure that you would have lost it. I’d just brought more bandages, so the others might have been able to help you fight it off,” Farris replied, frowning. “It could’ve, though.”

“Here’s the basket, Farris.” Hunter came jogging back with an empty basket, which Farris saw had bits of dirt in it. It probably had been being used for harvesting vegetables, come to think of it.

“Thank you, Hunter. I’ll make a note to bring you more baskets next trip,” Farris told the woman, putting the wad of bandages in the basket and taking it. “Now, where’s Jared?”

“This way.” Hunter smiled nervously, adding, “And thank you, we could use the baskets. We use them for storage.”

Farris followed the woman out of the cave and toward another of the small caverns, nodding. “I thought that might be the case. You might be prisoners, but I don’t see any reason to make life harder for you than it has to be.”

“I… thank you, Farris.” Hunter started saying something, then changed her mind, leading the way into the cave, speaking up. “Jared, this is Farris. She’s here to check on your injuries.”

Jared looked up from a makeshift board game with another man, blinking as he saw Farris. He nodded and smiled thinly. “Hello, Farris. I believe you were the one to tend to me after my capture. Thank you.”

“And greetings to you, Jared. You’d be correct on that. How are you feeling?” Farris asked, setting down her basket as she examined the man. His left arm was in a sling, a splint firmly in place, and bandages covered his torso where the ribs had cracked.

“I feel like I got hit by a stone wall,” Jared replied, his voice dry. “But considering that it was a golem, that isn’t far wrong.”

“I suppose not. One moment, and let’s have a look at you.” Farris smiled again, stepping toward him before closing her eyes as she began murmuring her spell.

A rush of movement was Farris’ only warning before two pairs of hands grabbed her and slammed her to the ground, blasting the air from her lungs and interrupting her spell. When Farris opened her eyes, the man who’d been playing the game with Jared and Hunter had grabbed her while she’d been distracted, and they dragged her next to Jared, holding her arms behind her back. Jared calmly pulled the knife from her belt and held it to her throat.

“Now, if you don’t mind, I have some questions for you.” Jared spoke quietly, almost politely as he looked Farris in the eyes. “Answer, and we’ll let you go unharmed.”

* * *

“What do you think you’re doing? There’s no chance of you escaping, even if you took me captive!” Farris protested, the elven woman’s outrage and confusion obvious on her face.

Jared had always thought that dusk elves were attractive. Farris’ nut-brown skin and unusual hazel eyes were beautiful, which made him all the more depressed about what he was going to do. But he couldn’t let on what was going to happen, so instead, he reached down with the knife and eased up the edge of her shirt, revealing the upper edge of a slave brand, this one a silver crest with hints of green and gold to it.

“I’m doing this because I’m frustrated and I want to know what’s going on, Farris. I sincerely doubt you would have answered my questions if I asked politely, so I took a more… proactive approach,” Jared told her, shrugging with one shoulder as he placed the knife against her throat. “You have a slave brand, and one that prevents you from using magic without being directly ordered. Yet you can ignore orders and use magic anyway. How?”

“You crazy… fine!” Farris hissed as the knife pressed against her skin, just barely not breaking the surface. She took a breath before saying, “Sistina claimed the brand somehow, made it so it followed her orders rather than those of anyone from Kelvanis. She can also let me use magic anywhere, though I grow slightly weaker if I’m more than a few miles from the dungeon.”

“And who is Sistina, exactly?” Jared asked, noticing the look that the two soldiers exchanged where Farris couldn’t see.

“The dryad! The one who let you surrender instead of killing you outright,” Farris explained quickly, glowering at him. “She’s the dungeon, somehow. Doesn’t talk much, but she’s frighteningly intelligent.”

The information struck Jared like a bolt of lightning. He’d known who Sistina was, from his talk with Topaz, but that she was the dungeon was something new, and the thought sent chills down his spine. It meant that he’d vastly underestimated her.

“What’s her relationship with Princess Phynis? Why is the dungeon helping you?” he demanded a moment later, trying to stay focused.

“Phynis was altered by you assholes to fall in love with her owner, and when Sistina claimed her brand, guess what happened?” Farris spat, anger surging in her voice. “As to why she’s helping us? I don’t know, but she has some kind of relationship with the Constella family. She was the tomb guardian of one of their ancestors, pre-dating the Godsrage.”

That was another shock, and he swallowed, thinking quickly before he asked a last question. “Does Sistina know how to break the brands?”

“Not that I know of. But there’s a library from ancient times down here, and we’re researching the subject. There’ve been some breakthroughs,” Farris replied, scowling. “Why are you so focused on this?”

“Thank you, Farris. I’m sorry,” Jared replied, cringing as his orders sprang to full strength. With a single slice, he cut the elven mage’s throat, and before the two soldiers could react, he plunged it into Farris’ chest.

“Sir! What are you doing? You said that we weren’t going to hurt her!” Hunter protested, letting go of Farris as he recovered the blade.

“Sorry, Hunter. No choice,” Jared replied quickly, closing his eyes as he flipped the blade and drove it into his own heart.

Chapter 14

Farris’ last moments were confused. The pain of her injuries, the confusion of why the Adjudicator would do something so foolish, and the protests of Hunter began to blur together as she fell to the ground, bleeding out. All she’d wanted to do was treat them well, and instead Farris was here, bleeding out. As her life’s blood poured onto the ground, Farris physically and mentally reached out for help, her hand shaking as it reached across the cavern floor.

And then her eyes went dark forever.

* * *

Sistina suddenly stiffened in her chair as an immense burst of mana flooded down one of her links, which then shattered. Her eyes widened and she retreated to her tree, trying to find who had just died, and how it had happened.

* * *

Blinking in surprise, Farris wondered what had happened. One moment she’d been in pain, and the next she felt perfectly fine. She was sitting in a chair in front of a table set with tea, and she was floating through an immense gray void. Sitting across from her was Death, which felt oddly fitting.

Death was exactly what Farris had always imagined her as. A female elven figure shrouded in white mourning robes, Death’s hair and face were covered by a veiled hood that obscured everything above the eyes, causing the deity’s black lips to stand out. Farris had to wonder if—

“Yes, you are dead, Farris Skyblessed. And this is not the shape that I greet all the newly departed in. I take the form that those who die truly expect.” Death interrupted Farris’ thoughts with a soft, almost mellow voice. Her tone was almost conversational.

“Ah… what happens now, then?” Farris asked hesitantly, uncertain what to anticipate next. Everyone died, but other than passing on to an afterlife, no one truly knew what happened in between.

“Normally, I look over your soul and make a judgement as to which afterlife you deserve, based on those gods who wish to offer you an afterlife, and what deeds you actually performed in life. If it was a near choice between multiple options, I would allow you to choose which afterlife you went to,” Death explained quietly. “You would remember nothing of our meeting, but it is necessary. On the other hand, your own situation changes that somewhat.”

“Why is that?” Farris asked, growing worried as she took the tea and sipped it. The wonderful flavor helped her to relax slightly before she asked, “I can’t think of anything that would change how death works.”

“Look down, Farris,” Death suggested gently.

Blinking, Farris looked down as suggested. Glowing so brightly she could see it even through her clothing, the same clothes she had been wearing when she died, was the slave brand. It glowed bright gold, threaded through with green and crimson, twisting as she watched. Gasping, Farris asked. “W-what is going on?”

“What you consider a slave brand is a demonic binding. Not only does the nation of Kelvanis steal your freedom when it brands you, it also dedicates your soul to a demon lord. Normally, I would simply send your soul to that demon with regret, but your situation changed again when Sistina claimed it.” Death smiled slightly, drawing Farris’ attention again. “Unlike the demon lord in question, Sistina has no wish to bind your soul in perpetuity against your wishes. She does not know this consciously, but it is true. So, I am once again able to offer you a choice, Farris Skyblessed.”

Raising each of her hands into the air, Death caused two images to appear. In one was a picture of Sistina’s tree, but in this sight the tree glowed with veins of power like nothing Farris had seen before, the lights of her brand barely more than a firefly next to the sun by comparison. In the other was a serene woodland scene from fairy tales, with angels, fey, unicorns, and other beings of light throughout it. Death smiled again, speaking softly. “You may choose. Go to Sistina, the world tree reborn and who could claim you if she truly wished. Or go to the realm of Ryala, whose faith you followed for much of your life. The choice is yours.”

And Farris stopped, staring at the two images for what seemed like an eternity.

* * *

Jared wasn’t surprised to see Death as he died. The imposing grim reaper made him shiver as he stared at the god before him. A moment later, Jared drew himself to his full height and asked calmly, “So what’s next for me?”

“You are a complex, misguided man, Jared Falgrave,” Death rasped out, leaning on his scythe. “Unfortunately for you, your fate is set. You have but one possible destination.”

“What? Why is that?” Jared asked, his eyes widening.

“Because you are branded with the mark of a demon lord. Goodbye, Jared Falgrave,” Death spoke almost regretfully, waving his bony hand.

A sucking sensation pulled Jared away from the god and the gray world in which he dwelled, and slowly, the light began to change. Moments later, he found himself face to face with a crimson-skinned face covered in ridges and horns, with demonic eyes glaring at him. Behind the creature that would stand ten feet tall if it hadn’t been hunched over was a torture chamber lit by intense flames, over which he could see the bodies of other humans, writhing and screaming in agony.

“Jared Falgrave,” the creature in front of Jared growled in a voice like stone grinding against stone, an immense hand grabbing him by the throat. “We’ve been expecting you.”

* * *

A strange feeling made Sina stop her knife practice and look up toward Sistina’s tree. There was nothing specific she could put her finger on that had drawn her attention, just that there was something different.

At that moment, Sistina’s tree flared with light, the tiny flickering motes turning into shining beacons that nearly blinded Sina. Reflexively raising a hand to block out the light, in an instant Sina saw a faint elven figure silhouetted against it. The light faded a moment later, and any sign of the figure was gone.

“What in the name of the gods was that?” Sina asked, shaken by the experience.

* * *

A pair of glowing hands embraced the immaterial body of Farris’ soul, warm and comforting as they wrapped around her and held her. Farris shuddered as she felt the immense, ancient soul that inhabited Sistina’s tree, and the incredible power pulsing through her veins. Looking out at Sistina, Farris realized that it was a mirror of Sistina’s physical body that was holding her, extending from the tree itself as she gazed on Farris sadly.

“What do you wish for?” Sistina whispered into Farris’ mind, the tendril of a thought barely brushing against the soul as Sistina strove not to harm Farris, who was so fragile by comparison.

Farris shuddered again, the power of that thought almost overwhelming her. But she gazed back, beginning to see, to truly see what Phynis saw in Sistina. The gentle devotion, behind which stood a strange figure of darkness, a figure that was yet sleeping. And after a moment she replied, her mental voice threadbare. “I promised to protect Phynis. I made an oath, and I failed. She was injured, and you succeeded where I failed. I gave up all I’d achieved to try again, and I failed. I don’t want to fail. I want to help her, to protect her. I gave my oath, and I cannot allow myself to stop trying.”

Sistina considered Farris’ words and slowly nodded, a sad, gentle smile on her face as she whispered her reply. “As you wish. We will find a way. In the time until that happens, rest, recover, and learn.”

Pulling Farris into the tree, the dead elf found herself sinking into Sistina’s mind as well. And slowly, she came to rest in a region filled with knowledge beyond her imagining. Magic, in its most fundamental theories and concepts, surrounded her in a glittering tapestry, each elegant piece of it a fundamental part of Sistina. As Farris rested within that realm, she found herself slowly understanding only the barest fragments of what was shown to her, even as a flow of mana strengthened her spirit.

* * *

Sistina’s eyes snapped open again and she stood from her chair, not even bothering to close her book. Architecture could wait. Ignoring the surprise on the two researcher’s faces, she walked out of the library at a brisk pace, truly annoyed.

She already knew approximately what had happened to Farris. The elf’s soul had told her much, though not the precise details of why Jared had done what he had. It made little sense to Sistina either, as she remembered how he’d looked when he surrendered. But the power that Farris’ presence granted her was undeniable as well, causing a faint sensation of guilt to grow in Sistina. She didn’t like the fact that one of the dead had increased her own power as much as it had, but there was little she could do. Not until she found a way to give Farris a body of her own.

Turning down the hall that led to the prisoners, Sistina could hear arguing and panic from ahead. Keeping the prisoners was obviously a bad idea, so she’d have to figure out what to do with them. Puzzling over ideas, Sistina thrust open the door into the prisoner’s cavern, and the argument raging between the soldiers came to an abrupt end.

Nine of the soldiers were gathered together, out of eleven in total. Sistina made note of the fact that the man that Farris had healed wasn’t present, nor was the woman Hunter. Everyone else was gathered together, and terror appeared on their faces as they saw her. She stepped out from behind the golem and walked toward the cave where Farris had died, ignoring the rest of them.

“W-we didn’t know what Jared was going to do!” one of the men protested, and Sistina’s eyes narrowed as she saw a few drops of blood on his clothing. He was one of the ones who’d restrained Farris. The man kept going despite how he was shaking like a leaf. “He said he was going to question her, then let her go. We didn’t know anything about… I mean, we didn’t know he was gonna kill her!”

“Silence,” Sistina spoke firmly, stopping and giving him a hard look. “Judgement later.”

Opening his mouth, the man looked like he was about to protest, but he took a look at her eyes and swallowed hard, looking down instead as he took a step back.

Continuing into the small cave, Sistina found the woman, Hunter, trying to clean up the two bodies. The brown-haired woman froze, surprise and panic in her eyes as she saw Sistina, her mouth moving wordlessly. Shaking her head, Sistina knelt next to Farris’ body and let out a soft sigh of sorrow. Closing her eyes for a moment, Sistina brought to mind the memories, the hopes and dreams that Farris’ soul had shared with her, and her sorrow deepened, until a single tear welled up in her eye, trickling down her cheek.

Reaching up to her cheek, Sistina gently collected the tear and dripped it into the hideous second mouth carved into Farris’ neck. Channeling a thread of mana, Sistina murmured softly, “Sorrow, Farris.”

The wounds on Farris’ body slowly closed, leaving her still dead, but without the damage that had killed her. Closing the elf’s glassy eyes, Sistina instead turned her attention to Jared’s body, narrowing her eyes.

Now to find out if her suspicions were correct.

Chapter 15

Phynis all but flinched back at the rage in the eyes of the other guards. Desa’s rage was the most obvious, but the mage took a deep breath before asking, very softly, “And what, pray tell, are you going to do with the prisoners now, Sistina? Farris died because we kept them.”

“Undecided. Complex situation,” Sistina replied, frowning and shaking her head. She raised a finger to forestall Desa’s protest, narrowing her eyes. “Wait. Explanation.”

The group was gathered in a small conference room of the library, and no one had been happy to hear that Farris was dead. Farris had been the doctor and healer for Phynis’ guard, and Phynis already missed the friendly, kind woman. She couldn’t imagine what in the hells the prisoners had been thinking to attack her when there was no chance of escaping.

Turning away to a slate board on a wall, Sistina picked up a piece of chalk. She rapidly sketched the outlines of the five types of slave brands that Phynis knew the dryad had seen, each side by side and in remarkable detail. Just above the sketch of the simple black crest she drew an outline of a simpler marking, one that Phynis recognized as the most basic of command sigils. Two more complex symbols were drawn as well, and then Sistina drew lines between the various symbols and the slave brands.

Tapping the command symbols, Sistina pointed at the crests and asked, “Controls. Correct?”

“That’s right. Any command sigil can command those with a slave brand, but those of higher rank have their orders take precedence,” Desa confirmed, frowning at the board. “But what is all of this about?”

“Incomplete,” Sistina murmured, turning her attention to the board again, and drawing another symbol above the command sigils, this one exceedingly complex, from which she drew lines to the command sigils. She looked at them solemnly as she tapped those lines. “Controls. Jared controlled.”

“What?” Helia exclaimed, her eyes going huge as shock overwhelmed her anger. “But… but aren’t they supposed to be command sigils? They aren’t slaves!”

“Memories hazy. Remember pieces,” Sistina cautioned, wiping the board clean with a piece of damp cloth, then began drawing a magical diagram at a rapid pace. It started at the center of the board, but the complexity rapidly grew as it moved outward, until the entire thing was about three feet across. Phynis felt her mouth hanging open slightly as Sistina stopped, considering the diagram for a moment before murmuring, “Approximate.”

“How can someone who has trouble with words be able to draw something like that without even thinking about it?” Skylark asked Alissa softly, prompting a helpless shrug in return.

“No idea. She just… does it, sometimes,” Alissa whispered back.

“Sistina? Some of us have no idea what you just drew. What is that?” Desa inquired. “And what does it have to do with Farris’ death?”

“Center. Demon Lord,” Sistina spoke, tapping the center of the diagram. Moving outward, she continued. “Controls demons. Control lessers. Control mortals. Steps removed. Jared forced. Farris… victim.”

“Oh. So, all of the people commanding slaves in Kelvanis can be controlled by someone else?” Phynis asked, looking at Desa in horror. “How could that happen? I’ve never even heard whispers of something like that being possible before!”

Desa looked like she’d bitten into something rotten, but kept quiet as Sistina shrugged. “Unknown. Am tree, not seer.”

“Back to the subject, what about the soldiers? Are they controlled?” Desa asked. “Or can they be?”

“No brands,” Sistina explained with a shake of her head. “Still unhappy. Uncertain judgement.”

“Part of me just wants to kill them. They invaded, they tried to kill or capture us. Capturing them hasn’t helped us in any way at all,” Evrial spoke up, the guard looking extremely upset.

“That might be a bit of an overreaction. They weren’t the ones who killed Farris,” Helia interjected, her eyes puffy from shed tears. “I don’t feel right killing captives.”

Evrial was about to speak when Sistina spoke up, her voice harsh. “No.”

“Then what are you going to do?” Desa asked, looking at the dryad. Phynis could see the anger in her old friend’s eyes, but the mage was at least waiting to hear what their host wanted.

“My fault. Precautions… bad. Golem stops escape. Not attacks. Couldn’t sense attack. My fault,” Sistina spoke softly, her eyes darkening as they fell to Phynis. “Cannot judge. Phynis. You are trained. Your decision.”

“Me?” Phynis protested as everyone’s eyes turned to her. “But… why me?”

Desa seemed to hesitate a moment before nodding. “Sistina’s right. You were trained to take the throne, Phynis, so you’re the best person to judge this. I’m not sure that Sistina is being entirely fair with herself about who’s at fault, but I agree on this.”

There was a murmur of agreement from around the table, and Phynis hesitated for a long moment. Finally, she sighed and sat up straight in her chair. “Well, if you insist.”

Taking a long minute to go over her options, Phynis finally spoke softly, cringing internally. “Our options are not extensive. We can kill them, keep them prisoner indefinitely, enslave them, or release them. Even if we offer them parole, it’s doubtful that they would be allowed to actually keep to the terms we offered them. Desa, your opinion?”

“Hmm…” Desa considered for a long moment, frowning deeply. Finally sighing, she scowled as she answered grudgingly. “Release them. I refuse to be like Kelvanis, and keeping them here is just asking for something to go wrong. I hate to say it, but that’s the only answer that I can personally stomach. I want to be able to look at myself in a mirror.”

“Evrial?” Phynis asked, turning her attention to the next woman.

“Damn it… I don’t know!” Evrial clenched her hands on the table, taking a deep, ragged breath. “Farris was my friend! And they killed her when she was trying to help them! But the man who did it is dead, and as much as I want to hurt them in turn… no, just do what you need to. I can’t… can’t involve myself in this.”

“I… I agree with Desa. Just let them go. I don’t want to have to deal with them, and I don’t want to kill them either,” Helia spoke up, her voice trembling as tears began to form in her eyes again.

“Alissa? Skylark?” Phynis asked, curious what the last two guards thought. She’d been leaning toward letting the captives go herself, and was relieved that out of three people, two had agreed thus far. Skylark was the first to speak, while Alissa frowned in thought.

“I hate letting them go. While I’d prefer to kill them, killing prisoners just isn’t part of our code,” the guard spoke slowly, then sighed. “What about offering them the choice of servitude to Sistina, or release under parole?”

“That is… possible. Is it, Sistina?” Phynis asked the dryad, who nodded slightly.

“While it may be possible, it’s also possible that such is safer for them in the end,” Alissa spoke calmly, frowning deeply. “Being part of the group that had the Adjudicator of their western territories with them, and him dying with them nearby… that could lead to censure of them. It could also get them killed, depending on which of their authorities were in charge. And if the people in charge are those who gave the command that Jared was under, they might want to eliminate loose ends.”

Phynis and the others stared at her, though Sistina’s gaze looked more curious than anything else, and Alissa flushed slightly, asking, “What? What did I say?”

“I’m a little surprised at that kind of analysis out of you. You’ve never said anything like that before,” Phynis told her, frowning internally. Something about the way that Alissa had said that bothered her. She wasn’t certain what it was, but it made her slightly suspicious.

“We’ve all worked at the palace for more than a year in the Royal Guard. Politics happens all the time, as do discussions of what Kelvanis does. Most of us guards are regarded as little more than furniture, and ignored,” Alissa replied, blushing more. “I’ve picked some things up.”

“I suppose so. And you have a point,” Phynis admitted. “I’m thinking that Skylark’s idea is the best. I was going to simply let them go, but sending them to potential death is something that I’m not comfortable with. We’ll give them the option, and then let them leave if they wish. Sistina, is that acceptable to you?”

Sistina nodded, smiling as she replied softly. “Yes. Your decision.”

Desa nodded and straightened in her chair. “Right, well, who wants to break the news to them?”

* * *

“…So if you want to leave, you can. We have no idea what Kelvanis might decide to do with you, and honestly I don’t much care, after what happened to Farris,” Desa told the captives harshly, looking between them. “If you decide to stay, you’re going to be effectively branded, like you did to captives. The difference is, Sistina is a far more benevolent individual than you are, at least in most ways.”

“Why are you letting us go? You haven’t even questioned us, more than a few conversations, anyway,” one of the men asked, prompting glares from several other soldiers.

“A fair question,” Desa agreed, then smiled thinly. “Quite honestly, the only one who we might have actually wanted to question was the Adjudicator, and he just killed himself. The rest of you are taking space, and we have no need for prisoners. The choices were to free you, enslave you, or kill you. While my own first instinct was the last option, more merciful voices prevailed. Besides which, I suspect Kelvanis will be much less forgiving of your failure to keep him alive.”

Most of the captives looked doubtful of her words, and more cheerful about the idea of getting out of the dungeon alive. There were three that looked a little more concerned about her comment, but no one else spoke up. Looking around again, Desa spoke again. “You have until tomorrow morning to make a decision as to which choice to make. After that, you’ll be removed from the dungeon one way or another.”

“Uh, one more question?” a man spoke up, one of the ones who looked more concerned.

“Yes?” Desa prompted, looking at him.

“What would we be doing if we stayed in the dungeon?” he asked, looking nervous.

Desa shrugged and answered honestly. “I have absolutely no idea.”

* * *

Phynis cuddled into Sistina’s arms, sighing happily as the dryad held her, stroking her hair gently and kissing the crown of Phynis’ head. She could feel Sistina’s gentle affection and happiness, which helped calm her down after the pain and grief of the day.

They were once again sitting under Sistina’s tree, and the calm strength of Sistina’s domain was almost palpable to Phynis, pulsing all around her and making her feel so very much safer. It took a few minutes more before Phynis finally spoke, her voice soft. “Why did you have me make the decision, Sistina? This entire realm is yours, and yet you decided to pass it to me.”

Sistina didn’t reply initially, and Phynis could feel that the dryad’s own thoughts were complex, as she tried to work out how to reply. The actual response was relatively short and contained a depth of meanings. “Farris yours. Your justice.”

“That isn’t all of it, Sistina. I can sense your emotions somewhat, and I know when you’re dancing around the point,” Phynis scolded gently, pulling away to look the dryad in the eyes with a smile. “Please, tell me?”

Pausing a moment, Sistina let out a soft sigh of her own before returning the smile with one of her own, brushing Phynis’ cheek with a hand. Her voice was just as quiet, as she gently touched Phynis’ forehead with one finger. “Ruler. Born thus. Trained, devoted self. Stolen away. You need. I help you. Give domain.”

“What?” Phynis blinked in shock as Sistina pulled her finger away. Warmth flooded her at the realization that Sistina had made the decision she had for Phynis, but she protested anyway. “But that doesn’t… you don’t need to do that, Sistina! I’m fine just being here with you!”

“No.” Sistina paused, a hint of mischief filling her thoughts as she grinned. “All need purpose. You are ruler.”

“Ruling what, a kingdom of ten others?” Phynis asked skeptically, her eyebrows rising. “Or are we including all the animals and insects? It isn’t much of a kingdom.”

“Amethyst. Diamond. Emerald. Opal. Ruby. Sapphire. Topaz. Other priestesses,” Sistina countered, naming each of the other women carefully, smiling. “A start.”

“You have something planned, don’t you?” Phynis’ eyes narrowed, and she poked the dryad in the side firmly. “What are you doing, Sistina?”

Sistina grinned, pinning the hand and smirking as she murmured, “Surprise. Not telling.”

All of Phynis’ objections vanished for the moment as the dryad suddenly began to tickle her mercilessly, and her giggles, laughter, and pleading for mercy filled the air around the tree.

Chapter 16

Ulvian woke with a start as he felt something heavy drop onto him, and almost instinctively began to cast a spell. He hadn’t gotten more than a word out when he was interrupted by a deep, passionate kiss that had so much heat to it that his toes all but curled. It went on and on, and as it did he fully woke.

He was in his bedroom, a wonderfully appointed chamber in the middle of the palace of Kelvanath. Ulvian hadn’t had any company when he came to bed, but as his senses came almost painfully alive, he realized that the shadowy figure above him was most assuredly female, and the heat that came from her body was positively unnatural.

The kiss finally broke off, leaving him breathless as he slumped backward, and the woman laughed, her voice sultry. “There we are… no casting spells like that, hmm? Not when I’m here on Our Lady’s behalf.”

“What?” Ulvian took a deep breath, catching his breath and shivering at the unnatural desire flooding his body. It took a moment to gain his poise, as much as he could with what he had to assume was a demon straddling his hips, but finally he spoke again. “May I at least have a light with which to see you by?”

There was a soft giggle, and two deep crimson flames ignited on either side of the bed, illuminating his night-time visitor. The woman on top of Ulvian had deep crimson skin and an exaggerated hourglass figure, and she was grinning in a way that showed two sharp incisor teeth between her purple lips. She had a beautiful face and long black hair, and he could just barely see the tail swaying behind the demoness, along with the long, sharp-looking black nails on either hand. He swallowed hard as he realized she was sheathed in armor of some kind of black bone, making her smile even wider.

“Does that satisfy your curiosity? Or would you like to have a closer look?” she purred, licking her lips as he stared into her golden eyes.

“No… no, that is quite sufficient. I presume there is a reason for your midnight visit?” Ulvian took a moment to gather his thoughts, trying to quell his lust as he stared at the visitor above him.

“I suppose… you are a tasty-looking little mortal.” The woman took a deep breath, smiling as she grinned again, running a hand down his chest. “Heady with the smell of black magic and corruption. Ooh… I could eat you right up. Too bad you’re all business.”

“Perhaps later? You rather have me at a disadvantage,” Ulvian temporized, his heart beginning to pound still more rapidly at her words. “May I ask why you are here?”

“I am most often called Reyviss. My Lady Irethiel sent me as a courier. The information from the mortal soul, Jared Falgrave, is in a package on your desk,” the woman purred. “I am also here to retrieve the armor and weapon of the sleeping goddess, that they may be remade into a more suitable form for her new role.”

“Ah! That is good news. Her equipment is resting in a storage locker down in my laboratory. I was uncertain what to do with it,” Ulvian replied, a little relief flooding through him. A part of him had feared that Irethiel was angry about something and had decided to dispose of him. “I suspect that means that you are in a hurry. I can grab the key for you if you would like.”

“Mm… I wasn’t given that much of a time limit. I have some time for… recreation,” Reyviss spoke softly, smiling at him. “Tell me, Ulvian Sorvos, would you like that?”

Ulvian stared at her for a moment, then smiled himself, sitting up slightly as he reached out, sliding his hands over her sides. “If that is the case, Lady Reyviss, I would be delighted.”

The demoness giggled, leaning forward to kiss him, deeply and passionately. The vigor with which she embraced him took his breath away. When she broke the kiss, her voice was throaty as she whispered into his ear, “I’m hardly a lady.”

* * *

Justicar Hall stood at attention in front of the mirror, wondering just what had prompted Ulvian to contact him. It was quite unexpected, and that was concerning to Hall. A moment later, the mirror flickered to life and Ulvian appeared. The Archon’s appearance nearly made Hall do a double-take, but he managed to suppress the impulse.

Ulvian’s hair was slightly rumpled, there were shadows under his eyes, and it looked as though one of his ears had been bitten. The sight was shocking, especially when Hall considered how particular the Archon was about his appearance. After a moment, Hall spoke, his voice gruff. “Lord Sorvos. You are looking somewhat under the weather.”

“Indeed. I had a visitation by a messenger of our patron last night. It was… unexpected,” the Archon replied, wincing as he reached up to touch his ear. “She was more aggressive than most. I was surprised. However, that isn’t why I contacted you. I was more concerned by the information that was supplied to us.”

“I see,” Hall replied calmly. And he did see. The majority of their patron’s servants were rather aggressive to begin with, and personally Hall did what he could to avoid them because of it. It was Ulvian’s own fault that he was in that condition. But after a moment, Hall asked. “Yes?”

“Oh, sorry Ivan. My mind is a bit fuzzy,” Ulvian apologized, shaking his head and smiling. “First, do not send any important slaves to Granite Point. You can use less important slaves, and don’t be obvious about it, but don’t send any slaves with important information there. Somehow, the dryad in the dungeon can take control of the brands, removing them from our patron’s sphere of influence. I don’t want us potentially losing valuable slaves to them.”

“I see. That is a disturbing revelation.” Hall frowned at the information, trying to decide how to deal with the problem. After a moment, he decided it would be easy enough to deal with, as the town wasn’t someplace heavily traveled yet. “I can do that. While unusual, I don’t see that it will be much threat to us. Neither dryads nor dungeons can travel far.”

“No, but the possibility is worrying. Which is why I want to amend your orders for Yisara. If you take possession of any of the royal family, do not brand them. Just send them to me,” Ulvian ordered, his eyes gleaming.

“Lord Sorvos? That seems a rather radical departure from what you informed me of before,” Hall asked, frowning deeply. “I believed that the plan was to auction them off to neighboring nations.”

“Plans change. Elissa arrives tomorrow, and I’m going to leave any royals in her lovely hands, as well as indoctrinating them in the same manner as the Enforcers,” Ulvian explained, smiling more broadly. “Next year they will be helping us take Yisara… assuming you manage to get your hands on them.”

“I intend to do my best, Lord Sorvos,” Hall replied reprovingly, frowning more at his old friend. “I will do as you ask, however. Is there anything else?”

“No, Ivan. Do your best out there!” Ulvian smiled broadly, and then the mirror went dark again, showing Hall’s face instead.

“Love-struck idiot,” Hall muttered, then turned back to his documents, pondering how to change his plans yet again.

* * *

The next morning, Ulvian reached up and touched his ear again, wincing at the injury. He hadn’t expected Reyviss to actually bite him. Worse, the venom in the woman’s fangs meant that while the injury healed quickly, it couldn’t be magically healed. Because of that, he’d focused on staying inside the palace until he was fully recovered, not wanting to deal with any questions.

Looking over the reports, he frowned as he saw one about the relationship between Sirshif and Yisara improving. The serpentfolk of Sirshif were one of his larger markets for slaves, but the clan lords of their desert were also pragmatic, which meant that he couldn’t count on them permanently staying out of Kelvanis’ way. The only saving grace for all their neighbors was that the serpentfolk were cold-blooded, and Sirshif was about as far north from the sea as they could comfortably live. Still, perhaps there were a few ways he could convince them to keep to the current set of arrangements.

About the time that Ulvian was finishing up the document, there was a knock on his door and one of the servants opened the door a crack, speaking respectfully. “Archon, there is a woman asking to speak with you. She says her name is Elissa of Silence?”

“Indeed? Well, escort her here! I’ve been expecting her!” Ulvian replied, a smile lighting up his face as his mood improved. While Elissa had claimed she’d be coming, he’d long since learned that she was much less likely to keep promises than most of the people he knew.

“Of course, Lord Archon,” the servant acknowledged with a bow, closing the door.

Taking a minute to finish up, Ulvian set aside the paperwork in anticipation of meeting his old friend. When the door opened, he blinked in surprise.

The Elissa that Ulvian knew stood about five and a half feet tall, had short black hair, and was an attractive woman, if middle-aged and vain. The woman in the doorway had shimmering black hair that fell to the middle of her back and looked like she was no more than twenty-five years old, if that. She was gorgeous, with porcelain features and skin that was almost unnaturally pale. But she was the same height and possessed the same, almost lightning-blue eyes as she smiled at him broadly.

“Ulvian! How are you?” the woman asked, smiling broadly as she swept forward, her crimson dress swirling around her.

“Elissa? You look different than I expected,” Ulvian said, standing up and looking at the woman in shock. The door closed behind Elissa, and he smiled slowly, spreading his arms as he stepped forward to give her a hug. “Am I right in suspecting that you found that phoenix egg you were looking for?”

“Ah, you always were a smart man!” Elissa giggled, hugging Ulvian and grinning, though it dimmed slightly as she added, “Yes, but don’t think I’ve forgiven you for dragging all of us into your little journey to the abyssal realms. I didn’t appreciate being branded by your demonic crush one bit.”

“Yes, well, I did apologize about that. I had no idea that she’d react that way. Besides, it was an emergency.” Ulvian coughed, looking guiltily to the side as the hug broke off. “She’s kept her word, hasn’t she, in not commanding you since I’m keeping my side of the bargain?”

“She has. Though I’m still not happy about it,” Elissa spoke with narrowed eyes. “You may have saved our lives, but it wasn’t fair to do without asking.”

“Good. On her following through, I mean,” Ulvian hastily corrected himself, then took a deep breath, sitting again as he changed the subject, asking, “Out of curiosity, where did you find a phoenix egg, anyway?”

“King Corin’s treasury. He wanted a phoenix mount, and was waiting for it to hatch. I knew he’d never tame a phoenix, so took it for my own use,” the mage replied, seeming quite satisfied with herself as she settled into the chair across from Ulvian. “Of course, I’m going to have to avoid Halstad until he’s deposed, but that shouldn’t be difficult.”

“You’re as daring as ever, dear. May I hope that you at least used an assumed name?” Ulvian asked, wincing slightly. Halstad was nowhere near Kelvanis, but with the plans he was preparing, the last thing he needed was the wealthy kingdom taking offense at Elissa’s presence.

“Of course I did!” Elissa looked scandalized at the thought, glaring at him. “Now, why don’t you tell me why you called for me to come here? I still haven’t found a way to gain eternal youth, so please don’t waste my time.”

“More to the point, what would you do for eternal youth, Elissa?” Ulvian asked, grinning broadly.

Sitting up abruptly, Elissa’s eyebrows rose for a moment, then dropped as she studied him carefully. It took her a long moment before she spoke, her tone thoughtful. “You don’t look like you’re lying, exaggerating, or trying to joke around. So, I suppose I’ll answer. I’m not going to be one of your Lady’s direct servants, and I want to remain human. But aside from that? I would give nearly anything save for my own magic. You should know that.”

“Indeed, that I do. But I had to be certain that you hadn’t changed your mind,” Ulvian agreed, and stood again as he smiled, offering a hand to help her to her feet. “Come with me, if you would? I have something I need to show you and an offer, but I can’t tell you here.”

“Now you have my curiosity positively piqued. Why me?” Elissa asked, taking his hand to stand gracefully.

Ulvian opened the door and offered his arm to the elegant sorceress, then began leading the way down the hallway. He didn’t reply until they’d passed into halls guarded by his own magic, as he reached a doorway that was sealed by as much power as he’d been able to muster, and his voice was grave. “Because you’re the only one I trust to do it right, and who I trust to actually do the job, Elissa. Out of your own self-interest, if nothing else.”

“That seems fair. Just as I know you’re going to keep building up Kelvanis because of your own ambitions,” Elissa agreed, her eyes narrowing as Ulvian laid a hand on the doorway and slowly unsealed it. “This is heavier security than I expected.”

“You’ll understand in a few moments,” Ulvian assured her as the door opened at last, eerily silent when they could see the metal core of the wooden door, solid steel that was three inches thick. They stepped through and he closed it behind them with a strangely final tone.

Leading the way down the hallway and downstairs, Ulvian stepped into the room where Medaea lay, gesturing grandly at her and turning to Elissa with a smile. “I present unto you the goddess Medaea. She has been branded to serve My Lady, and is currently being gradually corrupted. Next year, she will be at a sufficient stage that we can reveal her as a newfound deific guardian of Kelvanis. However, for that I need a new name for her, and a church to the faith of our Goddess in Chains.”

Smiling broadly at Elissa’s stunned expression, he finished. “All we need is a new High Priestess who can shape her new religion, and who can make people trust her. Interested, Elissa?”

The sorceress paused for a long moment, and then a slow smile grew on her face. “A captive goddess, corrupted to your will? How very daring. I love it. Tell me more.”

Chapter 17

Located at the northern end of Yisara’s most fertile farmland, Golden Vale was a lovely forest valley with an entire community dedicated to serving the annual visits of the country’s nobility. The entire town seemed to have built everything around only two weeks each year, an aspect which always made Beryl feel a little uncomfortable. She felt that the town really should rely on more than just the annual gathering, but there was little she could do to encourage them to branch out. Maybe once she was queen, but not before.

“Come on, Beryl, we need to get going! We’re almost there,” Jaine urged after they’d been looking over the valley for a minute. The younger princess flicked a lock of her golden hair out of her face, adding, “I want a bath and a good bed tonight, not a cot.”

“We’ll be to the manor soon enough, Jaine,” Beryl replied gently, shaking her head at her younger sister. “And we’ll be here an entire week. You don’t need to be in such a hurry.”

“Maybe we will, but Daren said he’d be here a day early,” Jaine replied somewhat tartly, glowering at her sister. “I’d rather get there sooner.”

“Daren? Which one?” Beryl blinked in mild surprise, giving her sister a speculative look. “I can think of no less than three people by the name of Daren who’ll be here this week.”

Jaine gave her a weird look for a moment, then her eyes brightened. “Oh, right! You were at that trade conference with the representatives of Sirshif for most of the past couple of weeks! Daren Silverwood. I met him at Lady Redwood’s ball, and he was really nice.”

“Ah, yes… second son of Earl Silverwood, yes?” Beryl paused, considering what she remembered of the young man in question. He was modestly handsome, spirited, and vain, but that put him in a better light than about half of the noble sons she’d met. Looking at her sister with a raised eyebrow, Beryl asked gently, “I presume that father and mother know?”

“Uhh… not yet. I wasn’t sure how much I liked him, so I didn’t bother telling them,” Jaine admitted, looking away as her horse shifted beneath her.

“Jaine… you should know better.” Beryl sighed, looking up at the sky as she counted slowly to ten. “Be careful, and tell them when we get home, please? They’ll be understanding.”

“I don’t know. Dad can get pretty over-protective.” Jaine hesitated, but as Beryl gave her a hard look, the younger woman’s ears drooped slightly as she sighed and nodded. “Alright, alright, I’ll tell them. But can we get going?”

“Just make sure you have an escort and I won’t interfere,” Beryl told her sister with a slight smile, shaking her head again. “But yes, we can. Captain? If you’d lead the way?”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Captain Cebine replied, and gestured the guards forward down the trail toward Golden Vale.

* * *

“Finally!” Major Thompson couldn’t stop himself from speaking as they finally reached the temple. His reports of the path had described the route as if it were easy, but his own force didn’t have ten Enforcers, and he’d found that the trip was far more difficult than described.

There hadn’t been any individual creature or group that had made the trip more difficult, either. It was probably the sheer size of his force that had drawn the attacks, like the mountain viper that had slipped into the camp and killed a soldier before being found, or the mountain lion which had ambushed a scout. It had just been slow, steady attrition, ending with him having lost nearly twenty soldiers just through random minor attacks. But at long last, they had reached their objective.

Priestesses in the valley fields were harvesting, and the women seemed startled as the soldiers began to stream toward their temple. They quickly retreated toward the temple, and Thompson sighed, looking at the Enforcer and asking, “Would you mind going and getting the priestesses under control?”

“Certainly, Major.” Corvek nodded and smiled slightly. “At least we know they’ll all obey. Just be certain that the soldiers know that they are not for sampling. Kelvanis could use the income these ladies will provide.”

“Of course, Enforcer. I intend to make it crystal clear,” Thompson replied, suppressing his annoyance at the slight on his competence.

“Excellent.” Corvek smiled before he began to jog down the mountainside, adroitly avoiding rocks in a way that Thompson could only envy.

Shaking his head, Thompson began leading his horse down the path carefully. At least they were here. A day’s rest, and then they could commence the attack on Golden Vale.

Chapter 18

“Sistina? What are you taking me to see?” Phynis asked, looking up at the taller dryad.

Looking down, Sistina smiled and patted Phynis’ arm where it was looped through the dryad’s elbow. Her voice was soft as she spoke warmly. “Surprise.”

“Oh? Is this the surprise you mentioned before?” Phynis asked, raising her eyebrows.

“No. Different surprise,” the dryad replied, shaking her head with a mysterious smile.

“Hmm… well, is this surprise far?” Phynis asked, looking around speculatively.

They were in the main cavern of the dungeon, only a dozen yards from the dryad’s tree, following a small, scenic path down the small hill. Sistina had indicated she wanted to show Phynis something, and they hadn’t gone far just yet.

Shaking her head, Sistina smiled and pointed ahead of them. Blinking in surprise, Phynis’ eyes narrowed at the sight of a new, stone-lined path off to the left side of the path they were on. It led toward the side of the next hill over from Sistina’s, and she glanced at the dryad again, teasing. “You’re showing me that you put in a stone-lined path? How impressive.”

Sistina sighed, then led the way along the path. After a half-dozen yards, it came to an end, this time as it stopped in front of a doorway piercing the side of the hill. Phynis paused for a moment, frowning. The door hadn’t been there the day before, she knew that much, which made this stranger, though considering that Sistina could alter the dungeon, not that strange. The door was simple, dark-hued wood, but it had a brass handle and keyhole. Sistina offered Phynis a key with a smile on her face.

Looking at the key dubiously, Phynis took it and inserted it into the lock. The lock turned over quite smoothly, surprising her at how easy it was. Most of the time, she found locks weren’t very smooth in locking or unlocking. Removing the key, she cautiously opened the door, stepping inside, and paused as surprise almost overwhelmed her.

The interior of the hill was almost completely hollow. All the walls were covered in wood paneling, and a wall with a door set into it cut them off from about a third of the hill, leaving a chamber about thirty feet across. A glowing orb hanging from the ceiling emitted soft golden light through the room as well. Thick rugs covered a polished wooden floor, and to the left was a large bed made with soft-looking pink sheets. Near one wall was a copy of the wardrobe from her current room, along with a vanity complete with a mirror, a writing desk, a table with four chairs, and a sofa as well. Phynis blinked, stepping into the room with some trepidation.

She slowly approached the wardrobe and opened it, only to find that it was filled with dresses and other clothing the right size for her. Closing the wardrobe, she checked the door. On the other side was a tiled room with the soft echo of flowing water. A large pool of steaming water was set into a marble outcropping, fed by a stone urn on one side, and seeming to be drained by a series of small holes on the other side of the pool. On the wall were another set of shelves and a mirror, where a basket of toiletries was resting, along with several towels.

“Sistina? What is this?” Phynis asked, turning to look at the dryad, who was standing in the doorway.

“Your room. Present.” Sistina’s voice was soft as she shrugged, but Phynis felt an undertone of nervousness to the dryad as she added, “Nearby. Like?”

“That… I mean, I love it, but I thought you were saving mana for important things,” Phynis protested, gesturing around her in combined shock and embarrassment. At the same time, her cheeks heated and warmth welled up inside at the evidence of how much Sistina cared. “Why this?”

Sistina looked at Phynis for a moment, then slowly walked into the room. Stepping up to Phynis, she pulled her into a hug, taking a deep, obvious sniff of Phynis’ hair. Blinking, Phynis relaxed into the hug, letting Sistina’s calm warmth and affection wash over her. And when Sistina spoke, she flushed. “You are important. Others… I want. You? I need. Want to make happy.”

“You’re embarrassing me, Sistina,” Phynis mumbled, burying her face in Sistina’s shoulder.

Giggling, Sistina put a finger under Phynis’ chin and gently drew her gaze upward. Looking into the dryad’s deep green eyes, Phynis blushed again as the dryad drew her into a deep kiss. For a long minute, there was nothing but the warmth of one another, and the kiss came to a gentle end.

“I love the room. Thank you,” Phynis spoke shyly, happiness permeating her as she smiled, closing her eyes as she leaned into the dryad and sighed.

* * *

Adjusting the sensor’s position slightly, Albert nodded politely as a group of adventurers who’d arrived with him headed down the hall toward the dungeon proper. “Good luck.”

“Thanks, Guildmaster,” one of them replied, nodding slightly as the man readied his machete.

The group hardly paused, though, and Albert didn’t mind that at all. He was in the entryway of the dungeon, maybe a half-dozen steps inside. It allowed him to take a few readings of the mana levels inside the dungeon, though getting a reading of something from much deeper inside would be better. On the other hand, he had an idea for how to get a proper reading from deep inside the dungeon. He wasn’t sure it would work, but there was no harm in trying.

A chime from his recorder made him nod in satisfaction, and he dislodged his sensor, folding the legs carefully. Then he walked down to the storage room and tested the handle. The door opened easily, and he stepped inside, raising an eyebrow at what he found.

The room was lined with shelves, and had a large counter in front of a rear door as well. It was mostly empty, and an elf sat in a chair behind the counter, looking down at something in his lap until he noticed Albert. The elf sat up quickly from his slouch, and the guildmaster suppressed a smile at how plain the dusky-skinned man was. So many people assumed that all elves were enormously attractive, and this man, who Albert assumed was Ilmas, proved them wrong.

“Hello, how can I help you?” the elf asked, setting aside a thin book as he stood.

“Are you Ilmas? I’m Albert Windgale, guildmaster of the new Adventurer’s Guild outside,” Albert offered politely.

“I am. It is interesting to meet you, Mister Windgale.” Ilmas frowned slightly, studying Albert. “Aren’t you a little young to be a guildmaster, though?”

“Yes, yes I am. However, I’m also an accomplished alchemist and artificer, so my superiors wanted me to cease risking my neck in dungeons and focus on those talents,” Albert told him, grinning. “Which is why I have a request for you.”

“Oh? What might that be?” Ilmas looked intrigued, but cautious despite that.

“I’m trying to take some readings of the dungeon, to figure out some of the dimensions and power of it,” Albert began to explain, holding up the sensor. “This is an aetheric sensor, which can sense the various levels of—”

“Wait a second!” Ilmas interrupted hastily, looking quite confused. “Look, I know almost nothing about magic. So just tell me what you want, please?”

“I… alright.” Pausing, Albert considered for a moment before simplifying greatly. “I want you to take this staff and recorder to as close to the center of the dungeon as you can and stab the bottom into the ground. Wait until the recorder chimes, then bring it back to me.”

“Hmm. Simple enough, but I’m not sure I can do that. I mean, how do I know it won’t hurt the dungeon or something?” Ilmas asked, frowning deeply.

“That… well, you might have a point.” Albert frowned deeply. “It’s just a sensor. It can’t even map out the dungeon chambers… that takes a much larger series of sensors acting in concert.”

“Well, I suppose I could go ask Sistina if she’d allow it,” Ilmas offered dubiously. “That’d take about an hour, though. It’s a fairly long trip each way.”

Albert blinked, then smiled slightly. “I’d be perfectly happy with that. I’m surprised it’ll take you that long, though. I’d think that you’d have faster ways through the dungeon.”

“You would think that, wouldn’t you? But no, it’s considered a vulnerability, so while there are a few ways to move a little faster, it still takes a while.” Ilmas sighed, shaking his head. “Would you like to stay here while you wait?”

“I can do that. Hopefully she agrees,” Albert replied, his spirits rising somewhat. He’d been half afraid of being told no at the elf’s worries.

“Alright, I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Ilmas told Albert, opening the door behind him and stepping through it. A moment later, the door locked, and Albert was left alone in the room.

For a minute, Albert just waited, before he finally approached the desk, murmuring, “I wonder what he was reading?”

Picking up the book, Albert flipped it open, and then he suppressed a snort of laughter as he looked at the spelling primer. Apparently Ilmas was trying to learn to read.

* * *

Sistina was carefully carving a tunnel near the periphery of her domain when she sensed that Ilmas was approaching her tree, looking for her. Setting the project aside, she quickly inhabited her body again.

Phynis’ body was warm against her own, the sleeping woman’s skin soft and silky. In spite of the need to speak with Ilmas, Sistina was tempted to not leave. But at last, she gently slipped out of Phynis’ sleeping embrace and the bed. Quickly getting dressed, she slipped out of the room and locked the door behind her before heading for her tree at a brisk pace.

“Sistina, there you are!” Ilmas looked relieved as he saw her approaching on the path. “I was wondering where you got off to. I just had a question for you.”

Raising an eyebrow, Sistina waited patiently for Ilmas to explain. He took a breath and explained swiftly. “I had the leader of the Adventurer’s Guild come to me. He wants to hire me to use a magic staff to examine the dungeon, or something like that. He said it couldn’t map out rooms or anything, but I wasn’t sure what to do.”

“Wait,” Sistina told him, then retreated almost entirely from the body, focusing her sense back toward the dungeon entrance.

A group of humans was busy fighting their way through the first floor, and were doing well enough she imagined they’d reach the second or third floor. They were new, so they must have talked to others about what they were going to face. Past them was a single human in the room she’d created for Ilmas, and whomever else went to offer services to the adventurers. But the man made her eyebrows rise slightly. Undulations of well-controlled mana surrounded him, and virtually everything he wore was enchanted, from the tailored coat down to his boots.

Focusing closer on the man as he examined the shelves, Sistina focused first on the staff he was holding. It was a fascinating magical object, an intricately constructed series of spells put together in a way she’d never seen before. Yet the overall intent of the design was quite clear in her mind, and she quickly realized that it was designed to analyze the mana concentration of an area, and nothing dangerous. So she focused on her body, looking at Ilmas and nodding. “Granted.”

“Oh, good. I’ll head back, then. Thank you, Sistina!” Ilmas replied, turning and beginning to jog down the long path back to the entrance.

Smiling, Sistina returned to the bedroom and slipped into the bed next to Phynis again. The young elf let out a sleepy murmur, turning into her, her eyes opening a crack as she complained. “You left.”

“Business. Dealt with,” Sistina replied softly, giving Phynis a gentle kiss before settling in next to her.

Phynis simply wrapped her arms around Sistina and cuddled in, quickly going back to sleep, a happy smile on her face.

* * *

The sound of the door unlocking got Albert’s attention. As Ilmas entered the room, he hopped down from sitting on the counter, smiling. “Ah, you’re back! How’d it go?”

“I was given permission to accept your request,” Ilmas replied, wiping some sweat from his forehead with a cloth. Taking a seat, he added, “But there are two things we need to figure out. I’m not going to make that trip twice more today, so I wouldn’t bring back your things until tomorrow at the earliest, and we need to decide on how much you’re going to pay for it.”

“Excellent! I was planning to offer you fifty silver marks for getting me the readings,” Albert said cheerfully, grinning. “Is that acceptable?”

“Fifty silver… you’ve got to be kidding!” Ilmas stared at Albert in shock for a moment.

“Why? Did you need more than that?” Albert asked, frowning slightly. He thought it was a reasonable amount, considering how important the data was to him. He might be willing to increase the amount somewhat, but it’d be a bit more than he’d anticipated. Fortunately, before he could say anything more, the elf spoke up.

“No, no! I’m saying that’s ten times what I was going to ask for. We don’t have much call for money down here yet, but I hope to leave one day. But even so, that much for a couple of minutes of work… you’re sure you aren’t doing anything bad?” Ilmas asked, seeming extremely nervous. “I really don’t want the dungeon angry with me.”

“What? I don’t… oh, right. I forget, you don’t have real artificers out here.” Realization dawned on Albert in mid-sentence, and he smiled as he explained. “Artificers make an enormous amount of money, Ilmas. What I’m asking you isn’t hard, but the information it can provide is important to me, so I’m offering you what I think the job is worth. Is that fair?”

“I… I suppose so. I just can’t take that much money, not when I can’t leave yet. Look, how about five silver now, five when I come back?” Ilmas offered hesitantly.

“That’s fine with me,” Albert agreed, and carefully unhooked the recorder from his belt, setting it on the counter and offering the sensor to Ilmas. “Just be careful not to hit this against anything. It’s expensive to make, and takes weeks of work to get perfect.”

“Right, umm, so what do I do with this, exactly?” Ilmas asked, taking the sensor with obvious trepidation.

“It’s quite simple. Hook the recorder to your belt, or have it about anywhere within a few feet of the sensor. With the sensor itself, place the tripod, then shove the spike into the ground. As soon as the sensor has everything it needs, the recorder will make a noise like a bell. That’s when it's done, and just pull out the sensor and fold it up,” Albert explained, pulling out a pouch and extracting the silver coins he’d promised.

“You’re right about it being simple,” Ilmas agreed, smiling slightly as he took the coins. “I’ll do that tonight and be back here tomorrow before noon. Is that alright?”

“That sounds fine to me,” Albert agreed, smiling more. “I’ll see you then!”

As he left, Ilmas took the recorder and locked the door again. Albert could just hear the elf whistling to himself as he left.

* * *

Taking a minute to make sure the recorder was hooked to his belt, Ilmas looked at the sensor with a bit of worry. A part of him was worried that it would cause problems, no matter how harmless Albert had claimed the device was. That was part of why he’d chosen to use the device a half mile away from Sistina’s tree, where it could do relatively little damage if something went wrong.

Carefully setting the device’s legs up, he braced himself. The sensor was lighter than he had expected on first seeing it, and it felt hollow, too. Finally ready, he looked around the small patch of gardens, took a deep breath, and shoved the spike into the ground.

The metal spike thrust into the ground with ease, and for a long moment Ilmas simply was waiting for something to go horribly wrong. But when it didn’t, he slowly relaxed. That was when the crystal at the top of the staff began to glimmer and glow. Crimson, green, and gold lights began to flicker through it, shining against the silver wires, and he frowned in concern. Albert didn’t say anything about the crystal glowing, and the growing light concerned him. It—

With a soft whine, accompanied by the chime of the recorder, the crystal flared brightly and exploded in a shower of shards. Flinching away, Ilmas began swearing at the numerous cuts, cringing away a bit too late.

“What the hell was that?” he spat out, stepping away from the sensor as the top of it began emitting a faint stream of smoke.

* * *

“Hello!” Albert called out as he opened the door. “Did everything go—oh, what happened to you, Ilmas? What… what happened to the sensor!”

Albert looked on in horror as he saw dozens of tiny cuts in the elven man, each starting to scab over, and the sensor with its crystal utterly ruined sitting on the counter. Ilmas looked up and scowled at him.

“You tell me!” Ilmas replied, gesturing at the staff-like sensor. “I did exactly what you said, set it up and everything. The crystal started glowing brighter and brighter, and then it exploded in my face! I’m lucky it didn’t take an eye out or something!”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense! It shouldn’t have been…” Albert began, then paused, quickly thinking over what could possibly cause an aetheric sensor to overload in such a way as to make the crystal explode. Softly, he murmured, “Possibly if there was an extremely dense concentration of mana, and a node… but that doesn’t make any sense. Not with what I saw before. I just don’t know.”

“Well, whatever caused it, it exploded and it hurt,” Ilmas replied, seeming a little less upset at Albert’s confusion. “But it chimed like you said it should, at about the same time it blew up.”

“At least there’s that. I’m sorry it blew up, Ilmas. I had no idea that would happen,” Albert apologized, shaking his head as he opened his belt pouch and pulled out the payment, as well as a small potion. “Here, the funds I promised, and a potion to heal your injuries more quickly.”

“I… well, thanks. I didn’t expect you to offer that,” Ilmas admitted, sighing as he took the coins. He considered the potion for a moment before uncorking it and downing the contents, obviously grimacing at the taste. “Ugh, that’s nasty.”

“We’re told to make them nasty so that people don’t get the urge to constantly drink them,” Albert explained, obviously amused. “So, it’s by design. You should be fully healed in a minute or two.”

As both watched, they could see Ilmas’ wounds scabbing over more quickly, and it was at that point that the elf spoke. “To be honest with you, I didn’t take the readings in the center of the dungeon. I was about a half-mile away, since I wasn’t certain what your device did. Just… in case that’s important.”

“Thank you for telling me. It might be important, at that.” Albert sighed, picking up the sensor and frowning at it, then looking down the hole in the top. It didn’t look like the interior had been damaged, and he smiled slightly. “Doesn’t look like anything but the crystal was damaged. If so, it should be relatively easy to repair. If something inside was broken, I may as well just start over from scratch. Thank you for your help, Ilmas.”

“You’re welcome, Albert. It was nice meeting you.” Ilmas smiled as he added, “I suppose I’m willing to help you out again, too. Just nothing that will explode next time, please?”

“I’ll do my best to keep that in mind,” Albert promised, then looked at the recorder. “Now to go figure out what happened. Have a good day.”

And with that Albert left, happy that he at least had gotten his data.

* * *

“Crazy, but at least he’s honest,” Ilmas muttered under his breath, glancing after the vanished mage. Looking at his arm, he added, “And he healed the injury, too. I’m pretty sure that means he isn’t too bad.”

Looking around the room, Ilmas frowned. Despite the other man’s job, by and large his time here was pretty boring. Maybe he could do a few woodworking jobs in the back room or something to pass the time? He wasn’t much good at woodwork, but it was something to do.

“Almost anything is better than boredom some days,” Ilmas muttered to himself, then grinned. “Heck, maybe I can actually learn how to be better than incompetent.”

At about that time, he heard adventurers coming along, and a man with a long, blond beard stuck his head into the room. The man spotted Ilmas and smiled. “Hey, I heard you do some odd-jobs for adventurers. Is that right?”

“Pretty much. What do you have in mind?” Ilmas asked.

“Nothing big. We just want you to come along and carry our spare gear. It’s about a pack’s worth. That fair?” the man asked. “I heard something about charging a copper per floor.”

“Sure! Let me just lock up and I’ll come along with you,” Ilmas told the man, smiling as he got up and prepared to get to work. At least something was going better for him.

Chapter 19

“We’re almost there. Just hang on, Sapphire,” Diamond urged, taking a deep breath as they hurried up the trail.

Sapphire didn’t respond, instead almost panting as she followed the rest of the group. They were hurrying, since they’d reached the trail to the temple only to see a number of tracks that indicated a large number of people had passed by recently. The tracks had forced them to move even more quickly, and left all of them cursing the time it’d taken them to recover after their fight with the screaming worm.

Ruby was in the lead, almost scrambling up the hillside, with each of the others following as quickly as they could. Diamond could only pray they weren’t going to be too late as darkness began to fall.

* * *

Jaine hummed happily to herself as she walked into the hedge maze, closely followed by Lieutenant Torbyn. Her guard was adamant about not leaving her on her own, but Jaine knew that he would also be discreet about things should everything go as well as she hoped.

Going stargazing with Daren left her positively beaming with happiness. The only thing that was a detriment on her mood was how Beryl didn’t seem to have anyone important to her as of yet. Glancing back at the manor where they were staying, Jaine caught the silhouette of her sister in the window of her room, the lights just barely overpowering the setting sun to reveal her.

Letting out a sigh, Jaine perked up slightly as a thought occurred to her. Maybe Daren might have an idea of who might be able to get through to her sister! Smiling, she hurried along to meet with him, excited by the idea.

* * *

“How close is the teleportation circle?” Thompson asked, his arms crossed as he tapped his foot impatiently.

“It’s about ready, sir,” one of the mages replied, nodding at the other nineteen around the circle that they’d set up in the middle of the chapel. All of the pews had been roughly moved aside, and two dozen mana stones were inset into the circle. The mage continued, his voice confident. “It’ll take about five minutes to open the portal, at which point we can transport all the soldiers as fast as they can walk into the circle. We can only hold the portal for ten minutes with our mana supplies and the mana stones, though, so it’ll be a bit of a rush. The faster we get through, the more mana we’ll have left to give support on the other side.”

“Good. Get it open, and we’ll go through,” Thompson rumbled, smiling slightly at the positive information. Turning to the Enforcer, he asked, “You’re leading the squad going after the crown princess, Enforcer?”

Corvek nodded, smiling thinly. “Yes. I have a hair of hers that we can use to track her down. I will take her to the rendezvous point once I have her.”

“Excellent.” Thompson nodded. “I’ll be through shortly after you.”

Nodding politely, the Enforcer stood and moved to his squad to give instructions. At least the horses were outside for the moment, and Thompson frowned slightly. Each squad would bring their horses with, but even so, ten minutes would be a little tight. At least the priestesses were being kept out of the way until they were gone.

* * *

“You know what surprises me?” Diamond asked, taking a breath as they hurried down into the valley toward the temple.

“Diamond…” Ruby gasped, glowering at the high priestess. “Now isn’t… the best time…”

“They asked me… about all the passive defenses… but not once did they ask about what ones we could activate,” Diamond gasped, smiling grimly. They could see the soldiers gathered around the temple, and she hoped they were going to be quick enough.

“A-are you saying that you… can still use them?” Ruby glanced over, slowing slightly as she nearly tripped. “They didn’t disable them?”

“They’re intact. Sapphire, Ruby? Each of you lead teams against them. I’m going to activate the bell tower,” Diamond ordered, glancing up at the bell tower above the chapel, her eyes glittering as her confidence grew.

“Yes, archpriestess!” Sapphire replied instantly, her own eyes bright with hope.

Just another minute, and they’d be close enough. And if Medaea hadn’t been removed from the temple, Kelvanis would face the wrath of an angry goddess.

* * *

Acolyte Evelyn sang softly to herself as she swept the chapel one last time for the evening. Medaea’s shrine in Golden Vale wasn’t large, which was why she was the one who took care of it most of the time, but she loved the shrine regardless. The inscriptions, carvings, and ancient prayers seemed to permeate the sanctified ground, filling her mind with a sense of ease that no other temple of her goddess ever had managed. That was why Evelyn had volunteered to take care of it three decades earlier, and she loved her serene post.

Which was why she was so startled when a loud buzzing sound like dozens of angry bees interrupted her hymn. Turning in surprise, she fell silent in shock as one, two, then a full dozen men and horses abruptly appeared in the center of the temple. Her eyes widened as she recognized that they were humans in armor. Dropping her broom, she turned to flee, taking a breath to cry out an alarm, footsteps echoing through the room behind her as the men charged toward her.

Evelyn was just starting to scream when a gloved hand wrapped over her mouth, yanking her backward as another hand grabbed her shoulder. An instant later, her eyes bulged as she was slammed painfully into the ground.

She couldn’t even whimper as she laid there for a moment, dazed. And behind her, a cool voice spoke. “Tie her up, gag her, and leave her for the Major. We’ve got other problems to deal with.”

As other rough hands began to manhandle Evelyn, she had to wonder what was happening. But there was nothing she could do but hope that someone had heard her aborted scream.

* * *

“What was that?” Liras asked softly, pausing in his attempt to climb the tree.

“I thought I heard a scream,” Warrif replied, frowning as he looked down toward the nearby shrine.

The two teens were trying to get a look into the room of Ceres Lalan, daughter of Duke Crownglade and the most beautiful maiden in Yisara. Her chambers were just barely in view of the upper branches of their tree, and they were almost in position. Neither were eager to get caught, but the chance of getting a good look at the noblewoman was worth it in their minds. Especially if they caught her changing for bed.

However, every thought of peeping flew out of their minds as they saw a group of armed men emerge from the shrine to Medaea. Liras’ eyes went wide as he realized they were humans, and a moment later, he hissed. “Shit, those are humans, Warrif!”

“I can see that as well as you can! What do we do?” Warrif asked, looking panicked.

“Uh, wait until they’re far enough away,” Liras quickly replied, thoughts racing. “Banas brought more guards than most of the others, and he’s nearby. We’ll raise the alarm with him!”

“Okay, that’s a good idea,” Warrif spoke softly, staying still as they watched the group round a corner, and then they quickly climbed back down the tree and raced off toward one of the nearby manors.

* * *

“Ugh,” Thompson grunted as he stepped through the teleportation portal. It was almost like it’d taken his stomach a moment to catch up with the rest of him, and he looked around at the soldiers, stepping forward as he forced down the nausea. He quickly began to bark out orders. “Each of you, go out by squads and get to work! It won’t be long before the alarm is raised, so we have to make the most of it!”

Nearly half of the first hundred soldiers were through the portal, which would definitely help with the attack. He was just taking a deep breath when he heard a horn blast out an alarm in the distance. And he swore aloud, quickly commanding, “Get moving, all of you, go!”

* * *

The blast of an alarm caused Corvek to swear under his breath, coming as it did right before he’d reached the manor where the crown princess seemed to be staying. Calling on his magic, the Enforcer began to circulate it through his body, feeling his muscles and skin strengthening.

Without a word, he charged toward the doors to the manor. There was a single guard at the door, a woman who was still startled by the alarm. When she saw him coming, she cried out her own alarm, drawing her sword as she blocked the doorway, her eyes flashing with anger. “Attack, to arms!”

Their blades clashed loudly in the night, and Corvek saw the woman’s eyes widen in shock as he shoved her back. As she staggered backward, Corvek kicked her legs from under her and drove his sword through her eye with a single smooth motion. Recovering his blade with a twist, Corvek shoved the door open as he kept going.

Normally, he would have tried to take the woman captive, but he didn’t have time for that.

Chapter 20

Lirisel huddled with the others in the dormitory wing, praying for deliverance. The priestesses had all found their faith shaken by the attack of Kelvanis, but even with the loss of most of the ranking priestesses they’d managed to regain a measure of their faith when they’d been left behind for most of the summer.

What little serenity that they’d managed to restore had been shattered when the army arrived the previous day, though. The only saving grace of any of it was that the Enforcer had kept them busy packing and preparing to leave while keeping the soldiers away from them. It was not helped by the knowledge that the reason for that was because they would fetch a higher price at auction if they were untouched. The gathering of soldiers at the chapel worried her, but there wasn’t much that she could do.

The soft prayers of the others were interspersed with occasional sobs, and Lirisel took a deep breath before murmuring yet again, “Lady of the Sun, let your radiance shine on us and deliver us from evil, that we might have a chance to soar like you did. I beg thee for thy—”

With a world-shaking chime, the chapel bell shook the entire temple, the sound of it imbued with immense magical energy that made it heard for miles in every direction. The pure, divine energy that radiated in the tone washed through Lirisel and the others, causing her to gasp in shock, then happiness.

The bell could only be activated by magical energy from a priestess of Medaea, and the sound of it was intended to inspire fellow worshipers and stun their enemies. Better yet, it also would ring a warning bell at the High Temple as well, warning that their temple had been attacked. Finally, it indicated that another priestess was nearby and hadn’t been taken by surprise!

Looking to the others, Lirisel saw the surprise, confusion, and hope on their faces. They could do nothing to help the others outside, but she smiled broadly, speaking up. “Let us pray for those who have sounded the Bell of Purity, that they might defeat those who have defiled Our Lady’s temple.”

Murmurs of agreement surrounded her, and Lirisel clasped her hands together as she lowered her head and began to pray even more fervently.

* * *

The tone of the bell echoed through Sam’s head like the wrath of an angry goddess, and he couldn’t help but clutch his head, crying out in pain as the magic rippled around him.

In front of the mage, the teleportation circle sputtered, sparked, and went dark as he and the other casters all lost their concentration. The ringing bell was directly over their heads, and with each resounding crash, it sent out another ripple of crushing sound.

Only a handful of the soldiers were still functional, and Sam could faintly hear the screams of horses as they panicked and began to run. Staggering toward the door, Sam found his head clearing ever so slightly as he got outside, only to hear a muffled boom.

Looking up and feeling dazed, his vision doubled, Sam saw a dozen soldiers being blown through the air, blood spattering. With a strange sort of bemusement he blinked, seeing a dozen elven women advancing in clusters of three. Each cluster was shielded by a barrier of light, and as they advanced they were creating brilliant bolts of sunfire that hovered over their heads. Two of the clusters were made up of women with yellow, orange, and red hair, while the other two had hair in blue, green, and purple.

Sam’s reactions were inhibited by yet another ring of the bell, and that was when a bolt of sunfire lanced out toward him. Flying through the air after its impact, his thoughts slowed still more as heat surged through him, and then Sam felt nothing at all.

* * *

Standing just outside the gates of the temple, Diamond gasped, feeling as though she were suffocating as she held her hands up, pointing in the direction of the bell tower. While she was able to power the bell’s magic on her own, it was hardly something she could keep up for long. The defense was designed to be used sparingly, and even then only by several priestesses working together, which meant that this was draining her mana reserves rapidly. If the others didn’t manage to deal with the soldiers quickly enough, the bell would cease tolling, and facing a hundred or more soldiers would be difficult if they turned the priestesses against them.

The explosions and chanting of her sister priestesses were coming from inside the temple grounds, causing Diamond to hope that they would be able to stop the attack. In the meantime, she felt herself begin to wobble, and slowly she sank to her knees, murmuring as the bell pealed with defiance yet again. “Goddess, grant me strength. I will not stop until every drop of mana I possess has been consumed.”

* * *

A bolt of lightning blasted down the hallway, dropping two soldiers to the ground, twitching as the electricity arced through them. Thompson swore under his breath, dodging behind a wall as he advanced toward the room where Duke Crownglade’s daughter was hiding. While he’d known this was her manor, he hadn’t known the woman was a powerful lightning mage, and a half-dozen soldiers had fallen to her magic so far.

Peering around the corner, Major Thompson saw that the noblewoman was no longer in the doorway, where a shattered door hung on its hinges. Her guards were both down, one likely dead, the other unconscious after being clubbed over the head by one of his soldiers. The soldiers were littered down the hallway, three of them crumpled over in the doorway, and the others each fallen along the way. Only a handful of the ones struck by lightning were dead, but he doubted they’d be much use for a while.

Taking a deep breath to order the other soldiers forward, Thompson thought better of warning the woman, instead motioning the others forward as he turned the corner and charged toward the door.

It was at that moment that the duke’s daughter stepped into the open again, her brilliant violet eyes glittering as lightning danced around her hands. The woman was absolutely gorgeous, tall and perfectly proportioned for an elf, but that didn’t stop the fear that surged through his veins as she spoke the words of her spell, and he spat out, “Shit!”

Thompson almost missed the movement of the soldier slumped over in the doorway at first, but when the man yanked a foot from under the elf, sending her toppling to the floor with a shriek of surprise, relief flooded the major. The man held onto the woman’s foot as Thompson and the others continued charged down the hallway toward the struggling pair.

“Let go of me, you stupid human bastard!” the elf cursed, trying to pull free and kicking with her free foot, but the lack of a shoe was making it hard for her to do any damage.

Reaching the two, Thompson gave the woman a solid kick in the stomach, blasting the air from her lungs. Two more soldiers pulled out a gag and restraints, and he turned to the injured man on the ground, who smiled up on him in pain, gasping, “Hey, sir. Glad to see you made it.”

“How’re you doing, soldier?” Thompson asked, looking the man over in concern. The soldier had likely saved his life, which definitely made him happier with the trooper.

“Just a leg wound, I should be fine with a medic, sir,” the man replied with a wince. “I thought it best to play dead until she got in reach.”

“Good job, you probably saved me from a dirt nap myself,” Thompson agreed, pulling out a potion and glancing over at the struggling noblewoman, outrage on her pretty face. But he handed it to the man and ordered, “Drink that and get yourself together. We need to get moving, soldier.”

“Yes sir,” the man agreed, taking the potion and downing it. And as he gathered himself together to try to move, Thompson frowned, looking back down the hallway.

Where the hell were the mages, anyway?

* * *

“Jaine, this way!” Daren urged, leading the way through the hedge-maze in a rush.

The sounds of battle were coming from behind them, and Jaine winced at the sound of Torbyn fighting off the attackers from somewhere behind them. But she panted, holding up her dress to run more easily as she asked, “Do you know your way through the maze?”

“Pretty much. I think we’ve just got a few more turns to get out of here. Then we can find your sister and get the hell out of here,” Daren replied quickly, the older elf seeming far more composed than herself. Jaine felt nothing more than utter terror at the sudden attack on somewhere that was supposed to be safe.

“That… that sounds like a good idea. I hope Torbyn manages to escape,” Jaine replied, following him down yet another row, toward what seemed like one of the exits.

For a moment she felt relief, but that relief was replaced by terror as they ran directly into another group of human soldiers, and she skidded to a halt as fear paralyzed her.

On the other hand, Daren snarled in anger, pulling out his dagger and charging toward the soldiers defiantly.

* * *

As the Enforcer and his soldiers cut down yet another pair of guards, Beryl’s mood grew still more grim, suppressing the grief as they ruthlessly slew another pair of men and women that she’d known well. They might not actually be dead, but the Enforcer was horrifically strong, his enchanted blade cutting through most barriers with effortless ease. She’d started with eight guards, and now there were only four of them left, having barely bought enough time for Beryl to prepare to fight and flee.

“Princess Beryl. Surrender now and your guards will be well-treated.” Blood dripping from his blade, the Enforcer spoke calmly, his eyes not showing the slightest hint of remorse. “Don’t surrender, and I have no qualms about killing them to get to you.”

“Don’t even think about it, Princess,” Captain Torith interjected, her voice harsh. “We’re ready to give our lives for you.”

“I wasn’t going to take his offer,” Beryl replied gently, looking at the guards with frosty eyes. “You Enforcers are sickening, as is your entire nation.”

“A pity. I suppose I’ll just have to kill all of them,” the human replied, starting to step forward.

“Cebine? May I have permission?” Beryl asked softly, her eyes narrowing as she drew her sword, the blade thin and elegant.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Cebine replied, her voice grim as she watched the oncoming Enforcer.

“Excellent.” Beryl smiled thinly, and released the seals on her innate magical gift.

* * *

Corvek frowned slightly at the calm expression on Princess Beryl’s face. He was used to many reactions when others faced him, but he’d never seen someone so calm or confident in her situation. The princess wasn’t the most beautiful dawn elf he’d seen before, but she had an odd sort of statuesque beauty about her, and she held her thin blade like she knew how to use it.

Just as he was about to engage with the next of her guards, a glow began radiating from beneath Beryl’s skin, and behind him Corvek heard one of his soldiers mutter, “What in the hells?”

Glowing golden patterns appeared across the surface of Beryl’s skin, and the sudden wave of mana that accompanied it made Corvek’s eyes go wide. A sense of danger washed over him, and Corvek instinctively lashed out to block as the princess suddenly vanished in a blur of golden lightning. A clash of metal against metal sounded, and his eyes widened in shock as he saw the princess was only inches away from him, smiling broadly.

“You might be strong, but you are far too slow,” she spoke sweetly, smiling. “But I’ll save you for last. Do try to be a challenge.”

“Your Highness, we don’t have time for this!” The guard captain’s voice cracked like a whip, causing the princess to scowl, even as she moved like lightning to avoid Corvek’s attack.

“Spoilsport,” Beryl muttered, and then she moved again, and Corvek found himself trying, and failing, to avoid dozens of attacks that rained down on him more quickly than he could respond, each cutting into his flesh.

* * *

“Your Highness, I really wish you weren’t somewhat psychotic when you release your seals,” Captain Cebine Torith told Beryl, patting the princess on the back as she finished throwing up. “It’s really disturbing and you don’t finish things quickly enough.”

“I… don’t disagree. Ugh. I hate the aftereffects,” Beryl replied, her stomach churning in the aftermath of her magic. While her innate gift was active she could move at incredible speeds and was both stronger and tougher than normal, but the side effects were not pleasant. Her sense of morality grew hazy under a rush of euphoric over-confidence, and she had a tendency to play with opponents as well. Even worse, when her magic ended, it left her body sorely weakened, with strained muscles at best, and often minor internal injuries.

“Agreed. But when you use it, you’re almost impossible to catch,” Cebine commented, looking at the mauled bodies of their attackers. “Still, we’d better get you out of here. Hopefully your sister’s guards evacuated her already.”

“No, we need to go, ugh… go look for her,” Beryl protested, shaking her head firmly. “She’s—”

“Your sister is not the heir,” Cebine countered flatly. “If you were at full strength and we hadn’t lost half your guards, I might have agreed. But we’ve heard what happened to Princess Phynis, and that’s not acceptable, Beryl. We have to get you out of here now, Princess.”

“But…” Beryl began, only to stop as nausea surged through her again. After a moment, she slumped ever so slightly and nodded. “As you say. I wonder how they even got here, though?”

“So do I, Your Highness,” Cebine replied grimly. “Now let’s get you up.”

* * *

“What in the name of all the hells happened?” Major Thompson asked as he looked at his soldiers. There were only about eighty of them, which was far less than there were supposed to be. And not a single damned mage among them!

“I’m not sure, sir,” Lieutenant Garvick replied, swallowing hard. “We were waiting for the next platoon, and no one arrived.”

“Shit! Damned mages must’ve been wrong about how long they could hold the portal,” Thompson cursed again, growling. “How many of our targets did we get?”

“Approximately a third of the expected nobles,” the lieutenant replied, quickly adding, “That includes two of the three ducal heirs, and one of the princesses, Jaine, from the description I was given.”

“Dammit. Well, let’s get our asses out of here. Hopefully the Enforcer did better than us,” Thompson ordered. Fortunately, they had their mounts, and the captives were quickly strapped to the horses. A moment later, he growled, “When we get back, I’m going to make damned sure that the Justicar hears about what the mages managed!”

* * *

“You… you’re Annette?” Lirisel asked, her voice trembling as she looked into the crimson eyes of the ruby-haired elf.

“I believe so. I can’t be certain since my memory of my name was erased, but that sounds about right. I was the primary assistant to the archpriestess. Her name is now Diamond,” Ruby replied, frowning. “I must say that the name and appearance changes are making this more difficult than I expected.”

“Yes, you’re Annette,” Lirisel spoke, relief flooding her as the other five with Ruby continued to perform the simple ritual on each priestess in turn, freeing them from the orders they’d been given. “What happened to you? And where’s Archpriestess Visna?”

“We were enslaved by Adjudicator Falgrave of Westgate. He physically and mentally altered us, including erasing our names,” Ruby explained, then smiled slightly as she added, “He made the mistake of using us to try to invade a dungeon north of here, and we were captured. The dungeon somehow can subvert the slave brands and freed us to come here and try to help all of you. As for Diamond, she’s checking to see what happened to the Sanctum.”

* * *

Quickly descending down the stairs below the library, Diamond prayed softly under her breath, but her fear grew as she noticed a distinct lack of light from below. Every previous time, her descent had been lit by a warmth and light from below, yet this time it was conspicuously absent.

And so with every footstep she prayed, “Goddess, please be safe. Your light has shielded us for thousands of years, and let me not be too late.”

As she took the last footstep down the stairs and into the resting place of her goddess, Diamond fell to her knees in fear, horror, and certainty.

The bier where Medaea had slept for six millennia was empty, the goddess gone. Likewise empty was the alcove where the deity’s armaments had rested. And Diamond could do nothing but weep as she realized that she was too late. Far, far too late.

Chapter 21

Checking the communication crystals one last time, Albert made certain that they were properly connected to the steam engine in the corner, as well as its built-in aetheric condenser. He could power the crystals with his own mana, but that would be a waste of energy. Nodding to himself, he slipped a thread of his mana into each of the crystals and spoke calmly, “Guildmaster Windgale is ready.”

“Guildmaster Pot Black is available,” a querulous male voice spoke up, prompting a grin from Albert at the presence of his old guildmaster.

“This is Guildmaster Kettle Black,” another voice spoke from mid-air.

The third voice was deep, and Albert’s grin vanished as he sat up at the gravelly tone of the guildmaster of the Second Gate guild house. “Guildmaster Ironguard here.”

“Guildmaster Windspeaker,” a last voice spoke quietly, the only female guildmaster in the Western Adventurer’s Guild making her presence known.

“So, this is a report about your odd dungeon’s mana levels, yes?” Pot asked quickly.

“That’s correct, Guildmaster Pot,” Albert agreed, nodding unconsciously as he continued. “I’ve already sent dispatches about the other oddities, but I can confirm the reports that came from Guildmaster Kettle’s exploration group. This dungeon is unusually rife with plants and ingredients, and the difficulty of the creatures definitely increases as one goes deeper into the dungeon.”

“Interesting,” Ironguard rumbled. “And the mana levels? Why has the dungeon not been found before growing to its current size?”

“There are several reasons for that. First, I must point out that the ambient mana levels in this region are twenty percent higher than normal, and aetheric turbulence is thirty percent higher than normal,” Albert explained calmly. “Worse, the mountains are riddled with disrupted ley line nodes, which cause aetheric ripples that have effectively halved the range of aetheric sensors. It’s no wonder we haven’t gotten any readings from out this direction, or that our more delicate devices can’t handle it. But that’s not why this dungeon was missed. It’s on the edge of the mountains, and thus should have been easily spotted decades ago.”

“Then you have found the reason?” Windspeaker asked quietly, and Albert smiled at her polite, pointed question.

“I have. Externally, the Dungeon of Everium, as it calls itself, emits only the mana levels of a minor wolf-grade dungeon. I knew that had to be wrong, so I took my sensor just inside the dungeon, then hired one of the dungeon servants to gather readings from the center of the dungeon,” Albert told them quickly. “My sensor managed to gather the data, but it exploded in the process. Ambient mana levels at the edge of the dungeon are three times normal, and at the center, they’re twenty-one times standard.”

“That is… I would say impossible, but obviously not.” Kettle spoke for the first time since his introduction, obviously musing. “That entire dungeon is unique to my knowledge. Do you know how we missed it?”

“Somehow, I’m not entirely certain what the method is; mind you, the dungeon is negating aetheric ripples within the dungeon. Much like mortals cause mana to flow through our bodies without it bleeding off, the dungeon has done much the same.” Albert grew serious as he spoke, sitting up even straighter. “This dungeon appears to have even greater control over its mana levels than the Great Labyrinth. And that isn’t the only oddity. While I was taking initial readings, I noticed several ley lines in the area. The readings inside are clear as well. The dungeon contains an earth, fire, and water node, and is using all three in harmony. As if that wasn’t enough, I’m detecting an air node drifting in this direction from the north. I believe that the dungeon is attracting the node deliberately.”

“Dangerous,” Ironguard spoke, obviously on the alert. “That is a very dangerous thing to even consider.”

“Indeed. Is your dungeon a threat, Guildmaster Windgale?” Windspeaker’s voice was much less serene as she spoke her poisonous question. “Do we have another potential Road to Hell on our hands?”

“I do not believe so.” Albert swallowed hard as he realized that they were seriously considering destroying the dungeon outright. While the dungeon had dealt with simple soldiers easily enough, and would likely even destroy most adventuring parties, if the guildmasters dispatched a group of Dungeon Slayers… well, those individuals were the most powerful members of all four Adventuring Guilds. He couldn’t imagine anything surviving that. So he tried to allay their fears. “The dungeon has deliberately given directives as to what will avoid its ire, and also started producing consistent rewards as well for milestones. As I said, it has servants which, from what I understand, are largely slaves escaped from our host nation that it rescued. It seems largely benevolent to such individuals, and has put up a sign board that mentions it will occasionally spare a life in exchange for a period of service by the one spared. I think that is far different from the Road to Hell.”

“Guildmasters? Your judgement?” Ironguard asked quietly.

“Albert’s the one on the spot. I say we let him keep an eye on the dungeon,” Pot spoke almost instantly.

“As much as I want to disagree with Pot for the disagreement’s sake… I agree with him. If the dungeon isn’t being actively hostile, there’s no reason to destroy it before it gets any bigger,” Kettle added, and Albert could almost see the old man nodding.

“I concur with my fellow Guildmasters,” Windspeaker agreed. “While I find the news of the ley line nodes worrying, dungeons are not known for duplicity, save when regarding traps. They cannot hide their true natures for long.”

“It’s unanimous, then,” Ironguard concluded, and relief flooded through Albert. He just barely was put in charge of the dungeon, after all. The dwarf continued. “Guildmaster Windgale, please keep an eye on the dungeon and inform the other guildmasters of any unusual developments.”

“I promise to keep you informed,” Albert agreed, smiling slightly. “Thank you for listening.”

“Good day,” Ironguard replied, and signed off.

With murmured farewells, all of them save Pot. The old man spoke when it was just the two of them. “I’m glad to see that went well. Are you sure on the dungeon, Albert? Most dungeons with multiple nodes grow deranged if two are opposing, like the fire and water nodes of yours.”

“I’m sure, Guildmaster. Penelope is here, and I wouldn’t risk my sister without a damned good reason,” Albert assured him, then paused before adding, “Besides… the dungeon let me take the readings of the central areas. That has to be worth something.”

“True enough, I suppose. Be safe, Albert.” Pot chuckled, then broke the connection.

“That went well,” Albert mused, shaking his head slightly. “Now to see if I can figure out how in the hells the dungeon manages to keep its mana flowing inside itself.”

* * *

“I have to admit that the coins are a nice touch,” Joseph commented, taking his small pile of coins from the pedestal sitting next to the exit of the fifth floor.

“Heh. It’s a lot easier than trying to sell off ingredients.” Darak chuckled, examining one of his own silver coins. “Though I do wonder what the images are supposed to represent.”

Penelope simply rolled her eyes as she spoke up. “Come on, you two. We’ve got a ways to go yet. We’ve only cleared a couple of rooms of the sixth floor before, remember? This could be dangerous.”

Nirath nodded, but didn’t say anything as Joseph smiled and nodded. “Very true. But it still is nice to see that the dungeon wasn’t lying about the rewards.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Penelope admitted, then shivered as she added, “But I can wish it wasn’t so fond of ants.”

“Personally, I’m curious to see the foundry that was mentioned,” Darak countered. “But that’ll wait until we find it, I’m sure.”

“Of course it will. I’m just afraid of what we’ll find in the foundry,” Penelope muttered.

Joseph’s smile faded somewhat at the thought, and he nodded soberly. “You might have a point.”

“Hey, we’re adventurers, aren’t we? Adventure awaits!” Darak spoke cheerfully, grinning as he hefted his axe. “Let’s go!”

* * *

Emerging from the mountainside into the forest, Hunter took a deep breath of the fresh air, almost surprised by the crisp breeze against her face. After the even temperatures from inside the mountain, the chill was somewhat shocking, reminding her that it was getting into the beginning of fall this far up into the mountains. And the Godsrage Mountains were well known for just how bad their winters were.

Still, almost all of them had emerged from the tunnel, and Hunter looked back in time to see the exit silently vanish, hiding the elven guards who’d escorted them out with cold, angry eyes. Shivering slightly, she looked at the others and asked quietly, “Now what?”

“There probably will be a patrol around here. We just have to find them,” Derek offered as he looked around. “I can’t imagine that Lord Evansly would stop keeping an eye out back here.”

“A good point,” one of the others agreed, rubbing his stubble with a grimace. “Let’s go, then. At least we know the town is nearby.”

So they headed out, stepping gingerly in spite of their returned equipment, as there was no way to know whether or not traps had been set around the mountainside since they’d gone missing. But in relatively short order, they found a patrol, and relief overtook the group as they finally started back to their nation.

Yet Hunter couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she should have made the same decision as Earl had.

* * *

“So you can’t cook, and no skill at farming… what about laundry? Are you any good at that?” Lily asked Earl, seemingly at her wit’s end.

“That I can do. I’m only as good as the army trained me to do, though,” Earl replied, relieved that she’d finally listed something he was decent at. He’d started to get worried, but he added quickly. “I’m also decent with carpentry. My father worked on building houses, so I know enough to get by there as well.”

“Well, that’s something at least. I have no idea why Sistina put me in charge of giving people jobs,” Lily groused, frowning at him.

The soldier was the only one who’d taken the offer to stay. In part, Earl admitted privately, it was because he felt guilty about what had happened to Farris right after she’d helped him. An even more carefully hidden part of him also loved the idea of staying in a cavern full of pretty elven women, but there was no way in all the hells he’d admit that part aloud.

That he’d been moved to a proper room was encouraging, even if Earl occasionally rubbed the vine-like marking around his wrist, startled at how painless it had seemed to be. He hadn’t even felt any commands, though he wasn’t certain what to expect, either.

“We all end up doing things we didn’t expect to,” Earl spoke philosophically, shrugging slightly. “I didn’t expect to get sent up here to found a town, I thought we were just going to scout some caves. Instead I ended up helping build stuff, then getting nearly squashed by a golem. Things change, you just roll with them if you can.”

“Huh. You don’t seem to act much like I imagined a soldier from Kelvanis would,” Lily replied after a moment of staring at him, looking slightly surprised. “I’m not sure, I just… I expected you to be meaner.”

“Some of us are. Mostly those on the front lines, if I’m being honest, since they get along with the orcs better,” Earl admitted. “A lot of us are just in it for the job, though. None of us wants to end up deep in debt, when we could end up enslaved. And what happens to you elves is really shitty, but when the choice is our families or foreigners… well, most citizens have never met foreigners. I hate to tell you, but that’s probably why the country as a whole doesn’t mind that you elves get enslaved.”

“Shut up.” Lily’s tone was incisive as she stood up straight, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. At her words, Earl did as she said, wondering for a moment if he’d blabbered too much. A few moments later she spoke, her voice precise and anger carefully restrained. “I don’t care why your people decide they can get away with letting other people be enslaved like that. I don’t care at all. You aren’t the ones being torn from your homes and families, being forced to serve sadistic, evil people who see no problem with using us and then throwing us away like trash. I… I’m going to forget we had this conversation, Earl. Don’t bring it up again.”

“Right. Umm… thanks, Lily. I didn’t mean to offend you,” Earl ventured, swallowing slightly. “When do I need to start helping out?”

“Considering your injury, not until the end of the week. We’ve managed this long, we can manage a few more days,” Lily told him, her anger seeming to fade slightly, but not vanishing. “Rest well. You’ll need it.”

Watching the elf leave the room, Earl sighed and settled back into his bed, mumbling to himself. “Well, that was a screw-up. Nice job.”

* * *

Considering what Earl had said, Sistina suddenly found herself pensive. At first, she’d thought that everyone from Kelvanis deserved whatever she could do to them, yet now she found herself somewhat conflicted. If people were innocent, should she really just kill them outright?

It was a conundrum that worried her. With soldiers, it wouldn’t be an issue from her perspective, but anyone else suddenly grew much more difficult to justify. Unless they were acting as adventurers, but that was a slightly different problem, especially with her current plans.

After a few moments, she shook off the issue and continued to excavate a route to each of the two ancient temples she’d found a few weeks back. She was fairly certain that one of them might have something she could use to help Farris.

Besides, Phynis would be the one to make the final decision on intruders. Not that her princess knew that, as she was back to practicing with Desa. Casually checking on Phynis, Sistina winced. Fire was not her favorite element, but at least Desa was skilled at putting it out.

* * *

“Die, you stupid, damned… argh!” Darak spat angrily as he was knocked backward by the six-foot-tall stone statue. The strength of the impact was immense, making him feel like the blow had nearly dislocated his arm. It definitely left a bruise.

The statue was made of granite in the shape of a human wearing full plate. It wasn’t detailed, and it wasn’t holding a weapon, but Darak’s initial assumption that it’d be an easy fight had proven very, very wrong.

Penelope was hanging back, cursing as she tried to regain feeling in an arm, her speed-based attacks far less useful against a creature made of stone. Joseph’s blunt mace at least broke off bits and pieces, but the cleric winced with every hit. Even Darak’s axe had a hard time with the statue, and he felt like swearing a blue streak every time that the blade glanced off with only a few cracks.

Chanting from behind him came as Nirath tried another spell, her previous bolt of flame having bounced off, and Darak braced himself for a bolt of lightning or such. Of course, when a spray of water hit the statue, soaking it and covering it in a swirl of water, he swore again. “Dammit, Nirath, what’s the big idea, giving the damned thing a bath?”

“Has a dwarf learned nothing of quarries?” Nirath asked calmly, and quickly chanted another spell, even as the statue turned to swing at Joseph.

The cleric dodged as a chill surged through the air in the wake of a wave of blue light. At the touch of the light, the water soaking the statue suddenly froze solid, and the statue creaked to a halt, the sound of cracking stone and ice echoing in the room.

“Strike quickly, it will not hold the statue for long,” Nirath warned.

“Right, sorry Nirath,” Darak apologized, flushing as he rushed forward to use all his strength on the immobile statue.

Beating the frozen statue to pieces took only a minute, since the expanding ice had widened several of the cracks that they’d opened in its surface, but even so, Darak finally stopped, panting as he shook his head.

“Honestly… I think that’s as far as we can get in the dungeon right now.” Joseph finally spoke up, warm golden light shining to tend to Penelope’s arm. He looked tired and glanced over at the exit from the chamber. It was the fifty-fourth chamber, and the statue had been guarding a door into an area where the stone looked worked. They could all smell the stench of sulfur in the air, and Darak sighed.

“I think you’re right. That thing was… well, it was nasty. Slow, so if we wanted to run we could’ve, but really strong,” the dwarf admitted unwillingly. “Must be the gatekeeper into the foundry. What if there’re more of them?”

“While the strategy I used worked, conjuring the water in that manner was somewhat mana intensive,” Nirath added. “I could not do that many more times.”

“I think that settles it. We’ve reached our limit in the dungeon for the moment,” Joseph announced, looking at Penelope as he asked. “Do you agree, Penny?”

“Yes, damn it. I do not want this happening again.” The woman scowled at the pile of rubble. “Did we at least get anything out of it?”

“Uhh… let me check,” Darak replied, feeling very, very stupid for a moment. He went through the room slowly, looking everything over as he muttered under his breath. Just as he was about to declare the room a loss, though, he spotted a slight light in the statue’s body. Approaching, he raised his eyebrows, reaching in to remove a small gemstone the size of the joint of his thumb, the blue gem glowing with a soft light. “Huh. A mana stone.”

“At least something came of it,” the woman muttered crossly. “Now let’s get out of here.”

Chapter 22

“How in the name of all the gods did they get past the front lines?” Queen Diane Yisara demanded, her voice harsh as she stared at the map, her hands trembling.

“We’re not certain, Your Majesty. Very little information has reached us so far, and a large number of nobles are unaccounted for,” General Skyreach replied, an ugly look in his eyes as he examined the map as well. “Aside from news of the Crown Princess’ escape, we’ve received word from about half of the other nobility, but we haven’t heard anything about how many escaped in total.”

“Did they break through anywhere? Never mind, General, you would’ve told me if we’d lost contact with any of the border garrisons.” Diane shook her head, taking a deep breath as she tried to calm herself.

“Has there been any word from Jaine?” Torkal asked, and Diane’s eyes clenched shut as her husband asked the question she’d been too afraid to speak.

“No, Your Grace,” the general replied with a heavy sigh, shaking his head. “We’ve not heard from any of her guards, either.”

“Is there any word about pursuit or intercepting the raiders?” Diane finally asked, looking at the map and frowning.

The map showed northern Yisara, as well as all the major forces they knew of. Kelvanis outnumbered her defenders, but the forest and defensive fortifications did a good job of evening the field of battle, enough that even the orc shock troops that their enemy employed were reluctant to engage directly. The border was also much shorter than the one between Kelvanis and Sifaren, with only eighty miles between the Godsrage Mountains and the Serpentspine range to the east. It was no wonder that Kelvanis had focused on their northern ally instead.

“I’m not sure there are any forces that we could gather in time. Our best bet are the border garrisons, but I suspect that the raiders will be following the foothills of the Godsrage Mountains to the border. Just across the border is the largest concentration of Kelvanis’ army, and if I were to conduct such a raid, I’d hit our border at the same time as their raiders are trying to cross,” General Skyreach replied, tracing the route on the map. “We very well may be able to intercept them with the garrisons, but I’m not sure that we can get word to them in time. The raiders reportedly had many horses on hand, and with the delay before we reached word… well, I sent out messages immediately, but I’m not sure, Your Majesty. We’ll do everything that we can to save those captured.”

“Thank you, General,” the queen spoke softly, and as she looked at the map, Torkal reached out and took a hand, squeezing it gently.

* * *

Jaine let out a soft whimper as she squirmed in her restraints. Her muscles were sore, her arms ached, and she was both hungry and thirsty. Her captors had been none too gentle so far, and they’d been far more focused on continuing moving rather than taking care of her or the others.

Right now they were stopped, having rested for a few hours of the night in the forest, the mountains looming nearby. The soldiers hadn’t honestly mistreated any of their captives, but Jaine had only seen a few others so far, and her heart had sunk as she realized that most of them were heirs to different noble houses. She was an exception to that, which only heightened her anxiety.

The only bright spot was how nervous and upset their captors were. Jaine could only hope that it meant that they were close to being rescued. So she squirmed into a position that was slightly more comfortable for the moment, and closed her eyes to start praying for deliverance.

She was still praying when her captors came to tie her to a horse before they continued onward.

* * *

Ulvian looked down into the city square and smiled as he watched a handful more people, primarily slaves, walk into the old temple of Vandor. The faith had fallen out of favor when Ulvian had taken over ruling the nation, and about ten years before he’d taken over their temple. Certain that he’d eventually have a use for the building, he’d kept it maintained, though without the old religious iconography. And useful it had proven to be.

Elissa had quickly gotten to work on his request, claiming the temple for the sorceress to begin her schemes. Making a brand that was properly subordinate to Medaea’s had been the trickiest part of the woman’s requests, but fortunately Ulvian had been preparing one in anticipation of the deity’s corruption, which had certainly helped.

“Not Medaea… Tyria,” Ulvian murmured under his breath, trying to fix the new name in his mind. Trying to change the name of the goddess was a brilliant plan, and only truly possible if they could gain worshippers for her. Which was why Elissa was beginning services as a new high priestess of Lady Tyria Eminence, or the Slave Goddess.

Allowing slaves in the palace to attend services and giving them a break from their normal duties had certainly boosted the initial attendance of Elissa’s temple. Most likely it was just a desire to get away from the palace that had gotten any of the slaves to go, but Ulvian was certain that Elissa’s persuasive voice would slowly sway some of them to worship this new goddess, even if she did emphasize that slaves should serve worthy masters.

Taking a last look, Ulvian smiled, then turned to return to his duties. Soon enough he’d have word from Justicar Hall, and they could continue from there.

* * *

Diamond closed her eyes in pain as the temple collapsed inward on itself.

“Painful, isn’t it?” Ruby asked, giving her a hug as Diamond leaned into her friend. “We spent so long there, protecting the temple… and now, we’re forced to destroy it.”

“There’s no other real option,” Diamond spoke heavily, her head half-bowed as she opened her eyes again. “Disrupting the node will only help for a decade at most. If we left the temple, Kelvanis could have garrisoned it and used it in years to come. Besides, its primary purpose has passed.”

“It still hurts.” Emerald’s voice was soft as she stood nearby.

“It does. It does,” Diamond replied quietly. “At least Archpriestess Nadis will know that something is wrong, now that I’ve passed her the mantle.”

“You shouldn’t have had to pass her the mantle.” Ruby’s voice was soft. “You’ve been an excellent leader.”

“I’ve been a leader in name only. She was the one who truly ran the church,” Diamond corrected, shaking her head firmly. “It doesn’t matter anyway. What’s done is done. What of the wardstones?”

“The keystone has been destroyed,” Amethyst spoke from nearby. “We’re ready to leave, Diamond.”

Turning to look at the gathered priestesses from the temple, Diamond considered for a moment before looking at Lirisel and commenting, “I’m somewhat surprised that no one wanted to go back to Yisara, instead of coming with us. You have no assurance that we haven’t been suborned in some manner, after all.”

“We’re going with you because we trust you,” Lirisel replied, shrugging gently. “You each know enough minor events that we know you are who you claim to be. The ritual that is often used to end ongoing orders hasn’t had any effect on any of you. And most importantly of all, when we had all but given up hope, you rescued us. We’ll go with you, that we might have the merest chance at true freedom once more.”

“I… I’m glad all of you feel that way. But we had best escape while we can. We have to reach Sistina before word of what happened here can spread,” Diamond replied, her back straightening as she looked back at the rubble of her longtime home one last time. And then she nodded to the others.

The horses that had once been intended to take all of them to slavery instead carried all the sacred texts and relics they could manage to gather, as well as the priestesses themselves, toward what Diamond believed would be a newfound life for them all.

Chapter 23

“Are you certain, Daniel?” Lieutenant Tarys asked, frowning at him.

Daniel was in the lieutenant’s office, and sitting on the desk were his insignias and all the equipment Kelvanis had issued him. The lieutenant didn’t look terribly pleased, but he found it hard to sympathize with her, considering everything that had happened.

“I’m sure, Lieutenant. I’ve been off-duty for the better part of a month and a half now, and I can’t afford to keep sitting here, waiting to see if the army wants me back or not,” Daniel replied, shrugging helplessly. “I’m planning to join the Adventuring Guild, then to become a proper adventurer. If I was still a member of the army, I think it’d be a conflict of interests. Besides, has there been any indication that I might be allowed back on duty?”

“Unfortunately, it hasn’t been my decision, Daniel. If it had been, I wouldn’t ever have suspended you,” Tarys told him, seeming mildly annoyed at the prospect. “You’re the best shot in the company, and one of the few who never caused any trouble on leave. But unfortunately, I haven’t heard anything about allowing you back on duty. Which is a damned shame.”

“I can agree there.” Smirking, Daniel shook his head. That was about what he’d expected, to be honest. Tarys was a good commander, but Evansly was paranoid about his position, so Daniel wasn’t surprised the newly minted Lord was trying to cover his ass. “Still, I promise I won’t talk about what’s going on. Hells, everyone in town knows that a group of the soldiers that went in with the Adjudicator came out and are being held for the Justicar. I don’t know any more than they do, so it isn’t like I can even leak anything important.”

Tarys sighed, scolding him in a serious tone. “Don’t even joke about that, Daniel. The higher ups are really uptight at the moment, and I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

“Sorry, sorry… so what do you think? Are you going to accept my resignation?” Daniel asked.

“Of course I am. It isn’t fair to leave you wondering for as long as we have.” The lieutenant sighed, turning to him as she smiled slightly. “In fact, I sometimes wonder if you haven’t made the wiser decision with the dungeon. I do hope you’ll be careful, though.”

“Great! So, what do I need to do?” Daniel asked, smiling in relief at the brunette.

“I just need you to sign a few papers, then you’re free to go,” Tarys replied, and began fishing out the paperwork in question.

* * *

Pausing in front of the Adventurer’s Guild, Daniel took a deep breath, looking up at the sign for a moment, then up and down the street.

Granite Point was coming along rather well for not having existed the previous spring. The smithy had just been finished, as had an apothecary's shop, a second tavern, and dozens of houses. There was a temple that was coming along quickly, though he wasn’t entirely certain which faith it would be dedicated to, off-hand. Probably Tianna, since the goddess of luck would be appropriate for a dungeon. There was also a brothel and auction house, but those were barely approaching completion.

“You going inside, Danny?” Darak’s voice startled Daniel out of his introspection, making him turn to look at the dwarf.

Darak was grinning as he held what looked like an entire smoked ham. Though he was uncertain exactly what Darak had planned, Daniel smiled and shook his head. “Yeah. Sorry for blocking the way, Darak. I was just woolgathering a little.”

“Oh? Did you drop out of the army, army boy?” Darak asked, his eyebrows rising slightly. “You mentioned that you might.”

“I did,” Daniel admitted, shaking his head. “It was… well, part of me is satisfied since I wasn’t even getting paid. Another part of me is scared, since I just left a job that at least paid decently in addition to giving food and lodging.”

“Huh. I suppose I can see that,” Darak mused, obviously pondering the subject for a minute. Eventually he just shrugged slightly. “Dunno what to tell you, Danny. Hey, just come inside, let’s get you registered with the guild. You still want to, right?”

“Of course I do! I wouldn’t have left the army if I didn’t intend to,” Daniel replied quickly, and opened the door to step into the guild proper.

“Good. I’d hate to have to kick your arse for breaking a promise.” Darak chuckled, following him in. Daniel didn’t answer, instead looking around the guild with some interest. It was actually his second time inside, but the first time there had been almost no furnishings.

The entrance of the guild took up about half of the first floor of the guild house, with most of the open space to his left looking almost like a comfortable tavern area, complete with a server. Ahead of him was a desk with a middle-aged human man sitting behind it. Considering this was the Adventurer’s Guild, Daniel was amused to see the man was almost perfectly average, with brown hair, a trimmed beard, and brown eyes. To the right was a sign over a door, stating ‘Alchemy, Appraisal, and Equipment.’

“Hey Paul! This is the last of those newbies we’re sponsoring,” Darak called out, and the man behind the desk looked up, his eyebrows rising.

“Oh? Well, come on over. Let’s get you signed up,” the man replied congenially, smiling as he sat upright and looked Daniel over.

“Okay. So how does this all work?” Daniel asked, stepping over to the man nervously.

“It’s actually fairly simple. Darak already paid your registration fee, otherwise you’d be looking at five silver marks there,” Paul explained, nodding in the direction of the dwarf, who was taking the ham over to the server. Daniel cringed slightly at the cost of registration, but nodded as the man continued. “We get your name, your basic skills, and have you attune a lifestone. Your silver covers all that and a bit of basic training, especially with magic. No one ends up without some magic in the dungeons in the end.”

“What’s a lifestone?” Daniel asked, blinking. “I haven’t heard of those before.”

“Right, give me a second…” Paul stepped away from the desk and leaned over. There was the sound of something unlocking, and then the man straightened, placing a small piece of quartz crystal on the desk, faint inscriptions carved into its surface. The man explained as he gestured at it. “This is a lifestone. It’s a fairly simple enchanted object that can be used once. You’ll drip blood on it, then it lights up internally. The color varies depending on what type of magic you’re most attuned to, but the real purpose is that if you die, the light goes out. This lets us realize if a group who entered the dungeon was seriously injured and allows potential rescue parties to be dispatched. If the light goes out, though, the stone can’t be used again and you need a new one. Assuming we manage to revive you.”

“Huh. That… well, I suppose that makes a lot of sense. It’s a dangerous job, after all,” Daniel admitted, somewhat fascinated by the idea. “Too bad we don’t have anyone who can revive us in town yet. That would be nice.”

“Yes, it is. So anyway, what’s your name and skill set?” Paul asked, pulling out an inkpen and removing the stopper of the inkwell.

“Daniel Fisher, of Cliffport,” Daniel replied, patting his crossbow as he added, “I’m a modest hand with most swords, and an excellent shot. Trained soldier from Kelvanis, though that seems to be of limited help in the dungeon.”

“Right. Decent with swords, good with ranged, all initiate grade,” Paul replied, nodding to himself. “That sound about right, Darak?”

“Yup. His group could probably just barely get through the first floor with a couple of potions, but it’d be close,” Darak replied, having sent the ham into the back with the server. He meandered over as he added, grinning, “No offense, Danny, but you aren’t that good.”

“None taken.” Daniel smiled slightly, shaking his head. “If nothing else, you and Penelope disabused us of that notion a few weeks ago.”

“I think that’s everything there. So, all I need is you to sign here, and then get a drop of blood on your lifestone,” Paul finished, offering a paper with the basic details he’d jotted down, as well as the inkpen. Glancing over it, Daniel nodded and signed his unsteady scribble, and took a proffered pin. Wincing, he pierced the tip of a finger just enough to draw blood, and let the drop fall onto the stone.

The stone glittered, absorbing the blood. A moment later, a soft blue-white glow began to emanate from the stone, visible and barely enough to light the surrounding wood. Daniel blinked, then asked, “So, umm… what magic type does that represent?”

“Heh. Looks like you’re going to be best with air magic, Danny. That and water, from the glow.” Darak chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m solidly earth, so I’m not going to be much help. Penelope would be the one you want to talk to.”

Daniel’s smile faded at the explanation, and he winced. “Penelope? Oh, how… lovely.”

Both other men laughed at the expression on his face, and Darak replied with a grin, “You’ll live, Danny. Whether you like it or not.”

* * *

“Great! You’re finally at the point that most mages would be willing to call you an apprentice!” Desa told Phynis with a grin, and the younger woman winced at the comment.

“That isn’t terribly comforting, Desa. Was I really that bad?” Phynis asked plaintively, looking at the small ball of flames dancing above her hand.

“Yes. Yes, you were,” Desa replied with a smirk. “Your problem is just that you had too much power. Most students have trouble powering the spells, and after a few times can manage it barely, while you? You kept blowing up the spells when you fed too much mana into them.”

“I suppose. I just don’t know that I’m ever going to get good at spellcasting.” Phynis sighed, slumping back in her chair as she cut off the flow of mana to the spell, letting the spark dwindle, then go out. “It’s just so hard.”

“It’s just practice. You picked it up fairly quickly, so give it a century, and you’ll be at least as good as any spellcaster in Sifaren. Maybe even better, with your mana reserves. And that’s if you study it casually,” Desa told her, smiling as she got up, stretching. “If you really try, I bet you’ll manage it faster, especially if you keep living here. The mana in the air does wonders for mages.”

Phynis sighed, getting up as well. Smiling at her guard, she nodded slightly. “I suppose you’re right. I just feel like I’m not doing well. At least I know Sistina isn’t going to kick me out of here.”

“Very true. She even made you a nice bedroom near her tree,” Desa teased, grinning.

Flushing at the teasing, Phynis looked away and murmured, “It was very nice of her. I enjoy the gift.”

“Of course you do,” Desa replied, a knowing smile on her face. Phynis decided to ignore the comment and retreat to somewhere with other people around. Desa wouldn’t tease her if they weren’t in private. As she retreated, Desa added, a bit more loudly, “Just make sure you shut the door fully next time.”

At that, Phynis turned beet red and all but ran from the empty cavern as Desa began to giggle.

Chapter 24

The faint sounds of horns, as well as the occasional explosions, indicated that a fierce battle was occurring up ahead. The sounds filled Major Thompson with relief as he muttered under his breath, “At least something in this entire mess went right!”

First there had been the failure of his entire squad of mages and an entire company of his soldiers to teleport in with them. Then the alarm had been raised far earlier than anticipated, leading to nearly triple the anticipated losses, while gaining only half of the anticipated noble captives. And as if that hadn’t been enough, Enforcer Corvek hadn’t arrived at the rendezvous, nor had any of the soldiers assigned to him. In all honesty, at that point it’d been almost fortunate they’d only acquired the number of captives as they had, considering how under-manned his force was.

It had almost been a relief to spend three days pushing through the forest toward the border. Taking care of the captives had been less pleasant, but necessary. Thompson had allowed them to get by on less food and water in part to keep the inevitable escape attempts to a minimum, and none of the elves had managed to succeed in their attempts. Whether his decision had helped or not, he wasn’t sure, but it certainly had made things easier.

But the sound of combat was definitely good. It meant that the Yisaran border fortress was under siege, and their chances of crossing to safety were much better.

Looking at the exhausted faces of his soldiers, Thompson smiled at them, ignoring the captives hanging over the equally exhausted horses as he spoke. “We’re almost there, men. The Justicar is keeping the elves busy, so let’s get out of this tangle of a forest and back to civilization.”

A soft cheer sprang from the tired soldiers, and Thompson smiled before turning to lead them back toward Kelvanis.

* * *

Resisting the urge to drum his fingers on the saddle-horn of his mount, Justicar Hall watched the elven skirmishers fall back with narrowed eyes.

Three companies of orc soldiers held the front lines, backed up by a company of archers, a mixed company of infantry and archers, and their flanks covered by light cavalry. Behind all of them were two platoons of mages on either side of his siege engines, all of which were making carefully staggered strikes on the elven fortress, so that every minute or so an attack landed.

The fortress was little like those that Kelvanis favored. Instead of stone walls, the elves favored thick berms of clay and soil that were magically packed into near the consistency of stone. For towers they used tree forts, with the trees warded against fire and other attacks. As always, the elven mages were more powerful than the Kelvanis’, but he’d struck this fort with five times the number of defenders, leaving the elves little choice save to use their fortifications to the best of their abilities.

Even so, the elven skirmishers had lost a handful of their number in their brief clash with the orcs, while the orcs had lost slightly more in the exchange. Not that Hall cared about the orcs. The mercenaries from the Bloodcrag Wastes were plentiful, and orcs loved combat. Unless he lost half the number he had available, he wouldn’t worry in the slightest.

His problem was the lack of contact from Major Thompson. The raiding force should have contacted him with their mages the previous day, and every hour of delay worried him. If the raid had failed, the Archon was going to be upset beyond measure.

A flicker of movement caught Hall’s attention, and he pointed at a corner of the enemy fortress, barking out sharply, “Casters! Fireball!”

To their credit, two mages reacted almost instantly, and Hall smiled as two fireballs raced toward the faint shimmer he’d spotted.

* * *

“Dammit, no!” Captain Arthan Southpeak swore angrily as a pair of fireballs hit the group of scouts right as they’d tried to leave the fort, his face growing even more grim. The blasts sent the half-dozen men and women flying, and he was deathly afraid that only one or two would survive to enter the fort again.

The force attacking his fort wasn’t powerful enough to actually overrun it before reinforcements could arrive, so their assault had puzzled Arthan at first. Even stranger, the attackers had obviously not even been trying to take the fort. After a brief debate the previous evening, Arthan had chosen to defend, having sent warnings to the other forts via messenger pigeons. And for a while, that had seemed good enough, as he returned fire in an attempt to whittle down the forces of his attackers via attrition.

But everything had changed when they’d received a messenger pigeon of their own from the capital during the night. The word about the attack on Golden Vale and the abductions had caused fear to flood through not just Arthan, but his lieutenants as well. It was obvious now that the attackers were just trying to pin him down, so they’d immediately begun attempting a breakout, desperately trying to free up enough soldiers to find and block the retreat of the raiders and their captives.

“Sir, I don’t think we can get anyone out,” Arthan’s second in command, Lieutenant Dalren, spoke in a pained voice. “They’re specifically targeting anyone trying to leave the fortress, and keeping mages in reserve just to hit them. We simply can’t spare the mages to cover both the fort and breakout teams.”

“Shit. I don’t… dammit, you might be right.” Arthan ground his teeth in frustration, taking a deep breath. “Hold back the teams for the time being. See if we can’t lull them into thinking we’re giving up.”

“Yes, sir!” Dalren replied, quickly moving to bark out orders.

Arthan flinched as yet another catapult stone hit the walls of the fortress and waited, praying under his breath for a chance to make a difference.

But half an hour later, his hope began to die as the enemy sounded the retreat. It was less than an hour before his scouts confirmed that a large group of heavily-laden horses had crossed from Yisara into Kelvanis not long before.

* * *

“Why are you missing over half of your soldiers, Major? And where in the hells are your mages? I expected word from you yesterday on your expected arrival,” Hall asked, his voice harsh as he glowered at the large soldier. “Not only that, you are missing half the expected hostages, including the crown princess. I don’t recall seeing the Enforcer that was dispatched to accompany you, either.”

They were back at the field camp that Hall had been using as the base of operations for the raid. The Justicar was certain that the elves would likely be after them soon enough, but that was why the next morning they’d transport the captives back to Timberfall, where they could be kept under a more secure lock and key.

“I’m uncertain, sir.” Major Thompson’s reply was respectful but firm, and Hall felt a hint of respect form at the fact the major didn’t flinch away. The soldier continued without pausing. “I entered the teleportation portal with the second wave of soldiers, just behind Enforcer Corvek. He departed with a platoon to seek out the princess, and I began organizing the soldiers as they came through. The alarm was raised early, so I initiated the attack immediately. I’m informed that moments later, the soldiers stopped appearing. My personal assumption was that the mages failed to accurately estimate how long the portal could be held open.”

“In addition, due to the lack of forces and the early raising of the alarm, resistance was much higher than anticipated, and many of the targets managed to flee.” Thompson frowned, then shrugged slightly. “Regardless, it appears that we acquired two of the three ducal heirs, as well as Princess Jaine, sir. I believe that under the circumstances there was little else we could manage.”

“I see. The portal simply stopped working, and moments after the alarm was raised?” Hall frowned deeply, murmuring softly. “I didn’t believe that they had a ley line disruptor in Yisara. I will have to speak with the Archon about this possibility.”

“Sir?” Thompson seemed confused by Hall’s words, prompting a thin smile from his superior.

“The artificers in the northern realms have created a number of offensive and defensive devices, Major. Among them are ley line disruptors. They’re extremely expensive and able to disrupt ley lines, preventing them from being used for teleportation while active. Much less dangerous than disrupting a node, and easy to deactivate when the job is done. I didn’t believe that Yisara had access to such machines,” the Justicar explained, and his eyes went frosty as he added, “But such would quite easily explain why you had so many difficulties. The loss of Enforcer Corvek and the crown princess is… upsetting, but there is nothing to be done about it. I accept that you did the best that you could manage for the moment. And the captives you did take are likely enough to carry out the Archon’s goal. You have my compliments, Major.”

“Thank you, sir. And that makes a lot more sense to me than the mages being incompetent. I admit to having had some rather strong words during the exfiltration due to their absence,” the major replied, relaxing ever so slightly.

“I can’t say that I blame you,” Hall replied, tapping the map slowly as he considered everything.

“Sir? May I ask what is going to happen now?” Thompson asked after a moment.

“You may ask, Major,” Hall agreed, smiling thinly as he glanced over at his writing desk and the half-written letter sitting on it. He’d have to re-write it due to the lack of the crown princess, but the particulars would be largely the same. His smile widened. “Now we send them a letter with our demands. If they want their precious heirs back, they’re going to have to be ready to give the Archon what he wants.”

Chapter 25

“How dare they?” King Torkal roared, standing from his chair and slamming his hands onto the table, his eyes alight with anger. “What kind of madman would dare demand such of us, after they attacked us?”

“They dare because they believed that they would have not just Jaine, but Beryl as well in their hands. This demand is arrogant and overwhelming because they believe that we have little choice but to do as they demand,” Queen Diane replied, her voice tired as she sat back herself, closing her eyes. “At least we know how they got into Golden Vale.”

The situation was an utter disaster, though not as bad as it could have been. Princess Beryl was about a day from reaching the capital, and from the sound of things, nearly two-thirds of the nobility who had been present in Golden Vale had escaped. The Archpriestess of Medaea had approached them the previous day with word that one of their concealed temples, hidden in the Godsrage Mountains, had been attacked. The priestesses knew little, and the worry on Archpriestess Nadis’ face had been ill-concealed. But the records of the Royal Family included the temple in question, and the ley line extending from it had revealed exactly how Kelvanis had bypassed Yisara’s front lines.

None of that had helped when the raiding force managed to escape, though. Shortly afterward, a trembling acolyte of Medaea named Evelyn had delivered a message from Justicar Hall of Kelvanis. The offer he’d made had been simple, and horrifying. According to his message, none of the captives had been branded, but he was willing to hand them over and even sign a 10-year peace treaty that only Yisara could break. The only thing that they wanted in exchange was Queen Diane herself, in good health. Well, they also weren’t willing to hand over Jaine, unless they got Beryl as well. As much as Diane desperately wanted to rescue her daughter, there was no way that she was going to hand over her heir. The problem was that he was giving exactly a month for them to agree or decline before they started branding their captives.

“So we refuse and gather everything we have to try to punch through their lines and rescue them!” Torkal retorted, gesturing at the nearby map on the table. “We can’t give in to their demands!”

“And what happens when we pull all the forces from the forts, if they strike back? What happens if the nobles refuse to support me, with their heirs missing? You’ve already heard the panic that this has caused in the nobles. Duke Crownglade is already all but frothing at the mouth over his daughter’s abduction.” Diane sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You know how he dotes on Ceres, so he’ll never agree to anything that risks her. No matter how much I want to agree with you, I can’t do anything without losing their trust, love. Not right now.”

“Then what can we do?” Torkal asked, his hands clenched tight as he leaned on the table, anger still all but vibrating through him.

Sorrow and fear seeped through Diane’s veins, but she kept her voice steady with difficulty. “I will gather a council of nobles. We will look at all the options, but we only have two weeks to safely consider. At that time, assuming that we can’t come up with a better option… I may have no choice, my love. I hate it with every fiber of my being, but if the option is handing myself over to them, or provoking a civil war that will leave us even more vulnerable, do I have a choice?”

“I… but…” Torkal’s voice almost broke as he stared at her in dawning horror. His voice was soft and filled with anguish as he protested. “No, you can’t do that. Diane…”

“Love… I will do everything in my power. I will speak with the others. But right this moment, I see no other options. This blow was devastating.” Diane swallowed, then shook her head, reiterating, “I fear I will have no choice. But I promise, if it comes to that, I’ll make certain they get as little out of me as possible.”

Chapter 26

“You’re certain about letting the horses go here?” Lirisel asked nervously, looking at the hills around them.

“All save those carrying our relics, yes,” Diamond confirmed, stripping off the saddle of her mount as she prepared to set it loose. “They won’t be easy to get through the area we’ll be hiking through, which would increase our odds of being spotted. Besides, there wouldn’t be a good place to put them in the dungeon. It’d almost be cruel.”

“I suppose. I just… what if we can’t get there? What if we have to run?” Lirisel asked, glancing around the group, where most of the other priestesses were preparing to follow them into the mountains.

“It’ll be fine, Lirisel,” Emerald assured her, smiling shyly. “There are certain to be guards, but we’re prepared to deal with them. All we have to do is get to the entrance, and Sistina will open it for us.”

“Emerald’s right,” Amethyst added softly, nodding as she patted Lirisel on the shoulder. “We got out easy enough, and they had heavy patrols then.”

“I… well, if you say so. I’m just nervous,” Lirisel admitted, turning to deal with her own mount. She couldn’t stop the worry, but it was easing slightly. The High Priestess, no matter her current state, was comforting with her confidence.

* * *

Diamond’s body felt like it was on fire. Every heartbeat throbbed through her like an immense drum, the ache slowly intensifying.

The trip to the temple hadn’t been so bad. All of the seven priestesses had felt a faint longing to return to Sistina, but it hadn’t been enough to cause more than a minor distraction when they weren’t busy. It was when they had started to return to the dungeon that the fire within them had begun to grow, and Diamond couldn’t help but tremble at the intensity of it.

It was like she was suspended in a sea of flames, and only Sistina could quench it. But despite the intensity of the sensations, Diamond found her mind oddly clear and able to still take precautions so that they could safely make it to their destination… even if her mind all but rebelled at the thought of taking longer to reach Sistina and the dungeon.

Patting her horse as she set it loose, Diamond glanced over at Sapphire, who was looking a bit unsteady. After a moment, she asked, “How are you? Sapphire?”

It took Sapphire a moment to respond, mostly to her name, and the other woman looked up at Diamond, her cheeks flushed. It took a few moments before she almost whispered, “C-can you feel it, High Priestess?”

“Feel what?” Diamond asked, blinking in surprise. “I mean, I feel the heat, but…”

“No, no… I feel her. I feel the dungeon itself… and the power pulsing within,” Sapphire almost whispered, swallowing as she added, “The nodes are like heartbeats. It’s like silent thunder to me.”

“What? I haven’t felt anything like that.” Diamond blinked, surprised as she frowned.

A moment later, she began to feel something, now that she was focusing on Sistina. It was incredibly faint, but beneath the throbbing heat Diamond could feel something else. Something primal and powerful. And the slow, throbbing sensation of the nodes… Diamond shivered at the power of them. Power that could only be tapped in the most indirect of ways, primarily for teleportation. But there was something else, and she frowned.

“Now that I’ve focused on it, I can feel them. Does it sound like someone is singing through them to you?” Diamond asked, perplexed at the sensation of sound without sound.

Sapphire blinked in surprise, her eyes widening. “Now that you mention it… I think I do.”

* * *

Phynis listened in rapt fascination as Sistina sang wordlessly under her breath, the dryad slowly shaping the wooden branch into a bow. None of the pieces of the bow shaved off or broke; Sistina simply stroked her hands over it slowly and carefully, and the wood reshaped in her hands like it was made of clay.

Sistina’s voice was beautiful, though Phynis wasn’t surprised. When the dryad could create her own body and modify the plants and other creatures in the dungeon, why couldn’t she ensure that she had a lovely voice? But even so, Phynis didn’t recognize the particular music. It had a distinctly elven style to it, though.

As the bow took shape, Phynis glanced over at Desa, who smiled as she listened, seeming more calm than normal. That made Phynis smile more, as she relaxed even more herself. If it weren’t for what had happened to Farris, the past week would have been one of the most comforting in nearly a decade.

* * *

Sistina felt much the same as Phynis, even if neither of them knew it for certain. The removal of the captive soldiers had eased tension that the dryad hadn’t even realized was there, and Earl seemed to be settling in well enough. She kept a close watch on the man, but there had been nothing to concern her about him so far.

The bow had been set aside for the time being. Part of Sistina desperately wanted to enchant the item, which she intended to gift to one of the guards, but she couldn’t afford to use the mana a proper enchantment would take. She’d already used more than she should have the last few days, and unless something changed, she would only barely be able to achieve her plans the next spring. The spring equinox was far too close, and it was putting more pressure on Sistina than she wanted.

Finding the time to start going through the full diagram of the spell she needed was also difficult. The dryad didn’t want to go through the calculations in front of any others. It was unlikely that any of them could decipher the spell-form, but this was supposed to be a surprise. And what if it didn’t work?

The worries were compounded by Farris’ presence in her consciousness. The woman was aware, Sistina knew that much, and her spirit had strengthened from its initial weakness. Sistina believed that she could likely create a body for the spirit much like her own, but what happened if the body was slain? Would it even work properly? And the mana it would take would be immense in its own right. Her own body was difficult to create, and had taken nearly three months of mana absorption on its own. She could hardly afford to do that casually, which made the situation far more difficult.

In all, it was becoming an enormous headache for Sistina. She hadn’t mentioned Farris’ soul just yet, because she wasn’t certain how to even explain her presence. And to be perfectly honest, she was also a little afraid of how Phynis would react. But—

The knock on the exit she’d made for the priestesses of Medaea resounded through Sistina like an electric shock, drawing her attention instantly at their return. And as she peered out beyond her domain, Sistina saw not just Diamond, but a host of other elven women.

It was an impressive, blurry sight… but Sistina internally smiled as an idea occurred to her. And she quickly opened the passageway for the priestesses, allowing them entry. Things were looking better again.

* * *

Diamond heard Lirisel gasp as the stone wall melted away, but she was focused on getting inside. They’d been fortunate enough to spot the group of Kelvanis’ sentries before being spotted in return, and a spell had lulled the patrol to sleep, hopefully for long enough to get everyone inside the dungeon. The moment she stepped into the stone tunnel, she inhaled in surprise.

It was like stepping into a pool of clear, cool water. In an instant, the heat that had been flooding her body cooled to a manageable level, and Diamond took a moment to simply breathe in relief. While it may not have had a direct impact on her ability to think, her body certainly appreciated the chance to recover.

“Diamond? Are you alright?” Ruby prompted, concerned.

“I’m fine. I just… you’ll understand once you’re inside,” Diamond replied, smiling at her friend and moving farther into the tunnel, casting a spell to illuminate their surroundings. “I hadn’t realized just how badly the jerk had screwed up my head until just now. That is an… interesting sensation.”

“What? I… ooh, I see what you mean.” Ruby paused on entering, blinking, then smiling herself. “I think we need to talk to Sistina. There was some discussion about whether or not she could fix some of the side effects, but we didn’t exactly have time the last time we were here.”

“True. Shall we?” Diamond offered, smiling slightly as she headed deeper into the tunnel.

The tunnel closed after all the priestesses were inside, most of them laden with at least a few items that had been retrieved from the temple before its destruction. All of them looked tired, and Diamond spotted some apprehension on their faces as they continued down the dark, echoing tunnel.

It was a minute later that Lirisel asked softly, “I-is it like this throughout the mountain? I didn’t think it’d be this dark.”

“This is just a tunnel that Sistina opened for us. It’ll be about… ten minutes before we reach one of the living areas,” Ruby explained. “Maybe a little more. Those areas are incredible. Think of most of her caverns as immense greenhouses.”

“Oh. That’s reassuring.” Lirisel seemed relieved at the response, and Diamond smiled slightly. But the smile faded as the priestess asked another question. “May I ask why you two seemed so relieved to be back? What happened to you?”

“That’s a… delicate subject.” Ruby’s voice grew more subdued, and Diamond wrestled internally before speaking up herself.

“I’ll explain, Ruby.” Diamond forced serenity into her voice as she began. “When we were… acquired, we were enslaved to Adjudicator Jared Falgrave, as you know. Though we didn’t specify, I doubt it will surprise you that he also treated us as sex slaves.”

“I… I had guessed. I’m sorry.” The tremble to Lirisel’s voice betrayed her distress.

“What is, is. I would not be so sanguine about it if he hadn’t forced mental alterations on me, and all of the others as well.” Diamond spoke carefully, knowing that most of the priestesses could hear what she was saying. “He ensured that we would enjoy it, and that we would crave our owner. That aspect we did not know until far later, but we learned of it. When Sistina claimed our slave brands, she became our owner, and the effect switched to her as well. None of us realized how potent it truly was until we were on our way back, but it was… relieving to enter the dungeon again. I simply take comfort in the knowledge that she won’t abuse her influence over us, unlike him.”

“That’s horrible!” Lirisel exclaimed, and anger filled her voice as she asked, “And he was captured, wasn’t he? Did you at least—”

“No.” Diamond stopped, turning to Lirisel, her own eyes bright as she met the angry gaze of the other priestess. Her own voice was calm, almost tranquil as she spoke. “As much has been done to us, we are servants of Medaea. No matter that Her own safety is in question, we shall honor Her wishes. We will not torment others. We will fight, as She did herself, but no matter what, we will not become that which we despise. Remember, we are the representatives of Our Lady. Do not let Kelvanis take even that away from you.”

The others lowered their eyes at her admonishment. The other Jewels were some distance back down the line, providing light at regular intervals, but even from their positions she could see their approval of her words. Lirisel bowed her head and nodded after a moment.

“You are correct, High Priestess. I just… it’s hard. Hard to retain that perspective with what’s been done to us, and especially to you,” the priestess explained, taking a deep breath and straightening. “But I will do the best that I am able to.”

“That’s all that I can ask. All that even She would ask of us,” Diamond told her, smiling sadly, then turning to lead the way once more. Hopefully her words had made a true difference.

The trip was fairly dark, but Diamond’s mood improved as she finally saw light from ahead. As she entered the first of Sistina’s caverns, Diamond moved toward the center of the lush cavern and took a deep breath of the heady scent of flowers. There were gasps and murmurs from the others as they entered and found the caves suddenly transforming from imposing stone and darkness to an open cavern of light and life.

Diamond had to admit that this particular cavern wasn’t the largest of those Sistina kept, and it’d be a bit crowded with all the priestesses, but she paused to let them rest, smiling.

“Oh, so you’re back! That must be what had Sistina in a hurry!” Phynis’ voice rang out from the tunnel leading deeper into the complex, and Diamond looked over to see the princess, dryad, and Desa coming toward them. “Welcome back! I take it your expedition was a partial success?”

“Hello, Your Highness. It was a difficult trip, but we managed,” Diamond spoke politely, having a hard time tearing her gaze away from Sistina, who had a slight smile on her face. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to stop the entire attack force, but we cut off their reinforcements. We can merely hope that the guards in Golden Vale managed to repel the attackers. I’m afraid there’s other ill news as well, but at least we managed to rescue the priestesses.”

“I’m not a princess anymore. I told you that already, Diamond,” Phynis replied, smiling anyway. Just as she was about to speak further, Amethyst quickly approached and all but threw herself into Sistina’s arms, hugging the startled dryad tightly.

Diamond didn’t miss Phynis stiffening slightly at the action. The purple-haired priestess hid her face against the crook of Sistina’s neck, not saying anything. Seeming modestly bemused, Sistina wrapped her arms around Amethyst and looked at the group of priestesses, then at Diamond and Phynis.

“To tree. Must talk,” Sistina spoke gently.

“Yes, we do need to talk,” Diamond replied nervously. “About a number of things.”

“Yes,” Sistina replied. Looking down, she spoke to Amethyst gently. “Let go.”

“I don’t want to,” Amethyst mumbled quietly.

Diamond’s apprehension eased and she giggled as Sistina looked upward and let out a deep, obviously frustrated sigh. Then the dryad bodily picked Amethyst up, prompting a squeak as the dryad started carrying her back the way she’d come from.

Chapter 27

Sistina settled down against her tree and examined the impromptu council that had formed for the time being. It was amusing; there were now close to eighty women in the dungeon, and only three men. Well, seven, if one counted the adventurers near the beginning of the dungeon itself.

The seven priestesses who’d been changed by Kelvanis were all there, and Amethyst had been pried off once they’d reached the tree, though there was a faintly mutinous look on her face. With them was another priestess who’d introduced herself as Lirisel. The woman looked nervous, but she settled down slowly on a root, shifting to try to get comfortable. Desa and Phynis were both there, of course, which rounded out her group. Sistina would have called Lily over, but she was certain the woman wouldn’t have been happy to be involved. Lily was far happier arranging lodging for the priestesses.

As everyone took a seat, Sistina looked at Diamond and decided to ask the most important question first, her tone mild. “Medaea?”

“Worse than I feared. She’s missing,” Diamond replied grimly, prompting looks of shock from Desa and Phynis, but the priestess continued before they could speak. “I’m not certain, but I have to assume that they somehow abducted her when they captured me and the temple. There were a few boxes they had that were large enough to have held her.”

“What? What are you talking about? How could a goddess go missing?” Desa protested. “What do you mean by abducting her?”

“My Goddess… did not depart the world in the wake of the Godsrage,” Diamond spoke delicately, swallowing as she looked down at her hands. “We were never given the full details, but Our Lady was a friend and ally of Demasa. Our Lady was occupied in another battle when Everium fell in truth, along with Demasa’s pantheon. She was so grieved that she went to sleep in a surviving outpost of the ancient kingdom. That is where we built our temple. When the Enforcers attacked the temple, they forced me to open the door to where Medaea slept, and spent the better part of a week going down there frequently. We were not allowed to intrude, so I know not what they were doing. But when I returned during our rescue attempt, she was not there, and none of the priestesses had seen her rise from her long sleep.”

“That… why didn’t you say something sooner?” Phynis asked, her hands clasped together so tightly they were turning pale. “This is… is…”

“I didn’t know what had happened. I suspected, and I told Sistina, but what good would have telling anyone done?” Diamond asked, spreading her hands helplessly as she took a deep breath. “I didn’t want to believe that this was possible. Who could possibly abduct a goddess, and for what purpose? I wanted to be certain before I said anything. But even if I had, what could we have done?”

“We could have warned Sifaren. We could have sent the message with the others who left,” Desa spoke up, looking even more worried. A moment later, the mage looked at Sistina and asked softly, “Sistina? Is there anything you can do?”

A sense of incredulity rushed through Sistina at the question, though she repressed it. No matter how powerful she was, she had no idea where to even start with something like this, and the dryad thought for a long moment before explaining carefully. “Dungeons… like gods. Minor gods. Only in domain. Beyond domain… beyond reach. Cannot help.”

“But you’ve gone outside before in your body,” Desa insisted, and realization dawned on Sistina.

Placing a hand against her chest, Sistina shook her head as she spoke. “Body puppet. Vessel. Infuse mana, awareness. Can exit domain. Body outside domain, cannot infuse. No awareness, collapses, dies. Mana limited.”

“Shit,” Phynis muttered, and Lirisel blinked at her.

“Did you understand that? I think I caught… half of it,” the priestess ventured, looking concerned.

“Sistina is actually the tree,” Phynis explained, nodding at Sistina’s true body. “Her body is closer to a puppet, she’s saying. She can inhabit it, pouring mana in as well for her use, but when she’s in it, her awareness of the dungeon is limited, and she can’t make changes or properly defend the dungeon. If she leaves the body while outside her domain, she can’t re-inhabit her body, and it’ll die. Plus, whatever mana she put in is all it had… and she’s trying, and failing, to conserve mana for a project in the spring.”

“Oh, um, okay. I… think this will take some getting used to,” Lirisel ventured, mulling over the information slowly.

“You’ll manage,” Phynis assured her, then frowned. “The question is what we can do. I want to tell mother and Yisara, but I don’t know how. We don’t have that many people, and we can’t keep sending out people. Someone will be captured sooner or later.”

“Solution. Message stones,” Sistina offered, and everyone turned to her, blinking in surprise.

“Ah… what are those, Sistina?” Desa asked after a moment.

“Enchanted rock? Amplifies message spells?” Sistina replied, looking at them in confusion. She knew the theory of such items, though she couldn’t recall how to make them just now.

“I… have never heard of such things. All of the items I know of that allow communication over a distance require a carefully paired set of items, or even a group of the type, but also take a very large amount of mana to power,” Diamond interjected, looking between them.

Phynis nodded. “Agreed. Mother has a mirror that allows her to converse with the queen of Yisara, but it takes so much mana that she only uses it in emergencies. Or is that the sort of thing that you’re talking about, Sistina?”

“No. Amplifies. Know theory. Building… take work. Might need academy.” Sistina frowned at the memory of the dark magic she’d felt in the chamber, and sighed, frowning even more. “Is hard. Decisions. Will consider.”

“Well, is there anything we can do?” Desa asked. “While we wait, I mean.”

“I don’t think there is. I just wanted all of you to know,” Diamond replied simply, looking down again.

“Well in that case, I think that we need to get all of you settled. I—” Desa began, straightening as she looked at them, but Sistina cleared her throat.

Pointing at the Jewels, then Phynis, she spoke firmly. “Stay. Others go. Will help priestesses soon.”

“Um, as you wish?” Phynis ventured after a moment, then settled back down.

Lirisel looked at the other priestesses for a moment, and at their nods she murmured. “I’ll just… see how the others are doing, then. I’ll see you relatively soon, Sistina.”

Sistina nodded and smiled at her, then gave Desa a pointed look as the priestess left. Desa protested. “But I need to guard Phynis!”

“Private. Go!” Sistina told her, all but glowering at the mage.

“But—” Desa began, looking at Phynis.

“Desa… give us some privacy? I assume that there’s a good reason that Sistina wants to talk to us alone,” Phynis asked softly, looking a little concerned. Sistina simply wanted to cover her eyes. This was one of the few times she wished that she could talk more easily. The situation would be far easier to deal with, and she wouldn’t be worrying the others unnecessarily.

The mage slowly left, giving a last reluctant look before she left them alone. It was then that Phynis asked, looking Sistina in the eyes, “Sistina? What’s this about?”

“This… difficult. Trying.” Sistina paused, then looked at the priestesses, her eyes narrowing. It took a few moments, but finally she asked, waving expansively at them, her eyes focusing on Amethyst in particular. “You need me?”

“Umm…” Diamond seemed startled, and looked at the others. But it was Amethyst who nodded.

“Yes. I know I shouldn’t but… I hated being away from you. I wanted to come back. It’s why I hugged you,” the violet-haired woman explained softly. “I know that it’s a change to my mind. I should want it fixed… but I don’t. I need you. I think the others do as well.”

Sistina turned her gaze to the others and arched an eyebrow. It was Sapphire who nodded second, and in short order, all but Diamond and Ruby had indicated their agreement. Finally, Diamond sighed and spoke. “Yes. We had this… discussion a little on the way back. We all know what Jared did. Ruby told me earlier that we really should get it fixed… but almost as soon as she said it, it went right out of my head again. I just don’t care. I like being here, near you. It’s… better.”

Ruby seemed to almost involuntarily nod, and Sistina let out a sigh, looking at Phynis. Mulling it over, she spoke again, her own voice quiet but firm. “You need me. I am… tree. Was demon, I think. Have no issue with. But need Phynis.”

She looked at Phynis, who looked simply stunned. Sighing, Sistina rubbed her forehead, and softly added, “Come to… understanding? Please? I help priestesses.”

And with that, she stood up and left them to figure out how they were going to deal with the situation.

* * *

Phynis watched, mouth slightly agape as Sistina simply left her, and the seven priestesses, to figure out what they wanted to do.

“Did she really just say that?” Emerald asked quietly, and Opal nodded slowly.

“…This got very awkward very, very quickly,” Ruby muttered, looking at Phynis, as Phynis looked back.

“You could say that,” Phynis replied, taking a deep breath. “I didn’t expect her to… just say something like that.”

“I can’t say that I blame you. I didn’t either,” Diamond spoke softly, studying Phynis, and Phynis began to study the priestess in turn.

Most dawn elves were shorter than dusk elves, though there were always exceptions. Diamond was ever so slightly taller than Phynis, and the woman was also more… shapely than Phynis was. She was fairly sure that some of that was artificial, since all of the other women seemed to be almost made in the same mold physically. She was certainly beautiful, if in a far different manner than Phynis or Sistina. The elf mulled it over for a bit, then sighed.

“This is very hard to address. I admit I found myself somewhat distressed when Amethyst hugged Sistina,” Phynis finally explained, rubbing her hands on her legs nervously, looking at the tree. It took her a moment before she added, “But when I think about it, I feel bad about it. I chose to stay with Sistina because my life had been ruined by Kelvanis, and my homeland… while it didn’t outright reject me, I found myself adrift, with no real choices and partially ostracized. How unfair would it be to do the same to you?”

“How do you mean? I think we are hardly in the same position as you are in. Or maybe it’s the position you were in?” Ruby asked, slowly settling down onto a patch of grass.

“How do I explain?” Phynis murmured, frowning. Her explanation was hesitant as she tried to give voice to her thoughts. “You are the servants of Medaea. Unless my lessons were completely wrong, she’s a virgin goddess of purity, and her priestesses are required to be in the same state. So with what was done to you, you’ve had that stolen away. Your home temple was violated, and you were forced to destroy it, after the goddess herself was somehow… stolen. That part frightens me, I must admit. But you were also branded, and I have to wonder if with everything else you would be well-treated by your church? No matter how open-minded your sister priestesses might be, I expect that suspicion and anger would be focused on you.”

“I didn’t think of that.” Emerald paled slightly, looking at Diamond in concern.

Diamond let out a soft sigh and nodded. Her voice was soft as she spoke. “I had my own suspicions, but wasn’t willing to actually speak of them. I suspect that you may be far more correct than I would wish. In particular, that we failed to safeguard our own goddess will likely be held against us.”

“But we didn’t do anything wrong.” Opal’s voice was plaintive, but Phynis could see the acceptance in her eyes.

“That’s not what we’re here to talk about,” Amethyst mumbled, looking up to meet Phynis’ gaze. “As bad as our situation is, Sistina wanted us to figure things out. Princess? What can I do to get you to… to let me stay near Sistina, and you?”

“I… give me a minute, please?” Phynis asked, swallowing. She took a minute to gather her thoughts and think. A part of her rebelled at the idea of sharing Sistina, but there was something about it that felt wrong as well. And it was then that she remembered something that one of her cousins had said.

Looking up at the others, Phynis smiled hesitantly and sighed. “I suppose I’m going to have to take the advice of my cousin. He’s in a relationship with a man and woman. One of the things that he once said was that to make a relationship between multiple people work, you had to talk. To get to know one another, and to compromise. Part of me doesn’t want to. Part of me rebels at the very idea… but I don’t know any of you. So I think I’ll give you a chance. I think we just… one at a time, we need to get to know one another. Is that… can you all accept that?”

It was Sapphire who nodded first, smiling slightly. “I think so. Thank you.”

* * *

Sistina touched the priestess’ brand and closed her eyes, losing herself in it as she worked to free yet another woman from the shackles that Kelvanis had imposed on them. This was the third woman, and instead of taking close to an hour of time, she was down to only a dozen minutes or so. Each of them was vibrant with life and mana, and the hope on their faces as the first few had reacted had been priceless to her.

A small part of Sistina felt bad, though. She wished that she could free them entirely, but that was beyond her. The only solution she had was to claim the brands, and that merely put them under her own power, while giving Sistina more power.

Hopefully she would come up with a better solution in time, but for now, this would have to do. So she opened her eyes and met those of the priestess in front of her, giving the woman a smile and nod.

Tears streaming down her face, the priestess gave her a hug, speaking in a breathless voice. “Thank you so much! I didn’t think… just… thank you!”

Sistina gave her a gentle hug before pulling away. As bad as she felt, all of the priestesses were in bad enough of condition as it was. She would not make them wait any longer than she had to before giving them at least a bit more freedom.

Chapter 28

As the mist within her mirror swirled and began to take form, Queen Constella tried to control her anxiety. The messenger birds that traveled between Sifaren and Yisara had brought her word of the recent raid on Yisara, right about the time she’d received word from her spies about the troop movements within Kelvanis. Considering that Queen Diane was calling her through the mirror, the situation couldn’t be good.

Finally, the mist cleared, and Queen Diane appeared in the mirror. The dawn elf queen was shorter than Calath, standing about five and a half feet tall and with the golden hair so common to her people. The queen was pretty, with a slightly hooked nose as her most notable flaw, though her blue left eye and green right eye brought a marked distinctiveness that drew others, and her refined manners did even more to give her an air of authority.

“Diane. My sympathies about the attack on Golden Vale. I don’t have details yet, but I just got word about Kelvanis’ movements,” Calath quickly spoke. The mirrors took a large amount of mana and were not the most efficient of enchanted items. She heard that Kelvanis had better ones, which was even more depressing.

“Please wait, Calath. This is going to be an unpleasant conversation, and I have to keep it short,” Diane replied, and it was then that Calath saw the darkness in the other woman’s eyes. Her back was straight, but there was something wrong about her posture. “First and foremost, do not say anything you consider to be sensitive information.”

“What happened, Diane?” Calath asked. She was about to say more, but chose instead to wait for the other monarch to reply.

“I imagine the dispatch hasn’t reached you yet. Kelvanis has generously offered to return all of the captives save my daughter if I hand myself over. They’re even willing to sign a ten-year peace treaty that they’re Fate-bound not to break as part of it.” Diane’s voice was positively caustic, Queen Calath noticed with a wince, and the other woman continued. “Certainly, Yisara is allowed to break it, but that’s hardly comforting. As Kelvanis captured the heirs of nearly a third of my nobility, including those of Duke Crownglade and Duchess Firlyth, I had no choice but to consult the nobility on our options. We had approximately two weeks to respond in essence, and I feared the result would come to what it has.

“The consensus of those who did not lose their heirs is that we have no other choice but to accept their offer. If I refuse, it is entirely possible that Kelvanis will be able to turn as many as half the nobles whose heirs they possess to their side, causing a civil war in the process. Those who lost their heirs were even more strident as a whole, though some were still defiant.” The Yisaran monarch’s voice grew tired as she paused again, taking a deep breath as she looked Calath in the eyes, obviously worried. “Worse, I find that I agree with them. I can’t see any other choice in the time that we have.”

“Gods above! Are you certain, Diane? I mean, turning yourself over to them?” Calath asked, her mind racing. “I knew that things were bad, but… to let them get their hands on you could be an utter disaster.”

“Yes. And the fact that I suspect that the intention of the peace treaty is so that they can focus on Sifaren is the primary reason I contacted you.” Diane finally smiled ever so slightly, a vicious gleam in her eyes as she added, “And I’ve decided to take measures to ensure they get as little useful information from me as possible. After I’m done talking to you, I have an appointment with the Royal Healer. She’s going to render me barren, and then I’m allowing her into my head. I’m going to have as much sensitive information and memories as I reasonably can erased. Hopefully, it will be enough, but part of the bargain is that I have to be in good health, so I can’t go as far as I want to.”

“That is…” Calath paused, absolutely aghast, both about what Diane was willing to do, and at what she was willing to do to herself. After a moment, she continued. “You are far, far braver than I am, Diane. I thank you for the warning, but is there anything I can do? You’re the one who is in such dire straits.”

“No. Nothing but try to be an ally to my daughter. And no poaching Torkal, hmm?” Diane took a moment to smile as she teased Calath.

“Of course I won’t poach him! He’s your husband!” Calath protested, blushing slightly at the memory of when the two had associated when they were younger.

“Perhaps so. But the point stands.” Diane’s smile faded and she stood up straight, clearing her throat before speaking again. “Even more so, though… I’m sorry I won’t be able to help anymore. I had once hoped that we could unify our kingdoms once again, but it appears that our chance is lost.”

“It didn’t exactly help that both of our heirs were daughters. While there are ways around that, they’re hardly traditional. I dare hope for some way to free you from Kelvanis in the future. And…” Calath hesitated for a moment, then told Diane, her voice soft, “If you have the chance, escape into the dungeon in the foothills of the Godsrage Mountains. I don’t know that you will have that chance, but I believe it would help you.”

“Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind, Calath. Goodbye,” Diane spoke equally quietly, giving a sad smile before her image faded.

Calath stood there for a long minute, staring at the mirror. And then finally she spoke aloud. “Hellfire and damnation. This is bad. Laila!”

* * *

Princess Jaine sat and fretted, looking at the other young women from Yisara. They were in a small manor house in one of Kelvanis’ newer cities, a place named Timberfall. Compared to the cities of Yisara, the grounds were barren, the building was drafty and cramped, and everything was crude, almost ugly. Jaine couldn’t understand why they would live in such buildings, but even those thoughts were more of distractions from her current situation.

All the girls had been separated from the boys, but it’d been fairly obvious that both groups were being treated about the same. The potent mages, like Ceres, had been fitted with collars that magically rendered them unable to speak. In addition to that, they had all been informed that a ransom demand had been delivered for all of them, but that if they tried to escape, they’d be branded.

Aside from those threats, they’d been surprisingly well-treated so far. That didn’t change the fact that they’d been abducted, and based on what Beryl had told her in other conversations, Jaine found herself deathly afraid. If Kelvanis was being so reasonable, what did they really have planned?

* * *

“Since we are all here, I want to make one thing perfectly clear,” Torkal spoke in an almost mild voice, glancing around the room at the gathered high nobles of the realm. Most of them had the good graces to look ashamed or nervous, at least.

“Yes, Your Grace?” Duke Crownglade asked, the burly, bald elf standing with his arms crossed in front of him.

“First, I will be Beryl’s First Councilor after she takes the throne. She has already agreed with me on what I am about to say, so do not think these are the words of a man who’s about to lose all power,” Torkal told them, smiling thinly as several wilted at his scathing tone. “We will accept Kelvanis’ bargain, yes. My Queen and love has chosen to sacrifice almost everything to regain the heirs of our lands. But we will not make peace with Kelvanis. For a decade, they have been a plague upon Yisara, and now they have gone too far. We will take the decade they have granted us, and we will use it. We will do everything in our power to prepare to utterly crush them when the time is right. And if any of you work against this, I will do everything in my power to crush you as well. Am I perfectly clear?”

Most of them simply nodded and murmured their agreement, but the duke snorted and grinned. “Good! I may have pushed to agree, but that’s because I didn’t have a damned choice if I didn’t want to betray my dead wife. But if those bastards are willing to target the younger generation, what else are they willing to do? I’m all for making certain that they regret ever tangling with us.”

The coarse reply, and obvious anger in the duke’s voice, made Torkal smile slightly, and he nodded firmly. “On that, you and I are in perfect agreement. Now, ladies and gentlemen, let’s start figuring out how we can go about this.”

Chapter 29

“Daniel! Focus!” Penelope barked, jarring him away from looking out the window. She glowered at him and spoke sharply. “Do you ever want to be able to use magic, or summon a spirit? If not, go ahead and leave. Otherwise, you need to actually listen when I’m talking to you.”

Cringing, Daniel nodded and apologized quickly to his temperamental tutor. “I’m sorry, Penelope. I’m just not used to reading words like this. Most of my schooling was, umm…”

“Execrable. Which means it was really, really shitty,” Penelope replied pointedly, glaring at him. “That’s why I’m tutoring you, instead of doing things that are useful or fun.”

“I’m sorry,” Daniel apologized again, bowing his head as he waited to see if she would forgive him.

Penelope paused for a long moment, then let out a breath of air. “At least you know that you don’t know excrement from shit. Now then, read off the words to me.”

“Could I at least ask why they’re so hard to say?” Daniel asked plaintively, looking at the words in the book with a wince.

“Because they’re tongue-twisters. Trying to chant spells takes clear, distinctive pronunciation. The reason Darak and I are not mages is because we can’t manage that in combat. We make do in channeling mana into items or the like, and by summoning spirits to do the difficult work,” Penelope explained, seeming a bit mollified. “You have to get far enough along to at least be able to summon a spirit or something of the sort at least once, otherwise you’ll be damn near useless in a delve.”

“Ah. That makes more sense. I thought these were words of an actual spell,” Daniel replied, looking at the words more carefully.

“Enough dawdling, just say them, Daniel.” Penelope sighed, eyes narrowing again, and a grin slowly grew on her face as she offered, “Or you can face me in a bit of sparring. Your choice.”

“No, I’ll start! Just give me a second!” Daniel told her quickly, eyes widening. Taking a deep breath, he prepared the words, and began. “Isthmus…”

* * *

“So, what exactly is it that you want, Sistina?” Ruby asked, sitting next to Lirisel as the two glanced at one another.

It’d been a couple of days, and Phynis was out chatting with Diamond, keeping to her promise that she’d try to at least get to know the different women and come to terms with them. In the meantime, Sistina had been avoiding letting any of them too close. That was why the meeting was so surprising. Normally Sistina would have Diamond or Phynis there, not meet with Lirisel and Ruby.

Sistina looked pensive, and then let out a heavy sigh, frowning. “Have request. Request, not demand. Mana is… insufficient. Need help.”

“What do you mean? From everything I’ve heard, dungeons gain far more mana than any mere mortal could. How could we help you, and why?” Lirisel asked, the other woman much more forthright than Ruby was.

“Complex. Am… frustrating.” The dryad took a deep breath, then glanced around, as if cautiously. “Phynis. Don’t tell. Surprise.”

“I can do that, as long as it isn’t dangerous to her. Ruby?” Lirisel asked, glancing at her.

Ruby nodded firmly, smiling. “That seems reasonable.”

“Good. Phynis… born to rule. Would be queen. Stolen. Kelvanis evil. Rulers evil. Yes?” Sistina asked, tilting her head expectantly. It took Ruby a moment to realize that Sistina was honestly uncertain and was looking for confirmation.

“Yes, I think they’re evil by any objective standard,” Ruby agreed. After a moment, she frowned, then corrected herself. “Like you said, at least the rulers are. Jared… I think he was, but in part it was because he was raised in Kelvanis. Slavery has been accepted there for generations, though it only became what it is now when Archon Sorvos took the throne from the old monarchy about… six decades ago. And even then, it changed slowly by human standards.”

Giving her a blank look, Sistina frowned. Finally, she shrugged and nodded, before continuing in an uncertain tone. “You not evil. My morals… hazy. Perspective hard. I like elves. Want to help. Give Phynis throne. One solution. Make throne.”

“How can you make a throne?” Lirisel asked, fascinated. “I mean, making a chair wouldn’t be hard, but a throne is more than just that.”

“Yes. Need city. Need army. Need power.” Sistina stressed the last word, pausing for a moment, then waved her hands around her. “Dungeon. Can shape. Takes mana. Domain is mountain. Want to… shape. Not dungeon on surface. Create fortress city. Make golems for army. Can? Yes. Insufficient mana. Need help.”

“Are you serious?” Ruby asked, mouth almost dropping open. As Sistina nodded, Ruby looked at Lirisel, and the younger priestess looked back, surprised in her own right.

The thought of what Sistina was implying wasn’t simply astonishing. It was unheard of. Even dungeons changed shape slowly, and only a few rooms at a time. In her time here, Ruby had also come to realize that Sistina only had made the one golem that anyone knew of. So, the idea that Sistina was seriously considering constructing an entire fortress for Phynis, complete with a golem army? That was pure insanity.

“Would you oppose Kelvanis with this… fortress and army?” Lirisel asked, regaining her voice first.

“Not my choice. Phynis’ choice. Believe she would,” Sistina said, pausing a moment, then adding, hopefully, “Could add temple?”

“I think that would be nice,” Ruby replied, still dazed. It took her a moment, but finally she asked. “The question is how I can help? I’m not sure how I could work on a spell that large. I don’t even know where to begin.”

“I’m willing as well,” Lirisel quickly added. “I don’t know about the others, but I could ask.”

Sistina smiled warmly at their response, then pulled out one of the strange crimson jewels that grew on her tree. She explained in her strange manner of speaking, “Hold. Pour spare mana into. I gather. All I need.”

“Really? I thought it’d be more difficult than that,” Lirisel replied, bemused as she took the gem. “Though this would be easy to lose, if we pass it between us.”

“Spell difficult. Mana simple.” Sistina smiled, then looked up at the tree as she added, “Many jewels. One each.”

“Would it be a problem if we set them into jewelry? That would make it easier to keep track of.” Ruby asked, looking at the jewel in bemusement. At least it would match her hair and eyes. There had to be something good that came of her changes.

“Is fine. Don’t damage,” Sistina warned, pulling out a second jewel for Ruby and handing it to her.

“Right. I think a bracelet or something is in order,” Lirisel murmured, thinking.

At the suggestion, Sistina’s eyes brightened and she smiled. “Can make! Have foundry. Easy.”

Laughing, Ruby smiled at Sistina as she teased. “You have a strange idea of easy, Sistina. You can make golems and jewelry, as well as rearrange your dungeon, but you have trouble talking.”

Scowling, Sistina muttered, to their giggles, “Words hard.”

* * *

“So, you’re saying that the blessing of a goddess just makes some types of spells easier?” Phynis asked, surprised by the concept.

“Correct. Each deity has their area of concern, and often you can substitute a prayer for some of the more complicated portions of a spell that directly relates to their role. It’s faster and easier, but limited in that each deity is quite different,” Diamond replied, smiling at her as they walked slowly through Sistina’s gardens. “It’s both complex and simple in its own way.”

“But don’t you have to be an acolyte to get the blessing of a god or goddess?” Phynis asked a moment later, considering the idea. She wasn’t certain which deity she’d prefer, honestly, but the idea intrigued her.

“No. That’s a common misconception, primarily perpetuated by the fact that almost anyone with enough faith to garner the blessing of a deity tends to want to join the deity’s church.” Diamond paused, then shrugged as she added, “Perhaps not much of a difference, but it is one.”

“Hmm. Interesting. I must admit that I never thought of churches in quite the same way as you do. It’s just… so different than how I imagined it would be,” Phynis told the priestess, studying the serene, polite woman. “You and Amethyst are so very similar in some ways, but so different in others.”

“Each church is different. In our case, the temple was so isolated we quickly learned to find common ground. Those who couldn’t get along with others were sent back to the central church and replaced. Our fellow faith soon helped us draw closer together as sisters in faith, but we are still each individuals.” Diamond paused, bowing her head slightly as she sighed and added, “I feel I must add that our… experience with Kelvanis only furthered that sense of kinship. But yes, we are each quite different.”

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Phynis replied, considering the other woman. She liked Diamond well enough, but she wasn’t certain she liked her, in the way she liked Sistina. It was confusing. Finally, she sighed and spoke up. “This isn’t working, Diamond.”

“What?” The priestess blinked in confusion.

“You and me. You’re too reserved, too polite and distant. How can I get to know you when you’re unfailingly formal?” Phynis demanded, poking the priestess firmly in the side. “I don’t know how, but show me some emotion! What do you care about?”

Diamond seemed honestly stumped for a moment, and didn’t really react to the poke, save with a slight squirm, while she spoke hesitantly. “Ahh… I really, really want Medaea to suddenly wake up and reduce Kelvanath to ashes?”

“Better… I can agree with the sentiment.” Phynis narrowed her eyes, smiling slightly. “But you need to do better than that.”

“I… I may have once stolen into a temple of Vandor as a young acolyte,” Diamond ventured, looking to the side a bit nervously. “And I just, umm… may have dressed his statue in a full court gown?”

“You… you dressed up the god of valor’s statue in a gown?” Phynis gasped, stopping in her tracks and staring at the other woman. “And you didn’t get caught?”

“Maybe?” Diamond answered, blushing crimson. “I wasn’t always so… formal.”

“Hmm… well, maybe there’s some hope for you after all,” Phynis replied with a slow smile, and as she did so, Diamond blushed more deeply.

Chapter 30

Making the dozens of silver bracelets for the priestesses had been simple, and the mana expenditure was almost nothing, at least compared to the expenditure of creating almost anything else. None of the priestesses had objected to giving Sistina a bit of their mana each day, though some gave more than others.

The dryad found it rather amusing that they’d thought that her mana eclipsed their own by so much. Oh, she did have the ability to store far more mana than any elf could, but her ability to absorb mana was much lower than one might expect. With all the elves giving her a little mana, her power had begun rising at nearly five times the previous rate. Even better, Sistina could sense that a ley line node was drifting toward the mountain. In a few weeks, it might just barely be within reach and allow her to link to it.

However, having the additional mana buoyed her spirits. It even gave her the mana to be confident in exploring the old temples she’d found the last time she was examining her domain.

The halls leading to them were smoother than the one she’d initially traveled to the temple of Vanir, but even so, Sistina kept an eagle eye on the floor. She didn’t want to hurt herself at this point. If she managed to do so, Phynis would never let her hear the end of it.

So she carefully made her way toward the long-abandoned temple ahead of her, resisting the urge to hum as she went. While she thought the tunnel was properly reinforced, there was no telling how an ill-timed vibration might change things.

* * *

“Do you have any idea what Sistina is up to?” Sina asked Lily as they worked their way down the row of beans. While string beans weren’t Sina’s favorite, she’d grown surprisingly fond of most of the vegetables that grew in the garden.

“Hmm? Why do you ask?” Lily glanced up from her basket, blinking through the trellis at Sina.

“It’s just that she’s being more mysterious than normal. That and Ilmas has been encouraging me to just stick to helping out in here, rather than helping him with the adventurers,” Sina replied, then gestured off to her left at where they could see a half-dozen priestesses helping with the other sections of the garden. “But now that we have the priestesses helping with the gardening, I don’t see much point to just keeping me back here.”

“Umm… you may have a point. I hadn’t really thought about it.” Lily paused, considering a moment, then shrugged. “She did say something about exploring some old buildings. Not in so many words, of course, but it was pretty well implied. I don’t think she’d have any issues with you going up to help Ilmas. He’s been a little grumpy about some of the adventurers, but I suspect that’s because at least one of them is a soldier he knew.”

“Oh? Did he say anything more?” Sina asked, suddenly intrigued. And her eyes narrowed as she thought back on just how much Ilmas had avoided talking to her about it. It was suspicious.

“Not really. He wasn’t happy with how the one device exploded, but the man was apologetic, so he forgave him,” Lily added, shrugging. Then she paused and smiled. “I just had a fun thought.”

“Oh?” Sina asked, distracted by Lily’s change of mood.

“It’s the start of fall outside, right? So winter will hit hard pretty soon. We have all these vegetables, but relatively little meat. Venison gets a little old after eating it so much,” Lily explained, gesturing at the gardens. “Why don’t we open a little shop to sell fruit and vegetables to people outside, and buy meat or other supplies that it isn’t worth bothering Sistina about?”

“I haven’t ever really thought about something like that, but I suppose it could be good,” Sina replied after a moment, a bit amused by the sheer mundanity of Lily’s idea. “Would you want to run it?”

“Heavens no!” Lily’s response was instant as she shuddered, picking a few more beans. “No, no, I’m a gardener. The people outside scare me. In here it’s peaceful and safe.”

“You are so strange, Lily,” Sina told the other elf, giggling softly as she shook her head. “You live in a dungeon, yet you’re scared of the people outside. I know Kelvanis is bad, but even so…”

“I like it here. Sistina saved me, and I’m never leaving,” Lily retorted stubbornly.

“Never is a very long time, Lily. But I take your meaning.” Sina finally eased off of the other woman. “But as for your store idea… well, as long as Sistina doesn’t object, I’d be willing to run it. I might need some help taking enough to actually make a difference with the space we’ve got, but it sounds like it’s a good idea. Maybe we can even get some halfway decent wine or the like.”

“Ooh… that sounds good. I only ever got wine during festivals back home.” Lily smiled broadly. “Let’s ask her when she gets back!”

“Definitely,” Sina replied, smiling as she went back to picking beans.

* * *

Sistina left the temple behind, barely glancing back at it. The wilderness-themed lodge was dedicated to Krainos, god of the hunt and darkness. She supposed that his faith wouldn’t be too out of line for her, with how dark the tunnels were and that she had animals that hunted adventurers, but Sistina just found his faith… crude. It offended her sensibilities somehow, so while she respected the temple, she saw no reason to linger for long. Worse, the tomes within had somehow been largely destroyed, leaving her disgruntled.

The other temple was only a short walk away. Both had ended up near the same depth, so she had made certain that the same tunnel hooked from this temple to the other. The temple in question was dark and crumbling, but something about it drew Sistina’s attention. Almost like a siren song that she couldn’t ignore.

Stepping into the dark cavern, Sistina frowned slightly, raising her hands and whispering the words of a spell. An orb of green light formed over her hand and she gently tossed it upward to illuminate the chamber.

The ground throughout the chamber was littered with shattered, fallen rubble from the ceiling. The cavern walls and ceiling had once been smooth and reinforced with magic, but no hints of remaining mana could be felt from them. At the center of the cavern was a crumbling structure, a circular building that had once possessed an open center, but with nearly a quarter of the structure crushed by a partial collapse of the cavern. The very sight of it sent the faintest sense of vertigo through Sistina, and her frown grew as she stepped forward.

Memories were shifting in the back of her mind, just out of reach as she tried to grasp them. It was maddening, and so she stepped toward the front doorway of the temple. It was closed, but the ancient bronze door slowly opened with a deep, creaking sound. And it was then, as she saw the statue of a nondescript man with a golden orb hanging from the ceiling over his head that her eyes went wide, and a lance of intense sorrow almost overwhelmed Sistina.

The faint memories began to congeal and spin themselves into fragments that she could actually remember. Images danced through her mind, recalled scenes of rituals underneath a brilliant golden moon a dozen times the size it would be normally. The vivid scene was so real, as if she had been there, participating in a grand spell whose entire purpose had been to prove that such magic was even possible, the threads of breathtaking light dancing across the night sky. Other memories also flickered through her mind, of spells, angels, mortal mages, and a man who seemed cast of golden light.

The memories seared through her, and her voice was quiet as she spoke with the faintest sense of loss. “No…”

She took a step deeper into the room, looking down at the inscription on the statue’s base. Carved into it was a simple inscription. ‘Balvess, Our Magister of the Golden Moon.’ And slowly, Sistina realized something, her memories flickering and twisting, even now only barely around the edge of her consciousness. Her trembling voice was soft as she looked at the elaborate diagrams etched into the crumbling walls. “I… served? Once?”

Taking a breath, Sistina slowly entered the central courtyard, hoping to stir more memories. And her hope was a success, as she suddenly recalled once stepping into such a place, but with the night sky over her head and walls that towered five floors above her head, not only a single floor with a cavern above it. And it was then that she spoke, ever so softly, a single tear running down her cheek. “My name… was Marin.”

* * *

Desa looked up from her sword drill and opened her mouth for a moment, then shut it, staring at Sistina. A moment later she asked, “Sistina, what is that?”

Sistina looked up from where she’d staggered into the room, looking tired and winded. She’d just set down what looked like an incredibly detailed, life-sized statue of an elven woman. The statue was in a sitting position, seemingly carved of dark gray stone, and must have been wearing clothing, though what was left was little more than torn rags. The statue was wearing jewelry and had a strange gold engraving across the collarbone, seemingly framing an empty socket of some type, and also silver hair that moved as Sistina moved it.

“Golem,” Sistina replied simply, then frowned. “Heavy.”

“I… somewhat guessed the heavy part. Why did you carry it up here? And why did you make it to look like that?” Desa asked, stepping forward to study the figure. Its ‘eyes’ were closed, but the figure seemed startlingly lifelike and nothing like Sistina herself.

“Didn’t make. Found in temple,” Sistina corrected. Reaching down, she touched the socket, explaining, “Lacks animus.”

“What? What kind of golem is this, then?” Desa asked, blinking at it. Everything she could see looked anatomically correct, if somewhat statuesque and idealized. “Why would it need an animus?”

“Special golem. Made to hold soul,” the dryad told her, looking at the statue sadly. “Deity died. Lost faith. Destroyed own soulgem.”

“Deity… wait, you’re saying this golem was designed to hold a soul. Was it a… a prison? Or one of the god’s worshipers?” Desa asked, paling and stepping back. A moment later, she realized that Sistina had said that it had lost faith, which meant it probably wasn’t a prison or something of the sort.

“Priestess? Likely. Uncertain.” Sistina shrugged, hesitating a moment, then shrugged again. “Complex.”

“I’d believe it,” Desa replied, looking at the golem in fascination as her fear faded slowly. “What are you going to do with it?”

Sistina smiled at that, shaking her head. “Secret.”

Then the dryad took a deep breath and hefted the statue again. Stepping back, Desa saw Sistina’s feet had sunk slightly into the dirt. It must have been really heavy. But the dryad headed for her tree, that thin smile on her face as she staggered along the way.

Chapter 31

The field on the border of Yisara and Kelvanis was bright from the sunlight, but the cool wind causing the flags to flap over her head chilled Diane almost to the bone. On the other side of the field, just over a mile distant, was a full division of Kelvanis’ army.

The front lines were made up of orcs, but unlike most, they were wearing the heavy plate of Kelvanis’ Iron Legion, a sight which was chilling as they jostled one another. Behind them were several slave legions of elves and humans, followed by the regular soldiers and archers. Diane couldn’t see the mages that Kelvanis used, but she was certain they were in the enemy force. Cavalry flanked the force, and it was quite obvious to her that the massive force had been prepared in case she’d come intending to try to rescue the hostages.

In all honesty, if they hadn’t come in such immense force, Diane would have changed tactics and attempted it. Her own army was at her back, and while it was smaller, she was confident that her mages could even the odds even against this army. Unfortunately, they would merely be evenly matched at best, so she had little choice but to go through with her previous resolution.

Diane let her eyes fall to the large tent in the center of the field between the two armies. It was simple, with a pair of guards in front of it, as well as a dozen more a good hundred paces back. Taking another deep breath, she looked at the Fatebinder she’d brought and asked, “Ready to finish this, Gavin?”

“No, Your Majesty. But I will see it through regardless,” Gavin answered with an unhappy look on his face. The human was a rarity in Yisara, but he was considered one of the most powerful disciples of Fate in the nation, and had married happily into a merchant’s family. “Are you certain?”

“I am. Let us get this over with,” Diane replied, her eyes shining like flint, and she headed for the tent, a dozen guards following as well.

She halted her horse a hundred paces back, allowing a pair of guards to approach and check the tent. When they confirmed that there wasn’t a trap, she finished her approach with Gavin in tow. Dismounting, she stepped forward and pulled the flap aside to enter the tent, ignoring the guards.

The tent had three chairs within and a small table set up in the center. In a chair opposite her entrance was a tall, powerfully built human in crimson armor, with a peace-bonded sword at his side. Diane saw a slight flicker of surprise in his eyes, but he stood, nodding as he spoke. “Queen Diane Yisara, I presume. I am Justicar Ivan Hall.”

“Yes, I am. This is Fatebinder Gavin,” Diane replied unpleasantly. “Are the captives near?”

“Of course they are. As per your message, all but Princess Jaine have been brought for the exchange, and are under heavy guard,” Justicar Hall replied bluntly, then gestured at the papers in front of him. “All that is needed is for us to finish signing and sealing the treaty, and they will be released to your army.”

“I see. Then let’s get this farce of a bargain over with,” the queen told him, checking the chair, then taking a seat. From the satchel she’d brought with her, Diane pulled out the copy of the contract, which her scholars had gone over carefully, looking at him as she added, “I will be checking the text of your final version of the treaty against what we agreed on before.”

“Of course you will,” Hall replied, sitting down and taking a sheet and sliding it across to Diane.

She took the sheet and began to read it, comparing the wording to her copy. Diane couldn’t help but grow more worried as she found the written statements to be perfectly identical, aside from being written in a different hand, and having no mention of the exchange of Jaine for Beryl. It worried her that they weren’t trying to sneak anything by her. Finally, she nodded, grudgingly saying, “The text is what we have agreed to.”

“Excellent.” Hall smiled, sliding over two more copies, then glancing over to Gavin. “Fatebinder? If you would take Queen Yisara’s copy and check the copies for accuracy?”

“Certainly.” Gavin nodded and took the papers, reading through one quickly. He then murmured a spell, causing all of the sheets to glow a faint gold for a moment. Nodding grimly, he announced, “All copies of this agreement are identical and have no hidden conditions. As a representative of Fate, I am presiding over this treaty. State your names and authority for the record, standing before Fate Himself.”

As Gavin spoke, two of the papers floated in front of Diane and Ivan, settling onto the table delicately as a golden pair of scales appeared in Gavin’s free hand. Diane looked him in the eye as she spoke firmly. “I am Queen Diane Yisara of the Kingdom of Yisara. I have been granted the authority to make this deal, though once signed, I will have willingly abdicated my position as per my previous agreements.”

The scales tipped toward Diane, and the Fatebinder looked at the Justicar, whose eyebrows rose at her statement. However, he spoke in a deep voice, causing the scales to balance once more. “I am Justicar Ivan Hall of the Kingdom of Kelvanis. I have been granted full authority by the Archon to negotiate on Kelvanis’ behalf.”

“Witnessed,” Gavin spoke gravely. “Have both of you read and fully understand the treaty which sits before you?”

“Yes.” Both spoke nearly simultaneously, causing the scales to barely quiver.

“Witnessed. Queen Diane Yisara. Do you confirm that you are in good health, and that you will allow yourself to be taken captive by Kelvanis immediately, and that you will not attempt to foment any escape or rebellion for a minimum of one month? You also agree not to attempt to kill yourself while in Kelvanis’ custody?” Gavin asked her.

“To the best of my knowledge, I am healthy and fit. I agree to the terms listed.” Diane spoke more softly this time, an angry glint in her eyes as the scales tilted toward her once more.

“Justicar Ivan Hall. Do you confirm that Kelvanis will release all captives taken in the raid on Golden Vale save for Princess Jaine Yisara within one hour of this agreement being signed? Do you affirm that a state of peace will persist between Kelvanis and Yisara and that no raids will be allowed by those in Kelvanis’ territory for a period not less than ten years, unless Yisara chooses to declare war?” Gavin’s voice didn’t change as he looked at the man, his own eyes hardening.

“I agree, and confirm that this will be done.” Ivan seemed far less happy than Diane had expected, but his voice was clear and firm as the scales balanced once more.

“Witnessed. Do both of you hereby agree to the terms of this agreement in full? If you agree, your bargain will be sealed before the eyes of Fate Himself.” Gavin asked for final confirmation, magic crackling around the scale almost like lightning.

“Yes.” Once again both spoke, and this time, each of their signatures were etched into their contracts in golden light. Similarly, their names appeared on the contract in Gavin’s hand. A moment later, that contract flared brightly and vanished in motes of light, quickly followed by the scales.

“Witnessed and sealed. This bargain has been struck before Fate, and destiny itself will turn against those who dare break it,” Gavin finished, lowering his hands. Turning to Diane, he spoke carefully. “Your copy, Lady Diane, that I may return it to your successor?”

“Of course, Gavin,” Diane replied heavily, feeling the weight of her position lift from her shoulders, even as a heavier one descended upon her. She offered it to Gavin, who nodded and looked to the Justicar.

“One hour,” Gavin said simply.

“Of course. It will be done,” Hall replied, nodding, and watching as Gavin left. He didn’t say farewell, but Diane had asked him not to beforehand.

Looking at the Justicar for a moment, Diane snorted and asked, “What now? Do you chain me up and brand me?”

“Hardly. You agreed to be taken captive and not attempt to escape. So you will be politely taken back to Westgate, along with your daughter, and transported to Kelvanath. You will be hosted in the palace as honored guests… though from what I am given to understand, any attempted escapes will lead to a branding,” Ivan replied, standing up.

“That is… unexpected.” Diane slowly rose herself, feeling tiny beside the Justicar. He was more than half a foot taller than her!

“I agree. But it is what was commanded.” Hall paused, then smiled thinly. “And I don’t know what the catch is either.”

“Just lovely. Well, get on with it,” Diane muttered, standing and preparing to follow the man. There was no way in all the hells that she was going to risk turning Fate against Yisara.

Chapter 32

Looking at the small, whirling array of crystals near the steam engine in the corner, Daniel frowned and asked, “Joseph? Mind if I ask something?”

“You can ask anything you want,” the priest replied lazily, glancing up from his prayer book. “I won’t guarantee an answer, though.”

“This is more an idle curiosity. Why haven’t I ever seen you or the others with the little gadgets that Albert has? He’s got that oddball monocle that he uses to examine ingredients, the gauntlet that he uses to pick up hot stuff, and things like that little… crystal swarm,” Daniel asked, gesturing at the set of crystals. Joseph laughed, shaking his head as he sat up.

“That’s a weather predictor, Daniel. And the reason why we don’t have anything like those is because we can’t maintain them,” Joseph explained, closing the book for the moment. “Most enchanted items are pretty simple. You say a word, the sword catches on fire. But even those enchantments are difficult to craft. Artificers, though? They push their ideas to the very limit of what’s theorized. That monocle can be used for half a dozen different things, including analyzing creatures from other worlds and their auras. They are so complex that even slightly misusing them can cause them to break down, and the wrong conditions in the world around them can break them too. An artificer is trained to use mana on an instinctive level I can’t match, to help keep their gear from blowing up in their faces.”

“Oh. Well, I suppose that makes a lot more sense.” Daniel nodded, a little dazed thinking about the idea of items that could explode. It made his curiosity about artificers recede somewhat, actually. He liked having his face.

“Nervous about the summoning ritual?” Joseph asked kindly, smiling broadly.

“More than a little,” Daniel admitted, taking a deep breath. “What if I mess up?”

“That’s why Albert and I are going to be here, Daniel. He can dismiss or contain any summon you could possibly call, given your mana reserves,” Joseph reassured him, grinning as he added, “And I can heal any damage it could do before Albert manages it.”

“That’s not terribly comforting,” Daniel replied, his voice turning somewhat dry. “I hoped that I wouldn’t have a chance to get hurt.”

“Don’t screw up the chant, then,” Joseph told him. At that moment, the door opened and Albert stepped into the room, blinking.

“Why would he mess up at the chant?” Albert asked, frowning. “Penelope said he wasn’t half bad at it, given his schooling. From her, that’s high praise.”

“Yes, but we were trying not to make him overconfident. Thanks a lot, Albert,” Joseph retorted, grinning as Daniel blinked in surprise. In answer to his unspoken question, Joseph nodded. “While she wouldn’t say you were worth training to be a mage, Penny does think you’re good enough. Otherwise, we’d never suggest doing this after only a couple of weeks of real training.”

“Well, that’s comforting. I was starting to get really worried.” Daniel let out a breath of relief, relaxing slightly, only to tense when Albert shook his head.

“Don’t relax. You might be good enough, but you need to be careful. Magic is a powerful tool, but a tool is only as good as its user,” Albert scolded, smiling despite that. “But even so, don’t be afraid of it, either. Even if it goes badly, we’ll keep you safe. That’s why the guild does all of this, Daniel.”

“Right. I’ll do my best,” Daniel affirmed, feeling more than a little nervous, but hopeful as well.

“Good. Let’s go get started, then,” Albert replied with a smile. “I’m curious to see what sort of spirit you end up with.”

“I thought that your affinities determined that,” Daniel replied, standing up and stretching his back. His lower back was slightly sore, and he frowned. “That’s why Darak sent me to Penelope, wasn’t it?”

“Darak thinks that because he’s a fiery-tempered, rock-headed dwarf,” Joseph interjected as they opened the door and headed for one of the rooms farthest from the main building. Daniel noticed, and it made him slightly apprehensive, but he also tried to listen to Joseph as the cleric explained. “While your affinities increase the odds of attracting a spirit of a particular type, a larger part of the calculation is your personality. Darak loves stone, and he’s a bit impatient, so his spirits simply lined up with his affinities. Similarly for Penelope, whose mood changes a lot. I have no idea what yours will be, though water seems the most likely to me.”

“That would make sense based on what I’ve heard,” Albert agreed, opening the door and revealing a broad chamber. An elaborate magical circle was marked in chalk in the center of the room, and two chairs sat on either side of it. “Now then, shall we get started?”

“Sure. I just step into the circle and go through the spell I memorized, right?” Daniel asked.

“Technically it’s a ritual… but that’s accurate enough,” Albert agreed, while Joseph took a seat, leaning back as he got comfortable.

Daniel nodded, swallowing as he carefully stepped over the circle. The last thing he needed was to mess it up and ruin the ritual, before it even started. Settling down into a cross-legged position in the circle, he took a deep breath and asked, “Is there anything I should expect?”

“It’s hard to say. The ritual is different for everyone, with exceedingly few people having the same experiences,” Joseph told him, shaking his head. “Just… go with the flow of the spell. Do your best, Daniel.”

“Okay, here I go…” Daniel took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Gingerly, he teased out a thread of the faint warm ‘ball’ he’d come to realize was his mana and guided it downward into the floor. It took almost half of his supply before it reached the floor and began to spread. Around him, the runes of the diagram began to glow.

As Daniel began to speak the words of his ritual, the remainder of his mana slowly left him, leaving him feeling strangely empty after a few minutes. Almost as empty as he’d felt when he’d lost Sina, in fact. The memory of Sina filled Daniel with sorrow, and his eyes prickled with unshed tears as in the midst of his spell, he remembered her. He barely noticed that he was still mouthing the words of the spell as he fell into introspection and memories.

Daniel remembered Sina’s first, hesitant smile. He remembered how she had slowly warmed to him. That moment that he’d been forced to leave her would always be with him as well. He’d been so angry, at Sergeant Helm who’d ordered them to retreat, at the dungeon that had killed her, and above all, at himself, for being so useless he couldn’t save her. That rage had persisted for a time, but meeting Darak and the others had cooled it somewhat. He still didn’t like the dungeon, but he’d realized that it hadn’t been necessarily intentional on its part. But even that had been replaced by something else when he’d gone inside and seen Ilmas. No matter how the man had protested, it gave real hope that Sina was still alive. It gave a drive to Daniel’s actions that hadn’t been there before. And that spark… it grew within him, as if a light was within his mind when the words of the ritual came to an end.

“You called for Hope. You wished for it.” A resonant voice of light and music spoke in Daniel’s mind, and he started, eyes snapping open as he looked at the other two. All around him, the circle glowed with pure white light, and both of the other men watched with stunned expressions. The voice continued, though. “I am called Hope. Do you wish a contract with me?”

“I…” Daniel swallowed and looked at Joseph in confusion.

“Daniel, agree. Whatever conditions the spirit may have, just… agree,” Joseph quickly spoke, his eyes wide.

“I would like to make a contract with you,” Daniel told the voice, wondering what price it would have for him, and why Joseph was so surprised.

“Then let it be done. So long as you seek Hope, I will answer your call,” the voice spoke to him, and it was like a gentle hand patted his shoulder. With the touch, he felt a strange light grow within him, separate from the tiny ball of mana and much more soothing. All around him, the light from the circle faded.

“What conditions did it have?” Albert asked, his voice unexpectedly eager.

“Umm… it just said that as long as I seek hope, it would answer my call,” Daniel replied, taken aback. “What’s the big deal? Why did Joseph tell me to agree?”

“No conditions?” Albert looked like someone had just hit him in between the eyes. “You lucky little bastard!”

“Hey!” Daniel protested, taken aback and somewhat outraged by the comment.

“Daniel, that was a light elemental. Likely an angelic spirit of some kind. I’ve heard of two other people with them in my life,” Joseph interjected, his voice trembling with excitement. “You’ll have access to powers that are incredibly rare, from holy attacks to healing! From everything I’ve heard, most people are simply too selfish to be capable of contracting them.”

“What? But… that doesn’t make any sense! It just… it just agreed! All I did was cast the spell like I was told to,” Daniel protested, blinking as he looked between them.

“Shit. I can’t believe that you got a light spirit. I’ve always wanted one myself!” Albert muttered, scowling as he stood up.

“It’s not like I chose to summon one,” Daniel retorted, then hesitated, slowly getting to his feet as he asked, “How do I summon it, anyway?”

“You’re going to have to wait until tomorrow when you have some of your mana reserves back,” Joseph explained, smiling broadly. “Then it’s as simple as mentally calling for your spirit and using your mana to connect to it.”

“Simple. Right,” Daniel replied, and sighed as he noticed that his mana was essentially gone. “Well, you’re right that I don’t have any mana, so I suppose I’ll go get lunch and sit around. I feel like I was run over by a wagon for some reason.”

“Heh. Yeah, running out of mana does that to you. It’s not a bad idea to rest, so long as you don’t overdo it,” the cleric replied with a chuckle, grinning. “Now get going, before Albert dies of apoplexy.”

“I’m not going to die!” Albert shot back, glaring at the cleric.

“Fine. Let’s let him pout in peace,” Joseph corrected himself, grinning even more as he pushed Daniel toward the door.

Albert’s growl of annoyance was enough to put a smile on Daniel’s face, and he chuckled quietly as they quickly left.

Chapter 33

“What’s Sistina doing?” Phynis asked, frowning as she watched the dryad.

Sistina was sitting cross-legged, an emerald the size of a joint of Desa’s thumb between two fingers. In her other hand was a long, thin twig that almost looked like a toothpick. The dryad was slowly tracing patterns over the gemstone, and Desa could just barely sense a hint of mana from the twig. The look of intense concentration on Sistina’s face was enough that neither elf was willing to interrupt her, which was likely why Phynis had asked Desa instead.

“I have no idea. I can tell that she’s drawing magical runes, but that’s all I can tell you. I can’t even see any markings where she’s touched it, though,” Desa replied quietly. “At a guess, it’s for that golem she brought back.”

“Mm. What is with that golem, anyway? Sistina called it a ‘masterpiece’ when I asked her about it, and had an expression of… I don’t know, respect?” Phynis added, glancing at the golem in question, and Desa looked at it as well, motionless against Sistina Constella’s tomb. Sistina had even given the golem new clothing, which Desa found slightly odd.

“That’s a difficult question to answer. That she can even make golems is impressive entirely on its own,” Desa admitted, frowning as she thought.

Golems were a lost craft from before the Godsrage. The current constructs she’d heard of were powered by mana which had to be infused at regular intervals to keep them functioning. On the other hand, golems could draw mana from the air around them and even absorb part of spells used to attack them. Their mana was usually used to repair themselves and remain functioning, but a few, like Sistina’s, had also been designed to use magical effects with the mana. Because of their power most had been built as mobile siege engines, and not on the scale of an individual person. Rarely, war golems had been found patrolling ancient ruins, or even more rarely, had been found dormant and ready to be awakened by a new owner.

If Sistina called the new golem a masterpiece, Desa wasn’t going to argue with her. And what she had said before, about a soulgem… Desa considered before answering slowly. “She indicated that it was once used to house a priestess’ soul when I saw her bringing it back. I don’t know about that, but maybe she’s intending to use it as a spare body? She said she was trapped in a soulgem for a long time, if I remember right.”

“I suppose we’ll just… have to wait and see. That doesn’t feel right to me for some reason,” Phynis murmured, frowning more. “She seems too serious about that. Like she has to get it perfectly correct.”

Looking at Sistina’s steady gaze, Desa considered before nodding, her voice soft. “I think you’re right.”

* * *

Setting down her twig, Sistina examined the gemstone carefully. The last thing she wanted at this stage was to have made a mistake in the inscriptions.

The reason that neither of the other women could see what she was doing was because she was using carefully controlled threads of mana to make the inscriptions inside the gemstone itself. While Sistina could create a gemstone easily with the power over her domain she possessed, such fine details as the runes within this gem were beyond her abilities. They were too intricate and carefully crafted. Much like the golem itself, if she were being honest. The golem was a masterpiece of magical engineering that she couldn’t comprehend being made without the aid of direct divine inspiration. Her own golems were like the playthings of a child next to it.

Nonetheless, that didn’t mean that Sistina didn’t understand what the golem did. If Desa or Phynis could see the interior of the golem, they would truly be aghast at the sheer complexity of the spell-forms that had been carved into it. Bones of adamantine, nerves of gold, and muscles of mithral all were perfectly formed inside the golem, with living stone ‘flesh’ layered over the exterior of the figure. The enchantments were built to allow a soul to inhabit the golem like an immortal body, and to make it functionally the same as a true living body.

Like she had told Phynis, it was an absolute masterpiece.

Integrating the soul was the difficult part. She needed to get the gemstone right so that it could interface and allow the soul within to control the body. But finally, she nodded and slotted it into the waiting socket in the golem’s chest. The jewel gleamed in place, and Sistina retreated from her body for a moment to more thoroughly examine the connections. Everything looked good, but she wasn’t certain yet. The moment of truth would be when she placed Farris’ soul within the soulgem.

“Are you done?” Phynis asked, and Sistina reinhabited the body again quickly and shook her head.

“Wait. Last thing,” Sistina told her, then frowned. “Hope got correct.”

“If you are hoping you got it right, I don’t think the entire Vara’Sel Academy of Magi could manage it,” Desa interjected, her voice dry.

Sistina simply shrugged, turning back to the golem and reaching into her sea of consciousness to gently call for Farris. Farris’ soul resisted her call for a moment, seemingly enraptured by the knowledge she was studying, but after a moment, the elven soul reluctantly allowed herself to be drawn out once more. The soul took shape in her hand, a glowing green orb of light that would quickly dissipate if not held by her will and domain. And so she gently guided it into the soulgem, which accepted it willingly.

Feeling the mana begin to flow through the golem, waking it from its long sleep, Sistina smiled.

* * *

“What is…?” Phynis began, her voice trailing off as she stared at the green glowing orb that Sistina had just guided into the gemstone on the golem’s chest.

The gem glowed, and she saw threads of green light stretch out across the golem’s body for a moment, and suddenly the golem’s chest rose as if it were taking a breath, and dust blew from its mouth. The skin of the golem seemed to soften, and the lights began to fade. But it was Sistina’s soft voice that truly stunned Phynis into silence. “Wake up, Farris.”

Looking at Desa, Phynis’ eyes went huge as the eyes of the golem opened, revealing glass orbs with a spark of green light reminiscent of irises in them. And it licked its lips for a moment, coughing before it spoke in a familiar voice.

* * *

Farris may have been left within the region of Sistina’s sea of knowledge that encompassed magic, but she didn’t stay there. She had drifted through the fragments of knowledge that Sistina had recalled, her mind and knowledge expanding almost explosively as she absorbed lessons that had been slowly learned over thousands of years. She caught hints of Sistina’s prior personality, and thought she might have gotten a few clues of who she might once have been.

Despite those tempting hints, Farris had focused on furthering her knowledge of magic. It was obvious to her that Sistina had forgotten far more about magic than Farris had learned in her entire life. The formulae and spells that Sistina used, the theory behind it, was as instinctive to Sistina as breathing was to anyone else. And yet… oddly enough, Farris now knew that Sistina was actually slow at casting spells. Saving Phynis had been a near thing, in part because Sistina had cast the spell slower than Farris would have been able to, had Farris possessed the power and knowledge necessary.

The deceased elf’s magical knowledge had increased explosively, and thus she was somewhat reluctant when Sistina had gently called for her to come out again. It had been a mental struggle, but finally, reluctantly, Farris had let go and allowed herself to be drawn into the world once more.

Her sight was disorienting at first. Without a body, she could see in all directions at once, so it was bizarre. Desa and Phynis were nearby, as was Sistina, but nearest was the golem body. Farris only knew a little about the body, but she knew enough to be startled that Sistina was offering it to her.

Slipping into the gemstone effortlessly, Farris shivered as she felt the spells designed to sustain her come to life, and then… then she was connecting to the golem, and it became her in truth.

Magic flowed through it like blood through her veins. It drew in mana like a mortal would, allowing her the full capabilities of her magic, and it softened to allow her to move normally, not with the cumbersome steps of other golems. She shivered as she felt the slave brand appear on her lower body again. That it hadn’t vanished was somewhat worrying, but now at least she knew why that was.

“Wake up, Farris.” Sistina’s voice was a gentle reminder that she shouldn’t get lost in the sensation of having a body again, and she slowly opened her eyes, blinking and licking her lips. It was odd, but considering how long the golem body had been sitting, she shouldn’t be surprised that her mouth was dusty.

“Hello, Sistina,” she spoke, then saw the shocked expressions of the other two, and she felt that if they could have, her cheeks would have colored as she added hesitantly, “Umm… hello, Desa, Phynis. It’s nice to be back.”

“F-Farris? That’s… how? How did Sistina…?” Phynis gasped, looking at the dryad, who blushed slightly herself.

“Complicated. Have considered. Explanation… difficult,” Sistina replied, frowning. Farris shook her head, slowly standing up.

“I can explain for you, Sistina. While you held me, I learned what I could,” Farris interjected, examining her slate-gray arms and testing her fingers. She was much heavier now… she’d have to be careful about sitting in chairs.

“Then you’re really Farris? What happened?” Desa asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. Farris smiled at the suspicion in her eyes. Even now, Desa was willing to defend Phynis, which was reassuring.

“Yes, I’m really Farris. Not a copy or something, either,” Farris replied, frowning. “As to what happened… the Adjudicator cut my throat and I died. Pretty damned simple, and stupid from my perspective. I know I was being drawn to the afterlife, when I realized that the brand was still on my soul. It was drawing me to Sistina, while Ryala’s realm was calling to me. I could choose which I wished to go to, in part because Sistina wasn’t pulling on it. If she had, I would have gone to her without a choice. I feared that the brands do this as well as everything we’ve known. A fear that was borne out by what I learned when I chose to come to Sistina, and she chose to let me learn among her own memories.”

“The brands are demonic in nature. If they draw us to whomever ‘owns’ them, doesn’t that mean that when slaves die, they go to the demon that owns the brand?” Desa asked, her voice growing ugly at the implication, and sounding like she was sick to her stomach. “Oh, those Kelvanian bastards.”

“Oh, gods above…” Phynis prayed, shivering as she understood as well, scowling. “And they do this willingly?”

“Actually, I doubt that they know. At least, not all of them,” Farris corrected, frowning. “The command sigils are a version of the slave brand, and should have the same effect. As such, I truly doubt that Kelvanis could have kept this secret if every person with a command sigil knew. I suspect that only the highest authorities of the country know, and that they don’t care.”

“Shit. That’s almost worse. Even if we told them… I doubt they’d believe us. They would just think we were making it up for our own benefit,” Phynis murmured, obviously speculating. “I don’t know what we can do with the information. And how can it be broken.”

“We already know that answer. Kill the demon behind it,” Desa spoke up, her eyes hardening as she stood up. “And it gives additional impetus to our research. I need to help Ellis and Zarenya. But there’s one I need to ask as well.”

“What’s that?” Phynis asked, frowning and obviously nervous as she thought on the subject.

“Sistina now owns your brand, mine, and those of every priestess in the dungeon,” Desa explained, looking at Sistina as she took a deep breath, and asked, “Sistina… can you promise that you wouldn’t try to hold onto any of us if we died?”

Phynis looked about to say something, but Sistina raised a hand to quiet her. Farris watched the dryad, growing worried as she saw the pensive look on Sistina’s face. The dryad seemed to be uncertain, and after a minute she spoke, her voice less sure than normal. “Unsure.”

Desa took a breath to speak, but Sistina continued looking at them almost sadly. “Was alone. Content. Before Lily. Grew comfortable. Grew… empathy. But tree. Two alone. Then Desa. Phynis. Ilmas. Sina. Crowded, loud… comforting. Phynis approached. Feelings… changed. Need Phynis. Lonely.”

The dryad reached out and caressed the tomb that contained her namesake, considering a long moment, and then nodded slightly as she spoke calmly. “One solution. Kill demon first. Then decide.”

“No!” Phynis cried out, jumping to her feet angrily and glaring at Sistina, tears in her eyes. “That is not a solution! Killing you won’t help a damned thing!”

Desa quickly interrupted, her voice gentle as she could manage. “Phynis, Sistina is the one who suggested it, but please, think about this logically. You were forced to love her, and she’s trying to give us a way out. All of us.”

“I don’t—” Phynis began, but Farris took that moment to clear her throat and speak.

“If I may interject… actually, that isn’t true, Desa. Not anymore.” Farris spoke calmly, and nervously. She was stunned that Sistina would even consider such a possibility, but… there were those strange fragments from her previous lives to consider.

“What are you talking about?” Desa asked, taking a step away from Phynis, whose hands were clenched. Phynis looked conflicted between anger and curiosity… and Sistina had turned away and was carefully studying the tomb’s door.

“When Sistina healed Phynis… I studied the spell when I was in her mind, and her memories of it. For an instant, Phynis died and her soul detached from her body. During that instant, Sistina could safely fully regenerate Phynis’ body and remove the modifications without destroying Phynis’ mind. So she did. She used a regeneration spell to return Phynis’ body to what it should have been,” Farris explained, choosing not to explain how the dryad had also removed all the imperfections from Phynis’ body as well as she continued. “And when she returned Phynis to her body, Sistina chose to let her decide what her feelings were. If she fell out of love with her, Sistina would have accepted it.”

“What? I… I didn’t…” Phynis looked at Sistina, stunned. After a moment, she asked, “Sistina? Is this true?”

Sistina took a long moment to reply, then bowed her head and nodded slightly. “Yes.”

“Then why? I’ve kept getting closer to you, and you’ve been so, so… receptive. Why would you be willing to die?” Phynis demanded, tears sparkling in her eyes.

“Am old,” Sistina spoke simply, turning to look at them, her eyes showing her age once more as she nodded at Desa. “Had life. Lived long. You? Deserve life. Deserve choice. Will consent. All must decide.”

“But… but…” Phynis tried to speak, but the young woman couldn’t seem to get out her words, her eyes bright as tears began to stream down her face. “This isn’t fair! Just because a demon is using the power to do horrible things doesn’t mean that… that…”

Unable to continue any further, Phynis turned and ran toward the bedroom Sistina had made for her, tears streaming down her face as she left them behind, and with Desa staring after her in a daze. Farris heard the mage mumble under her breath. “I didn’t know. I thought it was completely manufactured. Not… not real.”

Sistina sighed aloud, and her voice was soft. “Miscalculation. Should have explained.”

Farris looked between them awkwardly, and shook her head. Then she spoke sharply. “Then the two of you should fix it.”

Both of them looked at her in surprise, and the newly reborn elf let out an exasperated sigh. Why were they so dense at times? She glared and pointed after Phynis. “Go after her and talk to her. Now.”

Sistina hesitated, then nodded and started following the princess, and Desa swallowed, speaking softly before following her. “Thank you, Farris.”

“You shouldn’t thank me,” Farris muttered, then looked down at herself and scowled. “Who picked my clothing, anyway?”

Chapter 34

Standing in the circular teleportation chamber, Diane squeezed Jaine’s shoulder gently as she glanced around at the pair of guards accompanying them, as well as the array of runes on the ground, glowing as they prepared to send them out of Westgate.

Jaine had long since exhausted her tears, and Diane was putting a brave face on their situation to try to keep her daughter’s spirits up. That they hadn’t been mistreated so far had calmed the younger elf, but Diane had simply found it making her more tense and suspicious of what was to come. It had taken several days for them to travel from the border to Westgate, but they had reached Westgate the previous night. The Justicar had left them alone until morning, and he’d looked somewhat irritated about something before he’d sent them off.

Anything that annoyed the Justicar led to Diane feeling a little more optimistic, so she could only hope that it would lead to a setback for Kelvanis. For the moment, though, she wasn’t feeling much in the way of hope.

The teleportation platform finished charging, and the runes flashed with light that enveloped those standing on it for an instant. It took a few moments for the side effects of the instant transportation to catch up with Diane, and she felt her stomach heave at the abrupt sensation that felt like she’d suddenly been dragged across a room in an instant. It was disorienting, but she suppressed it with practiced ease, only wincing slightly. Fortunately, Jaine managed to maintain her own composure as well. Both of them had experienced teleportation before, so it wasn’t a surprise.

Appearing in a nearly identical chamber on the other end, Diane looked at one of their escorts and asked, “Now where?”

“We should be met just outside, Lady Diane,” the woman replied politely, nodding her head as she approached the door and opened it.

On the other side of the door was a short hall that was heavily fortified. Many nations fortified their teleportation nodes, especially when they connected to nodes outside of their own borders. Yisara was largely no exception, except that the node that had been used had been believed to be utterly inaccessible. Diane suspected that Beryl and Torkal were fixing that already, but she couldn’t be certain.

Passing through the halls of heavy stone and metal-reinforced doors, Diane barely suppressed a flinch as she stepped into a broad chamber where a handsome human man in a purple robe waited, his hands folded behind himself and a confident smile on his face. Behind him were a pair of plain-looking men, each with short blades at their sides and dark armor, and a full platoon of soldiers. The dark-haired man looked at her, blinking once before he smiled.

“Ah! Queen Diane Yisara and her lovely daughter, Jaine, I presume?” the man asked, stepping forward with a broad smile on his face.

“Former queen. And whom might you be?” Diane asked, glaring at the man.

“I am Archon Ulvian Sorvos. It’s a pity that you had to step down, but I’m not surprised that you chose to do so,” the man replied, giving a slight bow.

“Ah. So, you’re the bastard who ordered my daughter’s abduction, as well as those of my realm,” Diane spoke tartly, her eyes narrowing. “I hope you get kicked in the head by a horse and die.”

Ulvian blinked, then chuckled, grinning at her for a moment. He seemed amused as he spoke. “I see that you’re rather direct, Lady Diane. I can appreciate that. However, I intend to live a long, healthy life. At least for a human.”

Jaine was quivering under Diane’s arm, and Diane gave her a gentle hug again as she glared at him for a moment, then asked icily, “Good for you. Well, now what, since you’ve forced me to give myself up to you?”

“First, we’re going back to the palace, where you will be given a pair of lovely rooms in a nicer wing of the palace. You will each be fitted with a bracelet that tracks where you are to prevent your escape, but aside from that, you will be given a fair amount of freedom. Why, you’ll even be given an allowance and allowed to go on shopping trips in the city,” Ulvian told them, smiling as he gestured for them to follow him. “There are only three things you are required to do, aside from staying where you are instructed to, of course. Cooperate and things will go quite well for you.”

“I’m certain you think that. And what would these requirements be?” Diane asked, guiding Jaine forward as the soldiers closed in around them. “Or do you intend to keep them secret?”

“Oh, no! I wouldn’t do something that foolish. The requirements are fairly simple.” Ulvian’s reply was quick, and he chuckled again. “First, you’re required to attend all services at the new temple of Tyria. Second, you must attend dinner or state functions with me when requested… which will be every night, unless I change plans. Of course, you must also be on your best behavior. And last, you must permit a healer to check on you and attend to you weekly. Any of these can be given leeway if you are ill or such… though the last would be unlikely. I think they are relatively reasonable.”

“Of course you would think they were reasonable,” Diane shot back, frowning to herself. She fought internally for a moment before grudgingly admitting, “Though they don’t seem too egregious. I have not heard of Tyria, on the other hand.”

They stepped out of the teleportation hub and into the street, and Diane flinched at the sights and sounds of the city. The streets were paved in cobblestones and the buildings were largely masonry, stretching as far as she could see in any direction. The faint scent of seawater came from the east, and the skyline was crowded with buildings. Diane had seen human cities before, but this was among the largest she’d ever seen. In front of their group was a carriage and another platoon of soldiers, waiting with horses.

Ulvian politely opened the carriage and waited for the two of them to enter and take a seat on the plush cushions before entering himself, sitting across from them comfortably. As the carriage started to move, he spoke again. “Tyria only recently revealed herself to High Priestess Elissa. She is a goddess of fire, passion, and slaves… which I think appropriate in Kelvanis.”

“You…!” Diane’s anger spiked for a moment, but she took a breath, then let it out slowly. Finally she asked, “I assume that we don’t have to convert, at least.”

“Correct. Jaine? Are you well? You haven’t said a word since we met,” Ulvian asked, seeming honestly concerned.

“I… I’m scared of being here,” Jaine mumbled, leaning into Diane, staring at him in confusion. Diane realized that his easy manner was pushing her daughter off-balance, and frowned. It wasn’t like she could warn her in front of him. Worse yet, the man’s friendly personality seemed natural, which must make him even more effective at putting people at ease.

“Well, I hope you settle in soon. I have been looking forward to seeing you both as guests,” the Archon replied with an easy smile. “As long as you don’t violate my rules, you’ll be fine.”

“Why did you even want us, then?” Jaine asked before Diane could speak.

Ulvian blinked, then tilted his head and asked, slightly bemused, “Do you want the honest answer?”

“Of course I do!” Jaine replied, seeming startled as she gestured around them. “I don’t want to be here! I want to be back home with my mother and father! You took that away from me, why?”

“Hmm. As direct as your mother, I see. I approve!” Ulvian laughed, smiling as he shrugged and told her happily, “Quite honestly, you’re both trophies. Those inside Kelvanis will see what we’ve managed to do, and other neighboring nations will hesitate to act against us. I see no real downsides to capturing the pair of you.”

“That’s because you are an evil bastard,” Diane hissed, as Jaine’s eyes went huge.

“Think what you like,” Ulvian told her indulgently, smiling. “Ah, that’s the cathedral of Tyria to our right! It used to be a different temple, so it’s undergoing some renovations as the donations come in.”

Neither replied, though Diane did look at the building, with all of the scaffolding around it. It was a large temple, and the deity that it was supposedly dedicated to concerned her. But she shrugged, sitting back and giving Jaine a comforting hug. It was only a minute later that they entered the palace, and as they did so, Diane frowned.

The imposing edifice of stone looked almost impregnable, with most surfaces of its exterior covered in engraved spells to help reinforce the stonework. Guards patrolled the walls, and the palace itself was squat and gloomy looking. The building was nothing like her open, airy palace in Yisara, and a small part of Diane felt like it died at the thought of being trapped in such an enclosed, claustrophobic building.

Unfortunately, she had no other choice, and the carriage slowed as it came to a stop in the courtyard in front of the palace. Ulvian smiled as he exited, holding out a hand politely. “Let me help you down, and we can have lunch before you get a tour. Then we can find you your rooms and maids, hmm?”

Diane gritted her teeth, then took his hand.

* * *

“And here are your rooms, ladies. A full bathhouse and restroom is at your disposal at the end of the halls, and the other rooms are unoccupied at present,” Ulvian explained, hours later and after an excruciating dinner. Nodding to a pair of human women, he added, “These are Maria and Meredith. They’re sisters, and are your maids. They will help you with any request within reason.”

The wing they’d been brought into only had a single set of double doors for an exit, and a thick series of rugs covered the stone floor. Lanterns provided light in the late evening, and there were three doors on either side of the hallway, with a single one at the far end of the hall. Guards stood outside the exit to the hall, which gave Diane a quite clear idea that they were viewed as prisoners, even if the simple gold bracelet wrapped seamlessly around her left wrist didn’t.

Maria and Meredith were both typical women from Kelvanis, with similar facial features and body types. They had dark, curly hair to their shoulders, dark eyes, and stood a little taller than Diane or Jaine did, with the curvier figures of humans. Their skin was a bit paler, and both wore black blouses and long black skirts that left their midriffs exposed. Diane and Jaine had quickly realized that this was typical of slaves, as all the others they’d seen wore clothing that exposed their brands, from a number of male servers and footmen to other maids and servants. Maria and Meredith didn’t have the usual black brands, each instead branded with the pink, almost floral crests of courtesans.

“And what is within reason?” Diane asked, eying them warily. The different brand made her suspicious.

Ulvian chuckled again, smiling as he nodded at them. “So long as it doesn’t involve attempting to hurt yourselves, sabotaging Kelvanis, or escaping, they’re at your disposal. Please don’t make them hurt themselves, though. It took some time to find maids that I felt were up to serving royalty, or even former royalty.”

“Why in all the gods would we hurt them?” Jaine asked, looking horrified. “That’s just… just…”

“Some people enjoy that sort of thing, I’m afraid, Lady Jaine. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have my own bed calling for me,” the Archon replied, bowing his head slightly before turning to leave them in the hallway.

“So, what can we expect from you two?” Diane asked after a moment, studying the pair, frowning slightly.

“I am Maria, and was commanded to serve as your maid, Lady Diane,” one of them spoke softly, bowing her head slightly. “As to what I am to do? I am tasked with serving your every need. I have a small chamber attached to your bedroom that I may better serve you, and be available at every hour. I have no other tasks.”

Her sister, Meredith, nodded politely, her voice a bit stronger as she spoke. “And I am commanded to serve Lady Jaine as her maid.”

“I see. Well, I wish to go to bed. It has been an upsetting, exhausting day,” Diane told Maria, glancing over at Jaine.

“I think I want a bath. Do the baths need to be heated, or are they persistent?” Jaine asked, seeming a little nervous as she looked at Meredith, but less so than when the Archon had been present. Diane noticed her eyes darting down to the slave brand and back again, and suppressed a sigh. She honestly couldn’t blame her daughter for the morbid fascination with the brands, though.

“The baths are large enough for a dozen people to use at once, and are heated via magic,” Maria explained, smiling slightly before she gestured to the left. “Your room is this way, my lady.”

“Good night, Jaine. I’ll see you in the morning,” Diane told her daughter, then scowled at the maid as she followed her to the room. “And I am not your lady, Maria.”

“Good night, mother,” Jaine replied, and followed Meredith as the maid led her to her own room.

“What would you prefer that I call you, my lady?” Maria asked, opening the door for Diane.

“Diane. Simply Diane,” the former monarch replied, looking around the room. It wasn’t anything too impressive or too simple. There was good carpeting on the floor, decent rugs and pictures, and the solid furniture common to humans. The bed looked comfortable enough, a massive four-poster piece that was larger than she needed, but which wouldn’t be too much amiss. She didn’t bother looking in the wardrobe or closet, and frowned slightly as she asked, “Are there any nightgowns for me?”

“There are, but they will likely be a touch large, Diane,” Maria told her, closing the door and moving to the wardrobe. “I was instructed to have new clothing ordered on the morrow after the seamstress visits.”

“I suppose that will suffice for now,” Diane replied, then paused a moment before her voice softened. “My… apologies for my manners, Maria, but I find my situation quite upsetting. I do have one thing I wish you to make certain of. I do not wish to be taken unawares, so no one else is to be allowed into my rooms unless you have ensured that I am awake.”

“I can understand your feelings, Diane. I may not be in your exact position, but few choose to become slaves willingly either,” Maria acknowledged, folding her hands as she nodded to a door to the side of the entrance as she opened the wardrobe. “Those are my chambers, so you are aware. I will do as you ask, though.”

“Good. Now then, I need some sleep and a chance to recover.” Diane sighed, rubbing her temples to fight off her headache.

Pulling out a nightgown that was just a bit too long, Maria nodded and smiled. “As you wish.”

* * *

“We’ve received the soldiers who were in the dungeon, Ulvian,” Decira, one of the succubi of his lady reported in the midst of the massage. “What would you like us to do with them?”

“Hmm… that feels wonderful, Decira,” the Archon replied happily, a smile on his face. “Let me see… well, I would like the five of you to wring them dry of any information they can provide about the dungeon or its inhabitants.”

“Certainly.” Decira purred happily, her massage intensifying. “What about once they’ve been fully plumbed of information?”

“At that point, I have no need of them. Don’t worry about turning them, either,” Ulvian replied comfortably, groaning for a moment before adding, “And… make sure they can’t talk about what happened. Do what you want, otherwise.”

“We’d be delighted!” the succubus replied, happiness in her voice. “None of us have been able to feed properly since we got here.”

“I’ll try to fix that,” Ulvian murmured, closing his eyes. “Who’s dealing with the elves, anyway?”

“Wenris. She won the draw.” Decira’s voice was grumpy, but only slightly. “Still, she’s also the most experienced at a proper corruption, so I really shouldn’t complain.”

“Excellent. We’ll just leave it in her expert hands, and let the rest of you relax.” The Archon grinned, adding, “Now, I need to sleep, and you have soldiers to interrogate.”

“Indeed. Good night, Lord Archon.” The demoness chuckled, then got up to leave Ulvian to his sleep.

* * *

Diane fell asleep almost unnaturally quickly in the bed. In fact, there was very little natural about it, as the enchantments carved into the bed performed their work. Moments later, a soft glow surrounded Diane’s head as another set of enchantments activated as well.

* * *

Blinking as she overcame her disorientation, Diane looked around herself in confusion.

She was sitting in a chair under her favorite gazebo in the Royal Gardens of Yisara, a full set of tea on the table in front of her. The sun was bright, illuminating the gardens and making the afternoon scene seem positively idyllic. There were only two problems with it. First, she’d just barely gone to sleep, and second, the woman who was sitting across from her didn’t belong there.

The woman stood out like a sore thumb. She was wearing little more than a set of straps across her chest and a thong, and she had raven-black hair and crimson eyes that had slit pupils like a snake. Her body was ridiculously shaped, almost but not quite stepping across the line from lush to horrifying, and her face made Diane feel even more plain than normal. But what was truly disturbing about the woman were the pair of dark, bat-like wings on her back, the small, thumb-length black horns jutting up from her hairline, and the slowly lashing tail behind her. Well, that, and the look of boredom on the woman’s face. It was almost as an afterthought that Diane noticed the crimson brand, similar to a slave brand, on the demon’s stomach. It was starkly visible against the woman’s pale skin.

“Hello, Diane. It’s nice to meet you, and I can just tell that we’re going to be wonderful friends,” the demon purred in a sultry tone, but there was something half-hearted about it.

“I don’t think that we are. What are you doing in my dreams, succubus? Leave, now!” Diane retorted angrily, her eyes narrowing.

At her reply, the succubus sat upright abruptly, her eyebrows rising and the boredom vanishing without a trace. “What? You’re fully aware? How is that possible?”

The demon reached out and tried to grab Diane’s hand, only to have her fingers stop, as if pressing against a bubble that extended an inch from Diane’s skin. The demon smiled as she murmured. “Ah! You have powerful mental shields. I was told you had little magical talent. Interesting.”

“Get away from me!” Diane spat, yanking her hand away from the demon and glowering at her, though internally she was feeling triumphant. It was all but a state secret that her family line possessed a variety of unique magical talents. Beryl had her lightning speed and strength, Jaine had the ability to heal wounds with a touch, and Diane had mental shields that allowed her to shrug off almost any mental attack unless she allowed it in. Obviously, that would make this much easier for her to resist whatever the demon was trying to do.

“Hmm… I could, but that would hardly be to your benefit, Diane,” the demoness replied, sitting back in her chair and smiling indulgently. “I am called Wenris. The question I have for you is, how good are you at acting?”

“Why does that matter?” Diane asked, glowering at the demon as she stood and stepped away from the table. “And why won’t you leave me alone? You can’t do anything to me!”

“Ah, it matters immensely. The question is whether or not you want to be branded rather than play along with me?” Wenris told Diane, smiling broadly. “Because if I just left, that’s what would happen to you.”

“What? What are you talking about?” Diane asked, frowning. “I can act, even if I don’t like to do it. But what does that have to do with any of this?”

“I’m here on the Archon’s behalf, Diane. I’ve been tasked with slowly brainwashing you to his desires, but if it turns out that I can’t do anything, well… I will have to tell him that I failed. And at that point he will simply resort to far more direct methods,” Wenris replied, smiling thinly. “That’s why I asked how well you could act. Because I’m not going to risk a bargain if you couldn’t hide it well enough.”

“He… oh, that lying, scheming, limp-dicked bastard!” Diane started slowly, but her exclamation ended in an irate yell. “I want to strangle him!”

“He’s hardly limp-dicked, but the rest I can agree with,” Wenris commented in amusement, smiling broadly as she watched the elf.

“You…!” Diane took a deep breath, then closed her eyes to count to ten. Any demon could hardly be trusted, but she sincerely doubted that the demoness was lying about this. So she took a few moments to collect herself before calming down and asking, gritting her teeth internally. “What is it that you wanted to offer?”

“My instructions are quite clear. I’m to try to brainwash you and your daughter. You are to become more… willing to allow your appearance to be permanently changed, sexually more permissive, and to become faithful followers of Tyria. More so, he wants you submissive and searching for a proper master, preferably being him,” Wenris told her with precision, looking at Diane critically. “He knows that such brainwashing is an imprecise art, normally performed over decades, so he doesn’t expect instant results. However, the nature of how I serve him means I must try, no matter how much I may dislike it.”

Diane was about to explode again, but the look in the demon’s eyes made her pause. She suspected that if she did so, she would lose any chance of a bargain, which might be bad. Very bad. So instead, she calmed herself and sat down, suppressing her anger as she put on the mask that she had worn as queen. “Unpleasant. And your offer?”

“You will cooperate, to a degree. You will sit here with me each night and listen as I try to convince you of what it is he wants you to do. I am very persuasive, but with you aware, I will find it more difficult to sway you,” the demon explained, smiling. “You will not tell anyone what is happening, either. Including your daughter. But I will not tell Ulvian of your resistance, and I will slow my attempts to sway your daughter. I cannot stop, as I told you, but I will weaken them as much as I reasonably can.”

“That isn’t much of an offer,” Diane replied after a moment, suppressing a frown. “You get what you need, and I don’t get much at all.”

“You don’t get branded and instantly turned into his slave. If you play along, you can even lull the Archon into a false sense of security,” Wenris countered. “Which might give you a chance of escape. It’s your choice, though. I can simply go back to him and tell him, if you’d prefer.”

“No! No… I…” Diane gritted her teeth, and then sighed. “Fine. I accept your bargain.”

“Good!” Wenris smiled broadly, and Diane internally fumed. As the succubus prepared to speak, Diane looked at the tea, also her favorite, and decided to pour herself a cup. Taking a sip, she found the tea relaxed some of her nerves, making the situation ever so slightly more tolerable. If only she was actually back home, having tea with Torkal.

* * *

Wenris hid a smile as Diane sipped the tea. The woman thought she was in her own dreams, but she was quite wrong. This entire mental landscape was inside Wenris’ mind and power, with the shapes given form by her visitors. Jaine didn’t have Diane’s resistance, so the young woman was playing along in her dreams in a different part of Wenris’ mind. The method was normally used to train Enforcers and indoctrinate them to Kelvanis, but it was quite sufficient for the two elves, or should have been.

It would be, in fact. Diane was drinking the tea, which was made up of Wenris’ power. That meant that the elf was allowing threads of Wenris’ power through her mental barriers. Given enough time, that would allow the succubus to break right through the barrier if she so wished.

But in the meantime, Wenris wondered how far she could get without taking advantage of that little secret, and she smiled broadly as she asked, “So, how exactly is slavery different than the serfs that you have in Yisara, Diane?”

Chapter 35

Calath smiled as Sir Reva Lucien fell to a knee and saluted, speaking respectfully. “Your Majesty. You desired my presence?”

“You may rise, Sir Lucien,” the queen replied, smiling at him. As Reva stood and stood as if at attention, she studied the handsome young dusk elf, and wistfully wished that Phynis had fallen for him. Handsome, loyal, and skilled, Reva was very near the perfect young man, better than her own husband had been.

Ignoring the familiar stab of pain the memory of her husband brought, Calath considered Reva for a long moment, then asked, “Sir Lucien, how did you and Phynis get along when you met?”

The young man blinked in surprise, but responded after a moment’s thought. “We seemed to get along fairly well, Your Majesty. She had heard of my trip to Morak and seemed interested. I would have asked for another dance, but her card was full at that point.”

“Mm… I see. I have a task for you, Sir Lucien. I do not require you to carry it out, as it is dangerous,” Calath warned the young man, her hopes sinking ever so slightly. Still, even if Phynis hadn’t been on as good of terms with him as she’d hoped, he had a better chance than any of the others she’d considered.

“What might this task be, Your Majesty?” Reva asked, his brow furrowing slightly for a moment.

“Word may have reached you about Kelvanis managing to coerce Yisara into a peace treaty. This will not allow them to fully abandon their border with Yisara, but it will ease the pressure and allow them to shift more of their army to face Sifaren come spring. Such an event could be utterly disastrous for us,” Calath told him frankly, scowling as she continued. “With such threats facing us, we can ill afford the loss of information that the dungeon possesses. Phynis has remained with Sistina in the dungeon, and I need to send someone to her. I wish to send you in the early spring with as powerful of a force as I can muster to the dungeon. There you would attempt to contact Phynis and Sistina and try to make amends. We need to gain what information we can from the dungeon’s library, and preferably to convince Phynis to evacuate. The task would be dangerous, which is why I am not requiring you to carry it out.”

“That is a difficult task, Your Majesty. How early in the spring are you suggesting? I must assume that Kelvanis will have heavily reinforced the border by that point,” Reva asked, the young man growing more concerned.

“It would be somewhat left up to you, but I was seriously considering before the snows have truly melted. I would suggest doing so this fall, but I cannot gather the necessary forces in such a short timeframe,” the queen told him, pleased that Reva hadn’t jumped on the opportunity without thinking or rejected it outright.

“I am willing to at least try, Your Majesty. I cannot guarantee anything until I’ve had a chance to look at reports and how the troops are arranged, but I’d be honored to be of service,” Reva finally decided, giving a deep bow as he spoke.

Smiling, Calath nodded in return. “Excellent! I look forward to your performance, Sir Lucien. Captain Laila will give you the details that we have thus far.”

Taking the dismissal, Reva saluted again, bowing his head, and excused himself.

Chapter 36

Getting together with the various Jewels was an interesting experience for Phynis. At first, she’d thought that they would all be similar in personality, but the truth had quickly rendered her somewhat ashamed. Just because they’d all been changed to look about the same didn’t mean that they were the same inside. But even so, each day of dating them was quite illuminating. Besides, she’d decided to give them an honest chance, and she was going to do so.

"So why did you join Medaea's church?" Phynis asked curiously, nibbling on her strawberry a little more.

"Hmm… that's a complicated question," Amethyst replied, examining one of the green-skinned grapes critically before popping it into her mouth. Chewing, she smiled and shrugged, looking down for a moment before she answered, her voice soft. “Though as I think about it, it might be simpler than I thought.”

“How do you mean?” Phynis prompted the dawn elf gently. She’d found that while Amethyst might be determined as a mule when she set her mind to something, the priestess was also on the shy side. She needed someone to prod her from time to time.

“Well, I was a city girl. Born to a family of dressmakers and tailors, but I didn’t have a knack for the family business. While I wasn’t being pressured to marry into another family, there was a sense of disappointment in me,” Amethyst explained, her voice soft as she gave Phynis a gentle smile. “I suppose that at first the temple of Medaea was simply a refuge for me. But as I prayed and listened to Her priestesses, my feelings started changing. The sun has always been dearer to dawn elves, and she was the pure, beautiful dawn, an unwavering light for me. So, in the end I decided that was where I wanted to be. I joined the faith and visited my family on occasion, at least until I was sent to the temple. It made my life feel more meaningful.”

“I see. I don’t think I ever felt something quite like that, though the pressure for a marriage is something I can relate to,” Phynis murmured, shrugging. Focusing on the other woman again, she hesitated before asking, “So if that’s the case, why is it that you were so willing to accept what happened to you, and Sistina by extension?”

“Everyone else is overthinking our situation. Even Diamond,” the priestess murmured, shaking her head. “I prayed to Medaea for guidance. She didn’t dissuade me from choosing to continue with my attraction to Sistina, nor has my connection to her fully severed. Therefore, she must be willing to allow it to progress.”

“I… I suppose that’s a fair point,” Phynis replied, slightly taken aback by Amethyst’s statement. “But what about me?”

“You’re Sistina’s most precious person,” Amethyst replied simply, as if that explained everything.

“Which means what?” Phynis asked, her eyebrows knitting slightly.

Smiling, the priestess leaned forward and kissed Phynis on the cheek before she could react. Falling back, Amethyst grinned as she told Phynis confidently, “It means that you’re just as important as she is to me.”

That made Phynis blush, unnerved by the priestess’ confidence.

* * *

Sapphire was much different than Amethyst. Where Phynis could tell that Amethyst had been a member of the merchant class, Sapphire’s manners and poise betrayed a life raised as a noble. The priestess had prepared a proper tea, complete with small sandwiches and pastries. Where she’d gotten them was a mystery, but even stranger was the small gazebo that had appeared next to the pond, allowing them to eat in pleasant surroundings.

“I’m not going to mention who my family was. They struck me from the house rolls the better part of a century ago,” Sapphire spoke in a soft voice, pouring another cup of tea for each of them. “I never had any feelings for those they wished me to marry, and my interests were considered embarrassing. I loved painting and pottery, which were not considered the proper interests for a young lady of our house. It took some time for me to come to terms with what I had to do, and I joined Medaea’s faith for refuge. To say my family was displeased is putting it mildly.”

“That’s not fair to you! Why would they do something like that?” Phynis asked, mouth slightly agape with shock. She knew some other nations had situations like that crop up, but she’d never heard of it happening in Yisara before.

“My family was quite traditional as a whole, and my parents were strict,” Sapphire replied calmly, smiling as she added, “Besides, in leaving them I found a new family. The priestesses were rarely judgmental about my interests, and I learned much. In the years since, I’ve learned the art of sculpture, and I carved a number of statues for the faith. It has been a glorious part of my life, even if it closed on a much less pleasant note. Now I’ve been presented with a new canvas, and I’m curious to see what can be made of it.”

“How do you mean? I would’ve thought you would be less accepting of what happened,” Phynis asked, sipping her tea, then adding, “If nothing else, I would think that Sistina’s nature would make you hesitant.”

“Ah, but that’s the difference. Look around, tell me what you see?” Sapphire asked, smiling, and enthusiasm filling her voice as she gestured around them.

Phynis blinked, then looked as she’d been asked. The scene was calm and tranquil, and she answered after a moment. “A gently flowing pond and spring, curving around the hill on which Sistina’s tree rests. A forest filled with flowers and life. It’s beautiful and tranquil.”

“Yes. Yes, it is. But why is it calming?” Sapphire asked, smiling broadly as she looked up at the crystals providing light, not waiting for an answer. “It’s calming because that’s what Sistina made it to be. The gazebo is perfectly placed to see her tree and the sunlight refracting from the mountain peak above us, while hiding the tomb behind her due to artfully placed trees. Every path and garden is carefully arranged to allow the illusion of privacy even when others are nearby, while still allowing mana to flow easily through the cavern. Sistina is an artist and perfectionist. She created a painting just because she could, but in life rather than on canvas. Why would I not find that beautiful, and worthy of notice?”

Phynis took a moment to drink in the sight, to truly understand what Sapphire was saying. And as she did, she slowly nodded and smiled. “I think I see what you mean. It is beautiful, isn’t it? I never saw it before… thank you, Sapphire.”

“You are most welcome.” Sapphire smiled gently in return, looking happy as she offered a hand. “Sometimes you just need someone with a different perspective to shine light where it’s needed.”

Phynis blushed slightly and took her hand, answering softly. “I suppose so.”

* * *

“So, you were the one trying to keep everything organized in the temple? Isn’t that a hard job?” Phynis asked curiously.

“It was, but well worth it. Diamond was the one who was our spiritual leader, and as much as I love her, she isn’t much good at keeping track of paperwork.” Ruby laughed softly as she spoke. “Someone has to keep track of the supplies and make sure we had enough food for winter, enough blankets, clothing, and everything else the temple required. And while you might not think it would happen, there are personality clashes among even priestesses of the same faith when you get that many of us together for such long periods. It often took some effort to sort that out.”

“I see. Does that make what happened to you difficult? Since you were in charge for so long, but now you aren’t?” Phynis murmured, meandering along the path around the gardens that were producing most of their food. A dozen priestesses were helping Lily, and Phynis smiled to see how cheerful they were. “And they seem to be doing well now.”

“Mm… it was certainly difficult at first. What that bastard did to us was horrible, but it did do a little to ease the transition. We were dealing with it for long enough that I got over most of my frustrations, too,” Ruby explained, shrugging as she looked at the field, adding, “As for them, having a common enemy has done wonders for their cooperation. Who knows how long it’ll last, though.”

“Oh? Is there anyone in particular I should worry about?” Phynis inquired, pausing to look at the tomato plants. The ripe tomatoes were tempting, but she’d rather not ruin her dinner.

“Not in specific. Though you’re going out with Opal tomorrow, if I remember right?” Ruby mused. At Phynis’ nod, she smiled and replied, a touch hesitantly. “Opal could be interesting for you. She was the daughter of a courtesan, and joined the church to avoid her mother’s profession. She’s avoided talking to us about things, but I think you might like the warning.”

“Oh! Thank you, Ruby. I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Phynis blushed slightly, then shook her head. “So, what do you do for fun?”

“Honestly? Sleep. It’s a luxury I didn’t have before,” Ruby replied with a grin, prompting Phynis to laugh in amusement.

* * *

The silence was growing awkward. Phynis had expected Opal to open the conversation, only to find the other woman was looking rather nervous herself. They’d meandered around the pond once before returning to the gazebo, and now Phynis was debating what to do.

Finally she spoke, though, admitting her own issue up front. “Ruby told me your mother was a courtesan. I think it made me somewhat nervous to talk to you.”

Opal almost jumped, blinking before she relaxed slightly, her voice betraying relief. “She did? Oh. That explains why you’ve looked nervous.”

“I looked nervous?” Phynis asked, surprised. She didn’t think she normally betrayed her anxiety.

“Yeah. Just a little bit. Enough that I was having trouble thinking of what to say,” Opal replied softly, shrugging. “I didn’t realize it was me that was causing it. No, I did realize, I just didn’t think it was that part.”

“Sorry. I didn’t realize I was making you nervous,” Phynis confessed, shaking her head. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I’m not sure. I find myself really having a hard time talking to you,” Opal admitted, looking away.

“Why?” Phynis asked curiously, some of her trepidation dying down.

“Because this isn’t fair to you. You and Sistina have a relationship. A real relationship. I feel a bit like those men that would pine away at my mother, or get jealous that she had other lovers,” Opal explained softly. “I joined the faith to get away from it. For solace and to overcome my own desires. But now… I have cravings. Jared made me—no, no… he didn’t make me enjoy it. I enjoyed it without them. I should be honest. He focused them on himself, but it’s something I fought for most of my life. Now I ache for Sistina. I dream about her. And it isn’t fair to you.”

Phynis was at loss for words. Of all the things she’d expected, Opal’s words were nearly the last. The worry seemed real to her, real enough that some of Phynis’ reluctance began to melt away. How must it be like, feeling something like that, and believing it was wrong?

It took a minute of thinking while staring at the pond, with Opal fidgeting next to her, but Phynis finally managed to come to a decision. Turning to face the priestess, Phynis spoke gently. “Opal, look at me.”

The other woman turned slowly, almost reluctantly, her gaze rising almost hesitantly to meet Phynis’, and she stuttered. “Y-yes?”

“Having feelings for someone isn’t wrong. The only thing that’s wrong about it is if you force them on someone. So in some ways, Amethyst is more at fault than you,” Phynis told her gently. “I don’t blame you, Opal. And that you’re willing to admit what you just did means a lot to me. So if you would, answer a question for me. What are you willing to do?”

“I… umm, thank you for not being upset.” Opal swallowed, her gaze frequently wanting to shift away, and she took a deep breath, then answered, her voice even quieter. “If… if you asked me to, I would ask Sistina to, um, fix what was done. I don’t want to hurt you or her.”

“I’m glad you won’t have to, Opal,” Phynis told her gently, reaching out to stroke Opal’s cheek gently. “Thank you for your honesty. It’s greatly appreciated.”

For a long moment, Opal didn’t say anything. Then she burst into tears and hugged Phynis, burying her face into the startled woman’s shoulder as she broke down.

Phynis couldn’t do anything for a long moment, shocked by Opal’s response. Finally she smiled gently, hugging Opal and murmuring, “Cry yourself out if you need to, Opal.”

* * *

“I think that you’ve got a bit of the wrong impression about the others in some ways,” Topaz told Phynis, her tone speculative as the two set their books down.

Tilting her head, Phynis considered before asking, “How do you mean?”

“In the case of most of them, I think that what’s going on is a need for stability in part of their lives. I didn’t manage to go to the temple save for the rescue mission, but from everything I’d heard, it was a quiet, peaceful life that most of them had grown used to. To suddenly be torn from that would be quite traumatizing, I imagine,” Topaz explained, her eyebrows knitting slightly. “I also had been on the receiving end of Jared’s personal attention for longer, and he forced me to adapt. He couldn’t spare that much attention for the others. So now they’re clinging to two things. Medaea, whose personal safety is unknown, and to Sistina, who saved all of us from a horrifying fate. I know I’m not a complete exception, mind you.”

“I think I understand. I did something similar, when I decided that I couldn’t trust anyone back in Sifaren,” Phynis murmured, realization dawning on her. “That explains a lot.”

“Maybe so. The others seem to think that you’re getting along with them fairly well. Are you?” Topaz asked, smiling.

“And here I thought I was supposed to be the one asking questions.” Phynis laughed softly, smiling in return as she shrugged. “Well enough, thus far. I’m not sure I know Ruby or Amethyst well enough yet, but I’m just getting to know each of you. Which brings us to you. What do you want to tell me about yourself?”

“Honestly, there isn’t much to tell. I was a normal town girl and particularly loved the faith, enough to join as a simple acolyte. Eventually I was sent to a temple in a larger town where I took my vows as a priestess,” Topaz explained, seeming a bit lost in the memories, and a little sad. “Those were good years. I was so excited when I was chosen to head to the temple, and decided to tend to some of the border towns on my way there. That’s when I was captured and branded.”

“I see. About as simple as my own life in its own way,” Phynis told her happily, then paused, considering a moment before murmuring, “You know, you’re the only person aside from Desa or Sistina that I feel this comfortable talking to.”

“Really? Well, I’ll take that as a good sign,” Topaz replied, grinning. “So, what are you studying?”

“Fire magic. If any Kelvanis soldiers get this far into the dungeon, I want to be able to set them on fire,” Phynis replied, glancing at the books. “It’s going slow. You?”

“I can understand the desire to set them on fire,” Topaz agreed with a giggle. “For myself, I debated for a while, but have taken up lightning magic. Shocking, isn’t it?”

Phynis winced at the pun, complaining, “That… was slightly painful.”

Topaz just grinned more.

* * *

The only one of the priestesses Phynis hadn’t gotten to know at this point was Emerald, and she studied the shy priestess as Emerald smoothed her robes pointlessly. Phynis hadn’t seen the other woman meet her gaze once since the priestesses had gotten back from the temple, which made her a little curious.

“I think your robes are smooth, Emerald. How are you?” Phynis asked, smiling at the other woman.

“Um, I’m w-well enough, M-Milady,” Emerald stuttered, glancing up and almost meeting Phynis’ gaze before looking away. “I’m s-sorry. I j-just… don’t know w-what to say.”

“How about you just call me by name? Just call me Phynis,” the dusk elf replied, now a little amused.

“I couldn’t do that!” Emerald quickly protested, shaking her head. “Y-you and Sistina saved me and the others! How could I be so, so… familiar with you?”

“What? Why do you feel that way?” Phynis asked, growing a little worried at Emerald’s reaction. “I didn’t think that either of us were that scary.”

“It isn’t that!” The priestess’ stutter had all but vanished, and she looked up, meeting Phynis’ eyes for barely a moment before blushing bright red and looking down again. “It’s just… just…”

“Just what?” Phynis asked gently.

“I…” Emerald hesitated a moment, then swallowed and spoke nervously. “Sistina saved us. She saved us because of you. If it hadn’t been for you, she never would have saved us. We would still be enslaved.”

“How do you mean? I didn’t do anything, Sistina saved you on her own,” Phynis disagreed politely, frowning to herself.

“Jared came here because of you,” Emerald said, taking a step forward and reaching out to take Phynis’ hand in both of hers, seeming to overcome her nervousness a touch as she looked up. In her eyes, Phynis saw something she hadn’t seen in months. The absolute adoration of someone who looked up to her almost like a hero as the priestess continued. “If you hadn’t been here, he never would have entered the dungeon. We would still be in Westgate, in his possession. If it weren’t for you, we would still be slaves, Milady. I… there’s nothing I can do to repay you for what you’ve done. I don’t know what to do or say.”

“I… I see. That does explain it, though I feel you’re putting a touch too much emphasis on my own presence.” Phynis fought off the blush that tried to stain her cheeks, instead smiling at Emerald and continuing gently. “But even so, I have a simple request. Look me in the eyes and say my name just once.”

“O-okay.” Emerald blushed, looking up with her jewel-like eyes, staring Phynis in the eyes for a moment before the slightly shorter woman breathed out softly, her voice like a caress. “Phynis.”

Phynis couldn’t help but blush, and a moment later, the priestess blushed even brighter red, then turned and ran away, leaving Phynis in the living room alone. Blinking, the former princess murmured softly, “That was… unexpected. I think she’ll be difficult to get to know.”

Still, the look in Emerald’s eyes had been heartening, and Phynis smiled to herself. Even so, she thought she might enjoy Emerald’s company. First, she had to pry her out of her shell, though.

So Phynis headed down the hall where the priestesses were housed. She thought she knew which room belonged to the shy priestess.

Chapter 37

“Isana! It’s wonderful to see you!” Evansly called out, grinning broadly as he saw his wife step out of the carriage.

Isana Dayrest Evansly was a beautiful dusk elf. She was a hair taller than Evansly was, nearly six feet in height, and she had a thin, athletic figure, with slightly darker skin than was typical of most of their people but which caused her waist-length white hair to stand out still more. She stood prim and proper with an icy demeanor, and was wearing a tan traveling dress that fitted closely. Turning to him, she bowed her head and smiled slightly.

“Aric. I am glad to be out of the carriage at last. It was an excessively long trip,” she replied levelly, and when he embraced her, she hugged him back gently. Breaking off the hug after a moment, he gave her a kiss on the cheek before she asked, “You said something about a mansion, did you not?”

“Of course, my dear! That’s it over there,” Evansly assured her, gesturing to the second largest building in Granite Point, a mansion crafted of elegantly planed wood panels and with proper glass windows. It had two floors, and was too large for only two people. Which was fine, as he saw his other servants had arrived as well.

The dozen women and half-dozen men were from Dayrest as well, just like Evansly and Isana herself were. While none of them had been happy to become Evansly’s slaves, they had little option after Kelvanis’ raid, and Evansly preferred people that he knew had the same background as he did. Besides, he’d fantasized about each of the women when growing up at one point or another.

Behind the wagon with the servants and another with all their luggage was the rest of the caravan, and from it poured out the other newcomers. Male and female prostitutes approached the brothel, about a quarter of them slaves, while a small group of priests of Tianna were examining the temple, which was unfinished, but the rooms for the priests were habitable. Finally, they also had the staff for the auction house, which would make things look better.

“A bit large for us, is it not? Even with our servants?” Isana asked after a long moment, glancing at the servants and nodding toward the mansion. At her silent instructions, they began to move the wagons toward the building.

“It isn’t just for us. The Adjudicator also intended it to function as the mayor’s mansion for Granite Point. Any visiting officials will also be staying with us,” Evansly explained excitedly, grinning, though it dimmed at his gaffe about Jared. “It’ll give us plenty of room when they aren’t here, though.”

“I suppose that it would at that,” Isana observed, nodding slightly.

“I’ve missed you, Isana,” Evansly murmured, pulling her into a kiss for a moment, and smiling as he looked her in the eyes. “I’m glad that you were finally able to join me up here.”

* * *

“And I am glad to see you again, Aric,” Isana told Aric, lying through her teeth as she smiled gently at him.

Isana hated Aric Evansly with a passion that she could hardly believe, even now. It had taken ages for her to get her anger and rage under control, and to give him the impression she’d forgiven him for betraying Dayrest to Kelvanis. He was far laxer with his orders when he believed that she actually cared about him.

She could only hope that one day soon she’d be able to escape with the few remaining people from her father’s city, and that in the process they could deal with Aric permanently. She considered the bastard far worse than any native of Kelvanis that she had met.

But in the meantime, she gave him a hug and feigned her usual reserved affection.

* * *

“Well, that’s going to make sure there’s less fights among the soldiers,” Daniel murmured, pausing to look down the street at the new arrivals.

“True. They have been getting somewhat rowdy lately, haven’t they?” Eileen asked, glancing back and frowning. “Though I have to say that I feel bad for those who didn’t have a choice in the matter.”

“I definitely agree with that. But weren’t we going to check out that little shop in the dungeon?” Eric asked, pausing and tapping his foot. “We don’t know how much fruit or vegetables would even be there, or if they’re going to be as good as those apples Martin got.”

“Geez, calm down, Eric,” Daniel replied, smiling. “You’d think that you hadn’t ever gotten a decent apple before.”

“If they’re usually like that, I haven’t,” Eric told him impatiently, frowning slightly. “So I’d like to get going, if you don’t mind.”

“Come on, you two,” Eileen added, giggling. “It isn’t like we can’t take a look later.”

Sayla nodded, and Daniel smiled as he agreed. “Alright, we may as well. At least it isn’t far inside the entrance.”

They headed toward the dungeon, leaving behind the scene of the newcomers settling into town. The entrance was the same as always, but as they entered, they heard a soft scattering of voices from ahead. And Daniel could do nothing but gawk as they saw the door to the storeroom open and at least half a dozen people inside. One was even a cook from the Vine Tankard, which was quite startling since the portly man was nothing like an adventurer.

“No, you can’t have all of the produce. And I’m not going to give you regular shipments.” A tart woman’s voice came from inside the room. Something about the voice seemed familiar to Daniel, but he couldn’t quite place it. “It’s already a right pain in the ass to get even this much produce out here, I’m not going to haul even more along with me. Do I look like an orc?”

“No, no, of course not! I just thought that if you wanted a regular customer to buy produce, I could help out. It’d be wonderful for me, especially through winter,” the cook replied, seeming a little disappointed.

Ilmas’ voice spoke up as Eric sidled into the room, pushing past one of the others already inside. “You know if you happened to be able to get some decent wine, I might be willing to start hauling some of what you want each day as part of it. The one thing we don’t have is the time to properly age wine yet.”

“Hmm. I think I might be able to manage that, as long as we aren’t talking about too much wine,” the cook mused, and it was about that point that Daniel managed to fit into the room.

One section of the room had been turned into a produce stand of sorts, with several fairly small racks that were half-filled with corn, apples, oranges, carrots, potatoes, and a couple of baskets of peas and leeks. They were far better looking than Daniel had expected, but he barely paid attention to them, his mouth opening slightly as he saw the woman behind the stand.

Daniel almost didn’t recognize Sina at first. She was no taller, and nothing about her skin, hair, or face was any different than when he’d last seen her. Well, her hair was a bit longer, actually. The main difference was in her attitude and clothing. She was wearing a blouse and pair of trousers both in a weave of green cloth, each finer than he’d seen her in before. And her eyes and attitude were filled with confidence as she argued with those who were perusing her wares.

“Sina?” Daniel’s voice was soft, and for a long moment it seemed like no one heard him except Sayla, who inhaled abruptly. It was when Sina’s gaze rose and she glanced toward him that she stopped mid-word, and her face lit up with a brilliant smile.

“Daniel!” Sina called out, and darted from behind the stand, pushing past a couple of others. He only barely managed to get his arms up before she leapt into his arms. “You’re safe! I was worried since I hadn’t seen you in ages!”

Behind her, Ilmas looked utterly stunned, then embarrassed. Daniel hugged her, feeling just as stunned and his face coloring as everyone stared at them, and he mumbled, “I… I thought you were dead. When I first saw Ilmas I finally hoped that you were alive, but I wasn’t sure if that was possible. He didn’t tell me, so I just…”

“Ilmas! Why didn’t you tell him I was fine? Or tell me about him, for that matter?” Sina demanded, turning and partially pulling out of Daniel’s arms. Somewhat to his bemusement, she seemed much stronger than he remembered.

“I thought he was one of those guys who tormented you!” Ilmas protested, flushing slightly. “I didn’t want to bring back bad memories, that’s all. I didn’t know that you actually got along with him.”

“I think he has a point there,” Daniel interjected a touch nervously. “We hadn’t exactly been open about our relationship, Sina.”

“Maybe. Still, it’s just a little annoying,” Sina retorted, then turned her gaze to the others. “So, who are these people?”

“I’m Eileen.” Eileen introduced herself immediately, nodding behind Daniel as she added, offering her hand, “That’s Sayla. It’s nice to meet you, Sina.”

Sina finally fully let go and took Eileen’s hand to shake it, while Eric spoke up. “I’m Eric. I was coming to see what fruit you had. Didn’t expect to have a reunion just now.”

“Speaking of which…” one of the other people ventured, the woman looking impatient.

“You can wait a little while so I can catch up with Daniel. I won’t be long,” Sina told her, the elf’s voice growing tart again. Looking at Daniel, she raised an eyebrow.

“Ah, I left the army and joined the Adventurer’s Guild. I believe the full name is the Western Adventurer’s Guild, actually,” Daniel quickly explained. “Eileen, Eric, and Sayla have been training with me while we’ve started delving into the dungeon. It’s a little strange, but I’ve enjoyed it for the most part.”

“I see. Well, be careful. The dungeon doesn’t pull its punches most of the time, and I don’t want you to get eaten by a bear,” Sina chided, looking around the room for a moment. Finally, she sighed and gave Daniel another tight hug, murmuring, “I want to sit here and talk for a bit, but I think I need to help everyone so we can talk properly. Don’t leave, alright?”

“That’s fine, Sina. I’m just happy you’re alright. I… I thought you were dead,” Daniel replied softly, returning the hug as tears prickled at his eyes. “After that, anything is fine, as long as you’re alive.”

“Good,” Sina replied, grinning as she stepped away and moved back behind the stand. “Right, no more arguing. I’ve got a few conversations to finish, and I want this done.”

“She’s not what I expected,” Sayla murmured, the other woman looking at Sina with narrowed eyes.

“Actually, she’s a fair bit different than I remember, too,” Daniel admitted. “But then she was a slave, and I was a soldier. Defiance was not encouraged among slaves. She certainly has more life to her now.”

“I can see that,” Eileen replied with a smile, watching Eric impatiently waiting to buy some apples. “Is it good?”

“I think so,” Daniel admitted, letting out a soft sigh as he added, “At least she’s safe.”

* * *

“So, what’s it like living in the dungeon?” Eric asked after swallowing a bite from his apple.

“Strangely serene. The innermost caverns are enormous and filled with beautiful gardens, as well as crops and orchards in some cases,” Sina replied, smiling happily as she leaned into Daniel. The others aside from his group had left, and a group of adventurers had hired Ilmas to accompany them on their delve. “The dungeon seems to be mostly concerned with protecting itself from outsiders and slowing down adventurers. She also doesn’t seem to be deliberately out to kill you, which makes me happier, now that I know you’re trying your hand at delving.”

“Why do you call the dungeon ‘she,’ anyway?” Daniel asked, indulging the curiosity that had been irritating him.

“What?” Sina paused, then laughed. “Oh, of course you wouldn’t know! Sorry, I should have realized. The dungeon is a dryad named Sistina. She doesn’t talk much, but she gave me my life back, so I appreciate her a lot.”

“Oh. Huh,” Daniel replied, stunned by the simple answer. After a moment he murmured, “I didn’t think dungeons could talk.”

Eileen spoke before anyone could reply, seeming hopeful. “Actually, is there any way you could give us some hints about the dungeon, Sina? Anything at all?”

“Nope. Back when it was decided that Ilmas was going to start running this little room, we had a meeting to discuss what was allowed,” Sina replied directly, her voice level as she continued. “The big one is that we can’t do anything to endanger the dungeon. If I tell you something, chances are that somehow Kelvanis will catch wind of it. If they want to try breaking in, they’re going to have to learn the hard way. And believe me, Sistina was not amused at their last attempt.”

“What happened? I heard that a handful of soldiers got out, but nothing more than that,” Eric asked, examining the core of his apple speculatively.

“Sistina took about a dozen soldiers captive when they invaded. They were pretty well treated, then they murdered the healer who was tending to them. The person who did it killed himself, but Sistina and everyone else were pissed,” Sina explained, her eyes darkening. “I wasn’t there for the decision, but I don’t blame them. One of the soldiers decided to serve the dungeon, and the rest were released. But I’m betting that Sistina won’t take prisoners again. She took the death quite personally.”

“Ick. That just… I mean, I heard rumors about them getting outside, but that was just before I resigned,” Daniel spoke up, looking at her in horror. “I can’t imagine that they would’ve done that. I know that they were taken into custody and recently sent to Westgate, though, so there might be something to it.”

“There was definitely something to it, Daniel. Just don’t piss Sistina off, hmm? She doesn’t bluff,” Sina admonished, and grimaced after a moment. “I’d hate to come out and hear that you somehow got turned into plant food.”

“Wouldn’t we all?” Sayla murmured, straightening as she nodded. “But I’m going back out to train.”

“Actually, we all should go do that. Only you and Eileen have summoned spirits, Danny,” Eric agreed with a sigh. “We’ve got work to do if we want to actually have a good chance at the dungeon.”

“Fair enough.” Daniel sighed, looking at Sina for a moment before asking, “You’re sure you want to stay in here?”

“Pfft. Maybe once Kelvanis doesn’t control the surrounding area,” Sina retorted, then gave him a gentle kiss. They held it for a long moment before she broke it off and warned him once more. “Be safe, Daniel.”

“Of course. Just wait and see,” Daniel replied with a smile. Then he turned to leave with his friends, his spirits buoyed by the knowledge that he and Sina had a future ahead of them. It might take him time, but he’d find a way to make it real.

Chapter 38

“I have to say, you kind of make my skin crawl, Farris,” Earl told her, keeping a wary eye on the statue… or was she a golem? He really didn’t know, and it made him nervous. Besides, he’d seen her body lying on the ground!

“I’m well aware. I think of myself as a pointed reminder at the moment,” Farris replied, smiling as she watched him stir the tub full of hot, soapy water and laundry.

“That isn’t very nice of you. I didn’t have anything to do with your death, and didn’t even know about what was coming,” Earl protested, feeling a little more anxious. Farris’ stone face was oddly expressive for something that shouldn’t be moving, and he shivered slightly. It just was creepy.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Farris replied, smirking. “Maybe I just want to be near the only man who isn’t claimed in the dungeon.”

Earl flushed bright red, shaking his head and quickly changing the subject. “What’s Sistina up to, anyway? I saw her taking the golem toward one of the tunnels earlier.”

“No idea. I have to assume she wants to break something,” Farris replied, shrugging.

* * *

Touching the stone wall, Sistina extended threads of mana into it and frowned. Half the wall was within the wards of the old mage academy, so she couldn’t sense it when examining the entire dungeon, but it was a different story when she was here in person.

The stone wall she’d used to block the tunnel had been a total of about twenty feet of granite, enough to stop anything short of an earth mage or the like, but if there had been a necromancer earth mage they wouldn’t have been stuck down here for six thousand years. It was the fact that nearly an inch of stone had been perforated by what seemed like claw marks that concerned her. To leave such marks in stone wasn’t easy, and it indicated that either there was a nasty living monster somehow within, or that there were stronger undead than she’d anticipated.

Most likely it was the latter, which would be unpleasant but should be within her ability to deal with. Sistina glanced at her golem and smiled confidently, then murmured a spell to reinforce her flesh. She’d rather not lose a body here.

Drawing her dagger, Sistina concentrated, and slowly a tunnel opened through the barrier. Letting the golem go through first, Sistina followed after it and closed the passage behind her. It wouldn’t do to have any undead go upstairs to attack others.

The dim glow of the golem was enough for her to see by, and Sistina shivered inside on seeing and feeling the academy once more. Something dark and foul was here, something that she felt a deep-seated urge to cleanse. It was strange, because it was an impulse not much different from when she’d once felt the impulse to cleanse the pond near her tree. The thought made Sistina snort internally.

The chamber really hadn’t changed much. The huge central tower still extended upward, barely avoiding being crushed by the cavern walls, while the wings of the structure looked like they were about to be smashed from above. The ground was littered with debris, and Sistina could see footprints in the dusty dirt and sand that covered the ground. She leaned over, frowning at them. The prints seemed to be barefoot, with extended claws, but otherwise looked about the size of a human or elf’s foot. She was no tracker, so she wasn’t certain how many of them there were, but at a guess, there must have been at least three of the creatures.

She glanced at the doors to the building, and her frown deepened as she saw that the doors were slightly ajar. They hadn’t been open the previous time.

Gesturing the golem forward, she stood and followed slowly, the incantation and gestures of a fire spell held in mind. Undead were usually vulnerable to fire, or at least not resistant, so it should be her best bet against them.

The golem pushed open the doors with the grating sound of stone against stone, which echoed through the ancient halls. It was then that a single, tittering giggle echoed from somewhere in the depths of the academy.

Bracing herself, Sistina followed the golem into the front hall of the once-grand academy, and then stopped as she beheld the devastation within.

The broad circular hall beneath the tower had once ascended two floors with grand staircases, the walls lined with artwork, artifacts, and breathtaking sculptures. At the center had been a massive metal framework which had tracked the stars and the flow of mana as influenced by them. Where the memory of what the chamber had once looked like came from, Sistina was uncertain, but what she could see was a sharp contrast to that.

The staircases still stood, but the elegant wooden railing was little more than splinters, and the one to her left was sagging ominously. The metal astrolabe had been reduced to shattered, twisted metal, its enchantments long-since corrupted and ruined by the twisted necromancy flowing through the academy. All of the art, the wall hangings, and the sculptures were ruined. Worse than even that, she could see hundreds of gnawed, cracked bones that had been discarded all across the ground, leaving nothing to the imagination about the carnage that must have happened here with the shredded fragments of what had once been clothing.

Wrinkling her nose at the musty stench, Sistina looked around the room. Her choice was to take the stairwell, or go into one of the three attached wings. Looking between them, Sistina sighed. She didn’t trust the stairs to actually stand up to the weight of the golem, so she finally chose to go left on a whim. It wasn’t like she knew a better way to decide.

The doors lay off their hinges, twisted and clawed as well, and Sistina shivered again. The energy in the ground was getting to her body, and she was silently thankful she’d left the others behind.

A few clicks and clacks of debris knocking against debris came from down the dark hallway, along with the sight of a pair of crimson eyes. The ghoul was only barely visible in the darkness, a gray-skinned figure of bones and gaunt flesh. Once an elf, it looked like little more than a skeleton with its horrific skin stretched across it, with fingers ending in huge claws and a mouth full of protruding, jagged teeth that were designed to rip flesh and crack bones.

The creature hissed, and Sistina wrinkled her nose. It was staring at her, and a long, horrific purple tongue ran over its lips and teeth for a moment before it hissed again… and the creature lunged forward, even as a half-dozen more poured from the doorway behind it.

The ghouls moved quickly, like a pack of starving wolves. With a thought, Sistina commanded the golem, which lurched into action, flames erupting from its arms. As the first ghoul tried to lunge past it, the golem struck hard, and the sizzle of flames was drowned out by an unearthly howl of pain as the ghoul was thrown into a nearby wall. The ghoul bounced off the wall, still barely mobile as it shook itself.

Sistina wasn’t idle, words pouring from her mouth as she precisely arrayed her spell. The white-hot bolt of energy that launched from her hands a few moments later was a thing of beauty as it lanced through the air mercilessly and hit the ghoul head-on and exploded. The flickering explosion rocked the golem slightly, but left nothing of the ghoul’s head behind.

The other ghouls flinched at the explosion, but that was all it managed, with six more of them fixed entirely on Sistina. She stepped back, frowning as she realized that the golem would have a difficult time blocking all of them from reaching her. The golem didn’t care what she thought, and as the monsters lunged forward in an attempt to get past it, the stone figure crushed one into the floor like a bug, batting another backward.

Seeing the other four advancing on her, Sistina quickly cast another spell, this one launching a spray of debris from the floor at the creatures as she fell back, trying to gain distance. She was just beginning her next spell to create a wall of fire when she heard the debris clack and a hiss from behind her.

An impact against her shoulder knocked Sistina off-balance, and only her earlier defensive spell kept the sharp claws from breaking her skin. It also disrupted her spell as she was partially spun around, and Sistina’s eyes went wide as she saw another three ghouls behind her, one practically on top of her. She was faster than it, though, and she stepped backward quickly, stabbing her dagger into its throat. The creature began to fall to the ground as she wrenched the dagger free—

The ghoul’s flying tackle caught her off guard, sending her crashing to the ground as the golem thundered into another group of ghouls. How damned many of them were there? Sistina only had a moment to think about it before a second ghoul was on her and found a weak point, claws blinding her.

She fought as best she could, but as she felt the pain of their fangs rip into her flesh, Sistina withdrew from her body in a rush.

Mentally gathering herself, Sistina replayed the scene in her mind, horrified by what had happened. She had thought she was fully prepared for the situation down in the academy, but the sheer speed of the ghouls had caught her off guard. She couldn’t keep track of all of them at once, and couldn’t react in time.

Was this what it was like for adventurers? If so, Sistina felt very bad for what the strangling vines had done to them. That had been extremely unpleasant.

* * *

Phynis paused, her eyes going wide as she looked at Sistina’s tree and the dryad stepped out of it. Sistina’s skin was glistening with moisture, and the dryad looked faintly annoyed. It was that Phynis had seen the dryad leave earlier that day that was truly confusing her, though.

“Sistina? Didn’t you go down to the Academy earlier, with the golem?” Phynis asked, setting down the book on basic magical theory.

Nodding, the dryad hesitated a moment before speaking, “Situation difficult. Ghouls fast.”

“Ghouls? Sistina… did you lose a body?” Phynis demanded, standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

Sistina visibly hesitated for a moment, then the dryad sighed and nodded. “Yes. Was slow. Now appreciate difficulties. Pity adventurers.”

“Sistina!” Phynis exclaimed, rushing over and embracing the dryad. It was strange, as Sistina’s skin was smoother than normal, with what almost felt like a liquid over the surface, likely from how she’d just been… born, for lack of a better term. “I thought I told you to be careful!”

“Tried. Was overconfident.” Sistina seemed more than a little chagrined, and hugged back. After a moment, she broke off and glanced toward the exit. “New idea. Safer.”

“And what idea is this one?” Phynis asked suspiciously. “The last idea didn’t seem to go well.”

Sistina leaned down and moved a rock, then drew a line in the dirt. Pointing at the rock she explained. “Academy. Tunnel to. Closed now.”

“Ghouls starving. Want meat,” the dryad continued, and put a finger on the other end of the tunnel, smiling. “Deer. Draw out. Squish.”

“Let me see if I understand this right. You’re going to use a deer to draw the ghouls out into the hallway so you can crush them?” Phynis asked, her eyebrows rising. Sistina nodded, and Phynis sighed, then asked, “Why don’t you just crush the entire place? You could, couldn’t you?”

“Yes. Wasteful,” Sistina confirmed, hesitating before explaining. “Sending stones. Need magic tomes. Library is insufficient. Not mage library. Crush academy, crush library.”

“Ick. That does explain it. Are you sure you can get all the ghouls this way?” Phynis asked, not terribly hopeful about the idea.

Sistina shrugged slightly. “Try it. Many times. When ghouls stop, try again.”

“I suppose that’s a decent idea. Just don’t go getting yourself hurt again!” Phynis scolded.

Nodding firmly, Sistina spoke quickly. “Once enough.”

* * *

The deer seemed very confused at being down the tunnel, without any grass or other vegetation to eat. If it weren’t for Sistina’s influence, it wouldn’t be down under the mountain to begin with. Sistina started by opening a tiny hole in the wall to blow some of the scent of the nervous deer into the academy, and then waited.

It took hours before she heard the first scraping at the wall, and the deer, hearing the sound, tried to bolt. Sistina let it go, and the sound of it fleeing seemed to drive the creatures into a frenzy as they ripped at the wall. Waiting for the sounds to reach a fever pitch, Sistina finally opened the wall, and the sight was enough to take even her aback.

At least two dozen starving ghouls poured into the gap, frenzied as they charged after the scent of the deer. They snapped and snarled, and nearly half of them had burns that she had to assume were from her golem. She waited a moment as the monsters began scrambling up the hallway, letting them get at least a hundred feet before she decided that was all of them for the time being.

Crushing them was somewhat therapeutic, she found, even if it was anticlimactic as the stone hit them. Bones broke, and the undead returned to death once more. But there was a strange sense of satisfaction about the entire thing.

Now she just had to wait a day or two and try again. And again. Sistina thought it was best to try luring any ghouls out at least a half dozen times… she did not want to get her throat ripped out again.

Chapter 39

“Hello, Elissa! It was a lovely service. May I introduce—ow!” The Archon’s smile vanished as the high priestess sharply kicked him in the shin, and he fell back, yelping as he asked, “What was that for?”

“That was for coming to a service just to gloat over these poor ladies,” Elissa replied sharply, her hands on her hips. “And it was also to show them that I’m not one of your servants, since I can hurt you.”

The high priestess of Tyria was not what Diane had expected. At least, not quite. Elissa’s words were clearly enunciated and crisp, and carried in the temple clearly as she had addressed those who’d come to listen. The service had been surprisingly short, as afterward Elissa had focused on helping some slaves who needed injuries treated or a word of advice.

Now they were meeting in the private chambers of the priestess, which were as nice as Diane’s own rooms. Elissa was shorter than Diane, unusual for a human, and her white dress covered her from her neck down, save for a patch of thin fabric that showed a violet brand that was distinctly different than those other slaves in Kelvanis bore. Her only other jewelry was her holy symbol, a stylized flame inside a circle made of a chain, with a tiny lock at the bottom.

“Well, it isn’t very nice of you,” Ulvian told her, rubbing his leg as he glowered at the priestess. “I was just going to introduce Diane and Jaine.”

“And now you have. So get out, Ulvian. I want to talk to them without you staring over their shoulders like a malevolent crow,” Elissa retorted, smiling at Diane, her eyes twinkling. In spite of herself, Diane found herself liking the woman.

“Fine. I’ll be back in an hour to pick them up,” the man conceded with a glower, and his expression cleared as he smiled pleasantly at the two elves. “I’ll see the two of you then. I hope you get along with Elissa.”

“Goodbye.” Jaine’s voice was subdued, and Diane said nothing, simply watching him go as the man turned and left the room. When the door latched, Elissa smiled more warmly.

“There. Now that the old bastard’s gone, we can relax,” the priestess said, and gestured toward a table. “Would you like some tea? My name is Elissa, as I’m certain you know.”

“No tea for me, thank you,” Diane declined calmly, stepping over and pulling back the chair to sit. “And I am Diane Yisara.”

“I’m Jaine. Why do you call him old? He doesn’t look old for a human,” Jaine added shyly, stepping closer herself and taking a seat. “Oh, and, um, no tea for me, either.”

“Ulvian is very old for a human. He’s nearly a century old, and has delayed aging with his magic,” Elissa explained, pouring a cup of tea for herself before sitting. “But enough about him. How are the two of you doing? Are you being treated well?”

“Well enough,” Diane replied quietly, biting back an urge to comment about the displeasure of having a succubus in her head every damned night, trying to seduce her and plant doubts in her mind. “While the situation is not unpleasant, being here is something I don’t appreciate.”

Elissa didn’t interrupt, instead looking at Jaine, who looked down and fidgeted as she answered. “I’m doing fairly well. The room is nice, the baths are good, and there’s a decent garden behind the palace. But it’s so confining. I’m managing, but it’s hard, being trapped here. We may not actually be slaves, but there’s little difference in my mind.”

“That’s because everyone is a slave,” Elissa spoke calmly, sipping at her tea again, and gave them a small smile when they looked at her in shock.

“What do you mean by that?” Diane asked, irritated by the odd statement, but mostly curious.

“Life is slavery. Growing up, we’re slaves to the expectations and commands of our parents, or to society if we lack parents. Gods are slaves to the desires of their worshipers. Kings and queens are slaves to the needs of their nations,” Elissa explained calmly, looking Diane directly in the eyes as she continued, her tone serene. “And if all else fails, we’re slaves to our own desires. The question is not whether or not to be slaves. It’s to find a master that we believe is worthy of our servitude.”

“That’s ridiculous! How could being a queen or princess be slavery?” Jaine protested, bristling.

Diane found herself taken aback, and frowned as she worked through Elissa’s words. As much as she hated to admit it, it was hard to directly refute. It was definitely at odds with her own philosophy.

“As a princess, could you go anywhere you wanted, and do anything that you wished?” Elissa asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No. I always had guards, and some places were too dangerous.” Jaine faltered slightly.

“Thus, your slavery. You were a slave to your position and expectations,” Elissa told Jaine gently. “There’s nothing wrong with it. You simply have to consider it differently. Are you willing to be a slave to the position that you were in?”

“I could always have chosen to reject the throne, though,” Diane interjected. “I could have done it in order to reject this ‘slavery’ you speak of.”

“Yes, you could have. And when you did so, you would have cast off one set of chains in favor of a new set. No matter what you chose, you would have ended up in another situation where the expectations would weigh on you,” the priestess countered, smiling sadly. “It is merely another form of slavery.”

“And I disagree. What about you, what about your brand?” Diane asked, frowning deeply. She was trying to come up with a way to solidly refute the philosophy, but how could she? It wasn’t as if Elissa was saying people had no choice.

“My brand is to My Lady Eminence. I am a slave to Tyria,” Elissa told her, reaching down to caress the symbol. “And she is a slave to her worshipers. One day, My Goddess in Chains will find a master or mistress worthy of her, and she will give up her everything to them when she does. I have made my peace with how it is, and I made my decision.”

“But if you can cast off a master for one who chooses, how do you justify what happens in Kelvanis? So many people get enslaved, and they can’t choose their masters!” Jaine protested.

“I don’t justify it. I think that the tendency to raid other nations is abominable,” Elissa replied, frowning sadly. “In warfare, I could see it as… tolerable. Many nations kill enormous numbers of opposing soldiers, so saving lives in that manner could be justified, if only barely. I see it as fair for those who choose to enter it to pay off a debt, or for criminals who would otherwise be subject to death, as they then become productive members of society, but I have little control over what has happened.”

Any protests or accusations Diane was about to make died when the priestess disagreed with the actions that Kelvanis had taken. It was something she hadn’t expected, and after a moment she let out a soft sigh, shaking her head as she told the woman, “I cannot say that I agree with your views, Elissa, but at least you don’t glory in what the Archon has done to my homeland. Your beliefs are somewhat abhorrent to me, but I will admit that they are your own. Can you accept that?”

“Thank you for your honesty, Diane. I also have no intention of going out of my way to convert you, save by example and the sermons.” Elissa’s smile was gentle and she nodded to Jaine. “Though if you ever have questions, I’ll happily talk about it for hours. Now then, do you have any concerns that I can help with? I don’t mind hurting Ulvian more if necessary to make life more comfortable for you. It is my job to help those who’re slaves, after all… which means everyone.”

Jaine looked uncomfortable for a moment, but after a moment she asked, “Maybe, could we get a chance to talk to some of the people from back home? Those who’ve been taken?”

“That shouldn’t be hard. I’m sure you saw some of them during the service,” Elissa mused.

“I did,” Diane agreed, frowning. She didn’t have any real issues to discuss, but after a moment she sighed and asked, “Could I ask for news? Anything at all? I feel so uninformed in the palace.”

“Certainly! Where to begin?” Elissa exclaimed, obviously considering what to speak of next, and set her tea aside as she began to inform them of what was happening.

* * *

“How are things coming along with the queen and princess?” Ulvian asked, looking at Tyria.

“Jaine’s mind is virtually defenseless, and should be relatively easy to shape, given time. I’m not certain what timeframe, but she is an easier target than her mother. Diane is mentally resilient, but overconfident in her natural defenses,” Wenris replied calmly, reaching through the crystal to inject Serel again. “She is extremely tough, and it may take me until this time next year to bring her even halfway to where you wish her. Both hate you, and if I leave the attraction to you aside, it would make the process easier.”

Serel was looking very different than she once had. The human woman’s facial tattoo was gone, as were her scars. In addition, she now had a pair of horns growing from her forehead, as well as a pair of half-formed wings and a tail growing from her back. Soon enough, she and the other Enforcers would be more demon than human.

“Fine. That part can wait, Wenris. You’re the expert, after all.” Ulvian’s spirits lifted at her explanation, smiling. “Which brings me to them. What do you think?”

He nodded at the center of the room, and Wenris pursed her lips as she looked at the angel and goddess herself. The angel now had light purple wings, and she looked little like her previous self due to the succubus blood which had been injected into her. Her hair had changed from copper to a vibrant crimson, but her halo was a light purple instead. Tyria, formerly Medaea, had changed much less, but change she had. Her hair was now a lavender shade that was slowly darkening, and her lips a deeper purple.

“The angel is ready to be fully corrupted. All of her defenses have been destroyed by the demonic blood at this point, and if we choose to rename her, it will successfully destroy her prior true name,” Wenris replied, frowning. “The goddess is to the point that we can use the liquid from Serel and the others without true risk. It does make me nervous, but she has lost most of the direct protections she once possessed. I would not risk undiluted demon blood, however.”

“Oh, of course not! She might still be upset about that. But soon… soon we’ll have her. This is enormously faster than I’d dreamed to hope for!” Ulvian told her, laughing as he turned to the succubus, grinning broadly. “Thank you for your help, Wenris! If it weren’t for you, I’d be looking at decades more!”

“Thank Lady Irethiel, my lord. She was the one who directed me to aid you in your efforts.” Wenris gave a mock-curtsey, which looked silly with her lack of clothing.

“Even so. Thank you,” Ulvian answered, smiling more broadly. “You didn’t have to help with Diane and Jaine, but you did.”

“Oh, it’s my pleasure, my lord,” Wenris replied, her tone brightening and her eyes all but sparkling as she grinned. “Elves are just so much fun to corrupt.”

Chapter 40

Daniel lunged forward explosively, the ground almost blurring under him as the world seemed to slow down, even as his rush continued at normal speed. The thorn shambler was moving so very slowly, unable to intercept Daniel as his glowing white blade struck it. An instant later, the world snapped back into focus, and the creature all but exploded as the impact of his attack shattered its core, while Daniel’s stomach lurched.

“Holy shit!” Eric’s exclamation echoed in the chamber as the last of their opponents fell.

Leaning over, Daniel took several deep breaths, his muscles aching in the aftermath of his attack. Every time he used the incredible lunge, it ate into his stamina heavily, and only a full night’s rest seemed to help him recover, but the sheer power of the strike was intoxicating in its own way.

“Daniel, you really shouldn’t be so quick to use that attack. I know that your spirit allows you to heal yourself more quickly, but that ability stresses your body immensely,” Joseph spoke up, concern in the cleric’s voice. “I don’t want you to use it sometime and be debilitated when you run into an opponent shortly afterward.”

“I’m mostly… trying to get used to it. I figure if I use it on… the last opponent…” Daniel gasped, then gulped down air for a moment before speaking more normally. “I figure that using it then will help me figure out its limits and side effects. I don’t like the idea of being like this in the middle of a fight.”

“Ah. That makes a lot more sense,” Eileen said, seeming relieved as she watched him in concern. “It’s incredible to watch. You turn into a streak of light before you appear again, and your attack just seems to make your target explode.”

“Yeah. I just hit it, and it hits hard. Hurts my arm some, too,” Daniel confirmed, standing up straight and wincing. “Anybody else hurt?”

“Nope, we’re all fine. Try not to get yourself hurt doing that,” Eric advised, shaking his head.

Sayla nodded, sheathing her daggers now that they were clean and looking around the room. She smiled and pointed at a corner. “Violetroot.”

“Oh good!” Eileen smiled. “That’ll help. One of these days we’ll actually get to go down to a lower floor.”

“I wouldn’t be looking forward to that. It gets tough pretty damned fast,” Joseph warned, and sighed. “Hell, even the second floor is going to be tough for you guys. Take it easy for now, and get your feet under you. You’ve got time.”

“Maybe so. I just have to wonder… why did the dungeon decide on plants?” Eileen asked.

“Because she’s a dryad?” Daniel suggested.

“Shut up, Danny,” Eric interrupted, smiling. “Let’s get a couple more rooms done and go back out.”

* * *

Sistina was pretty much certain she’d gotten all of the ghouls at this point. Nearly fifty of them had been crushed over the past week, and it was incredibly obnoxious just how many of them there were. The first time there had been plenty, but they’d come in a trickle after that. The last two times she’d tried to lure them out, there hadn’t been any ghouls, though, so she finally felt confident going inside. She didn’t want to waste the mana needed to create another body.

She’d found torn fragments of her previous body in the hallway where she’d fallen, and the scattered bits of semi-plant flesh had made her cringe. Obviously she hadn’t been terribly appetizing to the ghouls, since there was actually some of her left. It was probably that she was largely plant that had done it. Sistina made a note to deal with the body before anyone else came down here. She didn’t want Phynis to freak out. She did retrieve her dagger, noting a couple of tooth marks on it with a scowl.

A short distance from the remnants of her body was the mangled rubble that had once been her golem, as well as shredded bits of nearly a dozen more ghouls. It must have taken dozens of the ghouls to take down the golem, but their claws had managed to dig astonishingly deep into the stone, breaking enough that they were able to tear it asunder and destroy the core of its magic. Looking at it, Sistina let out a soft sigh. It was fortunate that the invasion led by Jared and the Jewels hadn’t been equipped with hammers and the like… if they had, they would have had a much better chance against the golem. But examining the way it’d been destroyed would likely give her a better idea of how to build the next one.

It was continuing to examine the rest of the academy that was depressing. The wing she’d entered had obviously once been dormitories for the students, as well as experiment rooms. It had been largely destroyed over the years by the ghouls, but there were a few pieces of artwork or relics of long-dead students that made for depressing reminders that people had lived here. In particular, the tarnished silver amulet with a pair of magically preserved portraits of what Sistina assumed were a young man or woman’s parents struck her, and she carefully picked it up, and then held it close as she continued through the empty halls.

The wing proved to be essentially empty of anything useful, so she turned and made her way the other direction. The necromantic aura was growing stronger as Sistina walked, and she frowned, slowing down as she moved. About halfway down the hall, she stopped, eyes narrowing as she saw a barrier of darkness shrouding the hallway and hiding what was behind it.

Murmuring a spell, Sistina examined the structure of the spell, and her frown turned into a scowl. The barrier was black magic designed to reap the souls of those who entered it, then to corrupt their corpses into ghouls. The very idea made her skin crawl, but it was far too obvious, so she looked for the trap that must accompany it.

It took a minute of examining the foul weave to find the first hints of the secondary trap within it. This one was far more sinister, designed to strike those who tried to dismantle the first spell and to allow the caster to attempt to possess and replace the soul of the unfortunate victim. But now that she knew it was there, she could dismantle both spells.

Sistina stood there for nearly half an hour, mentally mapping out how to rip each of the two spells apart. Finally satisfied, she began to slowly, carefully cast her own spell, an intricate weave of magic which she carefully designed to counter the two spells which she saw ahead of her. It took another few minutes to cast the spell, but at last she finished, and a glittering net drifted from her hands to touch the barrier of darkness.

The barrier shuddered as her net touched it, and then began to break apart, with a sound like slowly shattering stone. A spectral scream suddenly broke the silence, a female voice in ancient elven shrieking its rage. “No, no! Stop, you witch! I deserve that body, me! You can’t steal it from me!”

As the barrier broke, Sistina saw beyond it a pedestal with a large obsidian orb floating above it. Within the orb was a skeletal elven face, the woman’s features twisted in rage as she screamed curses at Sistina, and magic gathered around the orb in her rage, necromancy pulsing more powerfully as she focused on the dryad.

Sistina barely blinked, frowning and speaking quietly. “No. You are dead. Rest.”

“I will not rest! I waited, and I deserve life!” the woman cursed, bolts of dark power forming around the orb as she screamed at Sistina, and Sistina sighed, gesturing and allowing her net to move forward again just as the bolts of entropic energy lunged toward her.

The web of glittering magic cut the bolts apart with nothing more than a dull hiss, and it closed around the orb slowly. Sistina sighed and shook her head. “Necromancy… bad. No.”

“You… what are you? You can’t do that!” the woman cursed, marshaling more magic against the glittering web, and the darkness quickly began to fight back, forcing the web backward as it dimmed. “Ha! You won’t be able to kill me, witch! I’m immortal, I’ve outlasted all the others, and I’ll take your body, too!”

Frowning, Sistina sighed as she examined the magic being used against her own spell. She’d designed it to counter the barrier, so it wasn’t perfect against general necromantic magic… but the orb was also effectively a soulstone of some type. As the realization distracted her, the spirit managed to push back her spell slightly, and Sistina shook her head to focus. Pointing at her own spell, she poured more power into it, stabilizing it. She had to make this quick, but at least she had the power to overcome the spirit.

“How… no, you can’t have this much mana!” the spirit screeched, waves of darkness surrounding the orb in layers as she fought Sistina. “What are you doing?”

Sistina began to murmur, reaching out and carefully modifying her spell as it fought against the necromancy battering against it. Unlike with the ghouls, this was almost restful. The dead mage couldn’t move and interrupt her, which meant that she could take her time. Besides, her soul was far outside the woman’s reach, adding to her confidence.

The glittering web grew brighter as she changed it, altering it to more perfectly counter the spells being used by her opponent. And as it changed, the web started constricting toward the orb, tightening as it cut through the necromancy in its path.

“No, no… no! How can you alter a spell already cast! That can’t be done!” the spirit protested, looking around from her orb in growing worry and panic.

“Can. Did,” Sistina replied calmly, tilting her head for a moment as she considered, then admitted, “Difficult.”

“Not just difficult! No!” The woman screamed as another layer of her magic was shredded as though it never had been. “I survived the fall of Everium! I survived the rage of the gods! I can’t die, not here!”

“You died. Created undeath. Not survived,” Sistina corrected, shaking her head as the web shattered the last defenses of the spirit. “Rest. Goodbye.”

“No!” The spirit gave a last scream of rage, even as the web of light closed around the orb. The web paused, but slowly cut through the orb, leaving behind glowing trails as the enchanted item shattered.

There was a blast of magic which rocked Sistina back on her heels, and she winced as she heard stone bouncing off the floor. When she looked again, the orb was nothing more than fragments on the floor, and she felt the sense of necromancy through the building begin to dissipate. So she let out another sigh and murmured, “Goodbye.”

That done, she continued her explorations.

* * *

Opening the main library door had been difficult, but finally Sistina found something that was good news in the academy. The library was almost fully intact, in part due to the door having been magically barricaded to the point that the ghouls hadn’t been able to get inside.

Eventually she managed to crack the spells, which had been difficult with how incredibly well-layered they were. The library was three floors of closely fitted bookshelves, which was surprisingly well kept, to the point that Sistina was startled, right up until she saw the corpse sitting in a chair, a book open in front of the skeletal figure.

She sensed no necromantic energy from the figure, which looked almost like the man had gone to sleep in his chair and died there. His robe was threadbare, and she could see several spotless rings and necklaces on the table. But she stepped forward and glanced at the book, only to raise her eyebrows in surprise. The last page appeared to be the last entry of a journal.

I’m not certain what date it might be. Perhaps turning to undeath was not the best of solutions, but at least I did not go mad like Risana. The headmaster warned me that I might not be able to find a way to escape in the library, but I never believed him. Still, he did manage to preserve the last pair of surviving students with Kassandra’s aid. I never thought that the vampire would actually be a help, but she was quite selfless. Hopefully she still sustains the spells, but I have no way of knowing.

Having now read the library no less than four times, I’ve grown weary of my imprisonment here. All attempts to contact outsiders have failed, and the stone is oddly resilient even to the spells I would have sworn I’d cast correctly. Perhaps it’s the aftermath of the dead gods? I couldn’t say. But lest I join Risana in madness, I am going to end my unlife by my own hands. If any ever read this journal, let it be known that I, Bentar Firstlight, did not give up easily. But no matter my determination, time has worn me down, and it is time for me to rest at last. If Kassandra’s unlife still holds, she and two of our students still live in a chamber hidden behind the headmaster’s office.

Glancing at the corpse again, Sistina looked around the library, considering for a moment, then shook her head. If he had read all of the books, as he claimed, he must have been here for a century or more before giving up. Still, the information about the vampire intrigued her, and she hesitated only a moment before leaving the library. If it was possible there were survivors, no matter how remote the chance, books could wait.

While Sistina couldn’t be certain, the headmaster’s office probably would be at the top of the tower. She had no idea why they would put an office in such an inconvenient spot, but it seemed to be normal in the books she’d read.

It was a fairly long trip, and the stairs weren’t in the best of shape. Some of them were crumbling and would need to be fixed. Eventually she made it up to the top floor and found the door that she thought was likely the headmaster’s office. It was half off its hinges, revealing an office that had seen better days, much like the rest of the academy. It was funny how the library had almost been in better shape than the mage academy, but the library had also been essentially abandoned.

The more pertinent aspect was that she could feel faint emanations of mana from in the room, including the barest hint of necromancy, aside from the fading remnants of the orb from below. Following the emanations, Sistina came to a wall near the desk on the left side of the chamber.

All across the surface of the wall were claw marks, but they went only a quarter-inch into the wall before they exposed scratched old metal which looked like steel. Obviously the ghouls hadn’t been able to get through it, so they’d eventually given up. It was when Sistina examined it, though, that she saw a problem.

There were no enchantments she could see on the door. Oh, it’d once borne enchantments, but they’d faded long before, and she couldn’t see how to open it. Maybe they were hidden from regular magical sight?

It took her nearly an hour of searching for a magical mechanism to open the door before she finally was convinced there couldn’t be one. Not even the most powerful of wards should be able to avoid her detection at this range. But as she glared at it in aggravation, a slight discoloration on a nearby mural caught her eye. She blinked, glancing at it and her eyes narrowing, then reached out to touch it.

The button was old and stiff, and took a moment to press inward, but when she did, the wall rumbled, crunching backward slightly and starting to swing out of the way, only to grind to a halt due to the rubble. Sighing in even more aggravation, Sistina glared at the wall. Why did a mage academy use secret buttons to hide rooms, anyway? It just was frustrating!

Shaking off the annoyance, she shoved the door out of the way, curious to see what was in the room, slightly hopeful. The interior of the room was lined with bookshelves, faintly guttering enchantments still attempting to preserve them, while a circle with a body in the center dominated the center of the room, and two columns of ebon darkness sat in the corner.

The circle was a complex formation, and laying in it, clothing half rotted to nothing, was a wizened female body with an ash stake thrust through its chest, hands clutching the stake. The figure’s teeth were normal, save for two lengthened incisors, and Sistina knew it was the vampire. She could also sense the faintest hint of unlife from the vampire, indicating that she still lived in a manner of speaking, though it was… fragile at best. The circle itself was drawing mana from the vampire and supplying it to the two columns of darkness.

Those pillars were each stasis fields, and their presence shocked Sistina. Stasis magic was incredibly unstable, particularly when a living creature was contained within them, so that even a vampire could sustain these for potentially thousands of years was incredible. Examining the spell forms, Sistina’s respect for the caster grew, as she saw how despite being crafted quickly, the caster had done everything possible to ease the instabilities. The problem was that it was so unstable at the moment that she wasn’t certain she dared touch the spell. Touch it wrong, and it might explode and take those inside with it.

Frowning, Sistina shook her head and murmured, “Need to think. Will help. Promise.”

And with that said, she carefully closed the door again, to protect the poor survivors from death by accident.

Chapter 41

“If the library was in this bad of shape before we arrived, I don’t blame Sistina for being grumpy with Farlon,” Phynis told Desa as the mage helped her over a fallen pillar.

“Agreed. This place is a disaster,” Desa replied, frowning as she looked around them. “I think I got spoiled by the library.”

They bypassed the pillar and headed toward where Sistina had said the library was. Phynis couldn’t believe that the building was still intact with so much damage dealt to it. But as they came around a final corner, the guttering lights of the ancient structure barely functioning, she let out a soft sigh. “Oh, there it is!”

Phynis could hear the soft voices of Ellis and Zarenya from inside the library. The two researchers seemed to be spiritedly discussing something, which seemed out of character for either of them. Mostly because Zarenya rarely seemed to get worked up about anything, really.

“What’s going on?” Desa asked, stepping into the musty library. Phynis followed with a wrinkled nose. It smelled like death throughout the academy, which she couldn’t get over.

The two researchers paused, looking at Desa, before Zarenya pointed at a trio of books on the table, sounding almost angry as she explained. “We’re discussing who needs to lecture Sistina about defiling priceless artifacts! I can’t believe she would make corrections to them!”

“What are you talking about? Why are these particular books the priceless ones?” Phynis asked, frowning at them. She couldn’t see their titles, but the books were rather thick.

“Because even the Royal Academy only has one of these books, and it’s an incomplete copy!” Ellis exclaimed, gesturing angrily. “Marin’s Codex was almost a legend even before the Godsrage, with no one I’ve heard of claiming they had all the volumes! There are three of them here… three! That’s a third of the total, and she… she…”

“Marin’s Codex?” Desa asked, her eyes going huge, and she almost instantly stepped forward to open the first book, her breath catching as she murmured, “Oh, goddess! It’s the first volume! I’ve only seen part of the second volume!”

“Why is this codex so important?” Phynis asked calmly, and her eyes narrowed. “Besides, I’ve never heard of Sistina doing more than reading books before. Why would she correct this book?”

The other three exchanged looks, and after a moment Zarenya spoke, her tone still disapproving, almost incensed. “Marin’s Codex was a legend because it was said that the nine purported volumes were the basis of magical theory for nearly a quarter of known ancient mage academies. It was said to be an exhaustive summary of the basics of magical theory. According to the first volume, which is a copy of a translation of a copy of the originals, I must add, the originator of the codex, Marin herself, died and most of the volumes were lost. Even a single volume is utterly priceless. And then Sistina just took an inkpen to it without thought.”

“I sincerely doubt that,” Desa murmured, frowning as she looked one of the pages over.

“Why?” Ellis demanded, staring at her. Desa looked up and tapped the page gently.

“Because she clarified a line that was somewhat unclear here on the first page,” the mage replied, tilting her head. “This is a book for beginning mages… which means you should look at it, Phynis. But that gives me a better idea of its contents than you would necessarily have. Her notes are a clearer, more concise way of explaining one of the core concepts of weaving a spell. Being perfectly honest, I find that somewhat disturbing. I know she has immense magical knowledge, but—”

“But you don’t know the half of it,” Farris interrupted, stepping into the room and looking around for a moment. Everyone stared at her, somewhat surprised, and the golem looked at them after glancing at the room. “Why do all of you seem so surprised to see me?”

“I’m mostly surprised that you came down here. You seemed to mostly be staying back in the cavern,” Phynis spoke after a moment, examining Farris with a little concern.

“I’m here because you came down here, Phynis,” Farris corrected her gently, smiling slightly. “I made a promise to Sistina, when I came to her. I was frustrated and angry that I’d failed to help you when you were shot, and that I died without being able to do anything important. I chose to come to her for the chance to protect you again. Perhaps it’s a minor thing to you, but it’s important to me.”

“Oh.” Phynis blushed slightly at the information. After a moment, she shook her head and asked. “Um, so what did you mean? About Sistina’s knowledge?”

“When I was merely a soul, Sistina held me in her sea of knowledge. I could only understand the tiniest scraps of what was there, but even what I could manage was enough to increase my knowledge tenfold,” Farris explained, approaching and glancing down at the book. “It is such a fundamental part of her that she draws magical formulae the way you or I can breathe. The difference is, she’s also rather slow with magic.”

“What do you mean that she’s slow? We’ve seen her drop a ceiling on people without notice!” Desa protested.

“That wasn’t a spell,” Farris told her, shrugging slightly. “It was like moving her arm. It took a lot of energy, so it probably would be more like you rolling a massive boulder, but it was part of her. When Sistina actually casts spells, she’s slow and precise. You or I could cast essentially identical spells as her in two thirds the time or less.”

“Hmm. That is rather slow. I wonder why?” Desa murmured, considering.

“I think that we’re getting sidetracked. Ellis? What were you and Zarenya doing before you got outraged by Sistina’s corrections?” Phynis asked politely.

“We were trying to find books on demons, so we could figure out more about the brands,” Ellis replied, looking at his mentor. “We just started with the books on the table.”

“Right. Well, I suggest you get back to work. I’ll go find Sistina and ask her why she wrote in the books. Is that acceptable?” Phynis inquired, her eyes narrowing slightly. She wouldn’t be amused if they didn’t think it was acceptable.

“Yes, ma’am.” Zarenya spoke first, glancing at Ellis and nodding. “That is most reasonable.”

“Excellent. Now, does anyone know where Sistina is?” Phynis asked, looking at them. She felt like she could probably find the dryad, but she wasn’t certain. Their link could be useful, but it mostly seemed to lead to the tree.

“I thought I saw her head upstairs when we got here,” Ellis offered. “I don’t know more than that.”

“That’s enough for me to find her. Thank you, Ellis,” Phynis replied, smiling at him, then looking at Desa with a raised eyebrow. “Coming, Desa?”

The mage reluctantly pulled away from the tome, looking wistful. “Of course. This is just incredible.”

“You can look at it later. We’ve got all winter ahead of us,” Phynis said firmly.

* * *

The murmuring words of spells from the chamber ahead made Phynis pause. Why would Sistina be casting a spell?

When they entered the room, Phynis blinked in surprise as the words grew louder. Sistina was in a chamber attached to the room proper, seemingly having been hidden by a secret door. Phynis recoiled slightly at the sight of the corpse and two black pillars, opening her mouth to say something. Desa stopped her with a quick gesture, shaking her head as she nodded at Sistina.

The dryad was murmuring her spell as she chalked out an intricate array of symbols on the floor around the circle that surrounded the corpse. Her runes were tightly packed and complex, and she’d done over ten rings around the figure so far. Phynis blinked and looked at Desa, whose brow was furrowed as she watched. After a minute, the mage let out a soft sound of comprehension. “Ah!”

“What is it?” Phynis whispered, watching Sistina keep going.

“She’s trying to reinforce the spells that are in place. At least, that’s what the first couple are for,” Desa explained, and looked back at Farris. “Farris? Any other ideas?”

“No, you have the right of it. I can’t tell what the full formation is for either, but it seems to be extremely delicate,” Farris confirmed, nodding slightly. “We’d best wait for her to finish.”

Sistina worked fairly quickly, but even so, she was making such large circles at this point that they were waiting several minutes. The dryad was so focused on her work that Phynis began to grow worried. Why would Sistina be so concerned about this?

Eventually Sistina finished her runes and stopped. Brushing a hair away from her face, the dryad slowly walked around the circle again, carefully studying it. Finally nodding in satisfaction, she looked over at them and smiled, approaching Phynis and giving her a gentle, warm hug. Phynis smiled, murmuring softly, “Thank you, Sistina. Are you well?”

“Yes. Busy,” Sistina confirmed, glancing back at the body.

“Before we ask what you’re doing there, let’s ask about the books,” Desa interrupted quickly. “We get sidetracked in conversations with Sistina a lot, and I don’t want to forget about that.”

“Books?” Sistina inquired, her brow furrowing. “Which?”

“Ellis and Zarenya were dismayed to find that you’d written in some books in the library,” Phynis explained delicately, trying to ensure the other two didn’t sound so angry. She luxuriated in Sistina’s soft warmth and the scent of lilacs that Sistina seemed to exude. “The academy library, I should add. Why did you write in them?”

“Those books.” Sistina seemed enlightened and nodded, smiling. “Incomplete. Mistranslated. Annoyed, so corrected.”

“How… you know what, never mind. You probably don’t remember how you know that,” Desa began, then sighed and shook her head. “I don’t suppose that the other volumes are around here somewhere?”

“No. Obnoxious. Meant as set,” the dryad replied, her voice revealing faint annoyance. “Try to remember. Rewrite.”

Phynis nodded, but before she could speak, Farris asked, “While that’s interesting, may I ask what you’re doing with the body and spells in there, Sistina? I don’t recognize anything of the original spell save for that it’s designed to draw out power from the… corpse.”

“Vampire. Sustaining stasis spells, survivors,” Sistina told them, pulling away from Phynis to point at the black pillars. Phynis saw Sistina pause on seeing chalk dust on her fingers and frown. The dryad wiped her fingers off, and gently batted at Phynis’ clothing where she had left chalk marks. The ridiculousness of her actions made Phynis giggle, even through her shock.

“Those are stasis spells? And they’re still functional?” Desa asked, shock in her voice as she stared at the two pillars as if she’d seen a ghost. “How?”

“Difficult. Very unstable,” Sistina replied, pointing at the vampire’s body. “Almost dead. Century more, perhaps. Spells delicate. Wrong action, explode. Destroy upper floors. Must be careful.”

“Oh. I’m glad we didn’t interrupt,” Phynis murmured, her eyes wide as she looked over the spells for a long minute. Finally, she asked, “So, there are survivors? I didn’t think that was possible.”

“It’s exceedingly unlikely. Stasis spells are incredibly unstable and consume huge amounts of mana to begin with. The Godsrage caused such immense ripples in the aether that I’m surprised that these spells survived it,” Farris commented, gesturing at the pillars.

Sistina nodded, looking at the pillars as well as she shrugged. “Impressive spellwork. Not perfect.”

“What would perfect even look like?” Desa asked, looking at Sistina almost challengingly. “Could you do better?”

“Yes. With books. Would take time. A moon. Perhaps two,” Sistina replied, musing as she looked at the spells. “Still hard. Take nodes for stability.”

“So, what are you going to do now?” Phynis asked, looking at the body nervously. “Wake them up?”

Nodding, Sistina smiled and reached out to stroke Phynis’ cheek gently before pointing downward. “Yes. Leave, be safe. Should be fine.”

“If it’s that dangerous to attempt to deactivate the spells, we should do as she asks, Phynis,” Desa told her quietly, looking up from where she was examining the runes on the ground. “She can survive it, even if it doesn’t make any of us happy when she’s hurt.”

“You’re right. But what are you going to do about the vampire? Are you going to destroy it?” Phynis asked, looking distrustfully at the female figure on the floor.

“No. Volunteered. Was looking for cure,” Sistina explained, then shrugged. “Called for deer.”

“That’s an interesting situation for a vampire to be in,” Farris commented, looking at the body herself for a moment before shrugging. “Still, a deer would likely have enough blood to sate her.”

“Alright. Just don’t overdo it, Sistina. I worry about you,” Phynis said quietly, reaching out and holding the dryad’s hand for a moment. “I’m upset enough over you losing one body. Don’t lose another.”

After a moment of hesitation, Sistina smiled gently and bowed her head, clasping both hands around Phynis’ as she spoke softly. “As you wish.”

Phynis blushed slightly, but smiled back as she murmured, “Good.”

“Then let’s go, so she can get this over with. I’m curious if we can even understand people from before the Godsrage,” Desa spoke up, standing eagerly.

Nodding, Phynis gently let go of Sistina’s hands, and with the other two in tow, she headed down the stairs. When they passed a confused looking deer, though, she giggled, shaking her head as she murmured, “Poor deer.”

* * *

Sistina looked at the deer and nodded, debating exactly what order to do this in. She’d stabilized the flow of mana into the stasis spells, which would make it easier on the vampire, but even so, it wouldn’t be easy for her to wake up both the vampire and break the spell on the survivors. In all truth, she wasn’t certain that it had even been fully effective. Those put inside could actually be dead and she wouldn’t be able to know until they were removed from the stasis.

When the deer arrived, she made her decision, nodding and reaching out to gently stroke its nose. The poor creature had no idea what was coming, but its thoughts were simple. So she gently stroked it again, and used her magic and connection to it to slowly lull it to sleep. Its head drooped and it slowly laid down and fell asleep.

Nodding unconsciously, Sistina turned and fed mana into the circles, carefully displacing the vampire’s power. When they were properly functioning, Sistina calmly reached over, took hold of the stake, and yanked it out.

Instantly, the vampire’s wizened eyelids snapped open and she lunged at Sistina, eyes almost mad with hunger as she hissed. Sistina barely dodged, reaching out and grabbing the vampire by the throat, holding her back. The woman’s clothing began to disintegrate under the stress and its sheer age.

“No,” Sistina said firmly, pointing at the deer. “Eat.”

The vampire hissed, and her claws tightened painfully on Sistina’s arm. The faintest glimmer of consciousness kindled in the creature’s eyes, though, and Sistina frowned at her. “No! Food there.”

For a long moment, Sistina was afraid that it wasn’t going to get through to the vampire, even as her claws began to pierce Sistina’s skin. But then the creature paused, seeming to hesitate. When it lunged toward the deer after another moment of contemplation, Sistina let go of it, and winced as the vampire tore into the defenseless deer.

It took a minute for the vampire to start to recover with the introduction of the blood. First her body began to grow thicker as her flesh recovered, then her skin began to grow smooth. Raven-dark hair regrew rapidly, and in almost no time, the seemingly human woman who pulled away from the remains of the deer looked almost normal. Her eyes were as dark as her hair, and she was taller than most of the elves Sistina had seen, better than six feet in height, with pale skin almost the color of ivory, so much lighter than most humans she’d seen. The only clue to her nature were the extended incisors of her teeth. And the woman blinked several times, before speaking the archaic tongue that Sistina remembered from her time as a gemstone.

“Who are you? What… how long has it been?” the woman asked in confusion, and blinked again as she looked closer at Sistina. “A… a dryad?”

“Yes and no. Am Sistina. Been millennia. You are fortunate,” Sistina quickly explained in the same tongue, not really considering how effortless it was, then gestured at the pillars. “Preparing to free. Leaving?”

“What? You talk strangely. And no, I’m not leaving. I’m responsible for Cortin and Nora!” the vampire replied hotly, glowering. “What do you mean it’s been millennia? There’s no way that we would be left alone that long!”

“City under mountain. War was bad,” Sistina replied, somewhat amused by the woman’s vehemence. Turning away, she added, “Shush. Difficult spell. Want to get correct.”

“Of course it’s difficult! Headmaster Zandar did it himself!” the vampire retorted, her eyes narrowing. “What do you think you’re doing, anyway?”

“Shush!” Sistina spoke much more firmly this time, glaring at the woman as she pointed at the pillars and enunciated clearly. “Un-sta-ble! Mistake goes boom. Shush!”

“But—” the vampire began to protest again, but Sistina interrupted.

“Enough! Shush or stake,” Sistina told her, raising the stake again and glowering. “Choose.”

Opening her mouth for a moment, the vampiress examined the stake for a moment, then swallowed and went silent. Sistina nodded in satisfaction after a moment, turning back to the stasis pillars.

The spell to free them was complex, so Sistina began to piece it together in front of her, drawing glowing runes in the air as she murmured each portion of her spell. One by one, the segments took shape, glowing in the air as Sistina concentrated on getting everything exactly right. The vampiress was standing behind her, and Sistina heard a couple of gasps from her at different points.

At last, Sistina had completed everything but the core of the spell, the part which would initiate the dismantling of the stasis spells. In all honesty, part of what she was doing was draining built-up magic that could explode if incorrectly handled, which would also help her recover from maintaining the spells to begin with, but it truly was delicate work. Sistina examined each part of her diagram carefully, then finally nodded and began to cast the final piece of the spell.

When she finished, the spells meshed together perfectly and began to operate like a finely tuned machine. In moments, they began dismantling and draining the stasis spells, while at the same time slowly speeding the time within the stasis pillars so that the two inside them wouldn’t die of time shock. That would be unpleasant.

The darkness of the pillars began to waver and slowly, they began to turn transparent as time slowly returned to normal within them. In each of the pillars was an elf, each seeming almost asleep as they stood in place. The one to the left was a man, his hair a sandy blonde and skin rather pale, while to the right was a woman with dark brown hair and a slightly crooked nose. Each were wearing blue robes with white trim, which Sistina vaguely recognized.

As the pillars vanished, the man was the first to move, opening his hazel eyes and blinking slightly before asking, “Did the spell just… oh, gods, what is that smell?”

“Ugh.” The woman waved a hand under her nose as she opened her own brown eyes, her voice melodious. “That’s… oh, what happened?”

“I’m still trying to figure that out,” the vampiress spoke first, looking distrustfully at Sistina as she added, “And I’m sorry about the smell. I woke up famished and wasn’t in any state to eat cleanly. This woman says she is Sistina, but she speaks oddly. She’s the one who woke us up.”

“Correct,” Sistina agreed, smiling thinly. It mildly amused her that both elves were carefully avoiding looking at the vampire’s meal. “Spell difficult. Six millennia asleep. You were fortunate.”

“Six millennia? That’s impossible! We can’t have been asleep for that long!” the male protested, shaking his head in disbelief. “We would have been found and rescued!”

“Everium fell. Civilization fell,” Sistina replied, shaking her head. “Found by accident. Others explain better.”

“But—” the man began, only to have the woman interrupt.

“Cortin, be polite. What reason would she have to lie to us?” she chided, and looked at Sistina awkwardly before giving a slight curtsey. “Hello, Sistina. I’m Nora, and this is Cortin and Kassandra. Thank you for rescuing us. Where might these others be, who can answer our questions?”

“Downstairs. Safe from spells,” Sistina explained succinctly, glancing down at the circle before adding, “Stasis unstable.”

“Oh. Well, may we go speak with them?” Nora asked, looking at the others nervously.

“And maybe get me some clothing? Cortin, look somewhere else,” Kassandra asked, scowling at the young man, who had the good graces to at least blush and look away.

Smiling slightly, Sistina nodded and gestured for them to follow her, leading the way downstairs. If nothing else, she was happy that she wasn’t going to have a potential explosion in the middle of her dungeon.

Chapter 42

“How are you feeling, Zenith?” Elissa asked in a gentle voice, smiling at the beautiful, corrupted angel.

The angel now possessed crimson hair rather than her previous copper tresses, and her eyes and lips were both a deep purple, while her halo and wings were a lighter shade of purple. Her body was more voluptuous than it had been before her introduction to succubus blood. In all honesty, Elissa was more surprised they managed to keep her an angel with the woman’s corruption. The vivid violet slave brand on her lower body was hidden by the toga that Zenith wore, and the angel looked back at Elissa with a brilliant smile.

“I feel wonderful, High Priestess,” Zenith replied, closing her eyes and shivering for a moment. “Thank you for helping to enlighten me. You and the others as well. I had no idea how blind I was, but now, with my new Name and the help you’ve given me, my eyes are open. I’m ready to spread the wisdom of Tyria to help her return to what she should be.”

“Excellent! I must say that your help will be invaluable, Zenith,” Elissa replied with an even wider smile than she’d had before. While she might not like Irethiel, she had to admit that the demon lord was considered one of the most powerful corruptors in the lower planes for a reason. To convince an angel that they’d been led astray for their entire existence was impressive, to say the least. “In particular, I have a few tasks that I could dearly use your help with.”

“In what manner may I be of assistance, High Priestess?” Zenith asked fervently, glancing in the direction of the sleeping goddess. The cables that had channeled energy from the Enforcers to Zenith were now attached directly to the goddess, accelerating her alterations dramatically. “I am willing to do anything needed to bring Her to proper glory once more.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. The less critical issue is that the cathedral in Kelvanath has no proper statue to Our Lady. If you were to provide a divinely crafted statue of her behind the altar, it would help greatly with providing a focus for the faithful and potential converts,” Elissa explained.

“A worthy endeavor for a High Priestess,” Zenith replied, approval in her voice as she considered the idea. “I would have to come up with a proper statue, but I will do the best I am able. What other issues did you need my aid with?”

“Only one other needs attention in the short term. Archon Sorvos has two former royals of Yisara as his guests, and Wenris is in the process of enlightening them,” Elissa explained, and a hint of sorrow crossed her face as she continued, “They are unfortunately reticent, and the former queen went so far as to have herself rendered barren, and while she hides it well, it causes her continuous pain. I hope to bring both of them into the fold as priestesses, and for that they must live as long as possible. Might you be able to help prepare a proper holy baptism for them? One that would rejuvenate their bodies, heal them fully, and perhaps even reshape them into a form fitting to show the glory of Our Lady?”

“That would be difficult for me. Such magics take a good deal more power than I alone can provide easily.” Zenith’s smile dimmed and she frowned, her eyebrows furrowing. “I know how, and I would have to observe them, that I might consider how to reshape them to suit Milady’s glory, but the power is an issue I cannot solve.”

“What of Our Lady herself?” Elissa quickly asked, suppressing a frown at the angel’s words. “Might she not be willing to donate a few drops of blood to such a worthy cause?”

“That is possible. I will have to pray for guidance, as in her current state she is unable to offer such on her own,” Zenith replied, brightening at the thought. “Such a donation would provide ample power for everything that you requested. And they are former royalty, you say?”

“Yes. Diane Yisara was the queen of Yisara, but vacated her throne and gave up all claims on it when she surrendered to Kelvanis. Jaine Yisara was captured in battle and kept as a prize of war. Her family has disowned her and removed her position as well,” Elissa told the angel, smiling sadly as she continued. “Neither are in the best of straits, and they could use Our Lady’s blessings, as they search for their true place in the world. And what better mistress than Our Lady?”

“Oh, the poor things! Yes, of course they need to find their place sooner, no wonder you have Wenris enlightening them!” The information seemed to make up Zenith’s mind, and she nodded, looking to Tyria and adding, “I’m certain that Our Lady won’t mind at all. I will observe them this very night and prepare the statue, then consecrate a pool for you to baptize them.”

“That’s wonderful!” Elissa smiled in honest pleasure. “Thank you, Zenith!”

“Not at all! It’s only proper as a fellow servant of Our Goddess,” Zenith replied happily, seemingly blind to the smirks on the faces of the nearby succubi.

* * *

The days and nights were wearing on Diane more than she had ever expected them to. At first, she’d thought that rebuffing Wenris would be easy, but after two weeks, she found herself exhausted from everything she was going through. In her rooms, Diane was constantly accompanied by Maria, who was a perfectly good maid. That she was assigned to Diane by Kelvanis and the slave brand taunting Diane kept her from being able to truly trust Maria and relax.

If Diane wished to leave her wing, she was constantly accompanied by guards, even to the library or gardens. They were far more obvious than the ones she’d had as queen, which grated on her nerves still more. They had managed a few trips into the city, which proved as cramped as her first sight had implied, but they at least had a few comforts. It was the suspicious gazes of the locals and the dead eyes of the handful of elves they’d seen that had convinced Diane to stay indoors.

Dinners with the Archon were almost worse. She and Jaine were there with him, and the man was so damned happy and friendly all the time that Diane almost hated him for being too cheerful. They had only had to meet with diplomats from Alcast once, and the experience had been excruciating. The look of shock in the eyes of the northern ambassador had been obvious, and Diane had longed to retreat to her rooms. Or, oddly enough, the temple of Tyria.

The closest thing that Diane had to privacy and a chance to relax was at the temple of Tyria, the irony of which wasn’t lost on Diane. The dull ache from her stomach was a constant companion, with the pain shortening her temper slightly. Not even her sleep was free of stress, so she’d found herself spending more time at the temple than she’d expected. And it didn’t help that Jaine seemed to be adapting far more quickly to the locale than Diane was comfortable with.

It made Wenris’ softly worded suggestions sound all too reasonable, and Diane was having to constantly remind herself that the polite, beautiful woman was a demon out to brainwash her. It was getting harder, though. At least the tea was wonderful, and was one of the few bright spots each day for Diane.

“So, do you remember how I told you that Ulvian was encouraging me to get you to alter your appearance somewhat?” Wenris asked, stirring a cup of her own tea.

“Yes. I’m still resistant to the idea,” Diane replied, focusing on her own cup intently. “Why do you mention it?”

“Because High Priestess Elissa is going to offer you and Jaine a sacred baptism tomorrow, one which will also allow her goddess to remove many of your perceived flaws, and grant Tyria’s blessing on you,” Wenris explained, smiling at Diane with a confidence that Diane found surreal. “It would certainly be more pleasant than the other methods that Ulvian might use, and you seem to like Elissa.”

“Mostly because she seems like the only person who isn’t out to get me. Oh, it’s obvious that she wants to convert me, but she isn’t pushing, unlike you,” Diane almost snapped, then took a deep breath, and sipped at the tea. “But I don’t think that I like the idea.”

“Perhaps not, but you may want to reconsider,” Wenris replied, smiling even more.

“What possible reason would I have to do that?” Diane asked, reining in her temper. Making the succubus angry would just make her evenings worse, not better.

“Isn’t it obvious? To convince Ulvian that you’re breaking faster than expected,” Wenris scolded gently. “Yes, he’d be getting something that he wants, but it would also possibly cause him to lower his guard slightly. It’s a possibility, at least.”

“That… I suppose it might be possible, but you could just be trying to convince me to do it by dangling that as a possibility,” Diane countered, frowning. “Besides, I like the way I look.”

“Oh, Diane… I suppose you can lie if you want to, but we both know that isn’t true,” Wenris told Diane, clicking her tongue in disapproval. “I’ve seen how you tense at the sight of those who’re more attractive than you, and how your nose annoys you. I’m not threatening to tell Ulvian over something like this, silly elf, I’m just saying that it could be to your benefit to go along with what they have planned. This time, at least.”

“Don’t claim to know me better than I know myself,” Diane told the succubus with a scowl, but she found herself unable to keep from glancing at the demon’s impressive bust. Trying to set the idea aside, she added, “You’ve made your opinion known. Enough already.”

The seed of the idea planted, Wenris smiled and nodded. Diane scowled more, knowing exactly what the demon had done, and Wenris shrugged before changing the subject. “So, do you enjoy the sight of humans or demons more?”

* * *

“Diane? Are you feeling well?” Elissa asked, looking worried. “You look quite pale.”

“I’m fine. I just haven’t been sleeping well of late,” Diane replied, smiling as best as she could. Her pain was slightly worse than normal, and Wenris’ comments had been more pointed and lewd as well, likely as vengeance for Diane’s sharp tone at several points. Oh, how she wished she could keep the demon out of her dreams. Which brought an idea to mind as she stepped into the priestess’ private chambers. “Actually, I’ve been having bad dreams. You wouldn’t have a way to help with that, would you?”

“Hmm… bad dreams? Well, a ward wouldn’t work, but I could get you a blessed dreamcatcher? Those are supposed to help ward off bad dreams,” Elissa offered, and then looked at Jaine. “Jaine? What about you?”

“I’ve had some bad dreams of late, but they’ve eased a little, High Priestess,” Jaine replied respectfully, but blushed as she added, “Though I admit that the idea of such an item does make me feel more at ease.”

“I’ll make certain to have a pair made and delivered to each of you,” Elissa promised, and smiled gently at Diane. “I hope that it helps you, Diane.”

“I doubt that it will, but thank you, Elissa. I do appreciate it,” Diane replied softly, suppressing the disappointment she was feeling. It could always be worse. Who knew, anyway? The dreamcatcher might actually work. “How are you?”

“Everything is going well!” Elissa replied cheerfully, smiling. “Attendance is up, and we’re starting to get more donations. I think that the people needed Tyria’s guidance.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Jaine interjected, smiling. “You’re a wonderful priestess.”

Diane smiled slightly at her daughter’s reaction, though she was faintly worried about it. With what Wenris had said, there wasn’t much chance of Jaine not liking Elissa and her faith, but part of her wished she could talk to Jaine about the succubus and warn her that she was being manipulated.

Elissa had the grace to blush, and smiled. “Thank you for the compliment, Jaine. And actually, I had an offer for the pair of you. I’ll admit that a tiny part of it is at the jackass’ urging, but it’s primarily from me.”

“Oh? What kind of offer?” Diane asked, careful to make certain she seemed appropriately wary.

“I like both of you, and think that you’re worthy of My Lady’s attention. So, I took the liberty of preparing a holy baptism for the two of you. It should draw the good graces of Tyria to you, and bless you for a time. I don’t know all of the effects it might have, but I know they will be good,” the priestess explained, reaching up to play with her holy symbol. “It’s supposed to help with beautification too, which is why Ulvian probably was asking me to offer it.”

Diane was just opening her mouth to speak, but Jaine spoke first, her voice eager. “I’d love to go through with the baptism, High Priestess!”

She stopped and looked at Diane a moment later, blushing and asking in a more subdued tone, “Uh, if that’s alright, Mother? I just…”

“It’s fine, Jaine. I wish you weren’t so quick to leap into things, given our situation, but I can’t blame you.” Diane sighed slightly and smiled at them, a bit nervously. Turning her attention to Elissa, she considered a moment before asking, “Do you promise that this is going to be harmless, to the best of your knowledge?”

“Yes. It’s a simple holy baptism, blessed by one of Her angels, Zenith,” Elissa promised, and both elves stared at her for a long moment.

“An angel blessed the waters?” Diane asked softly, startled.

“Yes.” Elissa smiled gently. “I told her about you, and she observed both of you before deciding to accede to my request.”

“Mother? Please?” Jaine begged, her eyes shining with excitement.

“I agree. To have an angel bless the water, it would just be horribly inconsiderate of me to refuse,” Diane finally agreed. She’d been tempted to agree to begin with due to Wenris’ suggestion, but the revelation had clinched her decision. She respected Elissa too much to refuse, especially since she hadn’t seen any signs of the priestess lying to them.

“Excellent! If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to the pool,” Elissa replied, smiling broadly as she opened the door and led the way toward the back of the temple.

“Pool? What does the baptism involve?” Jaine asked. “I thought that it was just anointing someone with water or oil.”

“In this case, a baptism involves full immersion in the water, which has also been treated with a number of sacred herbs and oils,” Elissa explained.

Diane considered asking more about it, but shook her head and kept quiet. She didn’t want Elissa to think that she was actually converting.

Elissa took them through a couple of rooms, then into a pentagonal chamber about twenty feet across. There was a marble pool set into the floor that was also pentagonal, but was offset from the rest of the room so that the corners each pointed toward the center of the walls. Lanterns set into each wall provided illumination, and the pool was filled with water that was purple with a handful of rose petals floating in it.

The priestess closed the door behind them, then nodded at the pool, speaking reverently. “This is it. All you must do for the baptism is disrobe and step into the pool. I will pray for your blessing to my lady, and then you must go underwater for at least ten breaths of time. The longer you stay under, the more it should do for you.”

Looking at the pool, Diane started to hesitate again. She could feel faint warmth coming from the water, and there were a few wisps of steam rising from it as well. But Jaine only hesitated for a moment before beginning to disrobe, so Diane mentally sighed and followed her daughter’s example. It didn’t change how awkward she felt, but she wasn’t going to argue about clothing when the priestess was doing her a favor.

Diane turned away and was just starting on her underthings when she heard Jaine gasp on entering the water, exclaiming, “It’s really warm! I thought it would be colder.”

“I didn’t want you to be cold if you agreed, so I made sure that the water was kept heated,” the priestess replied in an amused tone.

Finishing disrobing, Diane turned to slip into the water, holding her arms close to cover as much of herself as she could, blushing slightly. The water was deeper than she expected, about four feet deep, which meant it wasn’t hard to keep herself underwater from the neck down. The water was warm, on the verge of hot, and Diane couldn’t help but inhale, shivering as the warmth seemed to penetrate deep into her body, easing some of the ache from her abdomen.

“You’re right. This is quite warm. It’s almost uncomfortable,” Diane agreed, taking a deep breath. There was something odd about the water’s smell, but she couldn’t quite place it.

“I’ll start the prayer in a moment. After I ask Tyria’s divine blessing upon you, dunk yourselves for as long as you can without risking yourselves,” Elissa advised, then paused before asking, “Ready?”

Jaine nodded, her face slightly flushed, and Diane agreed softly. “Yes.”

Elissa nodded and took a breath, then closed her eyes and spoke in a clear, calm voice as she spread her hands. “Lady Tyria, Eminent Flame and My Goddess in Chains, I stand before you to humbly make a request. Please bless the elven daughters before me with thy favor and protection.”

As Elissa finished her simple prayer, Diane took a deep breath and crouched down and back, trying to fully immerse herself, her eyes closed. The first thing that Diane noticed was that the water didn’t splash. It flowed smoothly and evenly around her head, into her ears and nose, and all across her skin. The warmth seemed to grow ever so slightly more intense, and sounds grew muffled. It was hot, and somehow it seemed comfortable, like a fire shedding warmth on a winter’s night.

The heat began to penetrate deeper into Diane’s body, and she felt as though it was permeating all of her, and the pain from her lower body melted away as it pooled there and against her eyes. The heat throbbed through her, and Diane had to suppress a gasp as it became more powerful, flooding her body with warmth. She thought she felt something changing, but she wasn’t certain. The odd sensations actually distracted her from how long she’d been underwater, and the tingling intensified as she stayed under for longer, until her lungs began to complain and Diane dropped her feet to the floor, standing up and releasing her breath with an explosive gasp, opening her eyes.

She was standing farther out of the water than she had been before, Diane found, blinking water away from her eyes for a moment, only to find it was almost gone in moments as steam rose from her skin. Diane felt wonderful, revitalized and refreshed like she hadn’t felt in years, but it was the sight of Jaine that made her mouth open in shock.

The water didn’t so much sluice off of her daughter as steam off, and the pool was now crystal clear. Jaine’s skin was darker than before; instead of being a faint golden tinge, it was the color of honey, and almost glistened in the light. Jaine was also taller, almost four inches more than she had been, and her hair glistened gold with crimson highlights. Yet the changes didn’t stop there.

Jaine’s hips were wider and her breasts larger, but it was when she looked toward Diane, blinking the steam from her eyes, that Diane saw the most obvious changes. Jaine’s eyes were now a deep purple instead of blue, and she had a marking on her forehead, a tiny pinprick of purple with a starburst around it in the same color. Additionally, her features were slightly more refined and… perfect, for lack of a better term, making Diane shiver at her daughter’s beauty.

“Mother? You… you look gorgeous.” Jaine’s eyes went wide as she looked at Diane, blinking several times.

“What? You changed a lot, Jaine,” Diane replied, taking a moment to look down at herself, and froze in surprise.

She immediately noticed that she couldn’t see her toes when she looked down, where before they’d been clearly visible. Other than the significant enhancement to her bust, she appeared to have received most of the same adjustments as Jaine, though her skin had instead lightened slightly. She also realized that she felt no pain from her lower body. Looking into the water, Diane couldn’t get a good reflection of herself. So she asked. “Jaine? Do I have a purple mark on my forehead, shaped like a star?”

“Yes, you do. And your eyes… one’s light purple, while the other is much darker,” Jaine replied, looking at her arms in a daze. She swallowed, and after a moment looked at Elissa and asked, “What happened, High Priestess?”

“I believe that the goddess blessed you more than I’d expected,” Elissa replied, looking rather startled, and somewhat envious. “I wish I had some of the height She granted you. I was shorter than either of you before, and now you’re even taller.”

“Perhaps, but I wasn’t expecting anything this dramatic,” Diane told the priestess, feeling slightly worried despite how much better her body felt.

“Neither was I. And you certainly won’t be able to fit into your previous clothing. I have some robes for acolytes and priestesses I could loan you,” Elissa offered, frowning as she considered them. “I do hope you aren’t upset? This was not what I anticipated.”

“I…” Diane hesitated, looking at Jaine, whose concern seemed to be evaporating as fast as the water had. Sighing softly, she shook her head and began to climb out of the pool. “No, it’s fine, Elissa. If you didn’t know, you didn’t know. I’m not sure what I think of it yet. I’m going to have to go look at myself in the mirror. But a simple robe would be greatly appreciated. It’s something of a surprise that my balance hasn’t been affected by this.”

“At a guess, it’s because Tyria didn’t want to inconvenience us,” Jaine suggested, climbing out of the pool as well, and shivering as she did so. “And robes would be lovely, please?”

“As you like. I’ll be back with them shortly,” Elissa promised, and opened the door just enough to slip out of the room, leaving them in the cool air.

It took a few moments before Diane murmured, “I’m wondering if this was a good idea.”

“I don’t. Just wait and see, it’ll be for the best, Mother,” Jaine replied, and Diane didn’t miss the confidence in her daughter’s voice. She could do nothing but sigh, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Chapter 43

“So the messages were sent?” Farris asked Desa, scanning over the text of her tome slowly.

Desa finished the paragraph she was reading and looked up, nodding. “Yes. The stones are an interesting device, and I know my message reached Captain Steelguard, but there isn’t any way for her to reply, which makes it a little more difficult.”

“Indeed. I hope that they take the warning seriously.” Farris sighed, shaking her head. “I just don’t know there’s much they can do.”

“I agree. But they can do more than we can. Diamond said that she contacted the Archpriestess of Medaea as well,” Desa added, frowning for a moment. “Speaking of which, do you know how her tutoring the three from the academy is going?”

“They’re picking up modern wordings fairly quickly. We’re fortunate that elven hasn’t changed so much as to be completely foreign to them. Cortin and Nora still seem somewhat in shock about what happened,” Farris explained, sighing as she shook her head. “It appears to have put a damper on their relationship, and Cortin has been flirting with Helia since then. Kassandra seems to have taken it much more easily, however. I suspect because she’s already dealt with the shock of becoming a vampire.”

“Wait, Cortin and Nora had a relationship? What are the odds of the survivors having been courting before a disaster like what happened to Everium?” Desa asked, looking up suddenly at the information, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. “I thought I heard something about most of the students being in the dormitory when the ghouls attacked.”

“Apparently, they were meeting for a tryst in one of the empty classrooms, which was what saved their lives.” Farris smiled sadly, shaking her head. “They managed to get to the headmaster for protection, but by that time, the city was being devastated by earthquakes and the academy sank.”

“Ah. Now I feel bad for wondering. I can’t even imagine what they experienced.” Desa sat back a little, feeling a little guilty about her reaction. She shouldn’t be so suspicious, but things had been going so well that she was just waiting for another shoe to drop.

“Neither can I. They didn’t even fully experience the Godsrage, either,” Farris replied softly.

For a minute there was silence between them, and Desa raised her head, curious again as she asked, “Why aren’t you with Phynis, anyway? I know she wasn’t with Sistina.”

“She was going on a date with Emerald and asked for privacy,” Farris told her, smiling again. “It looked like it was going fairly well.”

“That is a very complex relationship,” Desa muttered, shaking her head in bemusement. “I can’t believe that Phynis is going along with it, and that Sistina put her foot down and made the eight of them figure out where they stood.”

“It’s for the best, though. Would you rather Sistina slept around and that Phynis got her heart broken?” Farris asked, looking up from her book again.

“Of course not!” Desa exclaimed. “I just want her to be happy, and this is weird.”

“Fair enough,” Farris conceded, pausing for a moment before asking, “How did you know Phynis wasn’t with Sistina?”

“Sistina said she was going to be working on the dungeon, and not to disturb her today,” Desa replied absently, eyes drifting back to her book.

“Ah. I suppose I’ll have to ask her what she did later, then,” Farris murmured.

* * *

Sistina noticed their conversation, but more of her attention was focused on Emerald and Phynis as they walked through the temple of Vanir, speaking softly as they got to know one another. Sistina was happy with how the women were coming to terms with one another, and in the process she was getting to know each of the Jewels as well. Phynis was much better than Sistina at figuring out what they were thinking.

That had actually been a surprisingly hard lesson for Sistina to learn, that she wasn’t quite as good at figuring people out as she’d thought. At first, she’d thought that adjusting the mental state of the Jewels might not be too hard, but as she probed deeper, she found that it wasn’t quite as simple as she’d thought it was. The mental changes from the shards dissolved into the women were extensive, and without them to guide her it would be almost impossible for her to fix without breaking something else. The complexity of a mind so far exceeded even Sistina’s more powerful spells that she conceded to herself that she’d grown a touch conceited.

So instead she’d decided to focus on something she could solve. The adventurers had gotten farther through her dungeon than Sistina was comfortable with, so she was working on her creatures and defenses again. Plants were easy to re-grow, unlike wolves or bears. Those she had to use sparingly, else she wipe out their population. The ants and other insects had proven quite useful so far, but she wanted something that wouldn’t take nearly as much work to replace.

So she had spent the last few hours summoning a handful of air, earth, fire, and water spirits. They were an odd bunch, but the nearby nodes made them much more reasonable than they otherwise would be. As long as she allowed them to live inside the nodes they were willing to help her. The air spirits were the least cooperative, but the air node would be within her domain within the month, and they were willing to wait that long.

The spirits would occasionally possess portions of their element throughout the dungeon to challenge adventurers, effectively functioning as lesser elementals, save that they didn’t actually risk death in combat. It was much more efficient than any of the other opponents that Sistina had gathered for the dungeon.

Nor were those the only creatures she was working on. The experiment with the mutated worms she abandoned when she found the results to be a bit too disgusting, even for a dungeon. Similarly, she ended up abandoning several experiments with beetles and rats. The latter would have eaten far too much for her to be willing to deal with, while the beetles weren’t different enough from ants to feel worthwhile. Which left the mountain lion and her cubs living on her southern slopes, and the bats that lived in several caves.

She was mildly worried about them, so she was going more slowly with them. The lion was the more promising in Sistina’s mind, but she didn’t want to underestimate the bats. Plus, she was working on evolving the plant-maiden into something approaching a dryad, but it was slow-going.

The easier job was adding traps to the foundry area. Fire jets, swinging blades, and even crushing walls were much more predictable than other threats. It took some consideration to make certain they wouldn’t be impossible to spot, but it was hardly a difficult task. But it was there that whimsy struck Sistina.

At the entrance to the 10th floor, Sistina created a hallway a hundred feet long with holes in the floor and walls, designed to allow fire jets to blast into the hallway. She placed a chest at the opposite end of the hallway, with a particularly nice breastplate with matching gauntlets and greaves that she’d found in the old foundry and cleaned up. Placing a lever next to the chest, she built the next part with a mental grin.

Into the wall, she built a machine powered by the foundry that would play a massive music box. And not just one music box, but ten of them. Each would play in turn, with each song taking about ten minutes. But what she thought was particularly fun was that the fire jets would fire in sequence with the music box, creating patterns and gaps that if one watched for long enough, they could exploit to get to the treasure chest. The lever would simply deactivate the jets for two cycles of the music box.

The project, along with all the other traps and hazards, took Sistina hours. At which point, she pulled back to check on Phynis. When she saw what the princess was up to, Sistina mentally flushed and went back to work, trying to give her some privacy.

It was hard keeping her mind off of the two women, though.

Chapter 44

“Here it comes,” Evansly murmured, looking out the window at the approaching storm clouds.

“Here comes what?” Graystone asked, taking the mug of spiced ale from Isana and adding, “Thank you, Isana. I greatly appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Master Graystone,” she replied with a faint smile, placing the other mug in front of Evansly’s seat by the table.

Turning around, Evansly nodded, smiling at Isana as he took his mug, and explained, “Winter. It comes hard and fast out here. Those clouds are coming from the center of the mountains, which means that the winter storms are going to hit soon.”

“Huh. I heard someone mention that heavy winter storms came from the Godsrage Mountains, but I wasn’t sure I believed them,” Graystone murmured, tilting his head and taking a sip of his ale. “Do you know why the storms come from there?”

“No one is entirely sure. We do know that most of the monsters that live in the deep mountains are frost and snow aligned, though, so I imagine that there’s some kind of… cold node, or something of the sort in there,” Evansly guessed, shrugging as he smiled wryly. “There have been expeditions and explorers, but no one has ever come back from the heart of the mountains.”

“Interesting.” Graystone pondered, looking toward the mountains for a minute. Finally, he sighed and murmured, “I wonder what sort of rare ores might be under those mountains? Not that I’ll ever see any, I’ll bet. If it’s that bad over the mountains, it must be just as nasty under them.”

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t care for caves.” Evansly chuckled softly as he took a seat. “If the dungeon’s anything to base it off of, you’d be right.”

“Who knows? But if you’re right about the snows, everything is going to slow down pretty damned quick,” Graystone muttered, shaking his head. “The priests are gonna be pissy about the construction of their temple.”

“They’ll live. We finished the living quarters first, and hopefully the rest can get finished before the snows hit too hard,” Evansly mused. “Too bad they haven’t managed to get the relics necessary to revive the recently dead yet. That’s making the adventurers more cautious.”

“I wouldn’t expect to finish the temple. We’re too close to the mountains,” Isana spoke softly, nodding out the window.

Turning, Evansly’s eyebrows rose as he saw the first white flakes begin to fall from the sky. “Damn, that’s a little sooner than I thought.”

“Pretty though.” Graystone seemed relaxed, and Evansly snorted.

“I’d like to hear you say that in two months,” the elf retorted, and the dwarf chuckled softly as they watched the snow falling silently.

* * *

Despite all expectations to the contrary, Graystone’s construction crew managed to finish the chapel to Tianna before winter descended in its full fury. Part of it was some hired assistance from the Adventuring Guild’s mages, but mostly it was that Graystone himself spent hours urging them on and making certain the work was done as efficiently as possible.

Even so it was a near thing, for not more than four days after the temple was finished came the first blizzard, which dumped nearly three feet of snow on the town. Almost overnight, the trickle of travelers coming to and from Granite Point dried up, and those who were there hunkered in for the long winter ahead of them.

One of the few saving graces was the dungeon, oddly enough. The number of people who went inside just to visit the dungeon storeroom had increased immensely as they realized that the supply of fresh food Sina provided hadn’t dwindled at all. In fact, the demand grew enough that Ilmas had begun to even cart the occasional pieces of venison up to sell. Not a day went by that the dungeon inhabitants didn’t sell all of their produce, and the town was more cheerful with the better food as well.

The delves into the dungeon had slowed slightly despite that, with the adventurers growing warier of the various tricks that it had available in the lower floors, especially the first time a pool of water had animated and attacked a group. No one had died, but the presence of an elemental had produced a quiet furor among the adventurers, especially with Albert muttering something about elevating mana levels.

Within a few weeks, Eric and Sayla managed to summon their own spirits. Eric ended up with an earth spirit, which had surprised no one, and Sayla with a wind spirit that allowed her to move with eerie speed and stealth. Eileen had surprised everyone for having enough of a knack for magic to be able to start learning more basic spells, which brought a rare smile to Nirath’s face as the elven mage taught the much younger human.

* * *

“Shambler, Eileen!” Eric called out, grunting as he shoulder-slammed a wolf back and cut into a second plant monster with his axe. The plant monster, reduced in height by a foot, fell to the ground in a heap of foliage.

“Got it!” the apprentice mage replied, murmuring the words of a spell which caused an orb of fire to grow in the palm of her hand. As the shambler lunged toward her, Eileen tossed the orb toward the plant. The orb of flame struck the shambler almost gently, but where it hit, steam, smoke, and ashes burst into the air as it left a scorching hole through the center of the creature before evaporating into nothing.

Daniel mostly focused on his own fight, holding off a trio of more shamblers while keeping an eye on the strangling vines they’d cropped earlier. They were slow, but if they didn’t deal with the plant woman soon, the fight could get pretty difficult. Thank the gods there wasn’t a firestorm tree in the room! He dodged under the attack of one of the three, and slipped in between them, trying to get them to attack one another. In their rush to turn toward him, two of the shamblers nearly knocked each other over.

As Daniel quickly cut at the joints of the one that hadn’t been entangled, he glanced toward the flower girl and scowled. She was well away from the room entrance, in the middle of a clearing. She looked like a green-skinned human torso sticking out of a bright red tulip, with hair the color of the petals around her. The creature was immobile, but with gestures and gurgling near-words, she directed the other plants against them. With five shamblers and a wolf still up, this would be difficult if she didn’t go down soon.

Which was why Sayla chose that moment to ghost out from behind a rock, both daggers in hand as she struck hard and fast. Both daggers struck at the plant-woman’s throat, cutting deep into the creature’s neck and spilling sap. The other plant-creatures faltered as the woman reeled, and Sayla savagely finished her target off as she softly growled, “Die already!”

As the tulip drooped to the ground, the various plant creatures staggered. Eric was busy finishing off the huge wolf, and Eileen took the moment to throw another ball of fire, this one burning a hole through two of Daniel’s opponents.

Daniel took the moment to shove his opponent into one of the fanged traps, destroying it, and in fairly short order, their opponents were dead. Pausing as the battle finished, Daniel blinked, and asked aloud, feeling winded and dazed, “Did that just happen? Did we just manage to finish the first floor?”

“Sure looks like it to me. And without any injuries that’re more than scratches,” Joseph answered from behind them, the cleric grinning at them. “Good job, all of you!”

“Holy shit,” Eric breathed, taking a deep breath, then grinning. “I honestly was wondering if we’d ever manage it this year.”

“Heh. It hasn’t been easy. Thanks, Joe. I think I might’ve died a couple of times if you hadn’t been there to get me back on my feet,” Daniel told the cleric sincerely, cleaning his blade and sheathing it.

“Agreed,” Eileen added, shaking her head as she said, “I’m just remembering that first attempt we made. All seven of us nearly died there.”

“And that’s something you four really need to remember.” Joseph’s smile turned concerned as he continued. “You finally finished the first floor, and Darak and the others all agreed with me. At this point, aside from the occasional advice, team-ups, or sparring, you four are on your own from here on out. We’ve helped out and mentored you, but you’ve got to learn to stand on your own.”

“Oh.” Eileen’s smile faded slowly, and she slowly nodded. “Does that meant that I can’t keep training in magic with Nirath?”

“No, no, I’m saying that we’re not going to go out of our way to help anymore. When we’re all in the guild house, though? Nirath enjoys tutoring you, Eileen. She’s happy to help,” Joseph assured her.

“Alright. We knew it had to happen eventually.” Eric sighed. “It’s definitely going to make things more dangerous.”

“Which is why we should be more cautious,” Sayla said quietly, looking concerned herself.

“Exactly. What’s the thing that’s more important than treasure in a dungeon?” Joseph asked.

“Living,” Daniel replied succinctly, standing straighter. “We can’t spend wealth or grow if we die in here.”

“Exactly. Now, grab your rewards and let’s get out of here. Time for a celebration.” Joseph grinned as he added, “And we’re funding this one.”

“That sounds amazing.” Eric laughed, grinning broadly as he hefted his ax, heading for the small pedestal where four small piles of gleaming silver were waiting for them.

* * *

Each of the groups improved further through the winter, with Darak, Joseph, Nirath, and Penelope slowly venturing farther into the foundry, though each time they were forced to retreat before venturing far. Daniel’s group, on the other hand, only reached the end of the first floor about half the time, and were waiting to be able to consistently clear the floor before they ventured further.

Of course, Daniel spent a large amount of time visiting with Sina when he was able to manage it, rekindling their relationship as best he could. Fortunately, it seemed that Sayla finally decided she didn’t have a chance with Daniel and turned her attention elsewhere. The change caused a great deal of relief, even when she started flirting with Albert. The resulting conversations made much of the winter a good deal more entertaining for all of them.

Chapter 45

As winter fell, the plans of Archon Ulvian Sorvos and Justicar Ivan Hall proceeded at a steady pace. Soldiers from the front lines of Yisara were slowly transferred to the northern lines around Grayhold and to Westgate in preparation for their spring campaign against Sifaren. Only a small number of soldiers and slave legions were left on the southern border. Mostly they were there to slow down an assault enough to arrange a counterattack. In the meantime, they turned their full focus on the dusk elf nation. All of which was part of why Ulvian was in Westgate, planning with Ivan for the campaign that spring.

“I also have another group of orcs who’ve agreed to serve on the front for two years. We’re looking at about five hundred of them,” Ulvian told Ivan, chuckling as he added, “They seem to like the idea of raiding the elves for some reason. Where do you want me to send them?”

“Are they all one clan? Or can I safely split them up into detachments?” Ivan asked, frowning as he looked at the map. Ulvian knew that despite everything they’d done, the lines were much thinner than the Justicar would prefer.

“It’s split between two tribes; one’s about two hundred strong, the other three hundred in a second tribe,” Ulvian told the other man, tilting his head slightly. “I think you could split them up somewhat, but it’s safer not to.”

“I think the detachment of two hundred should reinforce the fort anchoring the western front, while the main force should go to Grayhold,” Ivan suggested, tapping the map slowly. He frowned, looking up at Ulvian. “Despite of all our plans, I have my concerns, Ulvian. I’m not sure we can strike enough of a blow to break the morale of Sifaren in the time you’re talking about. If we don’t capture them before the end of the summer, Alcast or Morak might get nervous enough to actually step into the fight, which could get nasty.”

“Alcast isn’t a threat, but Morak would be. They’ve got a large, skilled standing army. Alcast barely counts as having an army by comparison,” Ulvian agreed, tapping his chin as he considered. “I wonder…”

Ivan waited as Ulvian thought, but after a minute he prompted. “Ulvian? Share what you’re thinking, would you?”

“Right, sorry! I just got caught up considering options.” Ulvian laughed to himself, smiling as he nodded at the map, reaching to touch the symbol of Galthor. “I think our best bet is Galthor.”

“That would be a tough nut to crack. Baron Galthor has spent years fortifying and preparing for us to come against him,” Ivan replied unhappily, looking at the spot. “We could get pinned down in a war of attrition.”

“I wasn’t thinking of purely a full-scale assault, Ivan. I want you to contact Farren Galthor,” the Archon explained, his smile widening. “He betrayed Phynis to us, after all. Certainly, he didn’t get what he wanted, but that wasn’t our fault. I want you to offer Princess Jaine to him if he helps us break Galthor’s defenses, along with ruling a larger area than a mere barony. If you have to, use the information he gave us to blackmail him. I’m not sure it’ll work, mind you, but I think it has better odds than a frontal assault.”

“Umm.” Ivan frowned and considered, then slowly nodded. “I suppose it might at that. He’s young, and has seen the front lines enough he might be desperate enough to do it. What if he doesn’t play along, though?”

“Then we wait for my backup plan. Tyria should be ready by that point, but I don’t dare count on it,” Ulvian said, smiling broadly as he chuckled. “As much power as we have available already, adding her will turn our advantage into overwhelming superiority.”

“True enough, I suppose. But like you said, we can’t count on it.” The Justicar finally nodded and smiled. “I’ll do the best I can, Ulvian. Even if neither work, I’ll do my damndest to have Sifaren on a silver platter by next fall.”

“I knew I could count on you.” Ulvian smiled broadly. “Now then, I’m going to get back to Kelvanath and make sure you have the supplies to make it happen. Keep it up, Ivan!”

Chapter 46

The autumn was a slowly moving nightmare for Diane. Things often didn’t seem all that bad, but then she would make the mistake of looking back on the preceding weeks and months, and she would see her own slow descent down a path that she’d sworn she would avoid with all her power.

Despite her best efforts, Diane found herself falling deeper into Wenris’ words with each passing week. It had taken only two short days before she’d found herself appearing in her reshaped body during her meetings with the succubus. It had been a shock, and yet she’d so quickly found herself comfortable with what had changed. Of course, it didn’t help that she’d always quietly wished to be as beautiful as the bards had made her out to be.

It was an incredibly unpleasant sensation when she thought about it, which grew more and more uncommon over the weeks. Days and nights began to blur together in many ways, and the only comfort Diane had was that Wenris couldn’t touch her through her mental shields.

The day that everything changed, Jaine went to the temple of Tyria with her guards. And when she came back, she was wearing the holy symbol of Tyria, the robes of a priestess, and the same brand that Elissa bore herself. And the sight made Diane’s restraint snap that evening.

* * *

“I thought you said you were going to hold back with Jaine!” Diane all but spat, standing up with both hands on the table. “What do you call that? She went and joined the priesthood of Tyria!”

“I call it Jaine being herself,” Wenris replied idly, buffing her nails with a napkin. The succubus seemed bored by comparison. “It isn’t my fault that she’s young, easily swayed, and went for controlling the only thing she could think of in her life. If you hadn’t been constantly worrying about me, maybe you could have kept her from converting. But that’s hardly my fault, since I barely had to do anything.”

“But you did do something?” Diane asked, glaring at the demon.

“Of course I did. I gave Jaine a few gentle nudges here and there, just barely enough to comply with my own orders,” Wenris explained patiently. “I told you that I have no choice but to try to do what I was ordered to do.”

“You…!” Diane cut herself off with a growl, taking several deep breaths and turning to stare into the distance. As she did so, her anger intensified as she realized that some of the details in the distance had faded. So, grinding her teeth for a moment, she came to a decision. “Fine. But since I don’t believe you, I’m not going to listen to you anymore. I’ve gone along with your games for long enough.”

“That would be a mistake, Diane.” All laziness vanished from Wenris’ voice, and the succubus sat forward in her chair, eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you would like the result if you go through with this.”

“Why? Are you going to tell the Archon, that bastard, about this? That’ll just make you look bad, and how much worse can it be for me?” Diane spat back at the demon, glaring. “Besides, you can’t touch me. Get the hell out of my mind.”

“Oh, you poor, foolish woman. You think that I’m in your mind?” Wenris asked, her tone dangerous as she stood up, smiling. “Think about it. If your shields can keep me from touching your mental avatar, how could I possibly break into your mind every night?”

Diane felt worry welling up as the demon spoke, taking a step backward nervously as the demon began to step toward her. And at that moment, the world around her darkened, twisted… and moments later, they weren’t in the gardens back at the palace. They were in a dungeon, and she had her back to a stone wall with chains dangling from it. Wenris spoke in the same tone, explaining almost patiently. “You’ve been coming into my mind each night, Diane. I’ve allowed you to shape our surroundings, but everything is part of me.”

“S-so? That doesn’t change the fact that you can’t touch me! Leave me alone!” Diane demanded, her voice starting to tremble and her heartbeat quickening as Wenris stopped only inches away from her.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” the succubus purred, and leaned forward. Her hands and face paused only for an instant before Diane felt something break, and the demon’s hands closed around her shoulders, pinning her to the stone wall as the silky, warmth of Wenris’ lips met her own.

Panicking, Diane tried to struggle, pushing at Wenris and trying to pull away. The demon didn’t move from any of Diane’s efforts, simply leaning in until they were breast to breast, and quelling the squirming with a few careful steps. The intoxicating warmth of the demon began to seep into Diane, a pleasant sensation like nothing she’d ever felt, causing her struggling to weaken… and it was at that moment that Wenris broke the kiss, grinning as she stared into Diane’s eyes from inches away.

“H-how? This isn’t…” Diane gasped, shock and the psychic drug of the demon’s presence addling her mind.

“Possible? Oh, it is. Think about it, Diane. How many cups of tea or wine did you drink while listening to me? How many sandwiches or other refreshments did you consume?” Wenris asked, smiling broadly. “Each of them formed of my mind. You willingly consumed items made of my own demonic energy, over and over again. Eventually, it built up to the point where your shields are essentially nonexistent where I’m concerned. I can do whatever I want to you.”

“No…” Diane breathed, terror lancing through her, as well as a hint of warmth from that intoxicating kiss reacting to the promise in the demon’s words.

“However, that isn’t any fun, Diane. I’ve been enjoying our little game. So, you have two choices. You can go back to obediently listening, and also accepting kisses from me for your little rebellion earlier, or I can actually try to change Jaine as I’ve been ordered.” Wenris’ smile almost vanished as she continued, her voice soft. “You’ll be stuck here with me either way. But your daughter isn’t as resistant as you are. Her mind is as soft and malleable as clay. Make your choice quickly, Diane, else I lose patience.”

“I… I…” Diane gasped, her mind spinning. But as she thought about it, her anger and defiance slowly died. She’d sacrificed herself for the next generation of Yisara’s rulers. What was another sacrifice for her own daughter? She sagged in defeat, and murmured, “I’ll cooperate. But I’m going to argue.”

“Good girl. I’d expect nothing less of you,” Wenris purred, her tail slowly lashing behind her. From the look in her eyes, Diane was desperately afraid that the demon wouldn’t be content with mere kisses for long. Nor was she certain that she would be able to stop Wenris when it reached that point.

Chapter 47

In Sifaren, Queen Calath did her best to begin preparing for the war that was coming in the spring. The unexpected message spell from Desa had caused both consternation and worry, and she quickly communicated with Yisara to confirm the information to the best of her ability. When Queen Beryl and Archpriestess Nadis confirmed much of what had been described, her efforts grew even more desperate.

Her spies immediately began to search for any information on Medaea’s whereabouts they could find, and she could only wish that Kelvanath wasn’t on the opposite end of Kelvanis from Sifaren. If it’d been closer, she might have risked a preemptive strike on the capital in an attempt to destroy them before whatever plans they had matured.

As it was, she had little choice but to hope that they could locate where Kelvanis was keeping the goddess captive and find some way to free her. In the meantime, she was hoping that Reva would be able to reach Phynis and Sistina.

Fortunately, most of the nobles were finally starting to take the situation seriously, allowing her to rally additional support. Reva Lucien seemed to be doing well as he gathered a force that was somewhat smaller than she’d initially expected, but with most of Phynis’ former guards among them.

* * *

“I’d recommend destroying this outpost before crossing the lines, Sir Lucien,” Captain Vendis explained, indicating a small outpost between Kelvanis’ two western-most forts. “While on a map, it looks like a fairly straight line from either fort, the terrain between them is rocky and it’s very hard to get a force to their assistance quickly.”

“Hmm… The question is whether the terrain will slow us down. Thoughts?” Reva mused, considering the situation, looking at the scout captain. As her company had rescued Phynis to begin with, he’d thought she was ideal to help plan and execute his task.

“No, the difficult ridges are mostly in north to south strips. If we destroy the outpost and keep going another ten miles, our path is somewhat masked by a set of hills and is clear until that point. It’s the route we used to infiltrate Kelvanis this spring,” Vendis answered with a slight smile. “We didn’t destroy the outpost that time since we were in a hurry, though. I expect it’s been reinforced since then, but none of the scouts have reported much as of yet.”

“I see. What about the terrain between there and this new town, Granite Point?” the knight asked, looking at her, then to Sergeant Berys, promoted after her return from the dungeon. “How hard is the passage between those points?”

“The area is heavily forested, and the loggers haven’t cleared much. It’s also got some bandits, but I suspect they’ll have moved south for most of the winter,” Vendis spoke first. “While the forest is fairly wild, it isn’t that bad. We’ll definitely move faster than orcs or humans, even if the snows are heavy.”

“Granite Point also isn’t a large town, or wasn’t when we left. There was a single company of soldiers stationed there, and they didn’t even have a palisade, only with a small barracks with watchtower.” Berys spoke up to give her own report. “I have to assume that after what happened to the attackers it’s been reinforced, but if they’re preparing an assault against Sifaren, they can’t have put too many people there. Besides, there simply wasn’t time to build another barracks. I’d assume no more than three companies at most would be there.”

“Excellent. Unless they’re the most elite soldiers in Kelvanis, we’ll be able to deal with something like that easily.” Reva nodded in satisfaction, studying the map intently.

For a long minute, he was silent, then he nodded slowly, his voice soft. “While I don’t claim it will be easy, I think we can carry out what the Queen has asked of us. Captain, your opinion?”

“I believe you’re right, sir. I can’t say that I’m entirely confident, but unless they dramatically increase the forces in the area we’re looking at, it should be possible,” Vendis agreed, though he noted a hint of worry in her eyes.

“Is there something wrong? You seem worried,” Reva asked quietly. After a moment, he added, “If you have a concern with my plans, go ahead and tell me.”

“It isn’t your plans, sir. My worry is Sistina.” Vendis sighed, shaking her head. “I did not make the best of impressions when I visited her, and depending on how badly she views us, I’m just worried that we won’t even get a response when we try to contact her.”

“While Sistina reacted badly, I don’t think she’ll ignore us. I don’t think Phynis would let her,” Berys interjected softly. “Sistina values her opinion too highly.”

“Perhaps so. She did even when I visited,” Vendis replied, chewing her lower lip.

“Regardless, we have few choices other than to try. As long as there’s a reasonable chance of success, I’m not giving up,” Reva spoke again, his own emotions conflicted. “Her Majesty chose to entrust this to me, and I don’t want to fail her.”

“Agreed,” Vendis spoke more firmly, her worry lessening at the reminder.

“Good.” Reva smiled at her, then nodded. “Now, I’d like your opinion on the best units to choose for the job.”

Chapter 48

Sistina’s experiment with the bats didn’t go well at first. Her primary instinct was to share her own fear of fire with the adventurers delving into her dungeon, so she was trying to create fire breathing bats. She’d separated the bats into groups for her experiments, since this was the first time she’d tried adding an elemental ability the creatures didn’t already possess.

The results had been unpleasant. The first batch were doing fine for a while, and then they began to explode in miniature fireballs as the elemental energy overloaded their bodies. Sistina had winced and tried to fix the mistake in the second group. That group had done much better, right up until they tried breathing their tiny jets of fire in mid-flight. Since they were flying forward, the bats plunged right into their own flames, which proved disastrous since they weren’t fireproof.

At about that point, the air node had slowly drifted into Sistina’s domain, which she’d gleefully claimed. She couldn’t have stopped it if it kept going, but fortunately the node seemed to be slowing down, possibly even stopping in her territory. The air spirits had been happy, and its presence helped Sistina alter and move the air and other gases within the dungeon more efficiently. She certainly wasn’t going to argue about it, since it also gave her a tiny boost to her mana accumulation.

Once the air spirits were settled in the node, Sistina went back to trying to get the bats right. It wasn’t easy, but she would be able to manage to make the bats essentially immune to their own fire, and not explode.

After the disasters with the bats, Sistina was disinclined to experiment too much with the mountain lions. Instead, she simply convinced their fur to turn black and made the same general changes she had to the bears and wolves, allowing them to grow bigger and stronger than they had been before. Modifying creatures to simply be more powerful versions of themselves was relatively easy by comparison.

Things were stabilizing inside the dungeon as well. She’d built a temple to Medaea that met the requests of the Priestesses, and it had been fascinating to watch some of the rituals that were performed. They stirred memories, as though Sistina had seen similar rituals before, but they were nowhere near as familiar as those of Balvess to her. A few inquiries had led her to understand that Balvess had perished in the Godsrage, which brought a deep sorrow welling up from within her.

The three survivors were intriguing to Sistina, and she chose not to mention her requirement to them. There were only three of them, and it was the middle of the winter. Kassandra had immediately returned to her research, trying to find a way to cure her vampirism. Despite everything, Sistina couldn’t help but think that the woman was looking at the wrong approach with trying to use resurrection magic. Cortin and Nora’s relationship had cooled rapidly after the disaster, and oddly enough, Nora seemed to have a fascination with Earl, of all people. It bemused Sistina that an ancient elf would be attracted to the human, but it just showed how little she sometimes knew about relationships.

Cortin was the odd one out, doing a little research and flirting by turns with every woman he met, including the priestesses. She wasn’t certain if it was just the way he was coping, or his actual personality. Either way, unless someone got upset, she wasn’t going to interfere. The only person he hadn’t dared to flirt with had been Sistina. Which was good, since she was taken.

That had come of a small conclave between the Jewels and Phynis, once the former princess had finally decided she was comfortable with the other women. The gathering had amused Sistina, but not as much as the fact that they’d gathered together and made their decision without inviting Sistina herself.

The group had decided to split the time with Sistina as fairly as they thought possible. While Phynis had priority, due to the… needs of the other women, they each would have time with her over the course of two weeks. Sistina wasn’t sure it was entirely fair to any of them, since Phynis was going to have almost half the time to herself, but she also wasn’t going to argue. She’d given the ultimatum and refused to sleep with any of them until they came to the agreement, so it was partially her fault. They also were rather determined to not let anyone else into their little circle without a unanimous decision, which seemed rather unlikely to Sistina.

Regardless of the situation, Sistina was happy that Phynis was getting along with the Jewels, and had gone on to work on an odd project that was compelling to her. Fully rewriting Marin’s Codex felt almost like a compulsion, and she found herself working on it every day for at least a few minutes. It was slow work, as she dredged her mind for the precise formulas and how to express them in a language that others could understand. Several times, Sistina had caught herself writing in a language that none of the elves could understand and had to start over on those pages. It was during one of her periods of writing that Ellis and Zarenya finally found the information they’d been hunting for.

* * *

“Is this…?” Zarenya’s voice broke the silence of the academy library, and Sistina glanced up, blinking as she did so, looking over at the two researchers. Librarians, really, but they were researching, so the title fit.

“I think it is!” Ellis’ voice was filled with excitement, and he raised his eyes, looking around the room before his gaze settled on Desa and Phynis. “Desa, Phynis! Would one of you come show us your brand? I think we found which demon it belongs to!”

“What?” Desa dropped her book and stood up, quickly approaching as Phynis followed at a more sedate pace. “Really?”

“Ellis got ahead of himself. We believe it may be the symbol, but we’d like to compare them to be certain,” Zarenya corrected, glaring at her assistant. “Ellis. Confirm first, then allow them to get their hopes up.”

“Right, sorry about that. It’s just that I was so sure of it…” Ellis flushed red, looking down for a moment before muttering, “I’ll shut up now.”

“It’s not a problem, Ellis. Just keep it in mind,” Phynis told him kindly, then looked at Zarenya as she asked, “So, you just need to compare the symbols? Aren’t all of the brands different?”

“While they’re all different, they each have a common core to their structure. That’s what we want to compare. While we have drawings, I’d rather compare them to one we know functioned,” Zarenya explained.

Desa nodded and spoke quietly, “I’ll do it. Just a moment…”

The mage pulled up her shirt and undid her trousers, and as she did, Sistina went back to writing. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Ellis and Zarenya comparing the book against the brand adorning Desa’s skin, but she didn’t think anything of it as Ellis murmured, “Yes, this looks the same. Zarenya?”

“I agree. This looks to be the same, so at least we have a name.” Zarenya’s voice was satisfied, but slightly subdued. “The problem is that she’s a demon lord. Irethiel, Demon Queen of Corruption, Lust, and Slavery.”

The name was like a spike that stabbed into Sistina’s mind, and her hand involuntarily clenched, a page of text crumpling in her left hand, while the inkpen snapped in her right hand, the ink dribbling over the page slightly as it bounced on the sheet. The sharp report made all of the others jump, and Phynis in particular spun, staring at Sistina.

“Sistina? Is something wrong?” Phynis asked nervously.

“The name. I… remember it,” Sistina spoke slowly, and stood up, pulling the fragments of the inkpen from where they’d embedded in her skin. “No details. Have to look.”

“What? That doesn’t explain much,” Phynis murmured, but stepped out of the way. Desa got her clothing in order, and Sistina stepped past them, idly healing the injury to her hand as she looked at the book.

The symbol was quite familiar, and they were right—it was at the core of every brand Sistina had claimed so far. But it was the name that bothered her, so she read the passage, and her mind rocked.

Irethiel, Demon Queen of Corruption, Lust, and Slavery. She is also sometimes given other portfolios, such as domination, sex, tyranny, and others, but such are often common to demon lords known to be succubi or to control others. Irethiel claimed her position from her predecessor, Kathyria, in the year -1409 ED. More ruthless than Kathyria, Irethiel is considered one of the more deadly and dangerous demon lords of the age.

“Kathyria…” Sistina murmured softly, her memories shuddering. And all of a sudden, she lost her grip on her body, receding as it began to fall backward.

* * *

Sistina murmured something, and then abruptly began to fall backward as her consciousness receded. And as it did, Phynis’ eyes went wide as she suddenly felt rage, confusion, and sorrow, all mixed together and oddly distant as she felt Sistina almost collapse into herself.

“Sistina!” Phynis yelped, quickly catching her and blinking in surprise as Desa groaned.

“What is that?” Desa asked, clutching at her head as she squinted, obviously uncomfortable. “I feel like… like someone’s in my head.”

“It’s Sistina. She’s upset about something. But what, I don’t know,” Phynis replied, looking nervously at the dryad’s body, abandoned and mostly stiff.

“Could it be something to do with the demon lord? I heard her mention the name of the demon lord who Irethiel replaced, Kathyria,” Ellis offered, looking worried himself.

“I don’t know. She’s angry and confused,” Phynis replied slowly, shaking her head as the sorrow deepened. “And she’s sad about something. I’m not sure what, though.”

“Hopefully she snaps out of it soon. This is disturbing,” Desa added, wincing again.

“You aren’t the only one,” Phynis told her friend, watching Sistina and wondering what was happening to her.

* * *

Sistina was drowning in memories. But in the memories, she wasn’t Sistina. She was Marin, Archangel of Balvess. Wielder of the Sword of the Golden Moon. She didn’t remember much more than that, or how the battle had gone, but she remembered the moment that she had failed. The moment when her strength had left her body after the trap closed around her, and she had barely managed to open the portal and return her holy blade to her God’s side lest the demons around her blaspheme it. Only to find out that the sword had never been Kathyria’s target.

Marin had fought against the ebon chains, struggling feebly as their unholy magic drained the strength from her body. Kathyria, the succubus queen, had laughed as she approached her, her teeth the only hint of light from the being of darkness as she leaned in and stroked one of Marin’s cheeks, murmuring in delight. “Oh, I’ve been waiting to get my hands on you, Marin. I’ve needed a champion I could trust, and raising one from nothing is just so hard. Much easier to steal one, don’t you think?”

As Marin tried to speak, the demon queen had kissed her, drowning any protests as she sucked energy out of the angel and poured dark magic into her to twist, corrupt, and render her unable to resist. Slowly, the dark magic had forced Marin unconscious, even as her body heated. And then all was darkness.

The next fragment of memories was Marin being pulled from a steaming vat by another set of chains, the container filled with some viscous liquid that she couldn’t quite place. Her body was practically on fire, blazing with lust and literal heat, as her skin cooled from an unearthly temperature that had changed it. The alien sensation of a tail swayed behind her, her wings were more like those of a bat or dragon’s, and literally no part of her body remained unchanged.

Kathyria stood before her, in her glorious, crimson-skinned form, much like most other succubi, but so much more. And as she did, Marin shivered, whimpering as she looked downward to see the slave crest that adorned her body. And then Kathyria spoke, her voice a gentle caress almost as good as the actual touch as she stroked Marin’s cheek. “There we are… you resisted long and hard, but look at you now. Such a beautiful succubus, remade in my image. But tell me, how do you feel now? Are you ready to serve me, my dear? To be my right hand and protector?”

“I… I…” Marin’s voice had almost broken, but her mind already had, corrupted and changed, so she nodded and spoke reverently. “Yes, Mistress. I’m yours now.”

“Of course you are. But forget that silly name of yours. It has no meaning for you, not for my champion.” Kathyria’s voice was pleasant as she grinned. “Your Name is now Avendrial.”

“Avendrial…” The memory spun in her mind, and she shuddered onward, to another scene, centuries later.

She took a new succubus under her wing, to show her how things were done in Kathyria’s court. Avendrial had shown young Irethiel how to brand other demons and hold them in the endless chains of dominance and submission from the most powerful to least powerful of the court. The ambition in the young demon’s eyes had burned brightly, as it did in most, but there was nothing unusual in that. So Avendrial had gone on with her duties, tutoring her young lieutenant as she protected Kathyria from those who would overthrow her.

It was when she had been sent to aid one of Kathyria’s servants in a minor task, something that should have taken no more than a few days’ time, that everything began to go wrong again. In the man’s rage about her perceived failure, he had trapped her in a gemstone. In Avendrial’s absence, Kathyria had been overthrown. And it was then that Sistina began to suspect what might have happened.

She suspected that Irethiel had arranged for her imprisonment, and then had overthrown Kathyria somehow. There was no way to know for certain, but Sistina believed it anyway. And as she realized it, she instinctively looked at herself. She’d been branded, much as Desa, Farris, and Phynis had been, so if Kathyria still lived, it would be engraved into her very spirit. Not a hint of a marking was there, though. There was no sign of a brand ever existing.

Kathyria may have kidnapped her and remade Avendrial, but Avendrial was one of Sistina’s previous lives, and she had loved her Mistress with all her corrupted heart. It explained to Sistina why she had felt so sympathetic to the Jewels and Phynis, with how their minds had been altered. And it explained the incredible grief nearly overwhelming her as she realized that Kathyria was gone eternally.

* * *

Phynis felt the moment that Sistina returned to her body. They had gently positioned the dryad in a chair and waited. It had been half an hour, but the sensation of Sistina’s anger and grief receding to manageable levels had been palpable. Desa had managed to acclimate to the sensations after a few minutes, but none of them were certain what had happened. When Sistina returned, though, Phynis instantly looked at her, as tears began to slowly flow down the dryad’s face.

“Sistina? What’s wrong?” Phynis asked, standing up and approaching the dryad, concern flooding her. She’d never seen such an intense reaction from the dryad before.

“Remembered. Kathyria was mistress,” Sistina murmured, her eyes distant as the thick tears slowly coursed down her face. “So old. Am a failure. She died.”

“You’re that old? I didn’t realize that you were… no, never mind that. Why are you a failure? It shouldn’t be your fault that she died,” Phynis protested, exchanging a worried glance with Desa, but at the same time the idea that Sistina was that old startled her. “Talk to me, Sistina?”

“I was champion,” Sistina replied simply, turning those age-old, tired eyes on Phynis. “Was sealed. Kathyria slain. Is… distressing.”

“You were what?” Desa yelped, her eyes going huge, and she stammered. “I mean, you said you were a demon, but that’s insane! Why are you so… so helpful?”

“Not always demon. Was captured. Turned,” Sistina replied, shrugging as she looked down, her eyes on Phynis’ chest, her tears slowing at last as she took a deep breath.

“You were turned into her servant? What were you before?” Phynis asked softly, feeling utterly stunned.

“Angel. Mortal before. Am old,” Sistina stressed, looking at Phynis and giving a gentle smile. “Still Sistina. Still myself. Just memories.”

“Perhaps so, but I still worry about you, Sistina. You’ve never reacted like that before,” Phynis told her, pulling the dryad into a hug. “I don’t care who you were. I care about who you are now.”

“Past shapes us. Will adjust. Good to know.” The dryad sighed, closing her eyes and hugging Phynis tight. She was just a hair short of hugging too tightly, but Phynis didn’t mind. Sistina obviously had been more upset than Phynis had been able to tell.

“I, uh, hesitate to interrupt, but I have a question for you, Sistina,” Ellis interrupted hesitantly. He paused before adding, “It’s since you said you served Kathyria.”

“Yes,” Sistina acknowledged, nodding as she hugged Phynis, her eyes closed as she simply held the elf, which made Phynis blush slightly. After a moment, Sistina asked, “Question?”

“Well, it’s about the brands. Since you served Irethiel’s predecessor, I assume that they were used then, too,” Ellis explained, licking his lips before asking, “Do you know how to break them?”

“Brands not same.” Sistina’s voice was slow as if she were thinking of how to explain. “Normally, demon must place. Must place in domain. These, wrong world. Placed by mortals. Adapted, changed. Core still same. Three ways to break.”

Detaching from Phynis, she reached down and placed a hand against where the brand was, prompting a blush from Phynis at the intimate, public action. Sistina smiled gently, then spoke. “A demon claims. Cannot bear same brand. Difficult to perform. I must still count.” Pulling her hand away, she added, “Second option. Holy water, holy ground. Must happen quickly. Easy. Last, easy and difficult.” Sistina smiled sadly, shaking her head. “Must kill owner. Demon lord difficult. Breaks all bonds.”

“I see. That means that we have to kill Irethiel? I don’t think that’s possible.” Ellis seemed to deflate slightly at the thought. “I’d hoped…”

“Not hopeless. She betrayed Kathyria. Will consider methods,” Sistina replied firmly, and smiled at Phynis. “First finish project.”

“What project? You keep talking about it!” Phynis asked, growing exasperated. First Sistina had almost drowned in grief, and now she was teasing her with some unknown project that she was keeping secret.

“Will see.” Sistina smiled, tilting her head as she considered, then nodded. “After spring equinox. First new moon.”

“Fine, but I’m holding you to that,” Phynis growled, her eyes narrowed. “Don’t you dare forget!”

Sistina simply smiled, and reached up to brush away the last remnants of her tears.

Chapter 49

As a half-dozen orcs broke and ran from the burning walls of the outpost, Captain Vendis snapped out. “Archers!”

Three dozen archers, each of them among the best available to Sifaren, instantly reacted, sending a fusillade of arrows at the fleeing orcs. It was no surprise that all but one of the orcs fell under the arrows, and the last only managed to get a hundred yards before being brought down.

Kelvanis’ border outpost wasn’t large, with only a handful of buildings surrounded by a palisade, and only three dozen soldiers stationed there to begin with. It was little wonder that it had hardly been able to resist when five companies of soldiers, as well as three platoons of mages, had descended on them. Now the outpost was in flames, most of its defenders dead or dying.

Glancing back at Sir Lucien, Vendis smiled thinly and gave him a nod. He nodded in return and called out, his voice projecting clearly, “Scouts, make a last sweep for survivors! Prepare to move out!”

* * *

Crossing the border into Kelvanis hadn’t been hard, and they’d only suffered a single injury in destroying the outpost in their path. The situation was looking brighter than it had been, but Reva was still concerned.

His soldiers were the best that Sifaren was able to spare, and all of them were equipped for the snow they were traveling through, trying to get the jump on Kelvanis. Reva’s task had turned from an attempt at retrieving vital information and Princess Phynis into something even more important. If he could do enough damage, it might disrupt Kelvanis’ plans for an assault on Sifaren in the spring and buy vital time for them to gather more allies.

“Captain Vendis! Any sign of enemy scouts?” Reva called out, and the other captain nudged her horse over toward him, following the trail the vanguard was making.

“None yet, Sir. It’s entirely likely that they didn’t have any soldiers in place to intercept us just yet,” Vendis replied clearly, a hard glint in her eyes. “None of the guards escaped the outpost, but I suspect they sent a message to their neighboring outposts before they fell.”

“We have to assume so. Still, every moment we have to get ahead of them is a blessing from the gods,” Reva replied, grinning slightly. “Let’s make Kelvanis panic for once, shall we?”

* * *

“Sir, we just got an emergency dispatch from Grayhold.” The messenger opened the door somewhat nervously.

Justicar Hall looked up, frowning deeply as he saw the young man, his sandy brown hair disheveled and his breathing hard, as if he had chosen to run all the way here. He couldn’t have been more than twelve years old. Ivan’s frown softened slightly as he ordered. “What message?”

“Lord Devan reports that he received word that a Sifaren force of no less than four companies destroyed border post Stonecrag three days ago, leaving no survivors,” the young man reported, swallowing hard. “He dispatched the information immediately after sending patrols to locate them for interception.”

“Shit,” Ivan growled, instantly remembering the location of the fort in question. It was too far to easily get reinforcements to, and he frowned before ordering, “Go get me a dozen messengers, and tell them to prep for travel.”

“Yes, sir!” the boy replied, saluting, then dashing off.

Pulling out paper, the Justicar began to write messages to different outposts and villages to warn them. It would wreak havoc on his plans to pull the soldiers away to hunt down the attackers, but it had to be done.

Chapter 50

“What do you mean the dungeon’s closed tomorrow?” Daniel asked, blinking in surprise.

“Shh!” Sina hissed, looking at the door to make sure no one else was nearby. Once she was certain, she spoke softly. “I’m not sure exactly what Sistina has planned, save that she’s planning to redo a lot of the dungeon all at once. It’s something big, I know that much, but I’m not sure of all she has in mind. She had something she wanted me to tell you, though. Obviously she knew we got along well, which is why she chose us.”

“And what’s that?” Daniel asked, frowning. “I’ve noticed that the dungeon hasn’t changed much, and the Guildmaster has been getting a little antsy about the mana concentration, but I thought it was fairly normal.”

“I have no idea about that. What I can tell you is that she asked that you quietly let the slaves in town know that if they can get into the dungeon, she can free them. But they can only enter after tomorrow,” Sina explained, and frowned slightly. “I’m not sure why it’s after tomorrow, but she wanted me to ask you to tell them.”

“Huh. Well, I’m willing to tell them. I’m not sure how much good it’ll do, but I’ll let them know,” Daniel replied, shrugging as he added, grinning a little. “I just hope it doesn’t get me enslaved. That would definitely wreck my position.”

“So be careful. I don’t want you in the same position as me, unable to leave the dungeon,” Sina told him, her eyes filled with worry.

Grinning, Daniel nodded and leaned forward to kiss her, before breaking off and murmuring softly, “I promise, I’ll be careful.”

“Thank you,” Sina replied, smiling brightly at him.

* * *

Word spread quickly through the town after Daniel quietly told one of the prostitutes. From one slave to another, word slowly spread that there was a possibility of freedom. Only a handful weren’t told, those who others believed might snitch, or have their owners tell on them. But at last, it worked its way to the Evansly manor.

“Is this true, Sora?” Isana asked softly, looking out the window, over the snow-covered buildings to where the dungeon waited.

“Word was passed by one of the adventurers, Daniel Fisher. He was in love with one of the slaves who served the army, from what we’ve heard, and she’s a dungeon servant. I don’t know for certain, but I don’t see any reason for us to doubt him,” Sora replied, the dusk elf maid keeping her pale eyes lowered. “I’ll admit to barely daring to hope.”

“For good reason. We have had our hopes dashed a great many times since we were enslaved,” Isana replied, turning to look at her maid and friend. For a moment she didn’t say anything, but finally she let out a soft sigh, her voice hesitant. “I worry that it’s a trap, but I don’t see much choice if we want a chance of escape. Quietly inform the others to be ready, but not to move until we’re certain. And no matter what, don’t let Aric have the slightest hint.”

“Of course, Milady,” Sora replied, and bowed her head as she backed away. Leaving, the maid went to inform the other slaves.

Isana turned back to the mountains, and her voice was soft as she prayed. “Oh, Fate, please let this not be my ultimate destiny. Let this chance be true.”

* * *

“So, what’s all this about?” Zarenya asked, looking around the gathering. Everyone was in the antechamber of the temple Sistina had built for the worship of Medaea, as it was the best place for all those in the dungeon to gather.

Sistina stood and held her hands behind her back, taking a deep breath as she spoke an almost rehearsed series of explanations. “Tomorrow, changing dungeon. Massive changes. Safe places, stay in them.”

“What?” Phynis asked, blinking. “Is this your surprise?”

“Not telling,” Sistina replied promptly.

“Which places are safe?” Diamond asked, seeming a little worried. “And how long do we have to stay in them?”

“Temples. Library. Academy. Main cavern. All safe,” Sistina replied, soberly looking at them. “Time start, noon. Dawn next day.”

“That’s a long time. You haven’t had us do anything like this before, Sistina. Why now?” Desa asked, glancing at Lily, who nodded nervously.

“Now…” Sistina paused, hesitating a moment as she tried to think of how to put it. The situation was far more complicated than any of her other changes by far, and she wasn’t certain how to convey the ideas she had in her head. They just had no idea how extensive of an idea she was trying, so she finally shrugged and looked at Desa before replying softly, “Moving everything.”

“Oh.” Desa nodded.

“Wait… when you say everything, are you just talking about the caves and buildings?” Ellis asked as well, and Sistina couldn’t help but shake her head.

“No. Everything. Mountain shape,” Sistina insisted, and it was at that point that most of the people in the chamber paled, instead of talking softly among themselves.

Finally, Lily spoke. “We’ll stay safe, Sistina.”

“Good.” Sistina smiled in relief, but noticed the worried frown on Phynis’ face.

* * *

In the pre-dawn darkness the next morning, Sistina trudged outside and looked around at the town, Granite Point. She didn’t have any particular feelings about the town one way or another, but it had struck her as odd. Crude, in many ways. She appreciated the adventurers, but she didn’t know much about most of the others. Still, she would give them a chance.

Planting the sign in front of the entryway, Sistina turned and walked back into the dungeon, and the cave entrance rippled, then closed behind her, leaving nothing but a rock wall.

Chapter 51

“What the hell is this?” Darak asked, shouldering his axe incredulously, staring at the sign in front of a blank rock wall.

The sign said ‘Closed for Renovations.’ Joseph looked at it in bemusement, then up at where the entrance of the dungeon normally was. He opened his mouth, then shut it as Penelope spoke.

“I’m guessing it means that there was a reason the dungeon had been building up all that mana. I think it’s good that it’s doing something with it. Albert was starting to get weird,” Penelope suggested, shrugging. “I just hope it isn’t, oh, adding lava to the foundry or something.”

“Gods, don’t even suggest that! That would make breathing a damned nightmare!” Darak protested, blanching at the thought.

“I think that the simple answer is that we aren’t going to be going on a delve today,” Joseph spoke up, trying to cut off any banter between the two. “At least they put up a sign. It could have been much worse.”

“True, but… Nirath? Are you alright?” Penelope paused, looking at the mage in concern. Nirath wasn’t staring at the entrance, but she was looking into the air above the mountain.

“I’m… I’m fine. But I believe it might be a good idea to go back to the inn. Or a few miles out of town,” the elven mage murmured, blinking slowly.

“Why?” Darak asked, his tone vigilant. None of them took Nirath’s warnings lightly, not when the elf had the rare ability to feel mana as physical sensations, and could literally grow drunk off it in some cases.

“Because I’m sensing more mana than I care to describe. If it’s all used at once, I might not wake up until sometime next week,” Nirath replied, her pupils slightly dilated. “It won’t be bad, but I’d rather be conscious to watch. Assuming I remember any of it.”

“I’d say let’s get you back to the guild. Maybe we can convince Albert to put you in a room facing the mountain. With mana dampeners to help,” Joseph offered, feeling nervous as he looked at the others. “In all honesty, I trust the guild house to survive anything that happens better than the inn.”

“Agreed. Let’s get back to the guild house and let Albert know what’s going on.” Penelope nodded, and led the way as they headed back.

Joseph made a note to keep an eye on the mountain as he took up the rear, making certain Nirath kept moving. He was curious what was happening with the dungeon.

* * *

Sistina checked to be certain that everyone was safely out of the way as it approached noon. Once she started her ritual, she couldn’t stop without causing things to go disastrously wrong, so she was being a bit paranoid.

Everyone appeared to have settled into their chosen buildings. Kassandra was the only one in the academy, while most of the others had chosen to stay in her primary cavern. Only a handful of priestesses had chosen to stay in their temple, while most were here as well. Part of Sistina suspected that they were simply curious how she was going to do what she was. But since everyone was in place, Sistina fully withdrew from her body, leaving it among her roots as she reached out to the pulsing heart of the mountain, buried beneath the pond near her tree.

As she activated it, the water of the pond pulsed, shuddered, and turned brown from stirring silt, while a strange crimson light appeared from below. Moments later, the water shifted and began to flow off a shimmering crimson surface, and Sistina heard gasps as a ten-foot across ruby slowly levitated above the pool of water, resplendent with mana stored within it.

With a thought, Sistina connected it to the massive magical circles she’d been silently carving under the mountain for the entire winter. None of the tunnels with the runes connected to her main tunnels, so no one had seen them, and even if they had, she doubted that anyone could have understood them without months of mapping and deciphering. It wasn’t an easy ritual to set up by any means.

And now she just had to control the flow of mana until the circles were fully charged and active. If she didn’t, the circles would explode, and that would be… bad.

* * *

“What the hell is going on in there?” Albert muttered, examining his instruments and scowling. His steam engine kept sputtering and nearly extinguishing due to the mana levels dropping in the area, which was worrying.

The overall mana level in the region was dropping quickly, reducing the power of spells and making it more difficult for devices that ran on ambient mana, like steam engines, to continue to function. The question was what was causing it.

“I’ve never even heard of anything like this before. What’s happening? Did a dead god wake up or something?” Albert asked, glancing toward the mountain nervously as the sun began to set.

* * *

As the sun set, the magic of the world shifted, and the new moon truly began. The symbol of new beginnings, magic rose across the landscape, and Sistina shivered internally. Taking a mental breath, she activated the formation, beginning to speak the words of the spell.

The first ring roared to life in a massive circle of golden light beneath the mountain. The second was inside the first, and offset slightly, glowing with the same golden light as the first. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth circles sprang to life as well, each in a different alignment, until the seventh powered up, creating a massive sphere within the mountain. And that was when the spell began to throb in truth, echoes of Sistina’s words shuddering through the ley lines as a pillar of golden light pierced the sky.

* * *

“What in the hells is that?” Ulvian gasped, waking from his sleep as something that felt like a massive, immaterial bell had rung only feet away from him. A moment later it happened again, and he gasped, blinking. “Was that the aether? What in the blazes is happening?!”

Dragging himself from bed, the ripples of power came again and again, and Ulvian threw on a robe before opening the doors of his balcony, scanning the horizon for a sign of what it could be. And it was then that he froze, his mouth wide open, murmuring, “Dear gods…”

In the far distance, he could see the pillar of light blazing in the night, and he couldn’t imagine the power that it took to create such a display. Since it was coming from the direction of the mountains, he wasn’t too worried that it was one of his opponents, but it was certainly disconcerting. The only issue would be if it happened to wake up Tyr—

Ulvian’s eyes went wide and he blurted, “Oh, shit!”

He abandoned all dignity as he raced downstairs to ensure that the goddess didn’t wake under the rippling aether.

* * *

“Holy gods of light! Is that coming from the dungeon?” Reva demanded, shielding his eyes as he looked at the pillar.

“I’m not sure, but if it isn’t, it’s damned near there,” Vendis replied, the scout captain looking shaken as she stared at it as well. “I have no clue what could possibly cause something like that.”

“Me neither,” Reva replied, staring for a moment before he murmured, “This is going to make things interesting.”

* * *

The light couldn’t just be seen from Kelvanath. Every mage in Sifaren and Yisara woke from their beds, and those who looked into the night sky could see the thin golden beam piercing the vault of the sky with its brilliance. The very weave of magic across the world shuddered as a form of magic unknown for thousands of years awakened once more.

* * *

“Albert! What in the ever-living gods is that?!” Penelope demanded, causing Albert to cringe as he paused in the midst of trying to shut down his tools.

At that moment, one of the mana detection crystals exploded, and he flinched before snarling back. “What it is is a high magic ritual! One that’s bleeding off enough mana that every damned device I have is going haywire if I don’t shut it down! My steam engine was the first thing to go, as it choked on the mana influx. Now pardon me, I want to keep half my things from exploding!”

“High magic? That’s impossible!” Joseph protested, just behind Albert’s sister, both of them unclothed enough that Albert knew what they’d been up to. “High magic was lost after the Godsrage!”

“Tell that to the damned dungeon! I’m busy!” Albert snarled, ducking as a wand whined and overloaded, exploding into pieces.

* * *

Within the dungeon, Phynis stared at the giant ruby, shaken at the amount of power she felt flowing out of it and through the dungeon. The entire dungeon was throbbing with power, and she could hear words echoing in a chorus throughout the halls. It was as if Sistina was using the entire structure to speak in ten voices all at once. It echoed like thunder, yet it didn’t, and she shivered, asking softly, “Desa? What is she doing?”

“It’s obviously a magical ritual of some form, but I’m not entirely sure what she’s trying to do. And I have no clue how she’s doing it,” Desa replied, her voice soft as she looked up at the crystalline ceiling. Following her gaze, Phynis’ eyes widened at the golden light coming from above. As Phynis gasped, Desa murmured, “I don’t know where the circles are, but she wasn’t joking about the power involved. No matter what, don’t interrupt her, Phynis.”

“I won’t. I can feel how hard she’s concentrating,” Phynis agreed, swallowing as she looked at the tree, which also glowed with golden motes of light, branches swaying in an invisible wind.

* * *

Nirath watched raptly, shivering from within the magic-dampened room as she saw the soaring spell-forms take shape. The ritual was like nothing she’d seen before, save in hints of scattered texts in the guild libraries, yet it was familiar too. The spell seemed similar to the one which Albert and Dorn had used to build the guild house, simply on a massive scale. Feeling the streamers of mana as gentle touches against her body, Nirath chose to simply bask in them and watch.

Slowly, all the snow melted away, vanishing into the mountain, as did all the vegetation and trees. The animals had long-since fled the mountain, leaving it a bare expanse of dirt and stone. But even that was shrinking, compacting. Under the golden light, the mountain that stretched over five thousand feet above her head seemed to melt and reform like a potter would shape clay. It wasn’t fast, taking place over the course of hours, but it was frighteningly fast on the scale she could see.

The mountain lost over two thousand feet of height, reshaping into a massive, flat-topped cone that rose nearly a half-mile into the sky. Two flat terraces slowly circled their way down the mountainside, each over a hundred feet wide and seeming to be crafted almost entirely of granite. As she watched, buildings slowly emerged from the stone, fully formed as rows of houses, shops, and temples appeared along each terrace. The terraces each were connected by stairs, and she saw depressions form, just in time for water to begin flowing from somewhere near the summit, pouring down into carefully formed pools, waterfalls, and canals throughout the forming city.

It was then that five massive walls emerged from the mountainside, rising thirty feet from the stone and each five hundred feet of altitude apart, regular towers rising above the walls, and a gatehouse piercing the wall above where the entrance to the dungeon had once stood. Nirath blinked as she realized that both signs had vanished as well, but the changes had not yet ended.

A gleaming palace of white marble slowly emerged from the summit, visible only due to that immense golden light. At its heart was a massive tower, seeming to rise above all else around it, within which shone an immense crimson light, bright enough to be seen for dozens of miles.

Nirath felt the changes continuing, but none of them were where she could see them. Instead, her eyes turned to the walls and the winding path leading up to the gate some fifty feet above their heads. The sloped stone base of the mountain would make it difficult for a siege tower to get close enough to function, even if one could be made eighty feet tall, and she could see runes carved into the walls, enchantments designed to reinforce and repair them.

The mage couldn’t help but sigh at the beautiful sight.

* * *

The rumbling within the cavern had grown still at last, and the immense ruby was gone; it had ascended into a hole in the ceiling hours earlier, a hole which had closed with its passage. And slowly, everything grew quiet once more. Phynis waited in apprehension, looking over to the still figure of Sistina. After a few moments, the dryad opened her eyes and smiled tiredly, looking at them and nodding. Phynis realized she’d never seen the dryad tired before.

She and Desa stood, along with a few of the others that had gathered together. None of them had gotten much sleep that night, and Sistina approached them, her voice quiet but simple. “Follow. Please.”

“What did you do, Sistina?” Desa asked, apprehension in her voice. Not fear, Phynis noted, simply worry.

“Not bad. Can’t explain. Will show,” Sistina replied gently, shaking her head. “Tiring.”

“Okay. Just lead the way,” Phynis spoke softly, wondering what had been happening all night. It was supposedly a surprise for her, but she wasn’t certain what sort of surprise it might be.

Sistina nodded and began toward one of the exits, adding in a warning tone, “Long walk. Many stairs.”

Most of the others who were up followed, since all of them were curious about what had happened. Sistina led the way to a nearby stairwell and began to climb. The dryad’s warning was well taken, and Phynis found herself breathing hard under the effort as they climbed the seemingly endless stairs upward. If they hadn’t been in the dungeon as long as they had, Phynis suspected that most of the women with her would have had to stop and rest. But at long last, she saw light from ahead.

They emerged into what must have been intended to be gardens, with elegant paths between fields of tilled soil. The wind was cold, and Phynis shivered as she paused, gawking at the sight above and in front of her.

In front of her was the side of an immense elven palace of a style she hadn’t seen, save for in a few surviving buildings from before the Godsrage. Near the peak of the main tower, extending a hundred feet into the sky, she could see the ruby from before, glowing like a lighthouse from within the tower. When Phynis turned to look away from the palace, she inhaled sharply.

Around the palace, she could see the lower terraces of a city bigger than she’d ever imagined before. Gardens, ponds, and canals interspersed the city, but she could see the walls, hundreds of thousands of houses, and more. Blinking, she asked numbly, “Is that the temple of Vanir over there? Did you move it to the surface, Sistina?”

“Yes. Temples, academy, library. All above surface,” Sistina replied softly, but gestured. “Come.”

Phynis followed, and it took a little while for anyone else to do so, as each of the others who reached the surface paused, taking in the pre-dawn sight.

Sistina opened the front door of the palace, and the temperature grew warm again as they entered richly appointed halls. Much of the decorations looked like things that Sistina would have made, but Phynis didn’t have time to examine them as she tried to keep up with the dryad. Desa followed as well, the mage obviously holding back her own questions.

Finally, they stepped into the throne room, and Phynis let out another gasp. The walls were pierced by stained glass windows, many of them simple patterns, but some of which were adorned with stylized elves, one of whom had pink hair like herself. Atop a dais was a white marble throne, a crimson cushion forming the seat, upon which sat a delicate-looking mithral tiara, holding a large ruby that would sit on the forehead. Taking the tiara, Sistina turned and gestured for Phynis to approach.

“Sistina? What are you doing?” Phynis asked, though she was fairly certain what the answer was.

Sistina didn’t answer, instead gently placing the tiara on Phynis’ head and giving her a gentle, deep kiss. Phynis relaxed slightly into the warm kiss, hugging the dryad as she felt the cool weight of the tiara on her head. At last, the dryad broke the kiss and spoke gently and gravely, her sentence obviously rehearsed and longer than any she’d said before. “Phynis Constella, I crown thee Queen of Beacon, capital of Everium. Long may you reign.”

Desa gasped, and Phynis felt something powerful descend on her. A strange wisdom and power that she’d never felt before. It took her a moment to speak, before she finally asked, “Why? Why me, not you? Why for me?”

“You born to rule,” Sistina spoke softly, flushing as she looked down. “I am immortal. Immortals should not rule. You wise. You understand others. I am unsuited. I am dungeon. I am stronghold, protector. Sina told slaves. Come here for freedom. You agree?”

“I… yes, of course I agree with that, but this came from nowhere, Sistina! How are we supposed to protect a city of this size? Even with all the priestesses, there aren’t even a hundred of us!” Phynis protested, gesturing around her as she set aside the question of rulership, shocked, flattered and afraid all at once. “I just don’t know what to do! Kelvanis won’t stand for us to be here, Sistina!”

“They won’t. I built army,” Sistina replied softly, smiling as she added, very quietly, “Your army. I support, you rule?”

“Maybe, but—” Phynis began, only to have Desa clear her throat.

“Phynis, she did this for you. So you could rule, like you always planned to do,” Desa spoke softly, and fell to a knee. “And since that is the case… Your Majesty, I ask to enter your service once more. Just yours, with no other bonds to bind me.”

“I…” Phynis’ voice faded as one by one, her other guards, and then the priestesses fell to a knee before her. It took her a long moment, but eventually she took a breath and nodded. “I accept your request, Desa. Everyone, rise. We’ll figure out what to do later, once I have a chance to absorb this.”

Turning back to Sistina, she scowled at her, even as warmth pervaded her at the dryad’s actions. Reaching out, she added, “Now, if I’m going to do this, you need to tell me exactly what you built for me, Sistina.”

Sistina smiled almost shyly, nodding as she giggled, then murmured, “Yes.”

Phynis couldn’t help but laugh at the familiar response.

Chapter 52

“If there are any attacks or I’m not back in half an hour, get somewhere safe,” Evansly ordered, strapping on his last bracer. He looked seriously at Isana and asked, “Are you clear on that?”

“Of course, Aric. If there’s an attack from the new city or dungeon, or if you aren’t back in half an hour, we’re to go somewhere safe, like in the direction of Westgate,” Isana replied, nodding as she looked at him, her hands folded in front of her.

“Good. I love you, darling, and I don’t want to lose you,” Evansly replied, securing the bracer and leaning over to give her a quick kiss. “This entire situation is a mess. First I hear about a raiding force from Sifaren in the region, then this.”

“You’d best go deal with it, then. Good luck, Aric,” Isana replied.

“Thanks, my love.” Evansly grinned, then left the room. Isana waited for a moment for the sound of the front door, and when it closed, she let her smile broaden.

Turning to Sora, she asked quickly, “You said that a gate formed on the southern side of the mountain as well, yes?”

“Yes. I saw the gatehouses form last night, and there was clearly one on the southern side,” Sora confirmed, a smile on her own face. “I also note that Lord Evansly didn’t direct us to wait for him, Milady.”

“No, he didn’t,” Isana replied, nodding as she smiled tightly. “Is everyone ready to go?”

“We only needed to leave a handful of items unpacked to preserve the illusion that everything is normal, Milady. Preparations should be ready in only a few minutes,” her maid confirmed.

“In that case, let’s do as Aric said. We’ll go somewhere safe. Safe from him,” Isana spoke in an icy tone, her eyes hardening. “All we have to do is hope we aren’t making the wrong decision.”

“I’ve been whispering prayers to Tianna all night, Milady,” Sora admitted, which prompted a rare laugh from Isana.

“Entirely fair. Let’s go, before anyone figures out what’s happening,” Isana told her maid and friend.

The two quickly found the bags that Sora had put together for Isana and headed downstairs to meet the others as they prepared to slip out the side of the building heading away from the front gate of the new city.

* * *

“No, Evansly, I’ve never heard of any dungeons turning a mountain into a city before,” Albert replied impatiently, taking a deep breath to try and control his temper. Despite having managed to save three quarters of the artifacts he’d built, he was in a foul mood, and for more reasons than one. After a moment, he continued, “That wasn’t something that a dungeon could do, anyway.”

“What do you mean?” Evansly asked, gesturing at the massive gates looming fifty feet above them, up a ramp that wound back and forth over more than a hundred and fifty feet to the gate. “It just did it!”

They were gathered in the town square, which now looked more like the entry plaza leading up to the massive fortress city that had replaced the mountain. Albert was absolutely stunned at the sight, and for a great many reasons. The most disturbing of which were the enchantments he’d seen carved into the walls. The two companies of soldiers that Captain Marath commanded were gathered in the square, guarding the road warily, and with more than a little fear among their ranks.

“Because that was high magic. No one has been able to perform high magic since the Godsrage, and no one’s entirely certain why,” Evansly tried to explain to the mayor, gritting his teeth. “Only a group of accomplished mages could cast such rituals even in those days. Not a dungeon. Besides, we’ve seen people on the walls.”

“But isn’t that just a really big version of the spell you used to build your guild house? What makes it high magic?” the mayor asked, trying to fathom what Albert was trying to tell him.

“That doesn’t even begin to describe what happened, Aric. The spell didn’t just raise a city from nothing. It reshaped a damned mountain that was five miles across! It built enchantments into the walls, removed all the trees, and everything else!” Albert snapped, gesturing at the walls. “With all our skill, it took decades to create the spells to build a guild house, and that isn’t even in a single spell. In the space of a single night, they did hundreds of times that amount, building a damned mountain complete with fountains, gates, and enchantments, none of which we managed! The amount of mana it would consume boggles the mind, as do the types of mages who’d be able to perform the ritual. So, stop asking me if it was the dungeon, Aric! It might have helped, but I have no clue how it was actually done, save that it was a high magic ritual.”

“Shit. Captain Marath!” Evansly called out, and the dark-haired, humorless woman approached. Albert had only interacted with Marath a few times during the winter, but apparently she’d nearly been crippled in a rockslide passing the dungeon the previous spring, which had killed much of her already threadbare sense of humor. He honestly didn’t like her much, but she seemed competent. When she came close, Evansly asked, “What can you report?”

Marath eyed Albert coldly for a moment before speaking. “Only two or three human-sized figures have been seen on the walls, Lord Mayor, otherwise the city seems still. The angled stone base seems designed to be difficult to climb by foot, but also so that it is almost impossible to get a siege tower near enough the wall to function. Without approaching, we can’t tell you anything more.”

“I see. Well, in that case, get a volunteer to go hail the gates. I want to see who the people inside are,” Evansly ordered.

“It will be done, Lord Mayor,” Marath acknowledged, saluting before turning back to her soldiers.

Shaking his head, Albert spoke bluntly. “I’m going back to the guild house. We need to figure out what to do about the apparent disappearance of the dungeon.”

“I’ll let you know what I find out,” Evansly promised, turning to his approaching dwarven friend. Albert thought the man was named Graystone or some such. He’d never heard the dwarf’s first name. “Hello, Master Graystone. What do you make of this?”

“I think it’s damned unfair to build a beautiful city like that after we spent so much work on the town,” the dwarf replied bluntly, prompting a chuckle from Albert as he walked away. Dwarves.

* * *

“That’s just beautiful,” Darak spoke in admiration, staring at the city from near the top of the guild house.

“So you’ve said, Darak. I know, you like good stonework. I’m more concerned about what happened to the dungeon,” Penelope replied, looking down at the gathering at the base of the approach ramp. “Oh, look! They’re sending some poor sod to investigate. Anyone want to bet he runs into a trap?”

“Pfft. The entire ramp’s a defense, Penelope.” Darak laughed, grinning as he pointed at the gatehouse. “If you look close, you can see spouts on the gatehouse. The ramp’s got solid siding, and is perfect for turning into an instant canal. Good luck getting a battering ram up that road.”

“Huh. I was expecting something subtler,” Penelope mused, then paused. “Joe? What’re you doing over there?”

Joseph was standing near the window to the south, which surprised her. It didn’t have nearly as good of a view. The cleric blinked and looked back over, then shook his head. “Oh, nothing much. Just watching the slaves in town sneaking off south, and debating what to do. I don’t think I want to let the mayor know, to be honest. Kelvanis kind of pisses me off with their method of slavery. I don’t object to less brutal versions of slavery, but magically enforcing it for life? That rubs me the wrong way.”

“They’re running away? Where to?” Penelope asked, quickly walking over to the window he was looking out. She spotted a large number of men and women skulking into the trees as they circled south. From the number of tracks, a lot of them had left so far, and she blinked in surprise. “That’s a lot of them. I wonder why now?”

“They probably are circling around to the south of the city. I’m not sure why, but Daniel was looking kind of suspicious yesterday, so I think he may know. He does have a former slave as a girlfriend inside the dungeon, so if anyone knew this was coming, it’d be him,” Joseph replied, taking a deep breath to continue when Nirath cracked an eyelid from where she was lying in bed and interrupted.

“Either all of you shut up and let me sleep, or get out,” the mage informed them quietly, her voice cross. “I had a long night, and if you keep me up any longer, I’m going to light you all on fire.”

They wisely shut up at Nirath’s threat, and the elf rolled over to go back to sleep.

* * *

“Took them long enough. An hour of sitting around, and they’re finally sending some poor idiot to hail us,” Desa griped, and Evrial giggled softly.

“Too cold out here for your taste, Captain?” Evrial teased, smiling slightly. “I certainly didn’t like coming from the nice warmth of the caves to this.”

Desa shivered at the reminder. Even with a thick coat, gloves, and cap, the cold wind bit right through to her. She was an ice mage, which meant she was used to cold, but this was ridiculous. After a moment, she replied grudgingly. “Possibly. But it’s also that they’re just being so slow.”

“With any luck, it’ll help the slaves escape,” Evrial offered, shrugging. They’d seen the slaves circling to the south, and Alissa and Lisa had circled around to let them in the gate and get them all situated. It didn’t really matter if an infiltrator managed to make it in, since Sistina had told them all about the defenses she’d built for Beacon.

“True, but let’s wait and see what these people have to say,” Desa murmured, falling silent as the messenger slowly made his way up the path. He was hesitant, obviously not entirely happy about his task. Finally he got close, and held his helm on as he looked up and called out to them.

“Hail the gate!” the man yelled.

“What do you want?” Desa called out, leaning over the parapets.

“In the name of the Kingdom of Kelvanis, open the gates and surrender the city! You are within the borders of our kingdom, therefore the city is forfeit,” the man called out nervously.

“Your demand is refused. By order of Queen Phynis Constella, Beacon is closed to all forces of Kelvanis,” Desa replied, barely able to suppress an incredulous look at the arrogance of the statement. “Furthermore, all lands within ten miles are claimed in the name of Everium. All forces of Kelvanis are to depart by sundown or face her wrath.”

As the man gawked, Evrial grinned, murmuring, “I wonder how they’ll react to that demand?”

* * *

“They said what? How dare those arrogant, stuck up bitches say something like that to us, in our own territory!” Evansly growled, glaring up at the city wall. “What can we do about them, Captain?”

Marath considered him a moment, her own thoughts cold. She didn’t like elves, and despite Evansly having joined Kelvanis, he wasn’t much better than they were, in her eyes. But still, he had a valid point, though she felt significantly more cautious than he did.

“Arrogant they may be, but we have virtually no siege weapons, Lord Mayor. The biggest weapon we have is the light ballista in the guard tower, and it would do nothing to the walls or gate. We only have four ladders that are tall enough to allow us to scale the walls, and they are meant for construction rather than sieges, and they would only have proper footing in front of the gate. If there are even a dozen opponents, I fear we have little chance of taking the gate with our current equipment, sir,” Marath told him politely, looking at the city and frowning. “If we had proper siege equipment it would be quite different, but the city was obviously built for defense. The glimpses of the layout that I caught last night indicate it would be difficult to take if fully defended.”

“There’s no way in the hells they’ve got enough people to fully defend a city of that size!” the mayor replied, shaking his head as he scowled. “We’ve kept too close of an eye on the mountain for that many of them to have gotten through. What if we showered them with arrows a few times to drive them back?”

“It could work. Would you like me to fire off a few volleys as a start?” Marath asked, somewhat impressed that Evansly was even thinking of attacking still. She honestly wasn’t sure whether it would work, and she wasn’t going to throw her soldiers away against an unassailable fortress. The angle would be horrible, but it was at least possible.

“Do it. Have some soldiers grab the ladders, just to be safe,” Evansly added.

Nodding her acknowledgement, Marath turned to carry out his orders. Organizing a group of archers, she waited for them to get fully ready, while another group went in search of the ladders.

When the soldiers were ready, she raised her hand, letting them all nock their arrows and aim, waiting a long moment before dropping her hand and calling out, “Loose!”

As the hail of arrows hissed through the air, Marath smiled as she saw a figure take cover behind the ramparts. A moment later, her smile vanished as the arrows hit a barrier. A crimson barrier flashed into existence in front of the arrows, just over the wall, and each and every one of the arrows bounced off of it before it vanished.

“Damnation,” Marath hissed, and glanced at Evansly, whose jaw was clenched in obvious anger.

It was then that one of the soldiers she’d sent for the ladders rushed back, panting. “Captain, we’ve got a problem!”

“And what, pray tell, might that be?” she asked, turning to him and glaring. He almost wilted in place, swallowing hard.

“It’s the slaves. They’ve all slipped out of town!” he told her quickly. “They must have all left while we were busy here!”

“Hellfire and brimstone, then put some scouts after them, and someone with a command sigil!” Marath replied, growling, “There’s nowhere they can go but the city, so cut them off!”

“Yes, ma’am!” the man saluted, and dashed off to his unit.

Evansly turned and asked, paling slightly, “What was that about the slaves?”

* * *

“Are all of you slaves? Good, go that way toward the center of town and up the ramp. We want you well out of earshot before anyone catches up,” Alissa ordered, pointing out directions to the men and women coming through the gates. About half of them were humans, but one man stopped near her, the human fidgeting.

“Ah, I’m not a slave, but I wanted to get out of Kelvanis. What about me?” he asked, looking nervously at her as he clutched a knit cap in his hands.

“As long as you don’t cause trouble, Her Majesty doesn’t care,” Alissa told him, considering a moment before continuing, “Just go along with the others for now. I’m not sure how they want to handle this just yet.”

“Alright, thank you, ma’am,” the man replied, putting his hat back on and hurrying to catch up with the others.

A good number of former slaves were entering, and one of them paused as well. She had the bearing of a noble, and Alissa’s eyebrows rose as she spoke with a distinct upper-class accent from Sifaren. “Pardon me, but may I ask how you intend to free us from Kelvanis’ control?”

“You may. I don’t know all of it, but we can’t break the brands. Oh, there’s a chance that we could in the future, but the only other option is to overpower the brands and key it to the dungeon,” Alissa quickly explained. “You can stay in the city without that being done, but if anyone with a command sigil got close, you’d be controlled. The dungeon hasn’t given any orders to those it’s keyed to date, save not to try to harm the dungeon or fellow inhabitants.”

“I see. I am Isana Dayrest, daughter of Lord Karlo Dayrest,” the noble replied, bowing her head. “I was enslaved four years past. May I ask who rules this city, then? The dungeon?”

“I’m glad to meet you, Isana. I’m Alissa of Galewater, former Royal Guard of Sifaren,” Alissa replied, surprise flooding her. Dayrest had been a fairly large and important town until it’d been betrayed and was sacked by Kelvanis. “The Queen is former princess Phynis Constella. Welcome to Beacon, reborn capital of Everium, Isana.”

“Thank you. I am glad to be here,” Isana replied, and smiled. “I’ll get on my way, then. You have plenty of people to deal with.”

Chapter 53

“The scouts were right. That isn’t a mountain,” Reva said calmly, looking at the distant city from the top of the ridge, the crimson light brilliant even in daylight.

“No, no it isn’t,” Vendis agreed, while Sergeant Berys simply gawked.

They were miles from Granite Point, but the mountain, and the city on it, were perfectly clear. No one had been expecting the sight, and it took a few minutes before anyone spoke further.

“Do you think that was what the light last night was from, sir?” Berys asked, looking at Vendis, then Reva.

“I can’t think of anything else it might’ve been. I suppose it’s possible that a meandering god decided to light up the night like a lightning bolt, but I can’t imagine why,” Reva replied, shrugging helplessly. He wasn’t entirely sure he was happy with the development, and dearly hoped that the city he was seeing wasn’t held by Kelvanis. If it was, he had almost no chance in hell of carrying out his task. After a minute, he spoke again, though. “We’d better get moving. I don’t want to let Kelvanis get the initiative.”

“Yes, sir!” Vendis acknowledged, and gestured the troops forward, down the slope toward the city that was ahead of them.

* * *

Sistina finished going through the brand on the elven noble, frowning as she did so. This made six distinct types she’d encountered, and the pink crest was an unpleasant piece of work. It was purely sexual, which the succubus part of her liked, and the part of her which believed that others should be given choices despised.

“Done,” Sistina said clearly, nodding and gesturing the woman to the side. “Next.”

“If I’m freed, can I go to the walls? Maybe take a few shots at the traitor who enslaved me?” the woman asked, her voice a mask of icy calm, but even Sistina could see the rage in her eyes.

Blinking, Sistina nodded and replied calmly, “Yes.”

“Thank you,” the woman replied, bowing her head for a moment before turning to walk away at a brisk pace.

Sistina shrugged and turned her attention to the young human who stepped forward, his face coloring as she gestured and asked, “Brand, please.”

* * *

“What the hell do they think they’re doing, anyway?” Evrial asked, drawing her coat closer around her.

Desa shrugged and replied calmly, “I have no idea. A single volley of arrows and they gave up, but didn’t run? That doesn’t make much sense to me. The commander is probably trying to decide what to do.”

“Idiot,” Evrial muttered.

“Not necessarily,” Desa disagreed, shaking her head slowly as she gestured at the group. “They have been watching the mountain all winter, so they probably have a pretty good idea of how many of us there were last winter. If nothing else because of the captives who were released, and they probably know we didn’t have reinforcements. So, they could be trying to figure out just how to get up at us. They don’t know about the defenses like we do.”

“True, but… oh, look, that elf down there is coming up, with a couple of guards.” Evrial peered down, shaking her head. “Think he’s a traitor?”

“Probably. He’s properly armed, and a lot of people have been talking to him. By the way, remind me to ask Sistina for earcaps when we get back? I feel like my ears are about to freeze off,” Desa asked, shivering. Her ears weren’t in any danger yet, but she idly wished for the yarn sleeves her mother had made to cover her ears when she was young.

“Gods, that would be lovely,” Evrial murmured, glancing at the nearby enclosed guardroom wistfully. “I wish we’d had time to get the fires and such going, but the city is so damned big that getting anywhere takes ages.”

“That would be one way to put it,” Desa agreed. The way the city was designed, the roads leading to the palace essentially required circling the entire city once in order to get there. There were stairs at the edge of each of the terraces, allowing people to ascend the mountain directly, but they were steep, and it was a lot of stairs.

The man finally got close enough, and Desa leaned forward as he called out, anger in his voice. “Inhabitants of Beacon, I’ll order our departure as soon as you give back my wife!”

“What the hell?” Desa asked, looking over at Evrial. “I don’t think we kidnapped anyone.”

“Me neither. Which gives me a sinking suspicion of what happened,” the other guard agreed, scowling.

“One way to find out,” Desa murmured, then leaned over and spoke in return, her voice clear. “Who is your wife, and why would we even have her?”

“Isana Evansly! Her name is Isana Evansly, and you people somehow abducted her this morning!” the elf bellowed, and Desa could practically see the vein throbbing on his forehead. “You had better give her back!”

“That would be me.” A quiet voice came from the guardhouse, and Desa started slightly as a dusk elf woman stepped out. She was fairly tall, and swathed in clothing to keep her warm, but her eyes were icy as she bowed her head slightly. “My apologies for keeping quiet, but I wondered if he would come after me. My name is Isana Dayrest. Might I request the opportunity to deal with this?”

“Do you hear me?” Evansly’s voice echoed up over the rampart, and Desa gave him a look, then Isana, and shrugged.

“Certainly. I was trying to figure out how best to deal with him,” Desa replied, wondering how the primly proper woman would handle the man.

“Thank you. May I borrow your bow and arrows, miss?” Isana asked Desa, then paused and asked softly, “You don’t mind if I deal with him appropriately, do you?”

Evrial was hesitant at the request, looking at Desa with some worry.

“Ah… no, not at all.” Desa blinked, taken aback by the woman’s demeanor, but unslung her bow and quiver, offering them to Isana. “Go right ahead.”

“Thank you, ladies.” Isana smiled warmly for a moment, taking the items, and carefully secured the bow before approaching the wall. She leaned over it and called out, her voice even clearer than Desa’s own over such a distance. “I was not kidnapped, Aric. I left of my own volition.”

“What? Isana, get down here! We’re leaving!” Evansly yelled incredulously.

“No. I’m not going with you.” Isana’s tone didn’t change, but Desa saw her hand tighten on the grip of the bow. “You can leave, and good riddance to you. I’m staying here.”

“What? But you love me! You can’t stay here!” Evansly seemed honestly surprised when Desa peeked over the edge at him, but Isana’s impassive expression turned to a scowl as he continued. “I love you!”

“What, in the name of all the gods, makes you think I would ever love you?” Isana demanded, rage seeping into her voice at last as her words cracked like a whip. “You betrayed Dayrest and my father to Kelvanis, and delivered most of the citizens to slavery! You were a minor guard, and you betrayed all of us so you could bed whomever had caught your fancy. After enslaving me and the others, you thought that I would forgive you? That I would love you, when you’re a raping, traitorous bastard? If I was able, I’d give you the same torment that you’d delivered so many others into, but that failing, I can put you out of my own misery!”

Isana whipped out the bow and nocked an arrow, her arm straining slightly to fully draw the bow. She should have tested it beforehand, but it was too late now, and Desa leaned forward as Isana took aim and fired.

“What are—aah!” The man down below dodged as the arrow barely missed him, shattering on the stones. “What’re you doing? You can’t do this, Isana!”

“My name is Isana Dayrest, and you are a traitor!” Isana cried out, nocking another arrow and taking aim. She loosed it, and only one of the man’s guards shoving him out of the way kept it from hitting the elf’s arm. The trio began to run down the path, trying to escape.

Desa interrupted as Isana drew another arrow, her voice soft. “Isana? Take a deep breath and steady your aim. It’s throwing you off. Lead the target, let your breath out, and gently loose the arrow.”

Glancing at Desa in surprise, Isana hesitated a moment, and then followed her instructions. Moments later, she loosed the arrow, which hissed through the air toward the retreating soldiers. The arrow hit Evansly in the back of his knee, and Isana smiled at Desa, nodding and speaking softly. “Thank you.”

Then she turned and took aim again, targeting the fallen man as the soldiers tried to pick him up and carry him.

* * *

Pain lanced through Evansly with every heartbeat, and something hot was spilling down his leg from where the arrow had hit him. He was grappling with what had just happened, unable to believe that Isana had just shot him. They’d been together for years, and her open defiance had vanished after the first year, giving way to the icy demeanor that had been what had attracted him to her to begin with.

The idea that Isana had actually attacked him was almost too much for him to comprehend, and he gasped out, “Help me! We need to reach the healers.”

“Right away, sir!” one of the guards said. Rick, wasn’t it? Evansly wasn’t certain, but both of them were helping pick him up.

“Have to reach the temple… they don’t have the relics needed to revive newly dead yet. Can’t die,” Evansly muttered, shivering as he kept going. “Come on, we have to—”

He didn’t even have time to be afraid as another arrow hit his neck with freakish accuracy, severing his spine and cutting off his pain forever.

* * *

“Gods, that stupid idiot!” Captain Marath growled, shaking her head angrily. “What the hell did he think he was doing?”

“I’m not sure, Captain,” Lieutenant Garath replied respectfully, looking at the massive wall in concern. After a moment, he spoke carefully, not watching the two drag their former commander’s body away from the city. “You’re now in command, ma’am. What are your orders?”

“Pull back the soldiers and put out scouts. I want to know if they have reinforcements on their way. I have a suspicion that that elven army we heard about may be on their way here,” Marath ordered, scowling.

“Really, ma’am? I thought they were suspected to be trying to cut off Grayhold from Westgate?” Garath asked, blinking in surprise.

“Look at the timing, Garath. They broke through the lines, and then this appears? I doubt that this is a mere accident. I think this was planned,” Marath replied humorlessly, shaking her head. “If they manage to trap us here, it’ll be like being stuck between a hammer and anvil. Get the scouts out, now.”

“Yes, sir!” Garath saluted, and quickly moved to carry out her orders.

As he did so, Marath looked at the two soldiers who’d gone with Evansly, and at the sightless, surprised eyes of the elven mayor. After a moment, she sighed, shaking her head at the man, then told the two, “Take him to the barracks and try to give him at least some dignity in death. Then get cleaned up and get back out here.”

“Yes, Captain!” they replied, starting on their task.

As little as Marath had liked Evansly, she felt some pity for how he’d died. After all, if her suspicion was right, she might be in a similar position soon enough.

Chapter 54

“What’re we going to do, Guildmaster?” Dorn asked, sitting back in his chair in the room. He gestured at the wall leading out of town as he added, “The locals are about to get run down by the elves, and who knows what happened to the dungeon.”

Essentially all the guild members in town were gathered in the guild house. Most of the civilians were hiding out, waiting to see what was going to happen to them, while the soldiers were preparing to defend the town. Personally, Daniel was unsettled about everything and worried about Sina.

“We’re going to stay out of the mess between Kelvanis and Sifaren. I’ve done my research, and Kelvanis has been sharpening their knives to stick them into the back of Sifaren for years,” Albert replied seriously, running his hands through his hair as he paced. “It’s an ugly political situation, and you all know the rules on that. The Adventuring Guilds stay out of politics, that’s the only way we can keep operating regardless of national borders.”

“But isn’t the leader of Kelvanis a former adventurer?” one of the others asked, her voice soft and her hair light blond. Daniel didn’t know the woman, but he thought he’d seen her with the alchemists. “Isn’t that getting involved in politics?”

“Ulvian Sorvos is a former member of the Southern Adventuring Guild. Former being the operative term. He was part of a group of six that attempted to eliminate the Road to Hell dungeon, only to lose half of their group before they barely managed to escape via a risky planar jump,” Albert told her soberly, shaking his head. “He retired, and hasn’t had anything to do with the guild in over six decades. It’s in part because of him that we really can’t afford to get involved. He knows our rules well enough that he could destroy our reputation if we got in the middle of this.”

“Who cares about some war? What about the dungeon?” Darak asked impatiently. “It up and vanished! What’re we going to do about that?”

“I want to talk to the people in the city to find out what’s going on, but we have to wait until the conflict dies down. My sensors, those that survived that spell, still detect the dungeon, so we know that it’s there,” Albert answered the dwarf, his voice tart. “The problem is that we’re in the middle of a damned war zone. Until we can figure out what’s going on, we’ll just keep our heads down and stay out of the way. Even if we could end the fight between these groups in an afternoon.”

“Umm… could we really?” Eric asked, blinking in surprise. Daniel frowned as well. He didn’t see how they could do that much either. Most of the other adventurers chuckled, smiling as they looked at one another.

“Eric, look, how much stronger have you grown since you started delving into the dungeon?” Darak asked, grinning at Daniel’s friend.

“A lot stronger? I don’t know, I haven’t really done the same sort of stuff,” Eric admitted.

“Yup, that’d do it.” Darak nodded, smiling as he quickly explained. “You’ve grown a lot stronger than you were. At this point, I bet that you could take on three of yourself from back when you started training with Penelope. Now think about it this way, you’re among the least skilled individuals in this room. Most of us have been going on delves for years, not a few months. Believe me, we could rip through one of those companies like it wasn’t even there if we really wanted to.”

“The point is, we don’t want to. The guild tries to stay out of these conflicts and focus on dungeons,” Albert interjected, looking at Eric as he told him seriously. “I don’t mean to seem like a tyrant, but we can’t afford to get dragged into something like this.”

“Alright. I was just curious whether you were actually serious about what we could do,” Eric told them, raising his hands and giving a nervous laugh. “I still can hardly believe that’s possible.”

“A fair point. I don’t think Eric’s seen a powerful mage really cut loose before,” Penelope interjected, smiling slightly. But then her smile vanished as she added, “That being said, I agree. We need to stay out of the next bit of conflict. Everyone should stay in the guild house if at all possible. Don’t start anything, but we are more than justified in defending ourselves.”

A deep rumble of agreement filled the room, which slightly disturbed Daniel, but he kept quiet anyway, glancing up to meet Joseph’s eyes. The friendly smile the cleric gave him put Daniel more at ease, and he returned it as best as he could.

* * *

“Isn’t that Sifaren’s banner?” Evrial asked, peering toward the oncoming soldiers.

It’d been nearly six hours since Evansly had died within sight of the walls, and after Isana had explained what the man had done, Desa’s slight pity for him had vanished without a trace. Someone willing to betray a city of five thousand other souls for their own benefit wasn’t deserving of pity. The soldiers had backed away from the walls and sent out scouts, only to have their scouts return soon after. Not long after that, Desa and the others had seen the signs of a force on the horizon.

Only now was the group close enough to get much detail, and Desa nodded as she looked over the group. It looked like nearly five companies from Sifaren, and she spoke softly, “It is. The question is, why are they here?”

“No idea. What do you think we should do?” Evrial asked, warming her hands on the fire that had been lit in the guardhouse. “I’d rather help them, to be honest.”

“Mm…” Desa didn’t reply for a long moment, debating the problem. She could always go up and ask Sistina’s opinion, or try to get all the way up to the palace and ask Phynis, but that didn’t sit well with her. Phynis had put Desa in charge of Beacon’s defenses, so the responsibility laid with her. So, she frowned for a long minute, staring out at the battlefield, then nodded. “I’m going to take out some of the army and pincer the human force. You take command here.”

“Are you sure, Desa? I wasn’t entirely serious!” Evrial asked, standing upright suddenly.

“I’m sure. Besides, we need to contact our visitors eventually, and it wouldn’t do for them to underestimate our fortress,” Desa replied, grinning at Evrial as she stretched. “I’ll go down and get about fifty of them ready to go.”

“Be safe, Desa! I don’t want to have to take your place!” Evrial told her, shaking her head. Desa stuck her tongue out at her friend, heading downstairs as she hummed to herself.

* * *

“Looks like our opponents have come out to greet us, Captain,” Reva commented, seeming at ease despite the arrayed opponents.

Vendis examined the Kelvanis soldiers critically, internally shaking her head. There were only two hundred and fifty of them, and it looked like they had a single platoon of mages. They were outnumbered almost two to one, and none of the buildings in the town looked like they could be properly defended against a force of their size.

“Indeed they have. I don’t think I like what the fight’s going to look like, but I sincerely doubt they’ll manage to stop us, sir,” Vendis finally said, nodding to herself. “Any further orders?”

“No, just follow the plan. Let’s get this done,” Reva began. “I… wait, the gates just opened to the city.”

Vendis peered toward the city, and as figures began to march out, her eyes widened in surprise.

* * *

Desa grinned as she followed the golems out the front gate of the city. They were marching five abreast and ten rows deep, and these golems were significantly different from the one she’d seen before. That one had been a carefully crafted golem with enchantments forged into it, suitable for a dungeon, not a battlefield.

Each of these golems were granite sheathed in a finger-thin shell of tempered steel, and each held a golem-sized halberd in one hand. They were simpler than the other golem had been, and despite adding the steel, Sistina had indicated that each took only about a third as much mana to create. The dryad had still all but run herself completely dry of mana creating the city and golems, but this was only part of the army she’d built, and it would be a supremely unpleasant surprise for Kelvanis.

“Wedge formation!” Desa called out. The golems instantly responded, moving to take up positions around her, and Desa grinned even more, advancing toward the Kelvanis formation with complete confidence. She was mostly curious if their commander would fight, or surrender.

* * *

“Damn,” Captain Marath scowled, looking between the approaching golems and the elves. If the golems had shown themselves earlier, she wouldn’t have been willing to wait and attack the Sifaren army to begin with. She’d hoped to do enough damage to cripple the army, but now her force was about to get devastated. She didn’t even have a chance to escape, not with the snow.

“Captain?” Garath asked, hand on his sword nervously, looking between the two forces. “Maybe if we retreated to the barracks we could slow them down enough to do some damage? I don’t know how much good it would do, but—”

“No. All that would do is get our men and women killed for nothing,” Marath hissed angrily, glaring at the armies to either side. After a moment, she took a deep breath to steady herself, then continued. “Tell the troops to stand down, and get someone out there to negotiate a surrender.”

“Ma’am? Are you serious?” Garath asked, looking utterly shocked. “We could always retreat.”

“Perfectly serious, Lieutenant. Golems don’t get tired, and they don’t feel fear! They’d run us into the ground, and then there’d be nothing we could do,” Marath told him, strangling the urge to bite his head off. “As much as I hate to give up without a fight, I’m not getting our people killed for no damned reason at all.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll deal with it,” he replied in a subdued tone, lowering his gaze. He hesitated a moment, then asked, “Ah, who should I negotiate with?”

“Both of them,” the captain replied simply, shrugging and pulling her cloak in closer. “Try to get the best terms you can.”

* * *

“Captain Desa? Is that you?” Sergeant Berys asked, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice. She’d been skeptical that it was actually her old commander, but it certainly looked like Desa.

“Berys? Ah, a sergeant now?” Desa blinked and smiled. “I’m glad to see you! Assuming that you aren’t here on a fool’s errand, at least. How are you?”

“I’m fine, Captain. And you? What’s with the city?” Berys asked, nodding to the city, then looking at the golems nervously. “Or the golems, for that matter?”

“I’m quite well, or will be once I’m out of this cold. As to the rest… well, Sistina happened. Let’s leave it at that.” Desa raised an eyebrow at Berys, then nodded at the elves on the opposite side of the Kelvanis formation. “What are you doing here, anyway? I made my demands of them, and they said they’d have to wait for your little army to make a decision before replying.”

“Actually, I’m here to ask what terms you were asking for. We don’t have the manpower or time to actually take them captive, and killing them seems a little too ruthless.” Berys admitted, shrugging. “Captain Vendis thought it was you, so Sir Reva sent me over.”

“Ah, Reva Lucien and Vendis, hmm? I’m guessing that Her Majesty wants to make amends,” Desa spoke slowly, pondering Berys’ words. After a moment, she shrugged and added, “As to my demands, they were fairly simple. We don’t want any prisoners either. We’ve asked them to leave any weapons or armor in their barracks, give their word of parole, and leave the area. I don’t know how many of them would keep their word, but it’d avoid bloodshed for the moment.”

“I see. And I’m fairly sure that your guess is accurate. I’ll go back and let Sir Reva know, if you don’t mind?” Berys asked, feeling a bit more hopeful.

“Of course I don’t mind. I look forward to seeing you shortly,” Desa replied gently, smiling back at her.

Nodding, Berys hurried back around the Kelvanis formation to report in. As she moved, she saw a human leave the largest building in town, a dark-haired man who slowly approached Desa as well.

Returning to the army, she quickly approached and took a deep breath before reporting in. “It was definitely Desa, Sir Reva. She explained that the city is the work of Sistina, but I didn’t get any further details.”

“I see. And the terms she chose for Kelvanis?” Reva asked, glancing over at the restless human army.

“Disarmament, their word of parole, and their departure from the area,” Berys explained quickly.

“Fair enough. Let’s just do that. I don’t want to lose anyone if I don’t have to. At the very least it’ll deprive Kelvanis of their equipment, even if they break their word. The more important thing is contacting the princess,” Reva acknowledged, looking at the city with obvious worry. “I see that our mission is somewhat more critical than I had thought it was.”

* * *

Watching the soldiers from Kelvanis stream out of the small town for a moment, Desa took a moment before turning her attention to the armored knight nearby. When she did, she nodded. “Sir Reva Lucien. How are you? I can’t imagine it was a pleasant trip.”

“I’m well, Desa. I don’t believe we met directly, but I saw you with Princess Phynis several times,” Reva acknowledged, nodding his head politely. “And the trip wasn’t pleasant, but necessary. Though what we’ve found has been somewhat unexpected. May I request lodging for my soldiers, and an audience with the princess and the dungeon?”

“Ah, you want a meeting with Her Majesty as well! Mister Windgale also requested a meeting, and I agreed to escort him there,” Desa replied, smiling as she nodded to Albert Windgale, adding, “He’s the guildmaster of the Western Adventurer’s Guild.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Windgale. I’m Reva Lucien, Knight of Sifaren.” Reva greeted the human in bemusement, but quickly turned his attention back to Desa. “But I must ask… Her Majesty?”

“Sistina took the ruins of the former capital of Everium and rebuilt them into Beacon, the city before you. She then crowned Phynis Constella the new Queen of Everium,” Desa replied, smiling thinly as she added, “Apparently Sistina was a trifle miffed that Phynis was forced to step down as heir of Sifaren, and decided to do something about it.”

The blood drained from Albert’s face, and he asked slowly, “The capital of Everium? Was much left intact?”

“Quite a bit, actually. Shall we? It’s a rather long climb to the palace,” Desa replied brightly, smiling at the two men, her eyes glittering as she did so. “I do hope both of you can keep up.”

Looking at the climb, Reva winced and nodded. “I’ll do my best, Desa. Is there a shortcut?”

“There is, but I think giving the two of you a tour is appropriate,” Desa demurred, grinning broadly as she added, “It’s a brand new city, after all, designed by a dungeon. I think you’d find it fascinating.”

“As you wish, Miss Desa,” Albert spoke smoothly, but his eyebrows knit as he asked, “Though I do hope that the city isn’t the dungeon now? That would be unpleasant.”

“No, no, nothing like that. I’ll let her explain herself,” Desa corrected, smiling. “Now let’s be off.”

She began to lead the way, and with sighs, several others began to follow.

Chapter 55

Phynis swallowed as she heard the approach of her two guests. Evrial had taken the stairs that separated the terraces to ensure that she had forewarning, which had been appreciated, but she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the size of the throne room. It was beautiful, but it was just so huge. Sistina was sitting on a chair behind and to her right, though, which was helpful, as was Farris standing silently behind and to her left.

She studied the group as they approached. Desa was leading Berys, Reva, and Vendis, as well as the human guildmaster, Albert. She was happy to see Berys and Vendis again, but the other two left her with some trepidation. Why had her mother sent Reva to see her? To try to lure her back since she had liked him, maybe? If so, Phynis would be unhappy. Even so, it wouldn’t be proper to assume that such would be the case.

Finally, Desa came close enough and bowed deeply, announcing loudly, “Your Majesty, may I introduce Sir Reva Lucien, Captain Vendis Cascade, and Sergeant Berys Mara of Sifaren, as well as Guildmaster Albert Windgale of the Western Adventurer’s Guild?”

“You may,” Phynis replied gravely, suppressing a smile at the ad-hoc formality that Desa had chosen to adhere to. They really needed to figure out what formality they needed.

Turning back to the others, Desa spoke calmly but clearly. “Ladies and Lords, I present unto you Queen Phynis Constella of Everium, Lady Sistina, Dungeon of Everium, and Court Mage Farris Skyblessed.”

The group stared at them for a moment, especially at Sistina and Farris, but quickly bowed respectfully. Albert spoke first, his voice clear. “It is a pleasure to visit your domain, Your Majesty. A bit of a surprise as well, but you have a lovely city.”

“Thank you, Master Windgale. You all may rise,” Phynis replied, pausing a moment before adding dryly, “Also, Captain Desa may have decided to add formality all on her own. I only learned I had a domain at all this morning, at about the time Sistina brought me into the palace. There’s no need for formality yet.”

“It’s good to see that you’re doing well, Your Highness. I mean Your Majesty.” Reva flushed slightly as he corrected himself, shaking his head. “My apologies. This is most unexpected. What in all the gods is this place? How did a dungeon build it so quickly?”

“On that, you’d have to ask Sistina, but… well, let’s just say that the magical theory went well over my head,” Phynis told him in amusement, glancing at the dryad, who had her eyes closed. “She just called it high magic, and said that it was the most efficient way to get the job done.”

Reva opened his mouth to ask a question, but Phynis raised a hand, forestalling him a moment as she said, “Wait, please. First I want to ask how Berys and Vendis are doing. Business can wait for a few minutes.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Reva conceded, and Phynis looked at the two with a raised eyebrow.

“Well?” she prompted.

“I’m well, Your Majesty. I’m sorry for leaving you, but I wanted to go home,” Berys spoke first, her voice soft. Glancing at Farris, she asked, “Umm… what happened to Farris?”

“I’ll let Farris answer that question later. If we answer all your questions, we’ll never get the important business dealt with,” Phynis told her, smiling. “I understand your decision, though. It is what it is.”

“Your Majesty. I’m relieved to see you’re well, and that you didn’t need another rescue,” Vendis spoke almost normally, smiling slightly. “And I see you found a throne anyway.”

“More like was given it without notice,” Phynis replied dryly. “And I’ll have you know that I’m working on learning magic to defend myself. Living in an ancient dungeon with an intact magical academy helped.”

Albert seemed to choke at that, and couldn’t help but gasp. “You… you have a magical academy? Completely intact?”

“Not completely, but mostly,” Phynis informed him, then paused, considering a moment, and decided. “We’ll handle the business with you first, Guildmaster. No offense, but I believe that yours is the least sensitive of the subjects to deal with.”

Reva silently ceded the floor, taking a step back as the human took a breath, then nodded. “I suppose that is true. My apologies, Your Majesty, but your statement was stunning.”

“You’re quite forgiven. May I ask why you wished to see me?” Phynis asked patiently.

“Certainly. As I’m certain you know, the Adventuring Guilds stay out of political… incidents as much as is reasonably possible. We focus entirely on dungeons and delving into them. Thus, we find ourselves somewhat distressed by the apparent disappearance of the dungeon,” Albert explained, folding his arms behind his back and speaking with growing confidence. “We wish to know if the dungeon is still accessible, and if you will be attempting to regulate it.”

“One moment. Sistina? A moment of your attention, please?” Phynis turned to look at the dryad, snapping her fingers in front of her lover. The dryad took a few moments to open her eyes, and when they did, she looked at Phynis’ fingers, then arched an eyebrow at her.

“Yes?” Sistina asked. “Am tired.”

“I know you’re tired. The guildmaster here is wondering about the dungeon. You didn’t say much about it, so I need you to tell me what’s going on with it now,” Phynis explained.

Sistina nodded, and wordlessly raised her hands, concentrating a little. A moment later a spectral image of the city appeared above her hands, including the town just outside the gates. She pointed, and a point near the base of the mountain started to glow. It was a straight shot from the gate to the dot, and she spoke simply. “Entrance. Dungeon remodeled.”

“I see. Anything else?” Phynis prompted gently.

The dryad seemed to consider a moment, then nodded, adding softly, “Nearby buildings. Shops, guild house. Old designs.”

“Thank you, Sistina. You can go back to what you were doing,” Phynis told her, smiling as the dryad nodded, and then closed her eyes again. Looking at Albert, who appeared rather shocked, she raised an eyebrow. “Hopefully that answered most of your question. And no, I’m not regulating the dungeon. That’s just stupid. If you want to live inside the city you’re going to have to rent buildings and pay taxes, once we figure them out.”

“That seems… fair. Does she normally act like that?” he asked, gesturing at Sistina.

“No. She’s usually a little perkier. However, she just expended what she claimed was something like three years of mana accumulation, gathered with the help of the priestesses, so I’m not surprised she’s a bit fatigued,” Phynis replied firmly. “Now, since I’ve answered your question, may I have some privacy for diplomacy?”

“Of course. Thank you for the information,” Albert replied, bowing his head slightly. He started to leave, then paused, turning back as he added, “Oh! Before I get distracted, may we move into this guild house she mentioned? I’m more than happy to pay rent or the like, so long as the rates are reasonable.”

“Certainly. We’ll discuss it sometime later this week,” Phynis replied, and gestured for him to go. The human quickly left, his steps fast, a hand going through his hair as he muttered under his breath.

Once he was gone and the doors had shut, Phynis looked at Reva and asked, “Now, I’m certain my mother sent you. What does she want?”

“The original goal when I was given this task was to gain copies of the library so that further research could be made on the slave brands, and to make amends with Sistina and yourself if at all possible,” Reva explained forthrightly, and Phynis couldn’t help but blink at his refusal to dance around the subject. He forged onward, his voice clear as he looked her in the eyes. “I was chosen since I was on relatively good terms with you beforehand. With the information you sent on the brands, it was no longer necessary to return with copies of the library, though the Royal Archivist was horrified at the change of plans. Instead, with Sifaren now the primary target of Kelvanis, we’re to disrupt Kelvanis’ plans if at all possible before returning. But still, my primary mission is to try to mend the rifts between you, Sistina, and Sifaren.”

“I see. I admit, I want to help Mother and Sifaren, not the least because I hate Kelvanis,” Phynis admitted, frowning as she sat back. She considered for a long moment, then looked at Sistina again, debating, and finally added, “I’m going to have to ask Sistina. She was the one who was truly disrespected.”

“Ah, with all due respect, Phynis, you were the one who nearly died,” Desa interjected nervously.

“Yes, and all of it due to people not trusting Sistina. Because people were so paranoid after years of war that they didn’t believe that someone might be willing to help without any ulterior motives,” Phynis replied, her voice filling with iron as she looked at her guardian. She paused for a long moment, and slowly continued, “Sistina may be the turning point in this war. She’s the one who can make golems and put them under our control. So I’m going to ask her opinion.”

“As you say, Phynis,” Desa replied softly. “I just worry.”

“Sistina, I need you again.” Phynis looked at the dryad, who was even slower to open her eyes this time, and it was enough to make her concerned. “Sistina, are you alright?”

“Am… almost empty. Gave mana to beacon. Defends city,” Sistina murmured, gesturing upward as she blinked. “Is difficult. Tiring. You needed?”

“I see. I’m sorry, Sistina, and I’ll come down to visit you tonight,” Phynis promised, blinking in shock as she realized just how much mana Sistina had thrown into her project. She held only faint memories of the web of power she’d entered when she’d nearly died, but the idea of almost all that power expended on the city, for her, was… touching. After a moment, she explained. “My mother wishes to make amends with us. I would like to do so, but I know you held a grudge about what happened. What can she do to make things better?”

Sistina blinked again, seeming to consider a moment, then spoke, her voice soft but clear. “Must apologize. Personally. She wronged. Must acknowledge. Must apologize. Here.”

“That… I don’t know that we can do that! With Kelvanis moving their soldiers to the front, if they realized the queen was anywhere near the front, we could lose her, and Sifaren would collapse,” Reva protested, looking sincerely panicked at the idea. “Is there anything else we can do?”

“No,” Sistina spoke simply. “My forgiveness requires. But, Beacon is Phynis’. Her city. Her army. Her choice. Will not interfere.”

“Oh. Okay, Sistina. I understand,” Phynis replied, smiling slightly, and Sistina nodded faintly before her eyes closed again.

“What did that mean?” Desa asked, uncertain.

“It meant that her forgiveness isn’t necessary for us to help Sifaren. She expended everything she had available for me, so that I could choose, Desa,” Phynis told her, turning back to them, feeling more confident than she ever had. If Sistina, a being more ancient than she could imagine, chose to trust her decisions, what did she have to fear? So Phynis considered for a long minute, weighing options before looking at Reva. “I’ve made my decision, Sir Lucien.”

“What would that be, Your Majesty?” he asked, uncertainty in his voice.

“Sistina’s terms stand. However, the conflict with Kelvanis takes precedence,” Phynis replied, eyes bright as she continued. “But Everium stands independent. We will take immigrants of any race, so long as they choose to come of their own free will. Those who come, whether freeman, serf, or slave, will be freed to live without fear of those who would control them. We are willing to ally with Sifaren, and with Yisara if they choose to join us, but we are willing to stand alone as well. But as a token of our goodwill, I will ask for volunteers from my followers, for those who are willing to command a detachment of golems with which to reinforce your armies. Here your army can rest and prepare, for Sistina built me a fortress without equal.”

Looking him in the eyes, she asked softly, “Are you willing to accept this, Sir Lucien?”

Reva paused for a long, long minute. And at last, he slowly bowed, putting his hand over his heart as he replied quietly, “I am, Your Majesty. I will take your demands to Her Majesty as soon as I am able.”

“Good. Now, let’s find your party a room, so that you have a chance to rest,” Phynis replied, smiling thinly. “It’s been a long day.”

Chapter 56

“Are you sure that sending Alissa and Helia back with them is a good idea?” Desa asked, frowning as they watched sixty golems march out with the elven army. “That’s a quarter of our golems, too.”

“Yes, it is. But Sistina will be making more golems, and we have both the shield and the beacon itself,” Phynis replied calmly, glancing up at the glowing ruby at the top of the palace. “I think we’ll be able to hold off anything Kelvanis can throw at us in the short term. Longer term it might be difficult, but we don’t have much choice. Besides, sixty golems are worth what, six hundred soldiers or more? That should be an immense help.”

“Something like that. I just worry. I hope your mother is reasonable about this. I think she will be, but we don’t know for certain,” Desa told her, letting out a soft sigh. “And I admit that Sistina choosing to expend that much mana worries me as well. It means that we have virtually no safety net if something goes horribly wrong.”

“She does have all her monsters and the rest of the dungeon,” Phynis countered, then paused and admitted, “Though I’ll have to tell her to keep enough mana in reserve to close the stairwell from the palace gardens. The last thing we want is to let people chase us directly into the heart of the dungeon.”

“Agreed. I… uh, Phynis?” Desa’s voice trailed off, and she was staring over her shoulder, blinking several times.

Following Desa’s gaze, Phynis blinked as well. Lily was humming brightly, the bundled up young woman moving through the tilled soil of the palace gardens, planting seeds for when it grew a little warmer. Ilmas was helping her, and the two looked refreshingly normal. But it was the small panther cub following them that was incongruous. The feline might not have been old, but it was still far too large to be mistaken for a housecat. The panther was trotting at Lily’s heels, and as they watched, she paused to scratch it behind the ears, then went back to work.

“That’s adorable,” Phynis murmured, grinning at the scene.

“Why does Lily have a panther?” Desa asked, her voice plaintive. “I’ve always wanted a pet leopard, let alone a panther!”

“Probably because she’s a natural-born druid? Have you seen how the plants respond to her?” Phynis retorted with a soft giggle. “She doesn’t even seem to notice when they start growing exactly how she asked them to.”

“True, but it isn’t really fair,” Desa grumbled, shaking her head. After a moment, she paused and took a deep breath. “But I suppose we should actually try to get some work done today. Sistina said there was a map of the city in the library, right?”

“More like a sculpture, but yes,” Phynis agreed. “What were you thinking?”

“I’m thinking we need to figure out where everything is, and look at some of the more common buildings,” Desa explained. “You mentioned taxes and immigrants yesterday, right?”

“Yes, which means we need to determine exactly how we’re going to house them, what policies and laws are going to be in place, and everything else.” Phynis’ voice fell slightly as she spoke aloud, then sighed. “You’re right. We need to get a lot done.”

“Yes, we do,” Desa agreed. “Shall we?”

“After you, Desa,” Phynis replied, and followed her.

* * *

The web of power throughout Sistina’s domain was weak, almost to the point where she couldn’t maintain the full breadth of the domain, but maintain it she had. It had helped some that she retracted her domain from the city, save for the sewer system and the palace. She was recovering from the vast expenditures of the preceding days, and she felt it was well worth the effort it had taken. Phynis’ reaction had been gratifying, and things were going well. Especially since the priestesses had quietly continued donating mana for the most part.

The adventurers seemed to be moving into the city as well, which meant they were going to be encountering her newly improved dungeon soon. The thought made Sistina internally smile, and she was grateful for the night at Phynis’ side the day before. She couldn’t complain with how she was treated by her love.

What she hadn’t told Phynis about was what she had found when she’d been building Beacon. At the same time that she’d been altering the mountainside, she’d been moving virtually every part of the ground beneath it, solidifying the foundation of the city. It was then that she’d found a section of the ground which had stubbornly refused to move. She hadn’t had time to examine it properly, and a part of her was still curious about it, so she’d extended threads of awareness toward the location once she was done, only to find nothing but stone to her ‘sight.’ Yet that stone was impervious to her control, as if it didn’t exist at all.

Sistina had her suspicions of what it might be. After all, she’d never found the original palace of Everium, and if any building would have greater magical defenses than the magical academy, it would be the palace. Once she had the mana, she’d have to investigate. But for now, she needed to recover.

* * *

“There you go, Aric. Sorry I can’t do something better for you, but it’s the best I can manage,” Graystone spoke soberly, patting the small cairn he’d built. Picking up a jug of ale, he poured it over the stones. “Here’s a parting drink for you. I hope you rest easy, wherever you’ve gone.”

The dwarf was alone about a quarter mile from Granite Point. No one had stopped him from taking Evansly’s body, and it had been a hard day’s work to dig the grave in which he’d laid his friend before building the cairn atop him. The frozen ground had been unpleasant, but Graystone didn’t mind. Life could be an ugly thing, and his friend hadn’t been the best of individuals.

“You know, I don’t really blame you. I didn’t know everything that you did, and you didn’t know much about me, either. We were friends because we got along well enough. If I’d known, well, things might’ve gone badly. But I gave you a respectful burial because we did get along, Aric,” Graystone told the tomb, shaking his head. “But at this point I’d best bid you farewell. My job in the town is done, and it doesn’t look like there’s any need for me here anymore. I’ve got a long road ahead of me. Goodbye.”

Turning away, the dwarf headed back toward town to where his packed things were waiting for him.

* * *

It took Captain Marath and her soldiers four days to reach Westgate. Four long days in which she stewed over her decisions, wondering what else she could have done. In the end it didn’t matter, though. She reached Westgate and gave her report, and was sent to rest and recover. Now she awaited permission to enter the Justicar’s office.

“Come in, Captain.” Justicar Hall’s voice penetrated the door with startling ease, and she swallowed before reaching out and opening the door. The Justicar was looking out the window, his powerful figure outlined against the gleam of the snow that still covered the ground.

“Sir!” Marath stood at attention, saluting and holding her position, worry gnawing at her gut.

“Captain Marigold Marath. You’ve been a loyal servant of Kelvanis, and the information you’ve brought us has been quite valuable,” the Justicar spoke without turning. “For that you have our appreciation.”

“Thank you, My Lord,” Marath replied, swallowing hard.

Justicar Hall turned at that point, his eyes as hard as flint as he continued. “Despite your contributions, Captain, you also have been injured to the point of needing months of recovery under a mage healer. After this you were assigned simple guard duty, and your superior was killed when he persisted in a fool’s errand that you did not stop. Finally, you surrendered without a fight and gave your word of parole to an enemy of Kelvanis, losing all combat gear of two and a half companies. What do you have to say for yourself?”

“My Lord, I take full responsibility for my actions. I did attempt to stop Lord Mayor Evansly, but he insisted, and I did not think the situation worth alienating him over,” Marath replied, feeling like her stomach was a void. “I have no excuse for my surrender. I thought it better to keep my soldiers alive, and am fully willing to suffer the consequences.”

The Justicar stared at Marath for a long moment. When he spoke, his voice was as hard as iron. “I spoke with the Archon. Due to your prior service, as well as the information you brought, he asked that I be lenient. So, I will be. Lady Marigold Marath, you are hereby discharged from the army of Kelvanis. Your discharge is honorable, but takes effect immediately. Turn in all signs of office and equipment that belongs to Kelvanis before sundown. You are dismissed.”

“Y-yes, My Lord,” Marath replied, barely managing to speak as she bowed. Feeling numb, she turned to leave the room and do as she’d been ordered. What was she going to do now?

* * *

“Hello Wenris! How are Serel and the others?” Ulvian asked, his tone friendly despite the stress he was feeling.

The succubus looked up from her leatherwork and blinked a moment before replying, her tone questioning. “I’d have to talk to the others, but Serel has fully turned. The others look like they have as well. Is something wrong?”

“Yes, unfortunately, something has gone exceedingly wrong,” the Archon replied, sighing as he shrugged. He didn’t look at the demon’s leatherwork, not wanting to know what she was up to. “Apparently, the dungeon was built on the elven capital of Everium, and it just decided to build a damned fortress. I’ve never heard of anything like it before, and it’s messing up all my plans. We need at least one or two months more to finish Tyria’s brainwashing, so I want Serel and the others to go to Westgate to reinforce the army.”

“I see. That is quite unfortunate. Would you like me to go speak to the others? I’d be happy to do so,” Wenris offered, smiling seductively at him.

“Please. We need to nip this problem in the bud,” Ulvian told her, smiling broadly. After a moment, he asked, “How is Diane coming along?”

“Oh, very nicely. In fact, I wanted to ask your permission to approach her physically. I think that she won’t hold out for too much longer.” Wenris’ smile turned as broad as Ulvian’s own. “She has an incredibly tough mind, but that just makes the changes all the harder to remove in the end.”

“Do what you have to, Wenris,” Ulvian agreed, his smile fading as his worry grew. “I’m afraid this dungeon threw off all of my plans. It would be nice to have something go properly.”

“Thank you, My Lord. I’ll do my best,” Wenris replied, her tail swishing happily behind her as she stood. “I’ll go see about getting you your Enforcers.”

“Thank you,” Ulvian told her, watching the succubus go appreciatively. After a moment more, he turned and muttered, “Now to go see how many more troops I can pry loose elsewhere. Damned dungeon. It might be more trouble than it’s worth. Hmm… I do still have the disruptor…”

Epilogue

“Mistress, may I ask a question?” the crimson-haired succubus asked in a diffident tone.

“You just did, Rissia.” The demoness standing in the center of the chamber didn’t pause in her spellwork, weaving intricate magic almost casually. Her voice was absent and oddly formal in tone. “But you may ask another if you so wish.”

“May I ask why you’re interfering with Irethiel’s plans? You’re risking Wenris’ cover for Medaea, who’s never been one of your friends. Her interference isn’t even enough to keep the goddess from falling from her position,” Rissia said, gesturing at a crystal orb in the center of the room, which showed the sleeping goddess, her visage far different than the golden beauty she’d been in her previous slumber.

“I am repaying two debts, Rissia,” her lady replied calmly, glancing at Rissia with deep crimson eyes. “I owe Irethiel nothing, and others much. Kathyria was a friend, after all.”

“Ah. I suppose I can understand that. But what debt do you owe Medaea?” Rissia asked plaintively.

“Medaea? Oh, no, my silly girl, you misunderstand.” Her mistress laughed gently, a smile crossing her beautiful face. “No, I don’t owe her at all.”

With a gesture, the image in the crystal orb vanished, and instead an image of Sistina appeared, the dryad napping in a bed, one arm extended over the new elven queen of Everium. Rissia’s mistress’ smile widened as she added, “The one I owe is Marin, and the debt has been a long time in being repaid. She deserves a chance of survival, and I’m giving it to her. Why, if she’s skilled, perhaps she’ll even add a goddess to her harem. I must say it’s a good start.”

Author’s Note

Thus ends Spells of Old. This entire book has been one heck of a ride for me, and I find myself stunned to see how much attention Ancient Ruins garnered. It went from being an experiment that I expected to maybe be soda money, to something where I’ve contacted editors, negotiated the production of an audiobook version, and set up Print on Demand for it. I’m hoping Spells of Old does half as well, but due to my own lack of confidence I’m not putting a whole lot of faith in that. Time will tell, though. I hope you all enjoyed the book, and by the time that this is released, I’ll be working on Halls of Power to complete the trilogy.

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