ã€ŠLazie&#x27;s Old Story Repositoryã€‹


 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 01

    Talan raced through the dark, dodging between tree and brush. The moon shone down from above, reaching through leaf and limb. She ran through the strands of moonlight, each moment a frozen image of the chase. Behind her, the savod roared.

    She couldn¡¯t look back on it. The bright eyes shining against skin as dark as the night sky haunted her mind. It was an impossible creature, one she was so certain was still lost in legends. Her father¡¯s words from before the madness echoed in her mind.

    ¡°We lost much to seal them, but they will be back one day.¡±

    If only she had remembered. All the signs were there, even if her people no longer were what they once were. Even after the curse fell over them and twisted them into forms corrupted by the night.

    A tree behind her exploded in a shower of splinters. An enormous black claw reached out toward her. With a breath, Talan opened a path into the Veil, jumping through the black circle that formed before her and into darkness.

    For only a fleeting moment, she was in the cold black night of the Veil. Distant glimmering lights shone all around her, like thousands of eyes glowing in firelight. She returned to Nelim in another breath, stepping back out into the grass and onto her shadow.

    Did she have enough power to finish it? There was so little left now. She hadn¡¯t used any spell work in ages. Even her soul would run dry. One maybe two jumps, she didn¡¯t have any more left. She breathed in a deep breath and concentrated.

    The wailing roar shook her again. She shuddered and searched around. The trip through the Veil hadn¡¯t brought her far enough. The savod was still too close. She stretched out limbs made of shadow and propelled herself forward, running in long slinking strides.

    More cries echoed through the night coming at her from all directions. Talan was sure. More than just one hunted her. All around her, shadows wavered through the trees, and glowing eyes burned.

    She slowed and finally stopped, listening to the forest.

    The brush surrounding her on all four sides shuddered, and four men covered in darkness lumbered out. They weren¡¯t savod, but they were victims of the savod¡¯s influence. The darkness drove them mad until they followed the whispers.

    She tried to draw up the magic again to open the Veil. The magic flared and sputtered in her heart. She was out. She needed someone to make a pact with. Someone other than the shells that stood around her.

    Talan held her arms up and let the last remnants of her magic fade away. The savod didn¡¯t want her dead. They still needed her to break the seal. Even their mindless servants would know that. She didn¡¯t resist.

    The monsters took hold of her arms and pulled her into the air. They treated her roughly, but not one took its claws to her throat. She would have to wait, that was the only way for her to escape.

    She only hoped that she was right.

    <hr>

    Orange light streamed down through the clustered limbs of the trees, speckling through the shade over Logan as he did his best to sleep. He pulled the black hood of his cloak further over his head, but even that was not enough to block out the light. The sharp cries of hundreds of birds did little to help either.

    Logan ran his hand through his long black hair, brushing it back in his hood. The week¡¯s growth of fuzz scratched across his arm at the slightest touch. There was little chance to shave, or sleep, while he was so near the plains.

    He reached down, lifting his sheathed sword from the grass and using it to bring himself up to his knee. He wasn¡¯t wearing his normal leather armor. There wasn¡¯t any point in doing so until he was back on guard duty.

    Sighing, Logan stood and wiped the dust from his brown pants. The hill he had chosen to nap upon provided an open view of the caravan. The wagons circled around a bonfire below. Logan¡¯s brown eyes could see the people going about their work in their camp, dressed in their bright colors even when doing labor.

    At each entrance to camp stood two men, covered in the same black cloak that Logan wore. They were members of the Crows, mercenaries that sold out their services to any who would pay. Their leader did have a bit of a moral preference, however.

    To Logan it was just another job.

    ¡°Trying to get some rest, lad?¡± Logan looked down, seeing the very red haired leader coming up to him.

    Adrian was a highlander from Faye, built as if a man carved from a giant boulder. He had a long ponytail, the only remnant of his once full head of hair. The rest of his head was brightly bald, covered with scars from a hard life. His long red beard made of for it. He had golden loops and coins tied through it, making it ring with each step.

    ¡°I¡¯m still uneasy,¡± Logan said, pointing north. ¡°We¡¯ll be near the forest today.¡±

    ¡°One of my men, afraid of a forest.¡± Adrian laughed. ¡°Do you think a savod is going to drag you under a tree?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Logan crossed his arms across his chest. ¡°I do worry about the sarpan tribes that camp near it.¡±

    ¡°We have enough men to handle a few raiders,¡± Adrian said, stepping up to Logan and placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°The majority of their warriors will be on the front lines down south.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t like this path,¡± Logan said.

    ¡°It¡¯s the shortest path across the plains,¡± Adrian said, his eyes narrowing. ¡°If we cross it here and use the forest to hide the caravan, we can reach the safety of the Golden Road and head back west. That¡¯s why we chose it.¡±

    ¡°I know, Adrian,¡± Logan said, trying to settle the churning in his gut.

    ¡°Come on then.¡± Adrian pushed Logan ahead of him back toward the camp. ¡°Let¡¯s go grab some food before they¡¯re ready to head out again.¡±

    They went down into the caravan, earning only nods from the guards as they passed through the perimeter. In the camp itself, the wanderns were courteous, but afforded little but friendly smiles. They did not delight in having to bring in outsiders, even for their own safety.

    ¡°They¡¯re just sad to see the coin go,¡± Adrian said for the hundredth time since they began the job.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°It might be more than that,¡± Logan said. ¡°They¡¯d rather spit on us than look at us.¡±

    ¡°Some of their women are very sweet on us.¡± Adrian smiled with a glint in his eye.

    ¡°They might pick your pockets in your sleep,¡± Logan said as they came up to the cooking pots.

    A vegetable stew boiled, filling the air with the spice of onions, garlic and tomatoes. The old woman who cooked stood ready with her ladle and wooden bowls, her wrinkled fingers working with an ease that belied their age. She smiled the same thin smile that she always smiled.

    They ate standing. There was little room in the camp while the wandern packed everything away. Adrian ate fast, slurping his entire bowl down while hardly using his wooden spoon. He had already left to check on the other men by the time Logan was halfway done.

    Left alone, Logan wandered around the camp. They had been on the job for a whole week, yet he still found the way the wandern carried themselves to be interesting. They were freer than the people who lived in the cities, free at least from the power struggles of lords and barons.

    Yet, there was a sad air about them. They really had no place to call their own. They didn¡¯t own any land. He and his fellow mercenaries were much the same. Only a few had families, and very few would admit to it.

    He just began walking when he came to something he hadn¡¯t seen before. It had the same rough wooden construction as all the other wagons, but with a dark cloth draped over it. A woman was packing up and placing what looked like skulls into crates.

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t human, are they?¡± Logan asked, causing the woman to look up hurriedly.

    She was beautiful, her tan skin smooth to Logan¡¯s eyes. She had emerald eyes, and if he remembered anything about the sea bound traders of the Virin Trade Empire, they were renowned for their emerald eyes.

    ¡°These are imp skulls.¡± She gave him a dazzling smile that did little to convince him for a moment that she was not lying.

    ¡°I am Logan, of the Crows,¡± Logan said, doing his best to ignore the skulls.

    ¡°And I am Kismet.¡± The woman bowed, ¡°teller of fortunes.¡±

    ¡°A soothsayer,¡± Logan said. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see one of you even this far outside of Tyra.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to know your fortune?¡± Kismet asked. ¡°The bones can tell you of your path.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine without it,¡± Logan said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe in fate then?¡± Kismet asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Logan said. ¡°If fate is set in stone, then I don¡¯t need to know it. If it isn¡¯t, then what¡¯s coming doesn¡¯t matter anyway. Fate is useless.¡±

    ¡°We are nearing a very mystical place.¡± Kismet¡¯s beautiful smile turned to a frown. ¡°It might do you better to heed powers beyond your pathetic mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Logan hid his smile.

    He walked away quickly, placing his empty bowl near the cooking woman. His encounter with Kismet was similar to many that all the mercenaries had with the wandern. They tended not to share the same ideas.

    He headed out to the edge of camp, searching for Adrian. Logan found him quickly. He stood in the center of his men, giving out orders for the day ahead. Logan hurried over, standing at the edge so that he could listen.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be nearer to the forest today,¡± Adrian said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to watch carefully. Bandits love to use the forest to attack. I¡¯ll be sending some of you ahead to scout our route. If the way is dangerous, you¡¯ll need to mark it with one of these.¡±

    He held up a steel metal tube. It was a smoke marker. With only some flint and steel, a scout could light the powder in the tube and it would send up a small white plume of smoke. It was a fast way to communicate with the caravan without giving away its position.

    The scout wasn¡¯t always as lucky.

    ¡°Logan,¡± Adrian said, throwing one to him. ¡°You¡¯ll have the eastern flank, deep in the forest.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡± Logan sighed as he caught the tube.

    ¡°Carl, Van,¡± Adrian continued, going through everyone else. ¡°You have the north and south flank. Gramm, take two with you and cover the west. It¡¯s still more likely we¡¯ll be dealing with sarpans.¡±

    Carl and Van nodded in acknowledgement, the bald headed brothers stepping forward to accept their markers. Gramm tapped two men near him on the shoulder, signaling that they would be coming with him. In moments their meeting dispersed, the remaining twelve would cover the caravan.

    Logan went to the equipment wagon. He quickly put on his armor, a boiled leather cuirass, gloves, and spaulders, all dyed black to match the band¡¯s colors. He tied his sword in place on his belt, making sure that his two knives were still there.

    Already, the armor clasped tightly about his chest. He always hated its tight grip through his clothes. It pinched his skin. Yet, it was a necessity. He threw his cloak back over it, covering the armor from sight.

    As he was leaving, the wandern were already moving their caravan into position, setting up the wagons into rows with oxen pulling them. The rest of the Crows formed four packs around the wagons. Their horses stomped on the ground impatiently.

    Logan and Adrian exchanged a quick wave as Logan headed out on foot toward the shadow of the nearby trees. The air cooled immediately, allowing him some respite from the rising heat of the day. He might have been stuck in the forest, but at least he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the heat or smells of the caravan.

    Fortunately, he knew already that he probably wouldn¡¯t encounter anything on his mission. The forest might have been a haven for bandits, but they rarely stayed for long there. No one wanted anything to do with the forest, according to everything he heard.

    There were many stories about the forest and the evils that lurked there. Ogres, savod, sprites, and even darklings walked the paths. He had been all over the Five Kingdoms, and ogres were all he had ever seen.

    The stories were more than likely just that, stories to keep people out of the forest.

    Logan continued through the forest, pushing his thoughts away. There was no sense dwelling on them. He turned his eyes and ears to the forest, listening for anything odd. He could hear the caravan start its trek north before he moved out of earshot.

    The sounds of forest animals soon replaced those of the caravan. The cries of birds and the howls of wolves rose to Logan¡¯s ears. He tread carefully, his boots only making a soft crunch on the dead leaves that lay strewn on the forest floor. He kept his eyes focused on his path, looking for any sign of passage.

    The forest seemed timeless, the movement of the sun masked by the intricate canopy of limbs. He walked through the brush for what seemed like days, seeing no sign of anything passing through. There were a few deer tracks dried solid in the dirt, but they were days old.

    He stopped suddenly, seeing an unfamiliar track. Logan bent down to examine it. Three claw marks dug deep down into the dirt, each one farther apart than a fully-grown man¡¯s fist. They weren¡¯t ogre¡¯s tracks. The feet were too thin.

    Logan followed them for a time, going deeper and deeper into the forest. Silence crept through the trees, cutting off the sounds of the animals. His heart hammered faster in his chest. What could make these kinds of tracks?

    Logan took off on a parallel path. He no longer kept strictly to the tracks, taking a northeastern heading. He had more immediate signs to follow now. A line of bent and broken branches now marked the path.

    Still, silence dominated the forest.

    Fire raced through his lungs as he ran across the rough terrain. His armor bit into his skin as he ducked under the branches. He dodged through the trees and bushes, keeping an eye on the trampled brush.

    A wailing cry in the distance gave him pause, the sound shaking his bones. It was the cry of a creature in pain, warped as it echoed through the forest. Logan slowed to a jog, keeping his eyes forward.

    The cry grew louder. It scratched at his ears as he moved closer. His stomach turned as he finally reached a clearing. The blinding light of the sun assaulted his eyes as he looked out of the shadows. He knelt down, taking cover in the brush.

    There were five men gathered in the clearing, or things that once were men. Dark spots marked their bodies, and a dead look marred their eyes. They shambled about clumsily, as if they had little control of their own bodies.

    Logan had not seen anything like this before.

    Something else he hadn¡¯t seen before caught his attention, sitting in a cage beside the men. It was a creature born of black flame, its skin dark as night. It looked almost like a child, a plume of dark green fire shot out from its head and green orbs glowed on its arms.

    ¡°Darkling,¡± Logan whispered.

    Logan edged closer, keeping low in the brush. He pulled his marker from his belt, feeling its weight in his hand. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should use it or not.

    Logan started backing away. This was completely beyond him. The caravan¡¯s safety was more important. A loud crack rang out through the clearing as he stepped back, his boot catching a branch and snapping it in two.

    From the cage, green eyes looked up, staring directly at him.

 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 02

    ¡°Help me!¡± A man screamed as he ran through the cobblestone streets of Nethas.

    Five armored knights were in pursuit, following his unheeded cries deeper and deeper into the heart of the city. There could be no escape, the leader of his pursuers knew. There could be no rest for justice.

    The man turned a corner, coming to face his end. A wall rose up before him, too tall to climb. He searched frantically as the knights came upon him, but no ray of hope broke the stormy clouds above.

    ¡°Halt!¡± Elaine ordered, her voice echoing through her visor.

    The man fell back against the wall, sinking down on the wet stones as fear marred his face. Elaine looked down upon him through her visor, grimacing at the pathetic sight. There would be no mercy, not in the name of justice.

    Elise, her strongest subordinate, flanked her. She could already see Elise tensing, ready to draw her sword and strike. She couldn¡¯t allow that to happen. Now was not the time for violence.

    Elaine stepped closer, her hand resting on her sword¡¯s silver pommel. The Grace of Astor flared from the hilt, travelling through the sigils carved inside her armor. She embraced it, drawing what confidence she could from its reassuring touch.

    ¡°You have no place left to run.¡± Elaine removed her helm, glaring down upon the man with cold blue eyes. ¡°You are coming with us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m innocent.¡± The man cowered in his grey robes, clutching at his shoulder. ¡°I had no part in anything.¡±

    ¡°You carry the night plague,¡± Elaine said, her voice unwavering. ¡°We will take you into custody, for the safety of Nethas.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go,¡± the man cried.

    ¡°Take him.¡± Elaine ignored his plea.

    With a rough tug, the knights pulled him to his feet, dragging his limp form across the wet cobblestones and back down the street. She nodded to her subordinates, giving them permission to continue. Elaine stayed, watching as they disappeared through the wall of rain.

    It ran in waves down her braided black hair, a cooling chill rushing through her bones as the heat of the chase faded away. Her tunic clung tightly against her beneath her plate armor, soaked with sweat and rain. She shook, only then realizing that she was cold.

    She embraced the icy chill in her veins. It was a solace from the burning heat of the constant chase. She never seemed to have time to rest. Enemies were abundant in Nethas, even without the plague sapping their strength.

    Elaine grimaced, staring down the dark alleys with searching eyes. Even now, the plague spread and traitors walked the streets, their shadows crawling through the stone cracks. They swirled around her, whispering secrets to the night.

    She donned her helm again, muting the whispers with a solid buffer of steel. Only the patter of rain on steel remained. She started down the street, the fading rain following her back toward the temple.

    The sun peeked through the veil of clouds as Elaine reached the steps of the temple. Outside the speckled stone walls, adherents worked the gardens, toiling away in silence. White masks covered their faces as a sign of devotion.

    Elaine hurried past them, up the stone steps of the Temple. She pulled open the heavy oak doors and stepped inside. Bright multi-colored light filtered in through the stained glass windows, painting the pews in streaks of color.

    Priests lined the pews, meditating around the rune-covered cube that dominated the center of the room. Elaine walked in without pause, her boots clicking against the floor in defiance of the imposed silence. Heads turned to follow her.

    A crooked grin cracked her face, hidden beneath her helm.

    The man she was looking for was just ahead, standing before the black stone. His wrinkled hands ran over its surface as he mumbled softly. He was the head of the Order of Astor, one of the most powerful men in the Five Kingdoms, Nathaniel Rafret.

    She removed her helm as she came closer to him, holding it in the crook of her arm.

    ¡°The unwilling captain,¡± Nathaniel said while turning, a sly smile crossing his face. ¡°You¡¯ve come with a report?¡±

    Elaine saluted to Nathaniel. He stroked his thin beard as he hobbled down the steps to her, leaning heavily on his gnarled cane. He bent forward, the weight of his age pulling him down

    ¡°We¡¯ve apprehended three plague victims today.¡± Elaine was curt, stiffening under Nathaniel¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Excellent.¡± Nathaniel gave an empty smile as he scratched at his chest through his robes

    He motioned for her to follow, leading her past the stone and to the nave of the temple. There he found his seat, resting in a dark corner far from the ears of the others in the temple. With a feeble groan, he planted himself on a red velvet chair, reclining back with his cane in his hand.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°The victims of this plague spring anew from the streets every day, yet we are still no closer to finding a cure.¡± Nathaniel sighed, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I only wish there was a way we could be completely rid of it.¡±

    ¡°Do you have some sort of plan?¡± Elaine asked.

    ¡°No, my dear,¡± Nathaniel said, placing his hand over his heart. ¡°I just had a vain hope that we could end it once and for all.¡±

    ¡°If only it could be that easy,¡± Elaine said. ¡°Hope will not solve anything by itself.¡±

    ¡°There is a simple way to solve it,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°It just isn¡¯t a¡­preferable way to go about it.¡±

    ¡°And how is that?¡± Elaine asked.

    ¡°By stopping it at the source.¡± Nathaniel tapped his finger against his staff. ¡°Those bottom scraping mages and wizards brought this plague upon us.¡±

    Something possessed Nathaniel, through all the years she had known him. The Order of Astor was distrustful of mages and other practitioners of magic, but he brought it to a completely new level.

    She didn¡¯t disagree entirely.

    ¡°We would have to find something to link them to the plague,¡± Elaine said, crossing her arms.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t studied enough magic, Elaine.¡± Nathaniel laughed. ¡°Those who dabble in chaos cannot be contained with wards. Their magic grows, changes, and worms its way through the cracks in our defenses. It is not so easy to divine their spells and workings. They have the ear of the king as well.¡±

    Elaine stiffened at the use of her given name, but Nathaniel continued.

    ¡°That¡¯s the reason we formed the Order, to control these unstable dangers,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Much has changed since the war, we were never meant to be the city watch.¡±

    There was disdain in his voice, the same disdain that followed her in the eyes of the priests. She was one of the many changes that the Order had accepted as the crown sent off men to the never-ending war. It was unseemly for a woman to hold this much power.

    In the end, the elders had no choice.

    ¡°What do you want to do about it?¡± Elaine asked, averting her eyes.

    ¡°There is a way.¡± Nathaniel smiled. ¡°We can force these wretches from our city. It can once again be the pure capital it was.¡±

    ¡°The king wouldn¡¯t allow that,¡± Elaine said. ¡°So long as they ward the walls, they will have the king¡¯s favor.¡±

    ¡°Our priests have found ways to do the same.¡± Nathaniel¡¯s smile faded. ¡°We can do that and more for our people, there¡¯s no need for those outsiders.¡±

    ¡°But, Holiness.¡± Elaine started to object.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Nathaniel said, tapping his cane against the floor. ¡°Go now and double the watch. I want your subordinates to bring in double the afflicted.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Elaine said, holding her right hand over her heart in salute.

    She ignored his smirk as she left, stomping out of the temple and back onto the grounds. Again, the eyes of the priests followed her out. When she reached the outside light, the storm within her settled and she left for the barracks.

    Each company of the Order had a section of the barracks all for their own, marked with a sigil. A blue wolf marked her company¡¯s room, a symbol specifically chosen by Nathaniel for her. He thought it was funny.

    She entered the room quietly, checking quickly to make sure she was alone. She was glad that none of her company had returned to the barracks yet. She moved to her bed, sitting before she unstrapped her armor.

    Elaine removed her helm, letting the warm air of the room flow over her face. She tore at the straps of her armor at a rapid pace, loosening the straps of her gauntlets first and then working through the rest of her armor. The Grace faded from her body, robbing her of its strength.

    Only her blue tunic and brown pants remained, the cloth soaked with the sweat of the day. She felt bare without the armor, as if a part of her was missing. The captain left her with the armor, only Elaine remained.

    Elaine rose, walking to the set of polished steel plates that lined the back wall of the room. Four washbasins were set up there with buckets to supply water from the wells outside. Elaine took one of the buckets, leaning over the basin and pouring the water over her head.

    The heat of her body washed away with the cool water, flowing out in a river into the basin. However, the heat of her anger remained. It broiled within her as she continued to think of Nathaniel.

    There was only one solace for it, and she wouldn¡¯t find it within the silence of the barracks.

    Elaine went to the oak trunk that sat at the foot of her bed, packing away her armor and sword within. She took out her only other piece of clothing. It was a simple blue dress, something that a merchant might buy for his daughter.

    It was her only real possession. She smiled as she ran her hand over it. That dulled her anger slightly.

    She changed into the dress, putting on the leather shoes she kept for when she was unarmored. Without any further waiting, she started out, leaving the barracks behind for the day and returning to the streets of Nethas.

    The clouds had cleared completely from the sky, leaving only the humid air as the sun shone down. Already, people were going back out into the streets, walking down the cobblestones and milling into a great crowd.

    They were the remnants of Nethas. They were women, children, the elderly, and the unfit. The majority of the men were on the front lines of the Moav Plains, recruited into the service of the kingdom. That left precious few to serve the city guard or the Order.

    King Leopold found the solution. He scoured the orphanages for the girls coming of age, sending them to train to guard the walls. Even the Order took note of this idea, selecting the few whom showed promise to serve Astor.

    That didn¡¯t mean that the leaders of the Order liked the change. Necessity was the only reason. It was a way for the Order to maintain its power in harsh times and nothing more, Elaine thought bitterly.

    Yet, she continued to serve.

    Elaine melted into the crowd, joining the mass of humanity as they went about their daily tasks. This was the reason she continued, through the anger, through the doubt. She would protect the people of Nethas.

    A red ball rolled toward her feet, bouncing lightly against her and coming to a stop on the stone street. Elaine bent down, picking up the ball and holding it in her hands. She searched around, quickly finding its owner.

    A group of three ragged children stood to the side, quiet and staring at her expectantly. Elaine smiled, tossing the ball into the air once and catching it. She turned to them, twirling the ball on a finger with the careful hand of someone who played in these same streets when she was but a child.

    ¡°Can we have our ball back, miss?¡± one of the children asked, wiping the dirt that streaked across his cheek with an equally dirty hand.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Elaine said, bouncing the ball back, ¡°as long as you let me play.¡±

    Smiles lit their faces as they started their game again. They threw the ball gently back and forth between each other, the war forgotten for just that sliver of time. They could find just that bit of happiness, even with the world caving down around them.

    That was worth fighting for.

 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 03

    The candlelight danced in a fluid flicker before Joshua¡¯s eyes. Reaching up with its orange tongue, it lapped hungrily at the air, searching ever for more, wanting to grow greater and greater. Ever, fire wanted more.

    Joshua could relate.

    With a single hand, he ran his fingers across his bald head. He could still feel the scars from the branding, even after five years. He dearly missed the long golden hair he had when he was a boy. The Tower required sacrifice. Conformity to the whole was the path power.

    He looked at the blackened runes that covered his hands, leading down his arms and underneath the loose red sleeves of his robes. They formed a looping spiral over his whole body, ending in four lines of characters splayed across the back of his head.

    ¡°Joshua,¡± his master said, taking him away from his thoughts. ¡°I need that light now.¡±

    Joshua came out of his reverie, readjusting to the hallway around him. He started again up the stone stairs, ascending the tower toward where his master was. The quiet of the tower returned as his thoughts fled, reminding him of the problem ahead.

    He entered the room in silence, stepping over the small splatters of blood that lined it. His master kneeled over the crumpled robes that marked the remains of one of their brethren. This was the fifth they had found this season, and the same bitter taste of magic tainted the air around the body.

    ¡°Did you find anything yet?¡± Joshua leaned over his master, bringing the candle in to illuminate the fallen mage.

    ¡°She was crushed the same as the others,¡± Richard said, rubbing his short white beard with his rune covered hands. ¡°The same smell as well, bitter.¡±

    ¡°No runes, no marks of conjuration, no indentation from words of power either,¡± Joshua said, summing up what they knew already from every other incident. ¡°Unless she kept an ogre in here, there isn¡¯t anything that we know that could do this.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not helping,¡± Richard said, looking across the carnage of the room. ¡°What we need is someone who survived, someone who saw more than a shadow fleeing the act.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to like being watched,¡± Joshua said. ¡°There are two watchmen outside with their heads crushed.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see them when we came in.¡± Richard raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°They were hidden by the night. I only found them when the moon cleared the clouds,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Whatever is doing this is wary of being found out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± Richard said, running a hand across his bald head.

    ¡°Evelyn apparently heard the news and hired them.¡± Joshua knelt down, examining the floor. ¡°It didn¡¯t do her any good.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for the next one then,¡± Richard said.

    ¡°Maybe not.¡± Joshua saw a black blot in the faint candlelight. ¡°Do you have a vial?¡±

    ¡°One moment.¡± Richard reached to where he had laid his bag, rifling through the contents carefully.

    He retrieved a brown leather case from inside, quickly unfurling the straps and producing a single vial from within. Richard handed it to Joshua, standing over his shoulder and watching as Joshua carefully brought the vial close to the spot.

    A cold stone dropped to Joshua¡¯s stomach, his skin prickling as if from an invisible touch. For a moment, it was almost as if the darkness had reached out and touched him. However, the feeling faded just as quickly.

    The darkness reacted to the touch of the vial, flinching away and scurrying across the floor a short distance. Once it was safely away, it returned to its prone state. Joshua again moved to catch it, and it again moved out of his reach.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Richard said.

    ¡°Hand me a stirring rod.¡± Joshua frowned.

    Richard handed a rod to him from the bag, watching as Joshua came at two angles with both the rod and the vial. Again, the black spot reacted, shrinking from both sides into itself. With one quick motion, Joshua forced the spot into the vial, giving a resounding cry of success.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Joshua placed a cork into the vial, sealing the spot within.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer what it is,¡± Richard said, watching as Joshua held the vial between them, letting the candlelight bathe it in its golden glow.

    It moved, even within the vial to Joshua¡¯s eyes. Spots of light sparkled in the black, fading in and out in a fleeting moment. It reminded Joshua of a clear night sky, the infinite darkness of the Veil stretching out to the unknown.

    ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Richard spoke up, interrupting Joshua¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it,¡± Joshua said, handing the vial to Richard.

    ¡°You or anyone else,¡± Richard said, taking the vial gently in his hands. ¡°I might need to talk to Olson.¡±

    ¡°Any reason to leave here,¡± Joshua said, starting to gather their supplies.

    ¡°Not before we pay our respects.¡± Richard cuffed Joshua on the back of his head with a free hand. ¡°She was one of us; never forget that we are all brothers and sisters of the Tower.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Joshua said. ¡°So help me write the runes so that we can send our sister to rest.¡±

    Richard nodded, taking a jar of ink from his bags and starting to work. Together, they covered the room with runes, laying the groundwork for a powerful spell. Reducing a stone tower to ash would take much more power than either could muster, but creative minds had a solution.

    By marking the tower with runes, it turned into a conduit and acted a focal point for the elemental energy that flowed through the ley lines. In essence, it turned the tower into a mage. However, the tower had no will, so it could not control the flow of magic.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Unrestrained power would reduce it to ash.

    Joshua always enjoyed watching that, even under these morbid circumstances. It was a chance to see the power that mages merely touched in their spells working at full force. It was a chance to see what he might achieve one day if he could grasp the power without burning his soul.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re done,¡± Richard said as they reached the bottom of the tower. ¡°We only need to set off the spark.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Joshua said.

    He touched the final rune, a circle with a triangle inscribed inside its border. It marked the anchor for the spell. By merely imbuing it with a little magic of any element, it would open the entire length of runes to the ley lines.

    Joshua reached with his will, his skin tingling. He grasped hold of a strand of magic. It burned with anger at his touch. It was his favorite element, the fire that forged the world in the hands of Dionmus.

    His soul shook, as he pulled that strand. Fire coursed through his veins and fueled his desire. This was but a taste of power, a sip of a strong wine, yet it wasn¡¯t enough. It would never be enough.

    He brushed the thought from his mind. Fire was a dangerous element, one that wanted to jump out of control with the slightest release of pressure. If he let his desires control him, the fire would burn him from the inside.

    Joshua acted quickly, drawing the strand and lashing it to the circle. A deep red glow spread across the runes in response to the magic, filling itself and starting the spell. From the circle, it spread down the runes. The glow climbed up the staircase until it was out of sight.

    A void opened within him as the magic faded, creating an empty hole that cried in hunger.

    That was the cost of the magic. With it, you felt you could do anything, could mold the world to your will. Once its power filled you, it hurt to give it up again. You needed to reach out and get more to fill that void.

    Mages spent their entire lives fighting for equilibrium, struggling to maintain control of the hunger. Joshua had seen that hunger consume countless mages before him. People who sought too much power stained the history of the Tower.

    Joshua paused for a moment, watching as the spell ran rampant through the tower. It flowed like a wildfire, up and up the tower. Only the hand of his master on his shoulder drew him from the majesty of the magic.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave,¡± Richard said, helping Joshua rise. ¡°Unless you want to burn with the tower.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not fond of the idea,¡± Joshua said, following his master out.

    Behind them, flames engulfed the stone walls of the tower, racing back and forth across its surface. In mere moments, the stone began to crumble, torn asunder by the might of the fire that raged inside.

    As the sun rose, the last remnants turned to ash, leaving only a black spot to mar the land.

    ¡°Back to Narn then,¡± Richard said, holding the darkness filled vial in his hands. ¡°At least we might gain some knowledge of this thing from our sister¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°Yes, master,¡± Joshua said, his eyes reluctantly releasing the ruins from their gaze.

    Narn was a small town, on the border between the kingdom of Tyra and the untamed Moav Plains. Joshua could not fathom why a mage would choose to take up residence there, but it had a few of the amenities of civilization. Its place on the old trade routes allowed at least that much.

    Joshua mused on that as he looked into his empty glass. All around him, the patrons talked at their tables in hushed whispers, sharing information and gossip with only the crackle of the roaring fireplace to mute their voices. The whispers were for him, he could see it in their eyes.

    His master was in their shared room, contacting the Archmage to relay their news. It was the first breakthrough since they had begun investigating the deaths in the winter prior. Now, winter had come again, the cold wind carrying them to new knowledge.

    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but think of the vial of darkness. Something in it hooked into his mind, holding it captive. He had felt something almost alive within. The thought of that chilled him.

    ¡°Much is on your mind today.¡± Richard interrupted his thoughts, returning from his conversation with the Archmage. ¡°Would you care to share it with me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only thinking of where we should go from here,¡± Joshua said.

    ¡°Nethas,¡± Richard said. ¡°We¡¯re going to Nethas next.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Joshua asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s been another death,¡± Richard said, searching the room. ¡°Vernon, our ambassador to King Leopold was killed within the castle¡¯s walls.¡±

    ¡°Were there any witnesses this time?¡± Joshua leaned forward.

    ¡°A creature cloaked in the night sky,¡± Richard said. ¡°Larger than a man, but possessing the same shape. One of the servants caught a glimpse of it before it crushed Vernon¡¯s skull.¡±

    ¡°We have a piece of it then,¡± Joshua whispered, thinking of the vial.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Richard said. ¡°There was something else as well. The servant said that Vernon tried to stop the creature. He said that fire, ice, and even lightning flew across the room. But, the creature was unharmed by it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Even if the creature had wards carved in its skin, it wouldn¡¯t be invulnerable to it.¡±

    ¡°There are some forms of magic that are different from ours,¡± Richard said. ¡°There are dark creatures that live on other planes of existence, some above and some below our own. There are things even in Nelim¡¯s own past that might resist the magic.¡±

    ¡°You know I never studied the histories,¡± Joshua said.

    ¡°You know of the sylvestrians and the nalde at least?¡± Richard asked. ¡°Those should at least be common knowledge from the archives.¡±

    ¡°I somewhat remember them,¡± Joshua said, averting his eyes.

    ¡°No you don¡¯t,¡± Richard said, rubbing his nose. ¡°Suffice to say that magic was much more powerful back then. Even the elements were just child¡¯s play. There were spells that could even create life.¡±

    ¡°But they were dangerous, I guess,¡± Joshua said, rubbing his hands together.

    ¡°Dangerous enough to create a monster immune to magic that can crush a man¡¯s head between its fingers,¡± Richard said, nodding.

    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s what this is?¡± Joshua asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Richard said, pulling the vial out of his red robes. ¡°But I think we have a way to find out.¡±

    <hr>

    Elise stalked the streets, her boots hammering down as she led her knights to the gallows. Their captive sputtered and cried as her knights carried him limply by his arms. Lowborn work, that¡¯s what it was. She deserved more than just following orders. She wanted to give them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the gallows,¡± the wizard said. ¡°I know my rights. I am a man under the crown. Only the city guard can hold me.¡±

    Elise ignored him. Peasants truly didn¡¯t know their rights, especially when they were magic users. All the study in dusty old tomes made them forget who held the power. It made them arrogant.

    They started down the stone stairs and the man screamed. Elise cuffed him hard across the ears with her gauntlet. He returned to his quiet whimper and her knights opened the wooden doors.

    If she were in charge, the streets would be clear of riffraff. The peasants only needed to know their true place, at the bottom. Wizards belonged behind bars and only merchants and nobles should walk the streets.

    That was the natural order.

    This did little to explain how a woman born from nothing could order Elise around. She bristled, remembering days long past when she and her sisters stood against the sarpans. That day made all the difference, if only she could go back and change it.

    The stink of sarpan breath still hung around her, even so many years after. The walls were breached so easily then, even if the sarpans hadn¡¯t done it again since. She had taken command of a few, and led them to the temple to hold the line.

    Elaine was there already, fighting waves of sarpans with her own knights. The sarpans would have overrun them if Elise hadn¡¯t brought her knights at the perfect moment. It was because of Elise, not Elaine that they won the day.

    Yet, Nathaniel gave the glory to Elaine and promoted her to captain on the blood-soaked grounds.

    The bitter taste still tainted her mouth, but it was enough to bring her back out of her memories. She spat as the screams of the tortured shuddered through her. She never liked the gallows, but she never stayed long.

    As her knights led their captive to one of the many rooms beneath the gallows and locked him inside, Elise promised herself she would make that change. She had no power over the past, but the future lay ahead.

    She would see Elaine behind those bars.

 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 04

    Logan stepped back behind the cover of the brush, clutching at his racing heart. The men who were no longer men had not heard him. They still shambled about, meandering in purpose and direction.

    Logan leaned back into his former position. The eyes still focused on him in an unsettling steady stare. The creature had not called out. It merely kept its eyes on him in a silent plea for help.

    What did it think he would do, risk everything for something that wasn¡¯t even human?

    Words came unbidden to him, old ones that he had heard when he was only a child. His father had told him something long ago. His father was fond of many old sayings. He believed in fully this one.

    ¡°A man who abandons one in need, might as well not be a man at all,¡± Logan whispered to himself, drawing a bit of courage from the words.

    Logan went to work, picking up a dry leaf from the ground and taking the marker out. He lit the leaf with his flint, getting a quick spark off and covering his hand. He tossed the leaf inside the tube and resealed it.

    He would only have a few moments. He threw the marker into the center of camp, and the men jerked when they heard the noise. They moved towards it, but even if they could still comprehend what it was, they wouldn¡¯t expect what happened next.

    Logan covered his ears just as the explosion ripped through the air. White smoke exploded out from the marker, turning the clearing into a hazy white wall. Logan pushed himself up, coming on his feet at a run.

    He dodged through the smoke, avoiding the shadows that marked the men. He was light enough on his feet that they wouldn¡¯t hear him, but the smoke wouldn¡¯t last forever. He came up to the cage, slowing and kneeling back down.

    He searched the bars with his hands, looking for anything that could release the darkling. It let out a low whine as he worked, soft but piercing. Did it know what he was doing? Did it know he was trying to help?

    His hand found purchase on the lock. Old rusted metal slipped in his fingers. There was a hole in his plan. Without the key, he couldn¡¯t get the cage open. He could try to force the lock, but the smoke wouldn¡¯t last long enough.

    There was only one thing he could do as the smoke cleared.

    A strong arm grasped his shoulder in an iron grip. Logan was already moving, drawing his knife and thrusting it into the man¡¯s arm. There was no cry of pain. It didn¡¯t even react to the cut.

    ¡°What are you?¡± Logan asked.

    The man pushed away from Logan, taking the knife with him. Logan was already drawing his sword, ready to face the rest. The smoke had almost entirely faded, only faint wisps now trailed through the air and into the sky above.

    They saw him now, their eyes empty as a starless night sky.

    The one Logan had stabbed, a bald burly man, pulled the knife from his arm. From the wound, shadows burst out, reaching out with a thousand strands. They spread across his arm, covering it until it formed a large black claw.

    ¡°Damn,¡± Logan whispered, taking a step back.

    The injured creature jumped forward first, soaring through the air with surprising speed. He moved unlike anything Logan expected. For their meandering gait, when presented a target the creatures were surprisingly nimble.

    Logan brought up his sword, catching the claw with the side of his blade and parrying it to the side. His sword sang when it struck. The blade shook in his hands. Fire shot up his arm and the force rattled through his bones.

    Logan switched tactics, freeing his left hand and grabbing his second knife from its sheath. He struck the man straight in the heart. The blade passed through with a dead thud. The man reacted as if Logan had merely pricked him with a needle. He stepped back and pulled the blade out.

    Again, the darkness surged forth from the wound, consuming the man¡¯s chest and head in a black shroud. Now, he appeared more monster than man. Glowing white eyes stared down at Logan with a predatory glee.

    ¡°Well, now what?¡± Logan asked himself.

    The creatures answered the question for him, pouncing into the air. All five took hold of him at once, slamming him into the cage. His breath left him, and pain cracked through his ribs as one¡¯s claws pushed him harder against the bars.

    It leaned in close to Logan, its blank face coming within a hair¡¯s breadth of Logan¡¯s face. A crack formed in its face, creating a maw of light. A shrill piercing cry erupted through Logan¡¯s mind, stabbing into his soul like a thousand needles piercing through his chest.

    Logan strained backward against the iron bars, but there was no escape. The creature¡¯s strong grip wouldn¡¯t let him up. There would be no respite from its cry. Logan clawed at the arm with his hands, fighting, struggling, and squirming for release until even his fingers were hot with blood.

    He tried to cry out, but the creature¡¯s wail drowned out his voice.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    A single voice cut through the sound. A quiet solitary whisper rang out against the noise. It was so quiet that Logan didn¡¯t notice it at first. The pain blocked everything else out in a blinding white light. But, he did hear it, and it latched onto him like a lifeline in a storm.

    ¡®Do you want to live?¡¯ the feminine voice asked.

    Logan searched around, dizzyingly, trying to identify the voice.

    ¡®Do you want to live?¡¯ it asked again, more urgently.

    Yes, a thousand times yes, Logan wanted to call out. He wanted to live. Yet there was no power to his voice. The creature¡¯s scream was too loud.

    ¡®Do you want to live?¡¯

    ¡°Yes,¡± Logan whispered, forcing his mouth to open.

    ¡®Then form a pact with me.¡¯ Logan turned his head, looking down the bars to the darkling¡¯s green eyes. ¡®Do you agree to serve me in exchange for this life?¡¯

    It was getting harder and harder to breath. The bars dug into his back and his mind blurred into a white haze. There was only one way out, and he would take it.

    ¡°I do.¡± Logan let out his last breath, his chest burning with fire as it escaped.

    ¡°Good.¡± The darkling spoke aloud for the first time, her voice dripping with childish glee.

    It started as a tingle, his chest falling away from his body. A thousand tiny pricks then erupted through him, pulling him taunt with a gasp. Something was inside him, reaching through him and gripping his soul tight.

    His entire being split in two with a sickening tug. Logan¡¯s vision went white; he no longer could see the men, the cage, or the forest. He was no longer there.

    Then it was over.

    He exploded back into the world, seeing it for what felt like the first time. His senses returned to him. The hard press of the black arm still pinned him against the cage. The men¡¯s decay still burned in his nose. However, when he looked back down to the cage, the darkling was gone.

    Coldness grew in Logan¡¯s stomach. The darkling betrayed him. He was just a tool for her escape. He let out a silent curse as he stared back into the eyes of the men.

    ¡®He he he.¡¯ The impish laugh of the darkling rang through his head.

    Logan wanted to respond, he wanted to burn the creature with his words alone, but the grip of the claw still held strong against his chest. Instead, he cursed silently again, slamming his fist against the dark arm with his last remaining strength. There would be no help for him.

    ¡®I guess I should fulfill my part of the bargain.¡¯ Again, the darkling¡¯s voice sounded in his head.

    Fire coursed through his veins as a surge of energy burst through him. For a brief moment, he was part of a flood, one with a power so great that he was nothing beside it. It tapered off then, concentrating in the tips of his fingers.

    Dark claws, so similar to the ones that gripped him tightly, stretched from his fingers. They grew and grew, until the darkness covered both of his arms. Logan grasped the arm that held him with those claws, cutting deeply through the black skin.

    It felt good.

    It was wrong.

    Logan worked without thinking, tearing loose the arm that was impervious just moments before. With one quick twist, it ripped loose, rendering him finally free of its grasp. The man fell to the ground, the darkness exploding out of his body.

    Logan took a deep breath, relishing in the power that flowed freely from him.

    ¡®Grab the sword, quickly,¡¯ the darkling said.

    Sword? Logan almost laughed at the thought as his heart beat hard in his ears. It was useless against these monsters.

    ¡®Take it now!¡¯ she yelled.

    The power seized inside of him and forced his muscles tight. It took over, forcing Logan to kneel down and pick up the blade. Shock rocked through Logan as he watched helplessly, completely unable to control his own body.

    The power transformed as he held the sword in his hand. It was no longer the screaming torrent, a crack in a barrel of water letting the water gush forth with abandon. It focused down to a single point, as a blade dipped with poison.

    ¡®You need a focus,¡¯ the darkling said. ¡®So you don¡¯t burn to ashes.¡¯

    The strings that held him still then released, leaving Logan with the full control of his body once again. The ground wavered as he regained control and he almost fell. He held his sword at the ready, staring down the four remaining men as a ghostly black shadow emanated from the blade.

    They started at him again, advancing forward in their shambling way. There was no hesitation. He knew what to do. He struck down the first one easily, his blade cutting through its chest with a single swing.

    The darkness shot out of the wound, surging through the air like a swarm and out of sight. A very dead corpse fell to the ground, completely drained. Not even blood flowed out of the dry husk that remained.

    Logan smiled as the fear from before washed away with his newfound strength. He lunged at the closest of the remaining three, gaining the same outcome as before. Again, the black smoke rose up into the sky.

    Logan stared down the remaining two. They were backing away, no longer willing to fight. He pitied them. They were just victims caught up in the darkness. He wasn¡¯t sure if they could control their actions, but he couldn¡¯t allow them to escape.

    As they began a full flight, he cut them down, not allowing them to depart the clearing before his sword bit into their flesh. It was over now. He thought of sheathing his sword, but the ghostly aura remained.

    ¡®Calm down,¡¯ the darkling said. ¡®It will fade once you are out of danger.¡¯

    Logan took a few deep breaths, following the words. The power faded from his body, leaving sore muscles and an emptiness that clawed at his heart. Logan finally realized just how much he had exerted himself.

    ¡°What happened to me?¡± Logan asked as his heart calmed to a quiet murmur. ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°I am now your shadow.¡± He turned to see the darkling standing behind him, standing within the confines of his shadow. ¡°We are now part of one another. The bargain you made was to serve me in exchange for your life, do you not remember?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± Logan cringed.

    ¡°Good.¡± She nodded, hiding a laugh behind her pointed teeth. ¡°I am Talan. You may call me your master if you like.¡±

    ¡°Talan,¡± Logan said. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you have just used your magic to get out of the cage?¡±

    ¡°We all need a source for our power.¡± Talan giggled in a way that Logan was sure was mocking him. ¡°You eat to live and I need your soul.¡±

    ¡°That strength was from my soul?¡± Logan looked down at his hands.

    ¡°Yes, so don¡¯t burn it all at once,¡± Talan said, before fading into his shadow. ¡®I would tell you more, but we need to leave.¡¯

    ¡°Why?¡± Logan asked, looking around the clearing.

    ¡®The savod do not take kindly to those who kill their servants,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®Don¡¯t you hear it coming, from deep in the forest? Even with your entire soul to burn, you are not ready to face that.¡¯

    Logan strained his ears, hearing nothing but the rustle of trees. It was merely the wind whipping about, not the approach of a monster that was a folk story. He desperately wanted to be sure.

    Then he heard it, the wailing cry that rang through the silence. It was getting closer, and closer, through the trees. Logan froze, his eyes widening as he tried to find the source.

    ¡®Run,¡¯ Talan whispered, laughing in his head.

    Logan didn¡¯t need any further prodding. He ran.

 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 05

    Night had already fallen when Elaine returned to the temple grounds. The gardens were empty, save for the few that were leaving the grounds for their night duty. They marched on without pause, not paying her any notice. Without her armor, she wasn¡¯t important enough.

    As she reached the barracks, Elise stepped out from the shadows, greeting Elaine with a bow. She still wore her armor and a grim frown lined her tan face. Her sharp brown eyes narrowed as Elaine approached.

    ¡°Captain.¡± Elise saluted her. ¡°You are summoned to the interrogation chambers.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why?¡± Elaine asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

    It was unusual for her to have anything to do with the inquisitors. They were the ones who questioned any the knights captured or held if it was necessary. She had only been there once before, when Nathaniel promoted her to captain.

    It was the day she saw her predecessor for the last time.

    ¡°They¡¯ve found a mage.¡± Elise¡¯s gaze did not waver. ¡°He was attempting to break into the gallows. Nathaniel wants you there to witness the interrogation.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead of me.¡± Elaine nodded. ¡°I will be there in a moment.¡±

    She went into her room, dressing and strapping on her armor and sword. It took her less than the toll of a bell to be done. When she left, the moon was high in its arc, there were none left about save for her.

    She proceeded quickly across the grounds, passing the doors to the temple and continuing without pause. The interrogation chamber was buried beneath the ground. The gallows was built just above to hide its presence.

    The gallows was stark and undecorated, completely different from the baroque design of the temple. It was made only for its function, a simple four walled building surrounded by a stone wall. A single wide wooden gate guarded by two inquisitors was the only entrance.

    Elaine passed by the guards without trouble. The men¡¯s sneers were evident even when hidden behind their metal visors. The inquisitors had little respect for her knights. They had made it clear on their sparse meetings.

    She went around the back to the entrance, opening the iron doors and descending the stairs. It was a simple entrance; the High Inquisitor had no love of ornamentation. He did however, have a peculiar desire to hear men¡¯s screams.

    She could hear them even as she walked down the hallway. Each of the twenty rooms beneath the gallows held a prisoner inside. There the inquisitors would ask their questions and search for their prisoner¡¯s secrets.

    Elise stood outside of the last one, the one sequestered off at the end of the hall. Her eyes shut to the cries of pain around her. A relieved look crossed her face when she heard Elaine approach.

    Elaine could sympathize. The chambers were repugnant.

    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for you inside.¡± Elise stepped out of the way.

    ¡°Thank you, Elise.¡± Elaine pulled open the door and entered the room, leaving behind the cries of the prisoners.

    Nathaniel and James Niblet, the High Inquisitor, were there to greet her. Nathaniel was dressed in his best white robes, as he always did. James was dressed in the black robes of an inquisitor. It and his short black hair contrasted against his almost inhumanly pale skin. His eyes were as dark as coals, completely devoid of any emotion.

    ¡°Greetings, captain.¡± James rubbed his hooked nose with his thumb as he turned to her.

    ¡°I understand you have something to show me,¡± Elaine said, ignoring him and focusing on Nathaniel.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Nathaniel said, scratching at his chest through his robes.

    Nathaniel motioned to the slab covered with cloth in the center of the room. A lump roughly the shape of a human man pushed the white cloth up. It was completely unmoving. Not even the breath of the person moved beneath the cloth.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t drag me out here this late to show me a dead mage.¡± Elaine sighed.

    ¡°I assure you,¡± James said. ¡°This particular one is of interest to all of Nethas.¡±

    He pulled back the cloth, revealing the prone form of a man. His skin was pale and covered with the black runes of a tower mage. This wasn¡¯t nearly as interesting as his arm. A metal tube covered his forearm, its bronze gleaming in the torchlight.

    It too was marked with runes, yet it was unlike the normal runes that mages used. Elaine wasn¡¯t terribly familiar with all the runes. However, mages typically based them on one of the four elements, with only slight variations.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to open it.¡± James ran his finger across the metal. ¡°It is the first we¡¯ve seen of its make.¡±

    ¡°You plan to interrogate a dead man?¡± Elaine asked.

    ¡°James has a method you have yet to see, captain,¡± Nathaniel said with a wicked smile. ¡°It is quite the horrifying show.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    James reached forward at this, his hands glowing white. Elaine¡¯s eyes widened. This was the first time Elaine had seen an inquisitor wield Grace. Only the priests were able to do so, and they needed mantras to control it. Even her knights were only were able to channel it through the sigils beneath their armor.

    ¡°You have no mantra, no sigil,¡± Elaine said. ¡°How are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°A revelation from Astor,¡± Nathaniel said, his eyes not leaving the light. ¡°A chosen few can wield his Grace through their will alone. James is one of the first who can.¡±

    James still did not speak, his eyes closed as he held his glowing hand up high. With a simple grunt he slammed his open palm down, his had reaching into the mage¡¯s chest with grasping fingers.

    The light shot through the body, filling it with Grace. James pulled at the lines of power, drawing them through the mage¡¯s skin like threads from cloth. A blue glowing form rose out with those strands, dragged out from the mage¡¯s pale flesh by the Grace.

    It was a spirit, retaining the form of the man, formed entirely of the blue light. It wailed a macabre song as it flowed out from the mage¡¯s body. It rang through Elaine¡¯s ears, forcing her to cover them with her hands to drown out the painful noise.

    ¡°Quiet, spirit,¡± James said, jerking the strands. ¡°You will answer my questions.¡±

    The spirit ceased its wails, floating in the air before them. Empty eyes stared at them each in turn, sizing them up with the unwavering gaze of death. Elaine saw the void hidden deep in the eyes, and the void stared back.

    ¡°Ask your¡­ questions,¡± the spirit said, its voice broken. ¡°Then let me be free.¡±

    ¡°What is this?¡± James pointed to the bronze device.

    ¡°A seal,¡± the spirit said, stretching through the air, closer to his arm. ¡°It is made to contain magical ailments.¡±

    ¡°And that is why you wear it?¡± James asked.

    ¡°I am tainted by magic.¡± The spirit kept moving through the air, coiling around itself like a snake. ¡°This is how we deal with what cannot be dispelled.¡±

    ¡°You were sneaking in here to release the prisoners,¡± James said. ¡°Why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°We are the only ones who can help the victims of the plague,¡± the spirit said. ¡°Yet, your Order has refused every envoy we have sent.¡±

    ¡°Can you reproduce this?¡± James asked. ¡°Can you explain these runes?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The spirit laughed hollowly. ¡°Very few of us can do this.¡±

    ¡°You are released,¡± James said, drawing the light back into him and allowing the spirit to dissipate. ¡°We might have our method in this man, but we need more to reproduce it.¡±

    ¡°You refused them?¡± Elaine interrupted, turning to Nathaniel with barely contained anger brimming in her voice.

    ¡°Their help isn¡¯t needed,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Those mages would just taint our city. We will find our own way to contain the plague.¡±

    ¡°And leave the victims to suffer,¡± Elaine said.

    Anger ripped through her. Her hands clenched into fists as she stood there. It was no small effort to resist drawing her sword and cutting down Nathaniel with one blow. However, she couldn¡¯t do it.

    ¡°Enough of your questions, woman. I didn¡¯t become head of this Order for you to second guess my decisions,¡± Nathaniel said before turning to James. ¡°Are you sure we can use it?¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± James said, running his hand across the bronze again. ¡°We¡¯ll need to know more.¡±

    ¡°We can start searching for them in Nethas,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°We¡¯ll need the King¡¯s permission to capture mages.¡±

    ¡°I know of a way.¡± James smiled, looking down at the man. ¡°It will take some time, but we can show that it is the mage¡¯s fault that the night plague afflicts us.¡±

    ¡°You would lie to the king?¡± Elaine asked.

    ¡°It is for the city¡¯s sake,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°We already know this plague reeks of sorcery. The fact that the mages know how to contain it means they could have just as easily have created it. They might just be using it to advance their status.¡±

    ¡°We have no proof of it,¡± Elaine said.

    ¡°But we will soon enough,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Then we can start gathering up the mages and remove the cause of the disease entirely.¡±

    Elaine fought the sick feeling that rose in her stomach. The more Nathaniel spoke of his plan, the more her heart rebelled against it. She wanted to speak out, her voice raged to escape its cage. Yet, she knew better than to challenge Nathaniel.

    ¡°I want your unit to come with me to speak with the king tomorrow.¡± Nathaniel stopped her. ¡°By then we will have what we need. You can leave now captain, James and I have much to talk about.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Elaine saluted, stepping back out into the hall without another word.

    Elise was there waiting, her face still pale. Elaine motioned for her to follow, quickly heading out of the gallows and back into the night. Her chest was tight in her armor and she could only breathe in short gasps.

    Once they were near the barracks again, Elaine stopped. She breathed in and out frantically as she fought down the nauseating churning in her stomach.

    She understood that the city needed protection, but the hatred that always hid just beneath the surface of Nathaniel¡¯s words bothered her. The Word of Astor called those who bent the world around them abominations, but they were still people. They still felt the prick of a torturer¡¯s tools.

    They still screamed.

    She leaned forward onto the barrack¡¯s walls, slamming her gauntlet against the stone in muted frustration. This wasn¡¯t the first time she had felt so trapped, it was not the first time she had come to the forked road. All of the other times, she had wanted to stray, to choose a different path. She had never chosen to.

    Always something held her back. The Order was her life; it was the reason that she was no longer an orphan. She could not turn her back on her family. She could not walk away from the Order.

    ¡°You look troubled, captain.¡± Elise¡¯s calm voice interrupted Elaine¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Would you like to talk about it?¡±

    Elaine turned, realizing that Elise was still there.

    ¡°I would, but I must keep silent,¡± Elaine said.

    ¡°I would be nothing but a wall to your words, if you like,¡± Elise said, smiling. ¡°I would receive them, but not judge them. So let me take the burning words from your heart, before it comes aflame.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could, Elise.¡± Elaine smiled. ¡°But you should not feel doubt for what I know.¡±

    ¡°I sense the anger that boils within you,¡± Elise said. ¡°I wish that you would tell me, but if not I can tell you one thing. We all have our doubts, captain. It is important that we don¡¯t let those doubts obscure the purpose of our mission.¡±

    ¡°Those who keep faith in Astor will be rewarded with justice.¡± Elaine nodded, quoting from the Word of Astor.

    ¡°Even if we think these actions are wrong, Astor is bending it to a greater good,¡± Elise said. ¡°We cannot be the ones to judge them; we can only follow our orders.¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± Elaine said.

    ¡°Then relieve yourself of the doubt.¡± Elise smiled, placing a hand on Elaine¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It does you no good to carry such a burden.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Elaine said, hiding the doubt that still burned within.

    They left out together. There was still time to get some sleep before the morning sun cracked the dark night. Elaine could already feel the weight of the day on her shoulders. She hardly noticed when she removed her armor and fell into the soft down of her bed. She could only hope that sleep would relieve her of the doubts that plagued her mind into the night.

 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 06

    The steady hoof beats of his horse lulled Joshua away from the world as he and his master rode east toward Nethas. His eyes focused on his master¡¯s brown satchel, the location of the black filled vial. He wanted, no needed, to stop everything and examine it.

    He had to know more about it.

    Yet, he could not, so long as he was unable to get away from Richard. Richard had been very adamant about not studying it. The magic was just too unstable to study without safeguards to control it. They would have to wait until they were in a safer place.

    Richard was being overly cautious, much as he had been with everything else. Joshua never quite understood how such a reserved man ever mastered magic. It was as if he had no curiosity left in his old bones.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet for quite some time, Joshua,¡± Richard said, turning back on his horse to face Joshua.

    ¡°I¡¯m just lost in thought,¡± Joshua said, kicking his horse forward to ride with Richard. ¡°The thing we found yesterday won¡¯t get out of my mind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s common in you growing mages.¡± Richard laughed. ¡°You are always forging ahead even when it might lead to folly.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it, master,¡± Joshua said, nodding to the bag. ¡°It¡¯s a mystery waiting to be solved.¡±

    ¡°On any other thing, I¡¯d let you forge ahead,¡± Richard said, sighing. ¡°However, I can¡¯t let you with something this dangerous.¡±

    ¡°We were taught very little about this kind of magic in general studies,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Only that it was forbidden to practice.¡±

    ¡°For a very good reason too,¡± Richard said. ¡°Some magic is wild and uncontrollable. It¡¯s just as likely to consume the user as do what is commanded.¡±

    ¡°Is it true that wizards don¡¯t use runes at all?¡± Joshua asked.

    ¡°Indeed, they control it only through their will and their words,¡± Richard said. ¡°Some use contracts and some use blood, but they all draw on the same kind of magic in the vial.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever met one in person?¡± Joshua asked.

    ¡°I knew one of the last ones to walk the land before the Tower censured the practice,¡± Richard said, his eyes growing misty. ¡°He was the representative for the wardens at the Tower.¡±

    ¡°We worked with them in the past,¡± Joshua said. ¡°But then they were removed from the Tower. Why?¡±

    ¡°The price of the magic they wielded was too great,¡± Richard said. ¡°They refused to give up the power they had found.¡±

    Richard leaned forward and patted his horse¡¯s head, still quiet after his words. What type of magic would the Tower ban? He only heard rumors that some wizards raised the dead, or performed blood rites.

    ¡°They had proposed that blood was the gateway to a higher power, one that was greater than even elemental magic,¡± Richard said. ¡°The younger the blood, the more chaotic the magic that flowed within it.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Joshua said, guessing what Richard was about to say. ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    ¡°They wanted us to selectively work through orphanages, to steal the blood of children,¡± Richard said, a grimace crossing his face. ¡°We couldn¡¯t allow that.¡±

    ¡°They never told us any of this,¡± Joshua said, looking down at the ground.

    ¡°For good reason,¡± Richard said. ¡°It is a dark spot on our history. We did something that shamed us all. We executed every wizard and mage who was part of the plot.¡±

    ¡°You just killed them all?¡± Joshua asked.

    ¡°The council decided that it would be too risky to let them back out without any eyes to watch them,¡± Richard said. ¡°Because they couldn¡¯t control them, they decided to remove the problem at its source.¡±

    Richard¡¯s eyes grew distant, and Joshua was sure that he was thinking of days long past. He continued speaking, but his voice wavered.

    ¡°There were mass graves dug, right outside our walls,¡± Richard said. ¡°Men and women were dumped in daily until the deed was done.¡±

    ¡°Could what we found be a piece of revenge then?¡± Joshua asked. ¡°It is made of chaotic magic and is killing our own.¡±

    ¡°It is a possibility,¡± Richard said. ¡°It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been considering even before we found the vial.¡±

    ¡°Not a certainty then?¡± Joshua asked.

    ¡°This does not fit their old methods.¡± Richard patted the pouch, ¡°It doesn¡¯t even feel the same as blood magic.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this next one will reveal the answer then.¡± Joshua smiled, kicking his horse ahead.

    They rode on, the sun setting on their backs. Both Joshua and Richard kept a companionable silence between each other. There were still many days of riding left before they would reach Nethas, and they both had many things to consider.

    They arrived in Tarsap when twilight encroached upon the land, an orange glow lighting the town in the vale. The surrounding forest was thin, only partially surrounding the town. The yellow lights of humanity in the wooden homes shone on against the coming night, forming a tiny oasis of light in a desert of darkness.

    Tarsap was a small town, only composed of thirty buildings built in a square. A dirt road forged by hooves and feet stretched through Tarsap. They had no wall for defense, only the natural vale providing any obstacle.

    The stares of the townsfolk followed them into the town, those few who chose to brave the night eyeing their red robes with suspicion. It was a normal occurrence for their order. The isolated nature of their lives made building trust with common people difficult.

    They just couldn¡¯t see how much the Tower¡¯s magic could help improve their lives.

    If they could just let go of all the misplaced fear, there was so much that the Tower could do for them. They were like newborn children, just seeing the world for the first time, in comparison to what the Tower had accomplished. Joshua pitied them in that sense.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°There¡¯s the inn,¡± Richard said, pointing to a ramshackle building at the center of the town. ¡°I haven¡¯t stayed here in years.¡±

    They left the horses at the stables, paying a pittance to the stable boy for the night. Richard secured the room, his gold coins doing much to allay the glares of the innkeeper and his patrons. Joshua stood back, watching the greed in the innkeeper¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I think he¡¯d sell us out to slavers if there was a gold piece in it,¡± Joshua said as they walked down the creaking hallway.

    ¡°Don¡¯t judge him too harshly.¡± Richard sighed. ¡°Tarsap is so far removed from the main roads that he can hardly turn a coin.¡±

    ¡°Then why did they build out here?¡± Joshua asked.

    ¡°Tarsap used to have a mine, but they stripped it dry forty years ago,¡± Richard said, smiling faintly. ¡°There are very few that are able to leave here. I was one of them.¡±

    ¡°So, this is your hometown,¡± Joshua said.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Richard nodded. ¡°We all have to come from somewhere.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty rare for anyone from the Tower to talk about it,¡± Joshua said.

    ¡°The decision to come to the Tower is a hard one.¡± Richard sighed as he opened the door to their room. ¡°Most would rather not dredge up painful memories. I left many friends behind.¡±

    They entered the sparse room, unloading their belongings in the room. Richard hung his satchel on the bedpost, leaving the vial inside. Joshua took a seat at the one table near the window, looking outside into the night.

    ¡°I was happy to leave Rasun,¡± Joshua said.

    ¡°You had no friends or family there?¡± Richard asked.

    ¡°I did,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Not even my parents would accept a mage. Only one friend accepted me once I found my power.¡±

    ¡°You must have been sad to leave him behind at least,¡± Richard said, stepping toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll go get us some food.¡±

    Joshua was on his feet before the door closed, already reaching into Richard¡¯s satchel and sifting through its contents. He quickly came upon the vial, resting protected in a leather pouch. He pulled it out with care, opening it to reveal his prize.

    There was the black bundle of magic, still held within the confines of the vial. Joshua brought it back to the table, lighting a candle with a flick of his finger and exposing the vial to the light. Specks of light still flecked in it, reflecting in the soft orange glow.

    Joshua set down the vial on the table, quickly taking a glass dish and a stirring rod from his own satchel. He only had a short while before Richard would return. He had to work fast. He pulled the chair close to the table and began.

    He pulled the stopper from the vial, pouring the black substance into the glass dish. It flowed like a thick sap, but it left no stain behind on the vial. As the last drop of it hit the dish, Joshua picked up the stirring rod, holding it just above the substance.

    If it was as the witnesses said, it would be immune to any of the elements, Joshua reasoned. He concentrated, euphoria filling his mind in a haze as purple light glowed around his hands. Small streaks of lighting forked out, jumping across the black substance in short bursts.

    The substance slinked away, moving to the opposite side of the dish away from the magic. There was no visible damage to it. Joshua switched tactics, the glow changing to red as a small cone of flame blazed at it.

    Again, nothing affected it.

    Sighing, Joshua pulled his hand back. It was as they had said. That was all he could find out for the moment, as he likely didn¡¯t have much time left. He took the vial in hand again, bringing it close to the black spot.

    He pushed the stirring rod back at it, prodding the black spot back toward the vial. It sprang up evading his careful hands and moving behind the vial¡¯s mouth. Before Joshua could change direction, it rose up from the glass, touching his wrist.

    Joshua muffled his scream as a sharp pain raced through his arm. His skin burned from its touch. Joshua fell back in his chair, the vial and rod clattering to the table as he hit the floor. Joshua instinctually brought his hand to his right wrist. The skin was hot to the touch.

    Joshua calmed his mind, removing himself from the pain. He built a wall between him and it, allowing him to release his grip on his wrist. As he turned his wrist up, he saw that a black spot remained behind.

    ¡°Damn,¡± he whispered, watching as the spot wriggled with life.

    He pushed himself back up, standing back over the table. His hand was shaking as he picked up the vial and rod a second time. He brought it back down toward the black spot, hoping this time he would get it.

    The creaking of the door interrupted his work.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Richard yelled, the two trays in his hands clattering to the floor.

    He rushed over to Joshua, pushing him to the floor with a strong hand. Joshua hit the floor hard as Richard searched the table. His master went to work, pushing the black spot back into the vial and securing it with a stopper.

    Wrath filled his eyes as he turned to Joshua. Joshua pushed himself up, his body shaking. It was the same fear he felt when he first revealed to his father that he could use magic. He tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat.

    ¡°Talk!¡± Richard demanded.

    ¡°I wanted to study it.¡± Joshua stuttered as he spoke. ¡°It bit my wrist.¡±

    ¡°You fool,¡± Richard said, pulling a pair of gloves from his robe¡¯s pocket and putting them on.

    He grabbed hold of Joshua¡¯s hands, turning them over to reveal Joshua¡¯s wrists. He gasped when he saw the wound, peering closer at the dark mark that marred Joshua¡¯s skin. Joshua remained quiet as Richard examined him. He did not want to provoke his master further.

    ¡°It¡¯s spreading,¡± Joshua said, noticing that the spot wrapped almost entirely around his wrist.

    ¡°It¡¯s bonded into your blood,¡± Richard said. ¡°The spell that holds it together is feeding on you to grow.¡±

    ¡°Is there a way to stop it?¡± Joshua asked, gasping.

    ¡°There are runes that can slow the spread of the spell,¡± Richard whispered. ¡°Hold on.¡±

    Richard took a roll of cloth from his bag, taking out a feather and ink well so that he could write on it. He started writing on it, making a series of runes for the four elements. He was done in moments, just making it long enough to wrap around Joshua¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°This will slow it for a time,¡± Richard said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make something that will hold it back more.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Joshua said as Richard wrapped his wrist in the cloth.

    ¡°It was a stupid mistake,¡± Richard said, concentrating. ¡°But not too different from any of the ones I¡¯ve made.¡±

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll go get us something more to eat. Then we¡¯ll start working on a better binding spell,¡± Richard said, pocketing the vial before he left the room.

    Joshua touched the cloth gently, his skin itching as the runes started to take effect. He wanted to curse his curiosity, but part of him still wanted to learn more about the magic, even if it cost him his entire arm. Sighing, Joshua sat again in his chair, looking out into the night.

    Richard rolled the small rune-etched cube in his robe¡¯s pocket as he pondered just how much to tell Olson. The Archmage would understand a simple mistake; they were common things in the practice of magic. Even a simple ¡®oops¡¯ uttered by a novice could have disastrous consequences. It was a risk of the study.

    The question was not whether Joshua had made a mistake, of that there was no doubt. It was the type of mistake he had made that was the problem. The Tower banned that kind of power for good reason. Even just the touch of the creature corrupted the spirit.

    Olson would demand that Joshua return immediately and submit to testing. The mage would lose all the knowledge of the Tower based on the results. It was a foregone conclusion.

    Richard remembered when he had first met his apprentice, how he had caught the mage showing off his use of fire to his fellow trainees. Not even a student, the boy had shown considerable skill.

    He had created a whip of fire and was using it to write lines in the dirt. It wasn¡¯t a proper use of magic. Richard had seen to it that the boy stopped immediately. Yet, even that one application of the art hadn¡¯t occurred to the others.

    He had known then that Joshua would be his to teach. He knew to nurture such creativity, to allow it to grow. Some of the other mages might neglect his training, or might allow him to follow darker paths.

    Yet, had Richard not done the same?

    He breathed a little magic into the cube, but stopped again. He couldn¡¯t report it to Olson, not now at least. There would be time later to examine the boy. The murders would continue, whether he had to take the boy back to the Tower or not, but at least together they might be able to figure something out.

    Perhaps that would be enough to redeem the boy in Olson¡¯s eyes.

    Richard seized hold of that hope and held onto it tight. He still had much work to do if he was to make a binding for the infection. He would need to wake the blacksmith and see if there were still any metals left in the dried up town.

    He started out of the inn and into the night.

 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 07

    Faster, faster, Logan raced through the trees, dodging through the brush as best as he could. Branches clawed at his face and roots tried to grasp hold of his feet. They couldn¡¯t stop him. He wouldn¡¯t let them.

    His head still pounded, but it wasn¡¯t his quickened heart that beat in there. Ever since the deal, it was like there was too little space in his head. It was as a brick wall built in his mind, making it impossible to think clearly.

    ¡®You¡¯re agile for a human,¡¯ Talan said within his mind.

    Logan ignored her, concentrating on his path. Behind him, the wailing cry was fading. Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t able to move nearly as quickly as he could. There was something to be thankful for at least.

    ¡°This thing, what is it?¡± Logan asked between breaths.

    ¡®A savod,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®That¡¯s all that matters.¡¯

    ¡°Stop saying that.¡± Logan stopped, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. ¡°Savod aren¡¯t real. They¡¯re just stories.¡±

    ¡®Well this story is after me,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®That means it¡¯s after you.¡¯

    Logan wanted to curse, but his chest burned too hotly. He bent down, gasping for air as he tried to put his thoughts in order. It would have been more helpful if he didn¡¯t have a voice whispering to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back to the caravan,¡± he said.

    ¡®There¡¯s a smart idea,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®Draw the monster straight to your friends. Do you want to get them killed?¡¯

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Logan yelled. ¡°I can¡¯t think with you in there.¡±

    Silence. There was no witty retort to what he said, no sarcastic remark to bite his words. Logan paused, searching for a moment with his eyes. He couldn¡¯t see her; he couldn¡¯t hear her. Had she left him with just that?

    ¡°Talan?¡± he whispered.

    The creature was coming closer. He could hear every footfall of it now, as if the pact amplified his hearing. Logan¡¯s heart wouldn¡¯t stop racing out of control; his hand barely held it to the confines of his chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Talan,¡± Logan said.

    ¡®Good.¡¯ Again, her words filled his head. ¡®We¡¯re in this together now. It¡¯s best you don¡¯t forget that.¡¯

    ¡°And what are we in, exactly?¡± Logan started up again, taking to a steady jog. ¡°Why is it after you?¡±

    ¡®You humans haven¡¯t heard the whispers in the night?¡¯ Talan¡¯s annoyance nearly knocked Logan over. ¡®The savod are returning; their seal has cracked. Soon they will walk Nelim again. Only I can stop them.¡¯

    ¡°Then why did they keep you alive in the cage?¡± Logan asked. ¡°They need you for something, or they would have just killed you.¡±

    ¡®You might not be a bad host, after all,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®They need me to open the seal fully, but only when the time is right.¡¯

    He continued for a while, not saying or thinking anything. He wasn¡¯t sure if the pact meant that the darkling could read his thoughts, or if they were still safe from scrutiny. All he knew was that he needed to get back to the caravan. Adrian might be able to help him.

    ¡°What do you know about the savod?¡± Logan asked finally, breaking the silence. ¡°Are they anything like the old stories?¡±

    ¡®Monsters, carved from the night sky. The savod came here from the planes through the hubris of the Sylvestri.¡¯ Talan¡¯s guilt wrapped around his mind; he had to force himself to stop the tears from falling from his eyes. ¡®They were forced back to the Veil and sealed away, but there was a high cost.¡¯

    ¡°If you sealed them, how can they be here again?¡± Logan asked.

    ¡®We hoped that our spell would last forever,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®Even as the magic of the planes affected our bodies and minds, a few of us knew that it could not. I am the last that remembers the seal. The rest of us have become darklings, as your kind has so aptly named us.¡¯

    ¡°And you want my help in this?¡± Logan asked.

    ¡®I¡¯m bound to you now,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®And your fate is bound with mine. The savod won¡¯t stop chasing you until this is done.¡¯

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Unless there was another way out, the thought crossed Logan¡¯s mind before he could stop it. He hoped desperately that she could not hear his thoughts. She didn¡¯t say anything. He was safe for now.

    ¡®Listen. It¡¯s no longer following,¡¯ Talan said. ¡®It¡¯s lost the magic¡¯s trail.¡¯

    ¡°Good, we¡¯re almost out of the forest,¡± Logan said, slowing to a walk. ¡°We can get to the caravan once I see the trail.¡±

    ¡®It is still unwise to go there,¡¯ Talan said.

    ¡°So is listening to a voice in my head.¡± Logan snarled, ducking under a limb. ¡°If you want my help then I at least need to tell them that I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡®Fine,¡¯ Talan said, leaving him again to silence.

    Logan rubbed his head as he exited the shadowy covering of the trees. It hadn¡¯t felt like long, but the sun was already high up in the sky. He shaded his eyes from the light, searching for the ruts that would mark the caravan¡¯s path.

    He found them quickly, the signs easy enough to spot to even an untrained eye. The caravan was following its northern route with a careful meandering pace. According to the tracks, everything was going well. There was no sign of odd prints in the dirt.

    Logan started north, following the tracks. It would take a while to catch up, but there was no danger of them leaving him behind. He kept part of his attention focused on the ground as he walked.

    The sun was setting when he finally caught up to the caravan. They had chosen to stop in a small vale, surrounded by the few hills that marked the approach to the mountains. He stumbled down to the camp on numb feet.

    Logan slipped in with ease. The men on watch gave him no notice. A chilling thought raced down his spine. He was the only one who knew. Should he even tell anyone of what he saw? They would think him mad.

    Maybe it was better then, to slip off quietly in the night.

    ¡°No, that isn¡¯t right,¡± he whispered to himself as he reached the blazing fire.

    All of the camp gathered around it, singing songs so achingly familiar to his ears. The firelight danced with the song, twisting with serpentine grace. Adrian was at the center, circling the fire while his voice rang deep.

    ¡®You haven¡¯t thought this through, have you?¡¯ Talan asked, breaking back into his thoughts. ¡®Don¡¯t tell him anything about the savod. They have allies everywhere.¡¯

    Logan ignored her. He took a seat at the edge of the fire, halfway listening to the conversations around him as he thought. There were more than enough things on his mind, but one thing bore testing first.

    ¡®Can you hear me?¡¯ He did his best to direct his thought to Talan.

    No response. There was something to be glad for.

    ¡°You¡¯re back, Logan. Good to see you,¡± Adrian said, leaning down over Logan. ¡°We were about to send out some men out for you. Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Logan said.

    ¡°Something¡¯s on your mind then.¡± Adrian sighed, placing a hand on Logan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go then, no sense in weighty words bringing down their fun.¡±

    They walked away from the camp, leaving the warmth of the fire to the cold dark. Logan knew that he couldn¡¯t tell Adrian everything. He couldn¡¯t leave without telling Adrian anything. He had been with the band for over five years; he owed them all at least an explanation.

    ¡°I need to leave,¡± Logan said, turning and watching the rising moon as twilight faded to night. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you why, but it¡¯s important.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can accept that,¡± Adrian said, cracking his knuckles absently. ¡°I can¡¯t just let you go without knowing why.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just can¡¯t.¡± Logan sighed. ¡°I have to leave.¡±

    ¡°Well.¡± Adrian rubbed his balding head. ¡°I can¡¯t really stop you. I just wish you would trust me with why.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Logan said. ¡°Maybe after it¡¯s finished I¡¯ll come back and tell you. I barely even trust what I saw.¡±

    ¡°Well, since you don¡¯t feel inclined to share, I guess we should celebrate,¡± Adrian said, turning Logan back toward the camp.

    ¡°A few barrels of ale should help.¡± Logan grinned.

    For a while it did, the night whittling away as songs and stories pushed with the firelight against the night. Even the guards joined in, stepping away from their post and into the company of their brothers.

    As the moon rose to its highest, Logan walked away from the fire, out into the night. The cool air washed over his skin, sending an icy chill down his spine. He sat down on the grass and stared up at the white moon, sighing as the heat of the fire and ale left his body.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be gone forever,¡± Talan said, rising from the shadows to sit beside him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so sad.¡±

    Her form was still as surprising as when he first saw her. Logan sighed; she was right in a way, he could never be sure what could happen while he was gone. The life of a mercenary was an unpredictable one.

    ¡°The Crows are my family. Adrian¡¯s been like a father to me for these past five years. You have friends, family, don¡¯t you?¡± Logan asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have to leave someone behind?¡±

    ¡°They lost who they were long ago,¡± Talan whispered, drawing her legs close to her body. ¡°When we fell we lost much of what we once were. They left me behind when they lost their pride as sylvestrians.¡±

    ¡°What were your people like, before the savod?¡± Logan asked.

    ¡°We were hateful, arrogant and quick to distrust. We saw ourselves as greater than our own mortality,¡± Talan said. ¡°For a while, we were right. We lived for centuries and had real power at our fingertips.¡±

    ¡°Then you found the savod,¡± Logan said.

    ¡°We thought ourselves invincible,¡± Talan whispered. ¡°We were wrong, and everyone on Nelim paid for our hubris. I won¡¯t let it happen again.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m along for the ride too now,¡± Logan said. ¡°So where do we need to go and what do we need to do? ¡±

    She turned away from him, suddenly going quiet.

    ¡°You do know where we need to go, right?¡± Logan sighed, hoping dearly that she did.

    ¡°I need something first,¡± Talan said. ¡°A map from before we fell to ruin. One from before the war.¡±

    ¡°That might be difficult,¡± Logan said. ¡°Only the Order and the Tower keep stuff that old.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where they are?¡± Talan asked.

    ¡°The Order of Astor has a library in Nethas which is in Tyra,¡± Logan said, pointing southwest. ¡°The Tower is somewhere in Lyon, but I¡¯ve never been there.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll need to take me to them.¡± Talan faded back into his shadow, leaving him alone again. ¡®After that, I can find where we need to go.¡¯

    Logan sat alone in the dark after that, listening to the cool wind blow across the plain.

 Shadows Under Abfall Chapter 08

    Elaine stood at attention in King Leopold¡¯s cavernous throne room. It was a relic from a forgotten time before men ever discovered the ruins of Nethas. The heads of beasts from all around the kingdom decorated the walls, their eyes glazed over in death. The king sat at the end of the hall, resting on a throne of white stone.

    He leaned forward in his violet robes, listening intently as Nathaniel spoke of the plague. His hand rested on his short white beard as he watched Nathaniel pace back and forth across the stone floor with tired blue eyes.

    Elaine and James stood nearby, flanked by five inquisitors with faces hidden behind white hoods. They hid their faces so that their acts would not stain their souls when they passed on. Elaine hoped that was not the case.

    The swift tap of a cane snapped her attention back to where Nathaniel was stating his case to the king. King Leopold always seemed to enjoy letting Nathaniel sweat during his audience, and he was in top form today.

    ¡°The plague has haunted our city for this past year.¡± The familiar diplomatic mask wrapped around Nathaniel¡¯s face. ¡°Everywhere in the city, our people lie dying from this affliction.¡±

    ¡°I am aware of this,¡± King Leopold said. ¡°Surely you did not want to waste an audience for just that.¡±

    ¡°I am most certainly not here to waste your time,¡± Nathaniel said, scratching at his chest through his robes. ¡°But I do bring new information regarding the plague¡¯s origin.¡±

    ¡°Another tirade for me to listen to?¡± the king asked, rubbing his eyes as Nathaniel continued.

    ¡°This is not a tirade, my lord.¡± Nathaniel motioned to James, who wheeled the wooden table closer. ¡°This last year, we thought this was a normal plague, a disease that could be fixed if we just contained it and found a cure. Recently my priests have been searching for a different origin to it, one that might be¡­magical.¡±

    ¡°I expected as much from you, Nathaniel.¡± Leopold sighed. ¡°Magic has brought prosperity to this city, in fact it is the very reason this city still stands today.¡±

    ¡°Just as we of the Order of Astor have assisted the city ever since you started warring with the sarpans.¡± Nathaniel smiled coldly. ¡°Nethas is a beacon of civilization and faith in the darkness of the world. We wouldn¡¯t want you to fall by any means.¡±

    He paused, motioning to James. James pulled back the cloth covering the table with one quick tug, revealing the pale face of the mage from the night before. Something was different. A crack in the metal tube caught her attention, dark lines forming a spider web across its surface.

    ¡°This device was cracked during this man¡¯s attempt to break into our prisons,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Do you not find it odd that this man, this mage, has a way to hold back the effects of this plague, but does nothing to halt its flow through the streets?¡±

    The king was silent. He covered his mouth with his hand and leaned closer to see the table. He did not interrupt Nathaniel, or ask him to continue. There was something, a glimmer in his eyes, a hint of knowledge related to the mage.

    ¡°The Order has done a lot to help Tyra,¡± Leopold said, rising up to his feet. ¡°Your predecessors, Nathaniel, were known for their service to the crown and the people.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t see what this has to do with the problem at hand,¡± Nathaniel said.

    ¡°A moment,¡± Leopold said, raising a hand up. ¡°Last night, Vernon was found dead in his quarters. The servants caught a glimpse of what did it before the creature fled into the night.¡±

    Vernon Niland, ambassador of the Tower. Elaine had seen him a few times during the king¡¯s audiences. He was a balding old man, given to mumbling and rude interruptions. He always appeared more senile than wise to her. Completely the opposite bearing of what a mage should carry.

    ¡°Some of the servants said he was talking to the creature, trying to negotiate with it.¡± The king leaned over the dead mage, inspecting him closer. ¡°They said he was trying to make a deal to usurp me and take control of Tyra.¡±

    The joy that lighted Nathaniel¡¯s face churned Elaine¡¯s stomach. He enjoyed the news far more than he should have. Already, she knew that he was considering just how he could exploit this new information.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you Nathaniel. You are nothing like your predecessors in thought or deed. In fact, if there were not so many who followed Astor in my lands, I might have banished you from them long ago,¡± Leopold said, causing Nathaniel to break back to attention. ¡°However, I will grant you permission to hold any mages you find temporarily, until this matter can be completely resolved. If you can handle this arrangement well, then I might think better of you.¡±

    ¡°We will do as you ask.¡± Nathaniel bowed, leaning on his cane, ¡°as a favor to the crown.¡±

    ¡°Then feel free to get out of my sight.¡± Leopold rested back.

    Nathaniel was completely silent as they left the audience chambers, his ears burning red. Elaine kept her silence, knowing that it would be the best way to avoid his wrath. She held the hilt of her sword tight, taking solace from the Grace.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    James and his assistants loaded the mage¡¯s body back in his covered cart, giving only a nod as he took his leave. As their horse trotted away, Elaine wished dearly that she could have the same excuse.

    ¡°That pompous oaf needs to have his tongue removed for daring to address me like that,¡± Nathaniel said as the echoes of hooves faded into the distance.

    There was so little anger in his voice. It was barely noticeable at all. Elaine knew better. Hidden behind those words was the indignity of a slighted man. She chose her words carefully.

    ¡°He did give you permission to continue on with your plan,¡± she said. ¡°At least something was gained.¡±

    ¡°True.¡± Nathaniel started walking away, his cane tapping against the stone. ¡°Give out the new orders, captain. We start gathering all the traitors in Nethas tonight. I want you to oversee the holding of the prisoners personally.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Holiness.¡± Elaine gave a salute as he left, and her heart ached beneath her hand.

    When she returned to the barracks, she issued the orders, sending Elise out to disperse it to the other units. Before nightfall, they were already bringing mages into the grounds, herding the robed figures in tight groups. Iron shackles, each marked with a sigil bound their hands.

    It was Trymn, the word of binding. It could silence any spell or chant, leaving the user completely incapable of drawing outside power. There weren¡¯t more than one hundred mages within Nethas¡¯ walls at any time, but Elaine wondered if they would have enough.

    Days passed like water pouring from a gourd, and soon the knights filled the gallows to the brim. Not all the prisoners were mages. The knights captured wizards, street magicians, and outright charlatans all the same. They were all traitors in Nathaniel¡¯s eyes.

    Elaine saw every one of their faces as the knights escorted them into the gallows. Some were confused and some were angry, but all were without hope. Each one condemned her with a cold stare. They knew what she was doing was wrong.

    She ignored the stares, ignored the cries for help. Even if it would condemn her for eternity, she could not defy Nathaniel¡¯s orders. Soon the gallows was overflowing and camps of white tents guarded by her knights sprouted up on the grounds.

    They were taking in far too many. As the days passed, Elaine saw poor beggars and rich merchants alike walking within the camps. She had seen many before while patrolling the streets. She could name most.

    One person caught her eye as she surveyed the camps, a bent old man that tailored dresses near the castle keep. He always made dresses for the noble¡¯s daughters and wives during festivals. He certainly wasn¡¯t a mage.

    Elaine¡¯s brow furrowed as she walked closer to the edge of the camp, closer to the shaking old man that sat on the grass. His skin was baked tan by the heat of the sun. He wore the grey clothes of a prisoner, simple pants and a shirt. Nathaniel was going too far in his vendetta.

    ¡°He was hiding a mage.¡± Elise¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but we can¡¯t allow sympathizers to walk free now.¡±

    She was standing behind Elaine, her left hand resting on the pommel of her sword. A hidden intent rested in her stance. Was Elise going to stop her if she decided get the tailor released? For just an instant, Elaine was ready to draw her sword.

    Then Elise smiled. Elaine hesitated, releasing her grip on her scabbard. That was right. Elise was her subordinate. There was no need to fear her.

    ¡°How many have we captured?¡± Elaine asked.

    ¡°We nearly have fifty sympathizers alone.¡± Elise gestured to the camp. ¡°Nathaniel thought it was a good idea to save jail space for actual mages, so he moved them to the camps.¡±

    ¡°And he didn¡¯t think to relay those orders to me?¡± Elaine asked, clenching her fist.

    ¡°As you¡¯re just overseeing the security of the camps, he did not think it necessary,¡± Elise said.

    ¡°I see.¡± Elaine turned away.

    She started immediately toward the Temple, knowing Nathaniel would be there. She needed to talk to him, needed to make him see reason in this. They couldn¡¯t go around arresting people without cause.

    ¡°Wait.¡± Elise¡¯s hand held her back.

    ¡°What?¡± Elaine shrugged off Elise¡¯s hand, her left hand again taking hold of her scabbard.

    ¡°It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t go there,¡± Elise said. ¡°Nathaniel doubts your devotion to the Order.¡±

    Elaine stepped back. Nathaniel doubted her. She had done nothing but work towards the Order¡¯s goals since she had joined. That was why he entrusted her with her armor. That was why he chose her as a captain.

    ¡°He doubts me.¡± She restrained a bitter laugh.

    ¡°You do question his orders,¡± Elise said. ¡°More often than is seemly.¡±

    More than is seemly, the words echoed in her head; they pounded so terribly. What right did Nathaniel have to be indignant? She wanted to protect the Order, to protect both its ideals and its soul.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to him,¡± Elaine said, turning her back to Elise and walking away again. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to stop me.¡±

    ¡°I might not be able to alone,¡± Elise said as ten knights marched up and surrounded Elaine. ¡°But we can.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to arrest me as well?¡± Elaine asked. ¡°When will this vain chase end?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t allow you to see him armed,¡± Elise said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to remove your armor and sword before you seek an audience.¡±

    ¡°So this is the limit of his trust.¡± Elaine let her right hand rest on the hilt of her sword.

    She drew her sword in one fluid motion, pointing it directly at Elise. She should attack; put those knights in their place. There was a reason she was the captain, beside her devotion to the Order.

    Not even eleven would be enough to stop her.

    Elise flinched at the act and she hid a smile. The knights drew their swords in response, but the hesitation was already clear. Elaine edged forward. She might be able to win, might be able to fight her way to the Temple.

    The air was still, no wind blew through the grounds. Already, sweat dribbled down through her armor. Her muscles tensed, ready to pounce with the first strike. Grace filled her with strength.

    Yet, there was something wrong. Her sword was heavy; her hand could not keep its grip.

    Was there another way? She wanted dearly to ask Astor. She could stand and fight. Should she give up on her friendships to win? Was defiance of Nathaniel¡¯s orders worth that cost?

    She switched the grip on her sword, pointing it down with two hands. There was another choice, but she didn¡¯t like it. She didn¡¯t have to sacrifice all that she was just yet. There was still a chance.

    She thrust her sword into the ground with all of her strength, pushing it deep into the dirt. She then released it and stepped back, holding her hands up in the air. She wouldn¡¯t fight this time. She could only surrender.

    ¡°Take it,¡± she said. ¡°Then take me to Nathaniel.¡±

    ¡°Come with us first.¡± Elise approached, binding her arms with a strong grip. ¡°Once you are completely unarmed, we will bring you before him.¡±

    They led Elaine along, back toward the barracks. A sick pool stirred in Elaine¡¯s stomach as they walked. She hoped dearly that she had made the right choice. Yet, the eyes of her predecessor as they took her into the prisons haunted Elaine¡¯s thoughts.