With a sigh, he dropped his hand. Perhaps another day would allow her to calm her emotions. The loss of group members, though painful, was expected on the road to becoming a wayfarer. He hoped she would move past the tragedy and help him rebuild their group over the coming weeks.
Turning, he paused as images of the battle in the sewer came rushing back. He stiffened as he vividly relived the rot monster chasing after him. As he’d pounded on the door to draw the guard’s attention, for one long moment he’d feared they would leave him to his fate.
Another flashback immediately followed, but this time of Althea’s final moments. He’d stayed at her bedside until the very end, holding her hand as the diseases ravaged her body. The healers had tried everything they could to make her comfortable, but nothing had worked. His friend had died in terrible agony.
To make matters worse, shortly afterward, Althea’s and Selene’s bodies had disappeared. Most likely, someone had stolen them for some malevolent purpose. Such occurrences were becoming more common with cults running rampant in the city. Corpses had numerous magical applications and were quite valuable.
Still, no matter how much things like that were to be expected, it still stung being unable to give them the proper funerary rites.
I can never tell Piper that our group mate’s bodies are missing.
Basil leaned against the wall, his chest suddenly tight. Had Piper been right? Had he caused the death of his party members? If so, then he’d let them die for the chance to make ten copper coins.
The sum seemed terribly paltry for the loss of a person who’d become his best friend in the city. He’d met Althea a short time after he’d arrived, both of them hailing from rural regions, and quickly formed a bond. Now she was gone, cut down before she’d even become a wayfarer.
The worst part was that they hadn’t needed the coin. After their previous quest, they had enough money to pay for room and board for weeks. Yet he’d pushed them forward relentlessly, all so he could earn Sybil’s hand in marriage.
Exhaling, he slumped against the wall. If Piper refused to rejoin his group, he saw no path forward. Few parties wanted a water mage with a common quality class. Even fewer wanted one with his disastrous record as an aspirant group leader.
Basil straightened up as he heard footsteps ascending the stairs. Regardless of how he felt, he couldn’t let anyone see his grief. If there was one thing his father had taught him, it was to always remain stoic.
Tugging down his tunic, he descended the stairs only to slow as three men rounded the corner. Something about them felt vaguely familiar. Then his gaze dropped to the gold and silver adventure badges on their chests. Recognition flared in his mind; they were the sons of Ares he’d fought against in the tavern.
He inclined his head, hoping they wouldn’t notice him. After they’d tromped by, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least until it dawned on him where they were heading. His fears were confirmed as he heard a pounding on Piper’s door.
They’d come for Ophelia.
Without hesitation, he spun around and drew his dagger. He couldn’t let them take the young woman. He wouldn’t allow them to subject her to the same torture meted out to the earth mage, Lukas.
Climbing back up the stairs, he watched as Jason delivered a powerful kick to the door. The wooden frame shattered, and the door flew into the room. A second later, the three brothers rushed inside.
Basil had no illusions about whether he could win against adventurers with rare and epic classes. His only hope was to distract them long enough to allow Piper and Ophelia to escape.
His thoughts turned to Sybil as he rushed toward the door. He remembered the way she smiled, the way she laughed, and the way the sunlight used to glisten on her golden hair. He hoped she would understand what he had to do now.
Basil burst into the room, a globe of water already forming in his hand. In the corner, Ophelia brandished a wooden sword at the three brothers. None of them had even bothered to draw their weapons; their lips curled up into smirks.
Basil poured everything he had into the spell and launched the globe at Jason. The water smashed into the man’s back, catching him completely by surprise.
Jason stumbled forward, while Ophelia swung her sword; the blow landed with a meaty thud on the man’s nose. He stumbled back, holding his bloody nose. “You bitch! I think you broke my nose.”
“Run, Ophelia!” Basil roared. “Find somewhere safe to hide!”
Pivoting, Basil cast [Water Spout] at George, the caster of the group. The impact drove him back and interrupted his spellcasting. As the other brother, Elias, clutched at Ophelia, Basil drew his dagger and launched himself forward. His blade scored the young man’s arm, making him recoil.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Kill that fool, Elias!” Jason shouted, his voice nasal. “We don’t have time for this.”
During the fighting, Ophelia had darted past the brothers and had nearly reached the doorway. She dodged under grasping arms and rushed out into the hallway.
Basil stepped forward to block the brother’s path out of the room. All he had to do was buy Ophelia a few seconds to reach the street outside. Once there, she could blend in with the crowd. Assuming he could last that long against three adventurers who had now turned their entire attention toward him.
Basil held his dagger in front of himself defensively as Jason drew his longsword. Unlike the last time they’d tangled, the man had no trace of amusement on his bloody face.
Glancing over his shoulder, he made sure that Ophelia had made it down the stairs. Then he felt a searing pain in his chest. He snapped his head forward to see Jason had somehow crossed the entire room and driven his sword through his ribs. How had the man moved so fast? The adventurer had covered the distance to him in the blink of an eye.
Damn adventurers, he thought groggily. They don’t fight fair.
Jason ripped his sword free in a spurt of blood. With one hand, he shoved Basil aside and then strode after Ophelia.
The world darkened as Basil slid down the wall. Sagging forward, a boot rushed toward his face and snapped his head back. He let out a cry as he lurched to the side. Another flurry of kicks followed, making him see stars.
“Stupid bastard,” George spat. “You deserve far worse for challenging your betters.”
As George moved past, Elias stopped and drove his dagger into Basil’s shoulder. A wicked grin spread across his face as he continued to twist the blade, opening the wound further. Finally, a shout from the main floor made Elias pause, and he rose to his feet before hurrying after his brothers.
Basil lay on his side, his lifeblood pumping out of the wound on his chest. He knew this was the end for him. He would never see Sybil again. He would never take back his hometown from the undead.
I’ll wait with the Undying Emperor for you, Sybil.
As his breath rattled in his chest, he felt content in the knowledge that at least he’d given Ophelia time to escape. All he could hope was that it had been enough.
- * *
Elissa slid down from her saddle and grimaced at the sound of battle coming from inside the Dancing Gnome Inn. Arrayed around her were twelve sisters, prepared to apprehend the infernal caster. Yet it sounded like someone else had already engaged the heretic.
Since her arrival in Kalmyros, it had felt as though the false gods themselves had cursed her every step. Not only had she been forced to work with incompetent fools at the abbey, but she’d been inflicted with disastrously bad luck.
Now, most likely, she’d have to fight an infernal caster who was fully prepared for battle. There would be no catching the young woman unaware and incapacitating her quickly. No, this would be a battle that could potentially level entire blocks of the city.
Elissa waved at the sisters. “Six of you secure the back of the inn. The rest of us will head inside to capture the heretic.”
As she spoke, a young girl darted out of the front door, followed by three men in hot pursuit. One of the men, clad in fine plate armor, quickly overtook the girl and snagged the back of her dress. With a savage yank, he tossed her to the side.
As she tumbled to the ground, he launched a flurry of kicks into the girl’s midsection, making her scream out in pain. Which, in Elissa’s opinion, were fully inappropriate actions for an adventurer wearing a gold badge.
“What is going on here?” Elissa demanded. “Why are you attacking this girl?”
A tall man dressed in spellcaster robes stepped forward. He had a mop of dark, curly hair on top of his head. “Greetings, honored inquisitor. My name is George, and we are simply dealing with a girl who committed a crime against my family.”
Adara leaned over and whispered in Elissa’s ear. “They are the sons of Ares, a prominent citizen in the city. I would recommend not interfering with them.”
Elisa sniffed. “I care little about their family’s title. I operate with the Undying Emperor’s blessing to root out heresy. If I choose to interfere, then they will show me the proper deference.”
“As you wish,” Adara bowed her head. “Also, that girl’s name is Ophelia, and she was apprehended along with Piper and Selene. However, we released her when we determined she hadn’t awakened yet.”
Elissa grimaced at the sister’s words. No doubt, this had been an act of subtle defiance by the sister, after Elissa had burned the children at the heretic’s farm. No one, not even the unawakened, was free from an inquisitor’s investigation. Ophelia should have been brought in for questioning like all the rest.
“I have need of that young woman,” Elissa called out. “Now release her and tell me what occurred within the inn. Afterward, I may allow you to leave peacefully.”
George glanced over at his brothers and then gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head. His hand shot up, and a blinding light burst from his palm. The illumination grew in intensity until it eclipsed the sun, turning the entire world white.
Elissa averted her gaze and cursed the foolish men. When she turned back, blinking her watering eyes, she saw that the brothers and the young woman had disappeared. She hesitated for a moment, considering sending some sisters after them. But if Piper lurked inside the inn, she would need every last sister at her disposal.
“Make entry!” she shouted. “Find the heretical caster!”
The nuns surged forward, and this time she followed them inside. They entered a nearly abandoned main floor, with a handful of patrons sprinting out of the back door.
When they didn’t see any sign of Piper, they continued slowly up the stairs, with a barrier mage taking the lead. Any attacks from the heretic would be deflected by the woman’s magic, allowing the rest of the sisters to respond with overwhelming force.
They reached the landing and turned to continue up the stairs. At the top, they found a young man bleeding profusely from a dozen wounds. He didn’t stir at their approach.
“I recognize him,” Adara breathed. “We had planned to question him before our focus switched to Lukas. I believe his name is Basil, and he was the leader of Piper’s group.”
“Save him!” she snapped. “He may have valuable information.”
As one of the healers broke off from the group to tend to Basil, the rest of them continued into the room through the broken doorway, only to find it empty.
Elissa scanned the room, the feeling of infernal magic lying heavy in the air. There was no doubt a heretic had been here recently. She must have missed her by mere minutes.
“Search the inn!” she shouted. “Make sure the heretic isn’t hiding anywhere. I want every nook and cranny examined for any signs of heresy. Afterward, I want you to question everyone who fled from this place. Is that understood?”
“Yes, inquisitor,” the nuns replied in unison.
Turning, she thrust a hand at the healer. “And ensure he survives. I have plans for him.”
Normally, Elissa avoided using torture, finding it most distasteful. But the situation in Kalmyros was rapidly spinning out of control. She would use any means at her disposal to make the accomplice of a heretic talk. And if that meant torture, then so be it.