Chapter 7

“Where are they? Why won’t they give it up?” Sam yelled from the top of her labouring horse. Her horse was slowing down and only its fear of her kept it going. “It’s been three days. This is all your fault, you bastard. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you!”

“It’s not me! I swear.” Ayasse yelled back. “The reward is too big. Every adventurer and soldier in the area is after you.” He was hunched over his heaving horse, keeping pace with Sam. “I think we lost them for now. They must have been spooked by the tree you threw at them. We need to get off the road and rest the horses. A day would be best. Let's find some shelter. The stone road’s stopping them from seeing our tracks, but we are too exposed here.”

There had been more than just a small garrison at the village. The first fifty had been easy to lose in the forest, especially at night. According to a soldier Sam caught and questioned, one of the commanders had a message crystal and used the rare item to contact his commander a day out for reinforcements. Ayasse had counted over four hundred troops after them. When he’d brought the news to Sam, she had smashed the rock she was sitting on into gravel. For a moment she’d considered doing the same to him. Instead, she had mounted her horse and continued in complete silence. That was two days ago.

“The horses need rest, Sam. We can’t keep going like this. We need to stop,” Ayasse said, looking around.

Sam saw his laboured breathing; his exhaustion was clear in his strained voice. From what Ayasse’ had said, he could move through the shadows but jumping from a moving object was dangerous. He couldn’t always get through the shadow in time and when that happened, he’d leave a piece of himself behind. It also cost him energy each time he used his power. Sam didn’t know how much, but it was getting worse.

“I think I see a small stream ahead. We can lead the horses there and walk through it. Maybe throw them off the scent. It’s getting darker anyway,” Sam said. The first moon was beginning to poke its way into the sky on the horizon. The first night through the darkening forest was dangerous enough and Sam had a bruise across her eye to prove it. She was strong, not indestructible. If the horses gave out, they would be stranded.

Sam stared at the black trees; her face betrayed nothing of the turmoil taking place in her head. They had come back to this place again, where everything had changed. It wasn’t as ominous as before. This time it didn’t feel like the trees were watching them, but this was still the last place Sam wanted to be.

It had taken them a week to escape from here but only three days to return. The Demon King’s castle was close by, another day or two with the horses, and Kale had invited them. Sam had wanted to go there, but it was impossible. She still hadn’t fulfilled her promise and Ayasse had used the same dagger on the Demon King that Akira had stolen and used on Sam. The fast-acting poison caused hallucinations, paranoia and then finally death. Sam only survived this long because it had been used once and Ayasse had given her the counter agent. The king must be dead. Ayasse said the Demon world had strange medicine, but this poison was too powerful.

She chewed on her fingernail.

Sam was silent as they walked their horses through the small stream. It was a bit bigger than a trickle with a few deeper areas, but it was cold and refreshing. Sam took a sip of the running water and her parched throat welcomed it. Her horse was just as eager. She had to hold it back so that it didn’t take too much of the icy water at once.

“We’ve lost them for now. Their tracker isn’t as good as Rock, but he’s still difficult to shake. I have some stuff we can use to hide our presence but—” Ayasse started to say.

Sam spun around and shoved her finger into his chest. “You did this! You! We could have avoided all this headache if you had done a better check of the village. A thief, half-assing his work. I would never have believed it.”

He grabbed her finger and tried to move it from his chest. There was no way she was going to let him control her. He didn’t back down and stared into her face. “I told you it was dangerous, and they were well hidden in the forest, about a league outside the buildings. Nothing pointed to them when I checked.”

“Excuses.” Sam couldn’t let this go. She knew she’d suggested going to the village, that it was her fault they were in this position, but that didn’t excuse what he had done.

She turned back to her horse and continued mumbling under her breath while biting her nail.

“Sam, I think your symptoms are getting worse. Even though the visions aren’t as strong as I expected, I’ve heard you speaking to someone. The biggest symptoms of the poison are loss of control over your temper and paranoia,” Ayasse got out his medicine pouch. “I have seen signs in you and have some more of the counter-agent ready. Please take it.”

“I’m not taking anything else from you. I told you I didn’t trust you and you proved I was right. If Nadia could watch for soldiers, I’d leave you right here and now,” Sam said as she stalked forward and left the stream. “That might not be a bad idea”

They had some time left before sunset. Sam scanned the river bank for a secure place for the night and to cover their tracks. It galled her, but he was right, they couldn’t outpace the soldiers without rest.

“Just don’t do anything else and find us a place! I wish I’d never met any of you.” She ignored the worried look in his eyes and wondered if she should kill him now.

*********

“I’m very disappointed in your progress. Why haven’t you found her yet? I expected some results by now. What are you doing with those weapons I gave you?” King Eon cringed at the voice coming from the hovering blue orb. It took up half the tiny dungeon, leaving the corners mired in shadow deep enough to hide a person. The surface waved and ebbed like water on a beach as ripples flowed across, blurring the image. He could make out a strong face, a powerful chin, and strange clothing. The man in the orb wore a dark jacket with shoulder guards and a white shirt. The rest of the image behind him was blurry. The man’s voice, usually indifferent to anything it heard, now carried a tone of slight annoyance.

King Eon broke out in hives every time he had to speak with this man and couldn’t stop dry-washing his hands. The backer was arrogant, and rude, didn’t respect his position, and wouldn’t let him eat bacon while they were talking. The one time he tried to have a snack, the bastard left and closed down the portal for a week. Eon had to apologize and send double the number of gems to get him to come back.

In addition, the dungeon made him paranoid. Eon felt like the stench of the dead that used to be here would stick to him. They had cleaned it out when they moved the orb here, but the stink invaded the walls. Every time he had to climb down to the bottom of the castle to get there, he was left panting and starving when he arrived. I wish I could move the orb, but only that servant from the other world could do that.

“I’m sorry, sir. We got a report that she was at a village near the border, but she fled in the night with another man before we could secure her. They killed three horses and six men that night. Twelve more won’t recover soon. Her strength is nothing to scoff at, sir,” Eon said, thrusting his palms together. He hated this grovelling.

Eon heard a sharp “Tsk. I want results, not excuses. I didn’t give you people the technology to create those weapons for nothing. If you want more, show me what you can do!”

Stolen novel; please report.

Without the swords the backer was sending, his army couldn’t compete. The weapons were stronger and sharper than anything his people could create. Eon had his blacksmiths try and recreate them, so far, they’d failed, even with some violent incentives. The technology was beyond his people. Even the Holy Sword could only be repaired in his world.

Who knew there was a better way to make a metal that didn’t bend or break? That metal was at the heart of the Holy Sword. If only they could secure the fuel necessary. There were some deposits of that black rock in the Demon King’s land but nothing of the volume needed anywhere else. He had looked. It could only come from the backer’s world in quantities big enough to outfit the whole army. All the backer wanted was access to demon blood, some of the spiky pink fruit he called ‘pineapples’, rare healing potions that could fix even birth defects. (Those were almost impossible to get.) And the emeralds that were everywhere. You couldn’t walk into any quarry and not trip over them.

At least the magic to enhance the swords rested in Relancia. As long as they controlled that, the backer couldn’t control everything.

“I understand, sir,” Eon nodded his head. He needed to show his humbleness to keep the backer happy. It was all part of the game. “That’s why I have decided to include the hero and his party in the next attack. Thanks to your technology, the Holy Sword is nearly repaired and Akira is eager to meet Samantha again.”

“Him? He’s nothing but a conceited fool who had his ass handed to him. What makes you think he will do any good against her?” The backer scoffed. Eon thought he saw a smile in the shadows.

Eon gritted his teeth and nodded in acknowledgment. His father taught him that sometimes you must let others think they have power over you. It made them that much easier to manipulate. Usually, it worked. He was the beloved leader of the people. Sometimes it was more than he could take.

“That’s where you’re wrong, sir. While he, indeed is foolish, they were exhausted and out of power the last time. This time they will be at the top of their form and assisted by the finest troops of Relancia.” He waved his hand into the darkness in the corner of the room. Mel stepped out and faced the blue orb. “You remember Melisia, our best mage.”

“How can she assist them?” The backer questioned, shifting forward and putting his hand under his chin.

“She is quite strong, sir, and capable of controlling any situation. In addition, thanks to the experiments with the demon blood, she can use high-level magic unthought of before, much like her Master. Your techniques for separating blood from the impurities that lay within, worked wonders with her and others like her,” said Eon. “She is also quite adept at destroying any target.”

“I see. Melisia, how are you going to resolve this situation?”

“I am pleased to see you remembered my name, sir. My power is elemental with lightning and fire being at the core. I can create destructive storms, within limits. However, the mana required for its activation is immense and we are working to overcome that. However, you may be unaware of how skilled I am at using magic to manipulate minds. My Master, Tysone was the mage who originally cast the memory spell on Samantha and I have worked on refining his spell. I have controlled several people at once and have created a new spell that I am dying to try on her. It will make her hesitate to attack and give us the advantage in taking her down.

King Eon shifted away from her malevolent smile. At the moment her power required touch. There was not a lot of space here and he was a big man. That’s why there was an understanding that if she so much as laid a finger on him, he would have his guards take her head. They were watching from outside the door, waiting.

“I see. Do as you wish,” the backer was curt and dismissed her with a wave. Mel’s smile faded for an instant and came back bigger, her eyes shining. Eon turned away to wipe the image from his mind. “Just make sure you finish her off. I’m tired of having to deal with her. She’s caused enough trouble.”

“You have my word. It will be done,” Eon promised. “If there is nothing else, we must prepare.” Mel nodded and took a step back into the corner.

“Very well. I expect the next shipment soon. And do not send any more inferior products. I wasn’t happy with the last one. If that continues, I may have to rethink our agreement.” There was a pause. The backer cleared his throat. “That said, I have something for you.”

Eon watched the man turn and pick up something from the table behind him and glanced at something outside the range of the globe. He shook his head. Was he talking to someone?

“I have a new item to send, for you to try and grow,” he said, turning back to Eon. “It’s a root crop that will survive almost anywhere and, if cultivated properly, should provide enough food to feed all of your subjects three times over.”

King Eon squinted at the round brown thing the backer was holding up. It was covered in dirt. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Starvation was a major problem in his kingdom. If an ugly brown tuber could solve hunger, his subjects would love him even more. There had to be a catch. “You’re giving us food. Why? What do you want in return?”

The backer rubbed his square chin, and his eyes softened. “Nothing. My daughter suggested that helping people suffering from hunger was a noble thing to do. She’s right. In addition, the more people who survive, the more a country can improve.”

King Eon saw the backer’s face go back to normal. He was a cruel man, with hard eyes. There was no way he was doing this out of the kindness of his heart.

“Are there any problems with this food?” Eon asked, licking his lips.

I wonder how it tastes with bacon?

“It is poisonous if stored incorrectly, but that is the easy part. I will send instructions on the planting, harvesting, and storage, along with detailed descriptions of the preparation. You should be able to increase the amount of food produced by two hundred percent.”

“Impossible,” King Eon muttered, his eyes going wide. That was unheard of. A few years ago, the last bread riots killed several hundred people before he was able to put them down. He was able to lay the blame for that on the Demon King. It had sparked a renewed interest in the fighting but emptied the fields. This would ensure his legacy.

There was one thing still bothering him though: “Why do you want Samantha put down so badly? Why didn’t you kill her in London?”

The backer was silent for so long that Eon started to break out in a sweat. Had he offended the man? Was he going to withdraw the offer of the root crop? Eon felt the sweat trickle over his large stomach and worm its way into the cracks. His sponge girl was going to have a difficult time cleaning him tonight.

The backer let the silence grow, then said, “She was causing trouble for me, embarrassing me in public and with the government. That was an annoyance, but nothing I couldn’t deal with. I could have still found a use for her. Then she did something unforgivable to my family. While she was here, I promised her father to look after her, and I couldn’t break that vow. After she fell into your world, I was released from it. Over there, if she dies, it’s no longer on me.” The backer crossed his powerful arms across his chest. “I can never forgive her for the damage she’s done. She will know what happens to people who disrespect me if it’s the last thing she does.”

“I understand. I’ll be sure to let the Hero know what to do,” said Eon.

“See that you do. I expect results. The next shipment will have enough of the crop for you to begin farming them and instructions on their storage.” The backer moved to shut down the portal viewer but stopped. He turned back to Eon and leaned forward. “Oh yes, Eon, just to let you know, this complements bacon so well you will wonder how you could have lived without it.” He tossed the root through. “Take this; it’s called a potato, and see what you can do with it.”

With that, he disappeared, and the portal shrank to the size of a small ball, hovering in the air. If it hadn’t been moving a moment ago Eon would have sworn it wasn’t there.

“Bastard. You knew that would piss me off. And how do I cook this thing? I hate you.” Eon cringed, looked around to make sure the portal was closed and sighed in relief. He raised the root and grunted. It was round and bumpy, and soft things were sticking out of the side. “This tuber is going to feed my people? What am I going to do with this?” Maybe if he gave it to the cook, she could think of something with the proper incentive.

“I hate dealing with him,” Eon slapped the side of his stomach.

“Calm yourself, Sire. Soon we’ll have access to the coal areas in the demon land and we can renegotiate this relationship,” Mel reached out to touch his arm.

Moving faster than a man of his bulk should be capable of, Eon pulled out a dagger from his belt. “I’ve told you never to touch me. If you do that again I’ll plunge this through your eye. If I miss, my guards won’t. I don’t care how powerful you are. Your demon blood powers are not unlimited. One strike, you’re dead.”

“Yes, Sire. How careless of me. I didn’t realize what I was doing. I just wanted to offer some comfort.” Mel lowered her hand. Her smile looked soft and inviting, but King Eon could see the daggers behind her words. She was still cold, and when she smiled it sent chills down his spine.

“Get ready to move out. They are heading towards the Demon Kingdom. We have several thousand men ready to go, equipped with the new anti-magic metal, provided by him,” Eon gestured at the small blue ball hovering in the middle of the room. “The assassination failed so now we have to try a strike.”

“Yes.” Mel bowed and straightened. “I will do as you say, Your Majesty.” Eon heard the honey in her words and waited for the storm to play out behind him. She scared him. Her Master was much more reasonable. It’s a pity he decided to leave.

Eon felt himself start at that. Something was wrong with that statement, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.