Tyragoth had returned to Drisco a few days ago, arriving from the south with another Templar caravan. The number of Templars in the city had slowly grown over the last few years, with Valicar doing all in her power to avoid the Church's eye. Although, this job was the exception rather than the rule; today, Valicar was going to take the Church head-on.
"Why would Taylor want us to steal this guy's compass of all things?" Sophia wondered aloud.
"Maybe it's a magic compass like the one from that pirate movie, but that's the least of our worries. We finally have a lead on Alexandra," Mike expressed with hope in his voice.
Sophia sighed softly as she worked, her fingers deftly weaving Valicar's hair into a bun and concealing it beneath their cowl. Over time, Valicar's once-solid black hair had transformed into a vibrant blue, accented with streaks of reddish-pink-like delicate brushstrokes on a canvas. It was a change that drew more attention than either Mike or Sophia desired, prompting them to keep it hidden whenever possible. GG had explained that this shift was a consequence of Valicar's burgeoning mana, her physical form now reflecting the hues of her soul, a tangible merging of the mundane and the magical.
"Why can't we just cut our hair short again, Soph? This is so impractical," Mike grumbled, frustration evident in his tone, his impatience palpable as they prepared for their next move.
"Because I think it looks pretty long, and I'm the girl, so it stays, Mike," Sophia replied, her voice carrying a hint of determination as she secured the last strands of Valicar's hair.
"Whatever. We have to hurry," Mike interjected, his impatience evident. "Taylor was late with the information, so Tyragoth probably has a half-day head start on us already."
Sophia nodded, her brow furrowing with worry as she spoke. "At least we know what they are looking for, but it still makes me nervous." She glanced around, scanning the surroundings for any signs of approaching danger. "Their scouts have been getting closer to the cave every month. They must have combed these mountains a dozen times already."
"Let's get moving; we won't have a lot to carry this time, so we should be able to catch up rather quickly," Mike urged, his voice carrying a sense of urgency as they prepared to embark on their mission.
Taylor had briefed them earlier that morning at the gang's hideout. Tyragoth was leading a group of six scouts north, presumably in search of something using a special compass coveted by the church. The job, however, was solely focused on retrieving the compass. Beyond that, the rest was up to Valicar, whom Taylor believed was more than capable of handling the task.
As they traveled at a steady pace throughout the day, the sun slowly began its descent, casting a golden hue across the landscape. Soon enough, they stumbled upon the Tyragoth group, nestled in a clearing about fifty feet off from the main road. Despite the relative safety of their surroundings, the Templars appeared carefree, indulging in drink and song around their crackling campfire.
"What do you think has them celebrating like that way out here?" Sophia pondered, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know, but it should make our job that much easier," Mike replied confidently, his years of experience evident in his stealthy approach toward the camp.
There, amidst the revelry, sat Tyragoth, indulging in a drink with his companions. "I'm gonna gut that bastard, Soph," Mike muttered under his breath, his determination palpable.
"Remember what I told you, Mike," Sophia cautioned, her tone carrying a sense of caution. "Let's keep the casualties to a minimum. Get the info and compass, then dip."
Casting a strong glamor on herself, Sophia prepared several other spells for combat, including a version of a magical flash bang and a fireball if it came down to that, along with a stronger version of "Ignis," granting supernatural agility and strength beyond their age and frame.
Waiting for their chance, it finally happened. Tyragoth got up from his spot at the campfire and made his way to the brush to relieve himself. "Be ready with that spell that will make him talk, Soph. We aren't gonna have a long window to get what we need."
Advancing on his location, Mike readied his dagger in his right hand, while Sophia prepared a simple control spell in her left hand.
"So you have finally come, Little Red Eye," Valicar froze in their tracks.
"Taylor said you were good, but I never expected it to be you," Tyragoth's voice boomed, his gold eyes flaring to life. "Hell, I never thought I would see you again, as a street rat no less. I still have a damn scar from your fucking bite. I'll take my time relieving you of those teeth, one at a time."
Rustling surrounded them, and in moments, they were surrounded by the Templars.
"Motherfucker set us up!" Mike's voice rang out with a mix of anger and frustration as he leaped into the air just in time to avoid several arrows flying beneath them. Sophia's heart raced with panic as she released the flashbang, the sudden burst of light and sound disorienting the guards in a chaotic cacophony.
"Focus, Mike, we have to run. This whole thing is fucked," Sophia's voice trembled with fear, her eyes wide with panic.
"We can't leave without that info!" Mike's tone was urgent, tinged with desperation. "I'm gonna need you to follow my lead, Soph, no half measures."
"Okay, I'll try," Sophia's voice wavered with uncertainty as she prepared a fireball, her hands shaking with adrenaline. "Drawgon."
Mike aimed, launching the fireball at one of the archers. As the flames engulfed the archer, he screamed in agony, his cries piercing through the chaos of the battle and causing a momentary distraction. Seizing the opportunity, Mike moved swiftly, his blade slicing through the air with blinding speed as he closed in on one of the knights.
The knight's armor, sturdy and resilient, offered little defense against Mike's mana-reinforced dagger. With a swift and precise motion, Mike's blade tore through the knight's armor like butter, gutting him with a single strike.
Meanwhile, the other archer, momentarily distracted by the screams of his comrade, faltered in his aim, his next arrow missing its mark by a wide margin. Sensing an opening, Mike hurled another fireball at the archer, Sophia invoking the incantation, "Drawgon." However, before the fireball could reach its target, it met a barrier of glowing golden light.
"Oh, shit," Mike muttered under his breath, his attention now fully focused on the source of the barrier: Tyragoth.
Tyragoth's sickening grin spread across his face as he taunted Valicar, his words dripping with mockery. "Surprised? It's not often one gets to look upon a vessel of the gods, so I understand the shock. But this isn't your first time seeing greatness, now is it?" he mocked.
Meanwhile, Mike leaped high into the air, swiftly grabbing a branch and pulling them up into the safety of the trees. From her elevated position, Sophia prepared another round of fireballs and flash bangs. However, their efforts seemed futile against the Templars, their golden wards deflecting the magical onslaught. The situation only worsened as Tyragoth began hurling spears of golden light at Valicar, his attacks relentless and unforgiving.
"This is bad, Mike," Sophia's voice echoed with urgency as she assessed their predicament. She winced as a spear of light rushed past, leaving a small cut on Valicar's thigh.
"I think you're right, sis," Mike agreed, his tone echoing Sophia's concern. "Just focus on that strength spell; I'll do the rest."
With determination, Mike leaped through the treetops, agilely dodging arrows and golden spears. "What about that lightning spell? Would that break through the shield they have?" he asked Sophia, his voice strained with effort.
"I mean, maybe," Sophia responded, her uncertainty palpable. "The problem is I can only use that spell twice a day, and with the mana I've already used, I'd be running on fumes if I used it even once right now." She swiftly cast another glamor spell to conceal their tracks, her movements precise with practiced skill.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"So, plan B then," Mike interjected, his voice resolute despite the dire circumstances. "We've been betrayed in the city so that only leaves the cave. But should we risk leading these guys straight to it?"
"If we don't wanna end up under that nutjob's knife, we have no choice, now do we, Mike?" Sophia's voice trembled slightly with anxiety as she contemplated their situation, the weight of their predicament pressing down on her. "God damn it, Mike, this whole job went to shit," Sophia's voice wavered with distress, her regret palpable. "I wish we never got into bed with Taylor, the screams of that archer burning are gonna haunt me."
"WE HAD NO CHOICE! AND THIS ISN'T THE TIME, SOPHIA!" Mike's frustration boiled over, his tone sharp and impatient. The weight of their situation bore down heavily on him, compounded by the betrayal of someone they once trusted.
"That fucker is just one more person we have to add to the list," Mike continued, his voice tinged with bitterness. "I don't know why he would sell us out, but it's probably because we got too complacent and our reputation finally caught up with us." He paused, contemplating their predicament and the choices that led them to this point.
They sprinted for hours at breakneck speeds until they finally reached the cave. "GG, We... I need your help! There's a group of scouts on my tail, with more likely on the way!" Mike exclaimed urgently.
"And your first thought is to bring them here, you fucking idiot!" GG scolded, swinging the door open swiftly to let them inside.
"They're strong, GG. One of them even wields the power of the god Merik!" Sophia managed to gasp out between breaths as she caught her breath and regained Valicar's stamina.
"Well, kid, you're gonna have to take them all down, or they'll uncover this place, and for the fate of the world, we can't let that happen," GG insisted.
"I don't have the strength or the mana to win this fight alone, GG," Valicar admitted.
"Not yet, but you will," GG assured them. The display holding Blue Dawn began to lower itself from its golden chains.
"Do you think I'm ready to handle its power?" Valicar asked, a hint of uncertainty in their voice.
"Fuck no, this thing can cut a mountain in half at full power," GG affirmed. "There are enchantments on it, however, to help limit its power. I think you can handle the weakest form now, at least."
Valicar approached the blade, feeling the heat emanating from it in waves. She wouldn't have been able to get this close without Sophia's magic, but this only made the task possible instead of easy. Mike grabbed the blade, feeling as if he would melt, as both he and Sophia exerted their willpower to wrestle control of the legendary blade.
The flames licked at Valicar's arm bathing it but not burning her, still, the pain was unbelievable. Lifting the blade its flame began to cool and ultimately came under their combined control, with Sophia running her mana through it while Mike focused on wielding the blade. The sword was heavy and far too long for their small frame to wield properly. Yet, Mike was no stranger to oversized blades after years of training with Jack, and with magic running through his veins the blade was as light as a stick, the weight wouldn’t be a problem for Valicar.
”Now this will do.” Mike said with a face-splitting smile from ear to ear.
”Be careful kid it’s still possible to kill yourself and me with that thing if you let it get away from you, so remember minimum power!” GG warned.
“You got it!” Mike called out as Valicar bounded out the door.
After no more than 20 minutes, they encountered their mortal enemy.
“Closer than I thought they would be,” Mike muttered to himself, while Sophia concentrated on maintaining the spell and the sword's power, carefully managing the remaining mana she had left.
“Well, look who came back. Did you miss me that much, little red?” Tyragoth taunted.
“I sure did, you cunt, and I have some questions for you. But don't worry, we'll get to that later,” Mike retorted.
“Haha, what are you gonna do? Throw more of those pathetic fireworks? Such tricks cannot harm the gods' vessels,” Tyragoth sneered.
“Well, I've got something a little better than that.” In a flash, Valicar was among the men, swinging Blue Dawn in a whirlwind of death and fire.
The golden barrier appeared to protect the remaining men, but this didn't slow down Valicar’s blows. She was first cutting through wards, then armor, flesh, and finally bone. She severed the legs of two men before taking the arm of another. ”See, didn't even kill them, Soph,” Mike remarked.
Tyragoth was no fool; he leaped away from the fray with his sole remaining archer. Both fired everything they had, killing their own men in the process. This wasn't an issue, as Mike was able to bat the bolts aside with ease using the sword.
In a flare for the dramatic, Valicar raised their sword, blue flame igniting out from the blade. In a single swing, a blade of pure fire lashed out, cutting the archer in half along with a half dozen trees.
“Ready for that chat now?” Valicar smiled, her eyes gleaming with determination.
"DON'T YOU DARE UNDERESTIMATE ME!" Golden light exploded from Tyragoth, followed by another volley of spears he lobbed at Valicar. Combined with a new attack, a beam of light shone down from the heavens, burning all in its path. He chased Valicar with the beam, nearly burning her several times.
"Quit playing around and finish it, Mike! I can't control this sword forever!" Sophia's voice cut through the chaos, urgency tinged with concern as Mike seemed to revel amid battle.
Mike moved in close, intent on delivering a finishing blow. As he brought his blade to bear, it was met by Tyragoth's illuminated axe. They clashed, matching each other blow for blow. Despite Tyragoth's advantage in reach and strength, he couldn't keep up with Valicar's speed. It became clear that the match was only a matter of time before Tyragoth would falter.
Spotting an opening as Tyragoth overextended himself, Mike seized the opportunity. With a swift move, he exploited the stumble, causing Tyragoth to lose his right hand. The glow faded from his axe as it clattered to the ground. Despite Tyragoth's attempts to heal himself, the wound had been cauterized shut, significantly slowing his recovery. Without waiting for his opponent to regain his strength, Mike followed up with a decisive blow, severing Tyragoth's legs in one swing.
"AHHH! You fucking cunt! How?! Where?! Where did you get that blade?!" Tyragoth's screams filled the air, his pain evident.
"Did you forget who was gonna ask the questions? Here, I'll remind you." Mike's voice was firm as he took another swipe with Blue Dawn, causing Tyragoth to recoil in agony as he lost his other hand.
"UHG, you're a twisted little shit, aren't you? I would never tell you a fucking thing!" Tyragoth spat defiantly.
"Trust me, you're about to," Mike declared firmly.
"Do it, Soph," he urged Sophia, determination etched on his face.
"OK, but be careful, Mike. I can't maintain the strength spell to the same degree, so you'll be weaker for this. Stop him if he moves, but for the love of god, please stop chopping people's limbs off. It's fucking creepy," Sophia cautioned, her voice tinged with concern.
"Yeah, yeah, just get on with it already," Mike replied impatiently.
Sophia moved closer and cast the spell "Al lucoriam." Suddenly, she was in for the fight of her life. The power she battled against was diluted but strong, unmistakably the power of the divine. Engaging in a mental struggle, she eventually gained control over this power and pushed it aside, then tackled Tyragoth's willpower, which proved to be a far easier task.
"The wagon of women you took years ago from my village, there was one among them named Alexandra. Where did you take her?" Mike's voice was low, his eyes burning with intensity.
"She, like the rest of the slaves, was sold to a merchant's house with close ties to the church. House Landon then took their property to market, but the woman, Alexandra, was taken in to be a personal servant of the house, from what I know," Tyragoth replied, his voice strained with pain.
"And where is this house located?" Mike pressed his grip on Blue Dawn tightening.
"The capital. That's where Alexandra is, but their homelands are farther south, bordering House Norail," Tyragoth answered, his words coming out in stutters as if he struggled against an unseen force.
"What can you tell me about House Norail?" Mike demanded, Blue Dawn's flames licking dangerously close to the templar's face.
"They're an old house, older than the empire itself. Their roots trace back to the ancient kingdom of Kelvidion. Lately, they've been at odds with the Empire, leading a group of several great houses to refuse to pay taxes to the crown. Surprisingly, the church hasn't intervened yet, as they continue to pay their tithes to us," Tyragoth explained, his words strained under the weight of Sophia's mental grip.
"Why the refusal to pay?" Sophia interjected, her voice reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern.
Tyragoth's resistance flared, his mind writhing against Sophia's control. "They think... UHG I'LL KILL YOU! YOU FUCKING BITCH!" In a surge of defiance, a blinding beam of radiance shot up into the sky, a display visible for miles around.
"He'll come for you, bitch! Just wait!" Tyragoth's threats were cut short as Mike drove Blue Dawn into his chest.
"We have to get out of here!" Sophia urged, her voice urgent with the need to flee.
"Wait, before we go, we need to grab the compass. I'm sure we can use it," Mike urged.
Quickly searching Tyragoth's belongings, they found a pouch containing an ornate compass. Taking it, they hastened back to GG's cave.
"GG, we got them, but more are on the way," Mike announced, Valicar's breath still labored from the exertion of battle.
"I saw the whole fight, kid. It was incredible," GG acknowledged. "I've also seen the reinforcements. About a hundred men on horseback, all in heavy armor, led by a man wearing a lion on his chest."
Sophia's heart dropped. "Bellic... I wonder if we could take him now."
"Oh, so you know him. No, kid, he would destroy you for sure. His power is far greater than the last man you fought," GG warned solemnly. "The only choice left is to flee. But as you do, you must draw them away from here, for this place cannot be discovered."
"Goodbye, GG. I hope to see you again one day," Sophia said, her voice heavy with emotion.
"Right back at you, kid. Take good care of my master's sword now," GG replied a hint of sadness in his voice.
Mike and Sophia knew GG was right; they had no hope of defeating Bellic in their current state and could not risk this place. With determination in their step, they took a charcoal scroll and made a copy of the world map. Grabbing Blue Dawn, they were leaving here for good with one destination in mind.
"Are you sure this will work? You said it's only been a week since you could read the final spell. How do you know it will work?" Mike asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
"It will work because it has to, Mike. This is the key to a teleportation array, and the door is the Red Wolf Inn. Let's go," Sophia replied, her tone resolute.