The sun was starting to set as Friedrich, Marina, Teleri, and Pheston gathered around a small fire they’d made under the archway of the tomb. They were sat in silence, as all waited for Friedrich to speak—including Friedrich himself, who wasn’t sure where to begin.

At last, he took a deep breath. “My name is Friedrich Gaerfyrd and I’m the last in a long line of Eastern Mercian nobles. My father, Lord Siegfried Gaerfyrd, thwarted a plan by his fellow noblemen who were attempting to steal the throne of Mercia. His punishment was that he had to watch as my mother was killed before being imprisoned in the Orion Tower.”

“The Orion Tower?” gasped Teleri, prompting confused looks from Marina and Pheston.

“Not to take away from the gravity of the situation, but what is that?” asked Pheston with a guilty look. Marina was relieved that he had asked the question because she didn’t want to be the one to do it.

“It’s a prison where, for the offering of a life, the demons running it will keep a prisoner in eternal stasis. Forever aware and watching, basically a prisoner in their own minds until their sentence is up and they’re let out, only to be executed.”

Teleri shook her head despairingly. “It is one of the most barbaric places on Terna. It is not without good reason that it is not located in Eradrel. This…this is why you wanted a boat? To sail to The Orion Tower to rescue your father.”

“Yes,” said Friedrich.

“Tell us everything,” said Pheston, leaning closer to the fire and warming his hands.

“There are parts of the story I can only guess because there’s nobody left alive to tell me the whole truth,” said Friedrich. He took a deep breath. “Many years before I was born, my father was invited to a group called the True King Believers. This group, made up of many noblemen, believed that the throne of Mercia was held illegitimately and wanted to separate Mercia into two kingdoms, Western and Eastern. My father listened to their concerns and, being young and naïve, agreed to join for a few months before changing his mind. He left the group, thinking there would be no consequences for doing so.

“As the years passed, there were many attempts on his life and my mother’s life. Even when I was a baby, there was an attempt to kidnap me to keep him silent about what he knew, but we were always kept safe by the loyal soldiers who worked for us. They were all paid handsomely and tensions eased over the years, but it turned out that they only eased as the True King Believers were facing dissent within their ranks. A number of their loyal men were killed during recruitment missions; executed for treason by those loyal to King Godfrey.

“Once the dust had settled, my father’s guard had been lowered due to the passing of time. It was by chance that he overheard a conversation about a planned assassination of the king, no longer content with splitting the country in two; the rebels wanted to take it over entirely. My father sent word straight to King Godfrey. Seeing as the king is still alive today, I’m sure you can guess the outcome. The True King Believers took a couple of months to figure it out, but they realised my father was the one who foiled their plans. As punishment, they executed my mother before his eyes.

“Realising that something bad was coming, my father had sent me away with a couple of stewards. Being the clever young man that I was back then, I gave them the slip and snuck back into the castle. I witnessed by father and many of our still loyal men being rounded up the True King Believers and receiving their illegal sentences in the Orion Tower. At the time, I had no idea what that meant, but I managed to escape unseen and find out for myself.

“The rebels spread word around the land that we had sold our land and chosen to resettle elsewhere in Western Mercia. Precious few people know the truth about what happened to my mother and where my father is now. Fewer still know where I am, and I intend to keep it that way for as long as possible. The word has no doubt gotten out that I’m alive and well, but I doubt I’m being taken seriously as a threat.”

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As Friedrich finished his tale, his three companions sat silently around as though expecting him to say something further.

“Well, that settles it,” said Pheston, breaking the silence. “I need to make sure the weapons I craft for you are powerful enough to take on an entire prison island of demons. I’ll stick with Vigr when we arrive.”

“You mean you want to come with me?” asked Friedrich.

“I’ve told you before,” said Marina, “that I’ll follow you no matter what. If that means to the bottom of the ocean, I’ll do it. If that means to a prison on a faraway island, so be it.”

“As will I,” agreed Teleri. “We have followed you to hell and back already, Friedrich.”

“No getting rid of us, lad,” said Pheston and then slamming one of his thick fists into his palm. “At least not until we break your father out of that prison. The end times would have to consume the world before we’d let you go there alone.”

“Friedrich…” said Teleri. “That man we met when we pretended that I was carrying your child—”

“Wait, what?” asked Marina.

“—would he have known any of this?”

“Rufus Redforth,” said Friedrich, ignoring Marina’s confused stammering. “No, he is a gullible and naïve fellow; always has been. He’s also known for having a big mouth, so he wouldn’t be trusted by the other nobles of Eastern Mercia. But I have no doubt that word has spread that I’m alive because of him, so I’m grateful that we passed through Eastern Mercia quickly.”

“I knew that tunnel was a smart idea,” said Pheston, beaming with pride. His smile vanished with a look from Teleri. “Well, what are we waiting for?” he asked, standing up.

“We aren’t,” said Marina, joining him. “Let’s go and get those special weapons Pheston promised us.”

“As long as you don’t mind helping me source the ingredients first,” said the smith.

“Time isn’t a concern,” said Friedrich. “Well, as long as it doesn’t take until I’m old and grey.”

“I’ll have joined by ancestors by then, lads” chuckled Pheston. “Rest assured, we’re talking weeks at most.”

“Come on,” said Teleri, standing up and extending a hand to Friedrich.

He gratefully accepted and stood up too. “Thank you,” he said, looking to his three companions. “I have no other words but to say thank you.”

“How about ‘I’ll buy you ales for life, Pheston’” chortled the smith.

“Oh, so about five more years then?” asked Friedrich, slapping Pheston on the back.

“Watch it, boy, or I’ll outlive you out of spite. I may be old, but I could take on your minotaur form and come out the other end victorious.”

“I’d like to see that,” said Marina with a grin. “I know who I would put my kupons on.”

“Friedrich,” said Teleri.

“Oi!” barked Pheston.

“Alright,” said Friedrich, “we can settle this discussion when we’ve had the chance to rest in Millstone.”

Pheston shook his head furiously. “There’s nothing to discuss. I would win.”

“If you say so.”

“I say so.”

“Alright.”

“Good, so it’s settled then.”

Friedrich, Marina, and Teleri all exchanged a glance that left Pheston’s chest heaving and his face reddened.

*

“Ah, welcome back!” called Sven, upon seeing the quartet walking into the quiet village. “I trust your mission was a great success?”

“We’re going to be honest with you, Sven,” said Friedrich, having discussed what he was about to say at length with the others. “We were beaten to the punch by a few dark elves. We followed them up to the tomb, thinking they were grave robbers, only to find them dead.”

Sven’s face fell. “The tomb? It’s a miracle you lot are alive!”

“The spiders?”

“You saw them?”

Friedrich nodded. “We killed the lot of them, including Valmyra the Spider Queen.”

Sven rushed over to Friedrich and furiously shook the young man’s hand. “Had I known you were going to venture there, I would have warned you, but you have my eternal thanks for cleaning up the tomb of our ancestors. Tell me what I can do to repay you and I’ll do it, my friends. You are all friends of Millstone and I will spread the word of your deeds.”

Friedrich turned to Pheston who gave a small nod. “Well, we’d appreciate a horse and wagon to take us to Lundstad.”

“Consider it done,” said Sven, giving a Corobathian salute to the four. “By the gods, I did not think we would be rid of both the trolls and the spiders in a single day. You must be divinely blessed beings.”

“Just me,” said Pheston, thumping his chest. “These three don’t follow our way of life, I’m afraid. Perhaps one day, I’ll convince them.”

“He is starting to irk me again,” Teleri muttered to Marina.

“Well, hold your temper,” Marina replied as Teleri clenched her jaw. “Big picture, Teleri.”

“Do you require a driver or would the horse and wagon suffice,” said Sven, strumming his beard. “Either should be fine.”

“We tend to get distracted on the road,” said Friedrich, “so perhaps it’s best that we don’t waste a driver’s time. We can arrange for the safe return of the horse and wagon when we arrive in Lundstad.”

“Who are you visiting in Lundstad?”

Pheston smiled nervously. “My children.”