Just after dawn Anya stops in front of Sasha’s personal guards at the door of the Portal Control Room, “How long has Sasha been in there?” The guard to the left looks down at her, “A few hours before dawn this morning, Lady Anya.” She gives them a concerned look, “Have you been checking on her?” The guard shakes his head, “She said she wanted to be alone.” Anya pushes at the door. As it swings open, she sees Sasha lying on the floor, “Get Avvaran and Gunthar now; both of you go.” She runs in, going to her knees next to Sasha, checking her. She’s barely breathing. Those breaths are ragged. She lays her head on Sasha’s back to listen to her heart; it’s beating, but in bursts of slow and fast, very unsteady. Very carefully, she turns Sasha over; there is a nasty bruise on her face where she must have hit the table. Just now thinking of it, she looks around the room to ensure no one else is there. It seems to be empty, “Sasha, Sasha.” Nothing. She pulls open Sasha’s eyes one at a time; they dilate when exposed to the light. Wishing she had a healing potion on her, she sits with Sasha’s head in her lap, running her hand over the side of her face, not bruised, “Sasha, please stay with us.” Tears start streaming down her cheeks.
Ula, Ari, Seit, and Xanathe carry Kara on a stretcher. Sylnoa and Ava have their arms around each other, supporting each other. Elra walks behind them, supporting Sister Maen, who is limping and trying to keep the weight off her left leg. Behind her, Aran has an arm around Shae. Shae’s head is on Aran’s shoulder. Until now, he’s always managed to maintain complete control, but his cheeks are wet from tears. Behind them, Rasome holds Tai as they walk, followed by a train of nearly fifty more Sisters; in the middle of those fifty Sisters, the halfling, known as Neola, and an elf, Kara, called “The Dandy” stumble along in manacles, with several other prisoners. They both know to keep their mouths shut. The looks on the Sisters faces tell them they would kill them at the slightest insult. Kara’s hand falls from the stretcher and dangles. Sylnoa runs up to place her hand back on the stretcher. She decides to walk beside the stretcher and hold her hand instead. She’s almost afraid to look, but she does anyway. Kara’s auras are so faint, barely visible. She tries again to connect to her and runs into the same thing: a frozen wasteland that spans as far as she can see.
Avvaran runs into the Portal Control Room. Anya looks up, “We can’t lose her Avvaran.” The High Priestess doesn’t check for anything; instead, she opts to cast her most powerful healing spell immediately, and the bruise vanishes. She leans over Sasha and listens to her breath, then her heart. Both are unsteady. She looks at Anya, “I found her this way. The guards said she had been in here since before dawn. She left orders to be undisturbed. I don’t know how long she laid in here.” Gunthar comes running in, still wearing his morning exercise clothes. Avvaran turns to him, shaking her head, “Get a stretcher. She’s alive but barely.” He doesn’t have to say a word to the guards as he turns to them. Both run at a sprint. Not wanting to be in Avvaran’s way, he kneels behind Anya, “I’ve watched her fight demons, eldritch horrors, and dragons; she’s going to pull out of this, Anya.” Anya lays back against him.
People line the streets as the procession enters the temple grounds; rumors of the battle have spread across the city. Dean Ta Ian comes running toward Elra with a hand raised. She glares at him, forcing him to lower his hand and stop. He starts to raise his hand toward her again but thinks better of it when Aran glares at him. Inside, everyone enters the main hall, and mattresses have been laid on the tables. They stop next to a bed with the stretcher; Aran very gently reaches under Kara and lifts her. Sylnoa doesn’t let go of her hand. Once the stretcher is out of the way, Aran lays her on a mattress. Ava places a hand on Syl’s shoulder, “What do you see, Syl? It's still the same.” She nods, “I don’t understand. She has to be here, somewhere.” Others who are still injured take seats on other beds as acolytes hand out healing potions to them; all spells have long since been used. Sisters stand guard around the prisoners. Elra walks over to the dandy, “Your name, your real name.” He stares at her in defiance. She thinks in the old days, she had ways she would have made him talk. She looks at the people surrounding Kara, “Sisters, take this trash down to the dungeons, manacle them to the walls. They don’t deserve the luxury of being able to move around.” She looks in Kara’s direction again, “Strip them all naked. Get all the items we took off the body of Kara’s brother locked up in the vault.”
Gunthar lifts Sasha onto the stretcher, and she is carried to her room. All of Nexus goes silent as they walk through the courtyard with her. Once she is on her bed, Gunthar finally asks, “What is going on? What happened?” Avvaran shakes her head, “I don’t know, other than where she hit her head when she fell, there is nothing physically wrong. It’s like she is giving up on life.” Anya says, “It’s Kara. Something has happened.” Avvaran begins casting divination, “Is Karael Vala Elyslynn Proudshard Cinderblade alive?” Avvaran sits there, listing, her expression changing to that of shock. She looks at Anya and Gunthar, “She attacked the dragon. She is between life and death.” Anya closes her eyes, “Avvaran, you know the drill. Keep asking?” She nods to Anya as Gunthar goes to the door, “Go to the temple, ask the priests what Avvaran will need to keep casting divination. Either bring it yourselves or have them bring it.” Avvaran makes herself as comfortable as possible and prepares to ritual cast divination. Avvaran says, “Eventually, the answers will just be about random things, but I’ll ask as many questions as possible.”
Elra walks over to Sylnoa, “Anything?” Sylnoa shakes her head, “I can’t get through. It’s just the wasteland. It’s what she showed me when she took me in to see when she was taken to the prison. The Warden tricked her into escaping. Outside the prison was a frozen wasteland.” Elra places a hand on Kara’s forehead, “We’ve healed her wounds, restored her vitality, removed the curse of the blade. Tell me again, what happened?” Sylnoa lays Kara’s hand on her stomach, “Malachi grabbed me and held me while we watched Kara and Night Talon fight. When she killed him, Malachi loosened his grip on me. I yelled for her to run, then he said she was too stupid to do that. It seemed like she almost froze, and then she said his name as she turned. She tried to talk to him, but he kept mocking her and me. He placed a dagger under my chin. She lunged at him. He goaded her to make her lunge for him because he had a spell ready. When he cast it, she went straight down. He was very cautious approaching her, expecting her to jump up at anytime and attack. But when she didn’t, he hit her with another spell. He seemed to get angry when she didn’t die. He was going to use that dagger on her when all of you appeared.”
Elra asks, “You don’t know what he cast?” Sylnoa shakes her head. Ava says, “Syl, can you do the same you did for me? Replay it for Elra.” Sylnoa nods, “Yes, I can.” then she stumbles sideways. Ava catches her, looking at her, concerned, “Syl, are you ok?” Sylnoa looks at Ava and Elra, “I’m fine, I don’t know wha…” her head drops back; Ava picks her up, rushes her to a bed, and lays her down. Elra is on her heels and is checking her.
Avvaran completes the first divination ritual, “Will Karael Vala Elyslynn Proudshard Cinderblade recover?” she opens her eyes to wait for the answer, “The life of the mother and daughter depend on the actions of her friends.” Avvaran tells Anya the answer. Anya says, “Again, Avvaran, ask if Sasha’s life is tied to Kara’s; if Kara dies does Sasha die also.” The door opens, and two priests enter carrying spell components. Avvaran begins the ritual gain. One of the priests wipes the sweat from her forehead.
Elra sees that the bruises on Sylnoa’s neck, which had been healed where Malachi held her, have reappeared. Ava reaches for her. Elra glares, “Keep it together, girl. Get me some healing potions. Sister Maen, I need the warding bond scrolls from the vault. Sister Silentstar and Ava, when we get those scrolls, I need you to use them on Sylnoa. Understand?” Elra pours a healing potion into Sylnoa’s mouth. Her eyes flutter open, “What, what’s going on? Why am I lying down?” Ava says, “Don’t try to sit up, lay still. You’re going to be ok.” Elra looks around, “Ava, I need you to keep it together for what I’m about to say.” Ava nods to her. Elra looks at Ari, “Sister Arilypsys, get down to the vault and get me a scroll of life revivication.” Ari dashes off. Elra looks at Ava as Sylnoa reaches up and places a hand on her cheek. Ava starts crying, “You’re going to be okay, Syl.” Elra looks at Ava and Xanathe, “Malachi did something to her. It’s slowly draining her life. When you use a warding bond, it will start draining your life, too. You must end it before it kills either one of you. She is going to die.” Sylnoa looks up at Ava, “It’s still okay, Beautiful, we’ve got this. You need to be clear-headed.” Ava is barely keeping it together. Elra takes Ava’s hand, “I will start casting revivication as soon as Ari gets that scroll to me.” She looks down at Sylnoa, “Sylnoa when you hear me call for you, come to me. Understand?” Sylnoa nods.
Avvaran takes a deep breath as she finishes the ritual again. She looks at Anya, then to Sasha, “Will Sasha Proudshard Cinderblade die if Karael Vala Elyslynn Proudshard Cinderblade dies?” She sits there, looking from Anya to Sasha and Gunthar, “If the child dies, the mothers die too.”. She looks at Anya and Gunthar, “If their unborn child dies, both Kara and Sasha die too. Let’s hope Kara’s friends can save her.” Ayna lays down in the bed with Sasha and places her head on Sasha’s chest “Please don’t leave me, I can’t take losing you both. You’re my only friends.” Avvaran looks at Gunthar and shakes her head, “It’s out of our hands Commander. It’s up to the gods and people we have no way of contacting.”
Ava and Xanathe cast a warding bond spell when the scrolls are handed to them, tying their life to Sylnoa’s life and giving whatever the curse is more to feed on besides just hers. They both feel the drain instantly, pulling at their lives. The handprint bruises appear on their necks and get darker and darker. Ava’s legs start feeling heavier and heavier. Elra starts yelling at her to drop the spell; the next thing Ava knows, she is standing outside the temple with Aran holding her, “You were supposed to drop the spell, you dummy.” Ava bolts past him, stumbling back into the temple with Aran on her heels. When she returns to the Main Hall, Ula holds Xanathe as Sylnoa stares at the ceiling. Ava is torn between Syl and Xan. She checks Xan first, knowing that she will find Syl dead. Ula nods at her, “She held it as long as she could, but she’ll recover.” Aran picks up Xanathe, carries her to a bed, and lays her down. Ari comes running in with the scroll, followed by Sisters Xiam and Varsk. They sit by with Shae next to Kara. Elra unrolls the scroll and looks at Ava, “She’s going to be fine; stay right here.” Aran stays by Xan’s side, and Rasome and Tai join him. Elra starts casting. Ava stands there, listening, holding Syl’s hand. To her, seconds seem like days.
Sylnoa is sitting on a beach, which is very similar to the one she saw when she met Elirae with Ava and Kara. Some of the other Sisters are there with her. She remembers their bodies being carried back to the temple. One of them sits down next to her, “Hello, Sylnoa.” Sylnoa doesn’t remember being introduced to her, but she says, “It’s so beautiful here, Carlynn.” Carlynn looks out across the water at the dawn, nodding, “This is Kara’s beach; we all figured we’d wait here for her.” Sylnoa hears heavy footsteps in the sand. She looks back as Chomasuke plops down behind her. Sylnoa asks Carlynn, “Will you be returning with me, Sister Carlynn?” Carlynn shakes her head, “No, we’ve decided to wait. It’s so peaceful here.” Sylnoa gets a concerned look, “Kara isn’t here, is she?” Carlynn shakes her head, “No, it will be a while, hopefully. but that depends on you, your friends, and our other Sisters.” Sylnoa says, “What do you mean?” She hears, “Sylnoa, come back to us.” She looks at Carlynn, “Tell me?” Elra looks at Ava, “Call for her, Ava.” Sylnoa hears, “Syl, please come back to me.” Sylnoa asks again, “What do I need to do?” “Syl, please. I love you. Come back to me.” She opens her eyes, looking up at Ava. Ava leans over her, hugging and kissing her.
Elra checks on Xanathe. Tai says, “She’ll be fine, Sister; she just needs rest.” She walks back over to Kara and sits down with Shae, Xiam, and Varsk, looking at the two of them. " Do you have any ideas?” Varsk removes the mirror they use to share memories from a pocket in her robes. She says, “Maybe this, but we need to be very careful. With her being out, she may not recognize us.”
Ari, Ula, and Seit sit down next to Sylnoa’s bed. Ari asks, “So, I heard the two of you plan on having redheaded babies?” She looks at Ula and Seit, “How exactly do you plan on making that happen? I want to know how to put babies in these two.” This draws a laugh from Ava and Sylnoa. Sylnoa's eyes widen, and she grabs Ava’s arm, “Get Elra, now!”
Ava runs to Elra, “Sylnoa needs you, now!” Everyone but Shae leaves Kara and goes to Sylnoa’s bed. Shae sits there, holding Kara’s hand. Tears have long since stopped. She has no more tears to cry. She looks at the mirror Varsk left, lying next to Kara. She places Kara’s hand on the mirror; it glows, and then she touches it.
Elra and Ava return with a small entourage of Sisters. Sylnoa looks at Elra, “When I was dead, I was on the beach where Kara, Ava, and I met Elirae; there were other Sisters there, eleven of them. Sister Carlynn sat down with me and talked to me.” Elra looks at the eleven bodies covered on the floor, waiting for them to use a raise dead spell, one of them being Sister Carlynn. Sylnoa continues, “Sister Carlynn told me that whether Kara and the baby live or die is up to us. That’s why I didn’t want to return at first; I was asking her what she meant.” Elra turns back toward Kara when Sylnoa grabs her, “Sister Carlynn also told me that they don’t want to return. They want to wait for Kara, but they hope it’s a long time before they see her.” Elra turns back toward Kara and sees Shae slumped over Kara, with their hands on the mirror, “By the Mother of Veleris!”
Shae stands in a room with nine cells. The smell is horrendous, ammonia, shit, rotten food; Shae wrenches onto the floor. A goliath walks through some double doors at the end of the room. Shae looks at him. He drops the girl he is dragging by the hair, “Who in the fuck are you?”
He rushes Shae, and she leaps to the side, narrowly avoiding his grasp. Two others come running through the same door, “What, who the fuck is that?” Shae runs to the door at the room's far end, but it’s locked. One of them slams into her, knocking her breath out, but she manages to kick him.
The second one slams into her. Pinning her to the door. The goliath grabs her around the neck, lifting her off the ground. She grabs his wrists, kicking. One of the others asks, “Who the hell is she Broma?” The goliath says, “How the fuck should I know? You get the little bitch back in her cell, and you, go get Warden.”
Broma slams Shae down onto a small cart, presses a knee into her stomach, and clamps a manacle onto one of her arms. Shae reaches for a dagger; he grabs her hand as she pulls the dagger. He yells, “Hurry up with the little bitch and give me a hand. She’s like trying to hold a tornado.” The goliath slams Shae in the face with his fist. She sees stars but looks at him, defiantly spits in his face, and kicks him between the legs.
Everyone around Kara and Shae see her nose suddenly start gushing blood and her face reddens as if she’s just been hit.
He hits her again, this time harder, “Who the fuck are you, and how did you get here?” Shae feels another manacle lock around her arm her other arm. The goliath starts hitting her over and over, and eventually, everything goes black.
Ava reaches for the mirror as Shae’s face swells, but Elra slaps her hand away. Ava reaches for Shae’s arm, but Sister Varsk screams, “Don’t break her connection. If she’s in Kara’s mind, she could become lost.” Ava very carefully moves her hand away from Shae’s arm. Shae’s lips break open in several places.
Shae awakens. She is hanging from a wall. In front of her is the goliath and a red-skinned inferni woman. Shae’s head is pounding, and it isn’t easy to see from her right eye. She looks around; she’s in another room; this room is filled with various torture devices and tools. The inferni slaps her so hard that she sees stars again but doesn’t lose consciousness, “I’m going to ask you once, who are you, and how did you get here?” Shae says, “Shae doesn’t know how Shae got here. Shae was trying to help Kara.” The inferni grabs Shae’s throat and gets so close Shae can feel her breath. The goliath says, “Watch out, she’s a spitter.” The inferni says, “Let her. I’ll cut her tongue out and lips off.” She looks Shae eye-to-eye, “Who sent you?” Shae says, “No one sent Shae.” The inferni shoves hard into Shae’s throat as she backs away, “I don’t sense any lies from her, but she knows the little bitch. Get her stripped, make some introductions, then throw them in the cell together.” The goliath looks at Shae and smiles, “Come on, boys, let’s have some fun.”
Elra directs several Sisters as they slide a bed over, then holds Shae’s hand tight to the mirror as they lay her down. With Aran’s help, Sylnoa walks over and asks, “What’s going on?” She sees the mirror and sees both Kara’s and Shae’s hands are on it. Ava looks at Sylnoa, “Go lay back down, Syl, you’re in no shape.” Sylnoa reaches around Ava and touches Shae. She sees a torture chamber and Shae being stripped by several men: a goliath, a shifter, and a human. It looks like they are getting ready to rape her, bending her over a table and manacling her arms and legs. Then she returns with Ava, “No, Ava, let me go. I’ve got to get back to Shae. She is trapped in that prison with Kara.” Ava holds her, not letting her get close enough to touch Shae. Sylnoa starts beating at Ava’s shoulders, “Let me go, let me go. I’ve got to help Shae; they will rape her if I don’t help her.” Elra says, “Let her go.” Elra grabs Sylnoa, “I will have you run out of here if you don’t come right back to us.” Sylnoa nods to her, then grabs Shae.
They are laughing at her as two of them pull her legs apart and clamp manacles to her knees, “LEAVE SHAE ALONE!” She tries biting at one, and she tries to kick the goliath as he drops his pants. The shifter laughs, “We’ll need to break her teeth out. She’s a biter.” The goliath gets closer as Shae continues to fight; she feels a touch and sees a wisp of smoke in front of her face as Sylnoa’s face materializes, “Shae needs to come with Sylnoa. This is not real.” Shae screams, “SHAE MUST HELP KARA!” Sylnoa says, “Shae, please come with Sylnoa. This is Kara’s memory. If Shae doesn’t come, Shae will be hurt.” Shae starts crying, “Shae can’t leave Kara. Shae can’t let these people hurt Kara again.” Sylnoa places her hands on Shae’s cheeks and kisses her forehead, “Shae, they can’t hurt Kara again. This is Kara’s memory. Please don’t make Sylnoa lose two Sisters today.” Shae closes her eyes and feels herself pulled. Then, she feels a weight on her as Sylnoa collapses; she opens her eyes to Ava, Elra, Aran Sister Maen, and several other Sisters around her. Shae begins to wail, “Please help Kara. Please get her out of there.”
Elra grabs the mirror and moves it away. Ava picks up Sylnoa, feels her breathing steady, carries her over to her bed, and lays her back down. Ari comes over and checks Sylnoa, too, “She’s fine, completely exhausted, but fine. She just needs rest, as do you. So, you either lay down too, or I’ll get Sister Stoutstorm to make you lay down.”
There is a tap, tap, tap at Sasha’s door, and then it eases open. Captain Bloodhammer peaks in. Gunthar motions him in, “She’s still out, Tomak; we’re not completely sure why other than it’s tied to Kara.” Tomak places a hand between Gunthar’s shoulders, “Come with me.” Gunthar looks at Avvaran. She motions him out. Tomak guides Gunthar into an adjoining room overlooking the courtyard. He looks out, and every person in Nexus is standing in the courtyard or on the battlements looking at the tower, “Don’t worry, some you can’t see are watching for the dragon, but trust me, they are listening. You need to let them know something.” Gunthar says, “I don’t know what to say.” Tomak asks him, “What would Sasha or Kara tell them?” Gunthar smiles, “The truth.” Gunthar opens the window and looks out at everyone, “My friends.” He thinks he could hear a pin drop into a haystack across the courtyard, “We think something has happened to Kara, and it has somehow affected Princess Cinderblade. As many of you know, Kara is on the other side of the world, trying to make her way home to us. She is also pregnant with their fourth child. Her name will be Camiella.”
He hears a few gasps, “When you pray to whatever god you follow, pray for Kara and her child to be safe.” Someone yells, “Let’s just go get Kara.” Gunthar shakes his head, “Trust me, we’ve tried to think of every way we could to do just that. Teleportation seems to only work between newly created circles. Right now, we can’t even contact her companions. No form of magical communication is working. The best thing we can all do is continue the work the Princess started. Get into the artifacts vault and see what is still there. Maybe something there can help. Our goal right now is to find out where this Aetherium comes from, it can heal Nexus. If we can heal Nexus, maybe we can create a portal to bring Kara home. The last thing either one of them would want us to do is sit around doing nothing. Go back to work. If there is any change, we will let you know.” He stands there for a few seconds. Captain Bloodhammer yells out, “You heard him. Get yer arses back to work or whatever you were doing.” People start moving, talking, and returning to what they were doing. Tomak looks at him, “They need to see you out there with them. If you’re bottled up in here, they will keep looking up here for guidance.” Gunthar says, “I’ll be out shortly.” He looks down at himself, “I’ll get changed first.”
Elra takes Shae’s hands, “What in the hells were you thinking, girl?” She looks at Elra, “Shae must help Kara. They are torturing her, hurting her. They dragged her in by her hair. She is hurt.” Sisters across the main hall go silent.
Elra sighs; she climbs onto a table so everyone can see her. “Sisters, it’s time all of you know something. I promised Kara a few days ago I would say nothing, at least not until she is long gone from here. I’m breaking that promise now; there is something you need to know about because I need your full attention to help her.” Aran and Ava stand, “This girl you helped today. Karael is the foundation of the Sisters of Veleris. She is not a girl named after the hero of legend; she is the same girl who threw herself against the Dragon Queen years ago. She would do anything to protect her friends, family, and world. Now she needs us. We must find a way to pull her out of the torment that monster Malachi has trapped her in. I don’t know what spells he used on her; we need to find out. Right now, the only person that saw and heard him cast is lying in that bed over there.” She points at Sylnoa, “She, too, has sacrificed nearly everything trying to bring Kara back to us. You just heard Sister Shae. Sister Shae went into this nightmare trying to bring Kara back to us and was almost lost herself.” Elra pauses to look around the room.
“Many of you returned from the field with us. You were there when she asked the gods to rescue the souls of the Sisters we lost, and the gods answered her. Since our paths crossed, I’ve seen Veleris three times, I’ve met Bahamut, and three people, if not more, have met Elirae. Now it’s our turn to help Sister Cinderblade and the Sister none of you have met yet, her unborn daughter, Sister Camiella Karael Sasha Proudshard Cinderblade.”
She looks at Aran, “There is another first you’ve never met, Brother Aranark. It’s not just Sisters who have come from lives of torment; there are Brothers out there, too. Brother Aranark is the first Brother of this temple.” All the Sisters turn to him as he shifts nervously from foot to foot. “If you have any idea of what was used on Kara or a way to find out, come to me. If you have something you need to be doing, do it. If you can spare time, pray for Sister Kara and Sister Camiella.” Elra takes a deep breath, “I need to ask one more thing of you, and this is not for the weak. I need volunteers to ride nonstop to Cragcall. Normally, that is a two-week ride. I need it done in three days.”
A familiar voice says, “I will do it.” Elra looks. Ava is on her feet, “You will have to beat me unconscious and lock me in the dungeons to stop me.” Another says, “Me.” As Xanathe Silentstar stands. Every Sister in the main hall stands, and then one unique voice among them says, “Me too.” as Aran steps forward, “What kind of example would the first Brother set if he didn’t go.” Elra says, “This is not a ride for bears.” Ava says, “I have an idea, but it will require all paladins. We need to leave now.” Elra says, “You are barely on your feet.” Ava says, “It’s not the first time, yet I rode nonstop to find the Sisters, then rode back with them to save the Crossroad’s refugees. Paladins that can summon mounts outside in fifteen minutes. Sisters that can get us some supplies, things we can eat in the saddle, and potions, meet us out there.” Ava turns to leave with Xanathe and Aran. Elra wipes her hand over her face, as fifteen Sisters follow them out, including Sister Varsk.
Ari follows Ava outside. “Why doesn’t anyone ever listen to me? You and Xanathe need rest.” Ava grins. “When Kara wakes up, I will rest.”
Aran looks at Xan and Ava, “I’m riding a horse. It will not make that ride. What about me, Ava?” Ava says “Fearless” in infernal. The nightmare steps out of the ethereal. She talks to Fearless in infernal and quickly explains what happened and what they need to do. Aran hears his name. Fearless looks at him and nods. Ava turns to Aran, “You can ride Fearless. I will warn you, Kara said he’s faster than Chomasuke.” She turns to the other Sisters, “Ritual cast your spell to summon your mount. Make them marrowfang stalkers. They are much faster than bears. The Sisters all sit and start casting. She joins them, and in ten minutes, marrowfang stalkers start appearing. Chomasuke appears for Ava; she doesn’t understand, but in her mind, she hears, “Chomasuke serves Ava now. Ava helps Kara.” Ava hugs her, “You do have a voice. I can’t believe it. Girl, Kara needs our help. We need to ride nonstop for Cragcall.” Chomasuke says, “I will run until this body dies. Then I will return to Elysium until you summon me again.”
Aran stands with Rasome and Tai, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see Lines betrayal. If I had known, I would have,,,” Tai places her finger over Aran’s lips to hush him, then goes up on her toes and kisses him. Just as he begins to lose himself, Rasome pulls Tai away, “Tai, That’s far too soft. Let me show you the proper way to see a warrior off. She grabs Aran and pushes him back into Fearless, then presses herself against him for a long kiss. When she pulls back, he stands there with his eyes closed. Tai pokes him, “You can open your eyes now. When you get back, we’ll be here.” They turn and walk away. Elra watches them, then turns to Ava, “Here, take this.” She hands an amulet in the shape of an hourglass to her. “It will grant great speed to your band of riders once per day. I want this back as soon as you return. Get to Arden. But please don’t ride back here without resting before returning yourselves. Send Arden in this direction as fast as he can come.” Sisters hand packs to each Sister about to ride. Ava forms the spearhead of the ride. Then she takes off on Chomasuke, leaping over the crowd outside the gate to the temple. Aran follows at the rear, with Fearless easily keeping pace. The college dean walks in; this time, the sternest glare won’t turn him away.
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Dean Ta Ian walks up the steps, flanked by four guards and the sweaty gnome Celhana Musgrane, his accountant. She always wears glasses so thick they look like they were made from the bottoms of liquor bottles and writes in a book that floats in front of her.
Elra raises her hand, “Good afternoon, Ta; how are you?”
The Dean walks up the steps, taking them in ones and twos, sometimes taking a step to the side before taking the next. He’s always looking around, never stopping, and sniffling. Elra can’t stand this man, but he runs the city, “I don’t see what’s good about it, Elra, no, not at all. It was a peaceful day until you and your…” Elra interrupts him, “Sprang into action and defended the city from an attacker?” He looks at the gnome, then back to Elra, “It looked an awful lot like there were only Sisters involved to me, and it also looked like you brought prisoners back here.”
Elra puts one hand on one hip and pulls out The Holy Symbol of Veleris, “We kind of take care of dealing justice here, at The Temple of Veleris, Dean Ian. Plus, those prisoners attacked Sisters and we’re going to find out why.”
The Dean huffs, looking at the Temple, then to Elra, then to the gnome, and around at his guards, “The temple is not the final word of justice in Flamegarden. That, whatever you want to call it, damaged several buildings, and several citizens were injured.” He looks at the gnome. She flips several pages, “At least five thousand four hundred and fifty-two gold pieces worth of damage to various buildings, twenty-three citizens injured, and four who are now homeless.”
Elra looks at her with contempt, “I personally would have started with the people injured and ended with the cost of rebuilding. But maybe that’s just me. My Sisters healed everyone before they healed themselves. If we missed someone, send them to the temple and we will take care of them. For the people left homeless, I will send Sisters to get them. They can stay here until their homes are rebuilt if they have no other place to stay. As for everything else. Again, I will send Sisters to assess the damage, and we will help rebuild anything that was damaged.” She turns her full attention to the Dean and takes a step into his personal space, “The Temple of Veleris will take care of Flamegarden, as it always has.” She looks at his bodyguards, then sniffs the air. It smells almost acidic. All of them are trying not to look intimidated, but they look like they’re about to piss themselves, except for one. A tall, thin man wearing a black cloak. Elra looks at him for a while, trying to see the face, but it’s obscured.
Elra and the Dean both take a step back, “As I said, send the wounded and the homeless here. The Sisters will take care of them since the city doesn’t seem to be able to. I’ve got other matters of business. See Sister Maen to schedule an appointment.” She walks off as the Dean looks from her to the gnome, then his guards, as if he had much more to say. After several moments, he finally walks back down the steps, again taking them in ones and two, sometimes taking a step to the left or right and leaving the temple.
Sisters Rasome and Tai step from behind columns to follow Elra back into the temple. Rasome clears her throat, prompting Elra to come to a stop; she turns to Sister Rasome, “Yes, Sister?” Rasome looks at Tai, “Do you have any idea why the shadow elf, Lines, turned on us, and did you suspect something?” Elra looks down, “Yes, we suspected. We don’t know why he betrayed us. We made last-second changes when we suspected. We were hoping we were wrong.” Tai asks, “Who is “we”?” Elra looks at Tai, “Aran is not one of the “we’s”, I doubt he had a clue. He has two brains, and thanks to you two, he wasn’t thinking with the one between his ears. I am the “we”, I couldn’t tell anyone; if I had, someone may have let something slip. I’m sorry.” She looks at Rasome, “Were you able to bring back enough of him to question?” Rasome nods, “His head, with his jaw intact.” Elra says, “We’ll question him tomorrow when we have spells to spare. Both of you can attend. There is something else I suspect, but I can’t say anything until I question him.”
As soon as they leave the city Ava touches the amulet. The terrain blurs around all the riders as a group. It doesn’t last long, but when their vision seems to return to normal, Ava looks back. Flamegarden is nowhere in sight.
Kara hides in the far back corner of the cell; she has covered herself in straw and shit, trying to blend in with the wall. Another, a man in the cell with her, is standing against the opposite wall, looking around nervously. They just threw him in a few hours ago. He is still clean, considering. He looks down at Kara, “Where are we? Why am I here?” Kara looks away from him, trying to push herself as tightly into the corner as possible. He grabs her shoulders and shakes her, “Girl! Where are we?” Kara only makes animal-like sounds, as she tries to remove herself from everything. From outside the cell, a deep voice, “Getting to know our little bitch yet? Feel free to fuck her.” The man lets Kara go, running to bars. He reaches through and grabs for the goliath. Then he screams as both of his arms snap when the goliath grabs them and bends them in directions they should not bend. Another voice, “What’s the matter, boss? New meat didn’t want to dip his cock in the little bitch?” The goliath looks at the shifter, “Get the table ready, Flax, and ask Tosia to come here. She may want to play with this one.” The goliath shoves the man back into the cell, ignoring his screams, and then opens the door. He steps in and grabs the man by the ankles, then looks at Kara, “You’re coming too, little bitch, I want you to watch this. Hells, you may even enjoy watching someone receive the Mistress's pleasures.” He grabs the back of her neck, and she stumbles along obediently as he drags the man out of the cell and into the torture chamber.
He chains her collar to the wall, “Sit!”. She squats down to the sitting position. Broma looks at her, “We’re not going to do anything more with you today. Provided you don’t pull that little stunt where you make yourself go numb.” He looks at an aetherian standing in the room, “Ka’Amas, If she tries to slip out of her body, go in and teach her why that’s a bad idea.” He grabs her face and makes her look at him, “Yeah, we know what you’re doing, and our new addition can and will follow you in. He’ll keep that mind in your body while we teach you to be a proper regent.” He turns her face so she can see the man. He is strapped to an “X” table, still moaning about the pain in his arms as the reptilian, Tosia walks around him, looking at him like he’s a piece of meat about to be butchered. She arranges the knives, saws and other devices.
Broma makes Kara look at him, “Now, for today’s lesson, we’re going to decide how fast he dies; the closer you pay attention, the faster it goes. If you look away, even for a second, I will heal him, and Tosia will start over.” Kara looks at Broma, “Now, if you do well, we’ll clean you up, and you can be my bed warmer tonight. You do bad, and I’ll let Flax have you as his bed warmer tonight. See, it’s a win-win for you. You get a warm bed.” Kara sees Tosia cut the man between the legs and hears the flesh rip from the rusty blade. The scream is inhuman. As tears stream down her cheeks, Kara looks away, “Ah, see that you looked away. We need to start over now. You’re not being good.” Broma releases Kara’s face, walks over to the torture rack, and heals the man of all his wounds. He grabs the man’s face and turns it toward Kara, “Look at my little bitch. Watch her close. Every time she looks away, we’re going to start over with you.” He cries, “Why are you doing this.” Broma turns the man’s face toward him, “For her, of course.” Turning his face back toward Kara, “My Mistress, my goddess, Azura.”
Sasha sits on the blood-soaked ground, broken bodies all around her. Nexus has collapsed and is burning. She holds Phyrra in her lap as she sobs. Phyrra’s neck is broken; somewhere in the smoke, someone screams; she hears the steel hit flesh, then the wet smack as it hits again and again until it turns to a crunch as it shatters bones. Not far away lies Anya. Her skull is crushed in. Cyndra comes running in from the smoke, going to her knees. She sees Phyrra as tears stream from her eyes. She wraps her arms around both Phyrra and Sasha, “Sasha, we’ve got to move. She’s coming back. You can’t be here when she does.”
Cyndra tries to pull Sasha up, but there is no more reason to live. She doesn’t even try. Cyndra tries again, then suddenly tenses up and starts to gag. Sasha pulls Phyrra in close, hugging her as Kara leans down, holding the back of Cyndra’s neck, “You thought you were going to have a family with my regent? You thought you were going to spend your life with “me,” happy.” Kara slams Cyndra’s face into the ground, and she hears bones in her face crunch. Kara looks at her, “Look at me, I’m power incarnate, I rule this world. I’ve killed your children, your friends, and your people. Now I will hang you from a wall and make you watch how a real ruler commands a world.” Sasha sits on the blood-soaked ground as it starts over again.
Elra returns to the main hall; Shae is once again sitting next to Kara. Next to her, she has a bowl of water and a piece of cloth, wetting it and letting it drip into Kara’s mouth. She sees three Sisters sitting on the floor facing each other on the far side of the room. As she gets closer, she realizes they are casting divination through ritual. She backs off so she doesn’t disturb them. Xiam walks in with four Sisters carrying books that they quietly deposit on a table, then leave, headed for the accounting vault. Elra glances at the books, which are all about nightmares, dreams, divination, and curses. Sisters Ari, Ula, and Seit enter the main hall; they see Elra and walk over, “How can we help Sister Stoutstorm?”
Elra smiles at them, “Get a few more healing potions from the vault. The Dean claims several people were injured. Whether they were injured in the battle or not, heal them. Elra steps and stumbles; Ari grabs hold of her, “Elra, you are the Sister in charge of us all, but right now, I am going to take you to your quarters where you will rest. Seit, Ula, go get the potions. I’ll be right back.” Elra doesn’t argue. She walks with Ari’s support to her chamber. Inside, Ari makes Elra sit on her bed, “If you are urgently needed, someone will get you.” Ari leaves. Elra hears Ari remove the plank from the door, signified that she is not to be disturbed except in an emergency. Elra doesn’t remember laying down. She is asleep before she lays back.
Elra dreams of first meeting Arden in a tavern in Everwind. He was three sheets to the wind and cussing at his holy symbol. He looked like a vagrant and smelled like an open sewer. She had recently become a cleric of Veleris and was disgusted by him, “You, how dare you insult Veleris.” She reaches for his holy symbol, but he slaps the top of her hand so hard it feels like it was hit by a hammer, “Leave that alone, it’s mine. I’ll do what I want with it.” Elra balls up her fist to swing at him, but someone lays a hand on her fist, making her stop to look; a halfling says, “Hello. There’s no need for trouble in here, is there?” Elra looks at the halfling, then at Arden, “Mind your own business.” The halfling says, “That’s good advice. Do you ever listen to your own advice?” Elra unclenches her fist, “You with him?” The halfling says, “Yeah, in a way. He’s got to work out some issues, so I’m just trying to make sure he doesn’t do something stupid. What about you? What are you up to?” She looks at the halfling, “Looking for an adventuring group, a purpose, whatever comes along. I need gold if I’m going to eat.” On stage, a bard is telling a story about a girl who sacrificed herself to save the world and how she defeated The Dragon Queen. Elra laughs. The halfling asks, “What’s so funny.” Elra points at the bard, “Who believes this shit, a girl defeating the Dragon Queen, The Goddess of all evil dragons. Nothing but shit stories.” The halfling says, “Let me get dinner and some good ale and tell you a story. My name is Fastbrand.” She indicates to Elra, “Elra Stoutstorm.”
Fastbrand tells Elra about a group of friends coming together to put down some raiders, but the raiders are just some people defending their home, and the people who hired them are a dragon cult looking for sacrifices. They turned on the dragon cult, then began a two-year-long journey of helping the helpless, lifting the hopeless, and finally ending with the girl sacrificing herself to keep her friends from dying and to save the world. She looks at Elra, “What did you think?” Elra says, “There are lots of people that need a place, a purpose. You’ve truly inspired me Fastbrand. This girl and her friend, Whelp, gave everything to those less fortunate and people needing a place to belong. It may take a while, but I will make a place for them.” Fastbrand rocks back in her chair, “Kara needs you, Elra. You need to find a way to save her. Far more lives are at stake than hers, but you must be prepared to make a hard choice.” Elra’s eyes come open. She looks at her clock, “Shit, it’s four in the morning. I’ve slept all day and all night.” She stands, realizing she’s still in clothes from yesterday.
In the main hall, she sees Ari, Seit, and Ula sitting beside Sylnoa, “Have you three slept? They all look at her and nod/shake their heads.” Seit says, “We all took shifts and got “some” rest. We’ve been here telling Sylnoa stories.” Elra looks at Sylnoa. Her eyes are still closed. Ula says, “Just because she’s not conscious doesn’t mean she can’t hear us.” Ari says, “She needs to know she’s not alone. Besides, the only people who showed up were for stubbed toes, broken fingers, etc. Not one caused by the battle, but we healed them as you instructed. There are two families in the guest quarters, they were unhurt. The mother of a boy told us that when Kara and Night Talon crashed into their house, Night Talon tried to kill her son, but Kara somehow kept him from being injured by taking the blow for him.” Elra looks over at Kara. Shae is in the same place. Now, just sitting, holding her hand. Seit says, “She hasn’t moved from her side. We brought her some food, but she didn’t touch it and refused to drink.” Other Sisters move around the main hall while others sleep on the makeshift beds. Ula says, “Most worked into the night. They did the same as us, taking shifts, researching, etc.” Elra looks at Ula but shakes her head, “Nothing definitive. They think the spells used on Kara were mental prison and a feeble mind. The rest, it’s best if they tell you.” Elra walks over to Kara and Shae.
She pulls one of Kara’s eyes open, then the other. Neither dilates. She places a hand on her forehead. It feels cool, too cool. Her breathing is very faint. She casts a healing spell; she feels a faint life within her. She sees Shae watching her every move, “She’s going to pull out of this Shae, but Shae needs to eat. Kara needs Shae strong for her.” Shae lays her head down on Kara’s hand without saying a word. She walks into the kitchens, picks up a small loaf of bread and, pours herself a mug of juice, then walks outside; sunrise will be soon, “What do I need to do, Veleris, Fastbrand, Fasty, whatever name you go by? She isn’t doing good.” She stands there, hoping to hear a voice next to her, but she only hears the early morning birds that come out just before dawn. She sits down and prays to Veleris, asking and pleading for guidance. Other Sisters join her, the first of whom are Rasome and Tai. Both of them sit and say a prayer to Veleris first. Other Sisters soon join them. While waiting for dawn, some Crownsguards come in. One asks a Sister, “May we join you? We rode back with you and saw what she did for our friends. We heard she was injured.” Elra doesn’t hear what the Sister says, but the Crownsguard sits at the bottom of the steps. Just before dawn they all say the tenants of Elirae. Again, Elra asks for guidance. The commander of the Crownsguard stands. He doesn’t look at Elra and barely says it loud enough for her to hear, “We stand with you when needed.” He walks off as she stares at him.
They all agreed as they began the journey. If one drops, another will drop with them, so no one is left alone on the ride to Cragcall. No one dropped out until just before dawn. Then Sister Dew’s marrowfang stalker stumbled to a stop and collapsed, so Sister Ash stopped with her while the rest continued. All the marrowfang stalkers look like they would fall over if they stopped. Ava can feel Chomasuke’s heart pounding, but she refuses to stop. Fearless is breathing so hard that she can hear him nearly fifty feet ahead. Aran and Fearless have led the entire ride, with Aran looking back occasionally to make sure the others are still there. The riders have long since lost all feeling in their arms and legs. The paladins have expended all their healing on themselves and their mounts. Aran has drunk two healing potions and gotten Fearless to slow once, just long enough for him to reach down from the saddle and feed one to him. Any conversations that were going on ended last night as the sun went down. By that night, they passed hundreds of bodies of refugees that fled Crossroads just before dawn, or what was left from the scavengers and carrion feeders. Aran drops back enough for Ava and Xanathe to come up along either side. Ava yells, “You going to make it?” Aran nods, “At this pace, we will be in Cragcall by noon tomorrow. I’m not stopping unless Fearless stops, and if I do stop I don’t want anyone stopping with me. What about that amulet?” He looks at Ava and Xanathe, and both give him a thumbs up. Ava yells, “Everyone get ready.” She focuses on the amulet. Everything around them blurs.
When they exit the, the time shift as Ava calls it. Ava drops back checking on the other Sisters. Before she reaches the back of the pack, Sisters Voidbreaker’s mount goes to walk, falls over, and Pridecall stops with her, waving the rest on.
Inside, Elra checks on Sylnoa again. She strokes her hair, “Sylnoa, Sylnoa, can you hear me? We need you awake, girl, bad.” Sylnoa doesn’t respond. Ari sits beside her again, “I’ll stay with her and keep trying.” Elra nods and looks around the main hall. She sees Rasome and Tai, “Sisters, bring that head to my chambers. We’re going to ask it some questions.” The Sisters jog to catch up with Elra and walk with her the rest of the way. Elra pulls a chair up close to a short, round table, as do Rasome and Tai. Rasome reaches into a bag of holding and removes Lines’ head from it, placing it on the table. Elra looks at the head, then at Rasome, “The jaw is about the only thing intact, but it should be enough.” She lights some incense and then casts speak with the dead. The jaw starts to move like it’s trying to form words, letting her know she cast it successfully.
She looks at Rasome and Tai and asks, “Why did you attack your friends and the Sisters?” The head says, “I was compelled to do so after joining Karael’s company.”
She asks, “Who compelled you?” The head says, “A servant of Malachi. An aetherian of great power.”
She asks, “Why did Malachi attack Kara?” The head says, “She has interfered with his plans. She is a key.”
She asks, “What are the dragon’s plans.” The head says nothing.
She asks, “Who attacked Sylnoa in Kara’s dream the other night?” The head says, “The aetherian.”
The head of Lines stops moving. Tai asks, “Should we raise him? It sounds like he was forced to do what he did, so he had no choice but to do what he was told.” Elra shakes her head, “No, he was a follower of Raventh. Coming back would be against his belief.” Rasome says, “An aetherian of any kind would stand out like a sore thumb around here. They would need to stay hidden, out of sight, or say, under robes.” Elra looks at her, “I know where this is going—the Dean’s guard. Stay away until we know more about this aetherian. But stay alert and let the other Sisters know.” Tai asks, “How do we know if others aren’t being compelled?” They look at each other. Elra says, “We listen to what people say, watch for changes in their mannerisms, etc. I don’t think anyone noticed Lines because it happened so soon after he joined Kara’s company. It happened before, which means the whole… Shit. We need to talk to Shae.” All three get up and hastily walk to the main hall.
Shae is still sitting next to Kara. Before going to her, Elra holds up a hand to stop Rasome and Tai. She steps into the kitchen gets a couple of bowls of broth, and heats them with a cantrip. The three approach Kara’s bed, and Shae again drips water into Kara’s mouth. Both Kara and Shae are looking bad. Elra sets the broth down, “Here, try this, Shae. It’s more nourishing than just water.” Shae looks at the three with gratitude as she takes one bowl and starts dripping it into Kara’s mouth. Shae says with a raspy, dry voice, “Shae thanks Sister Stoutstorm, but Shae needs nothing.” Looking at the second bowl. She slides it toward Elra. Elra sits next to Shae, “Shae needs nourishment, too, if you are to remain by Kara’s side. Shae can call Sister Stoutstorm, Elra, from now on. Elra also needs to ask Shae some questions.” Elra pushes the bowl back toward Shae. She looks at Shae, “Shae mistakes Elra’s order for a request. If Elra must have ten Sisters hold Shae down while broth is poured down Shae’s throat, Elra will do just that.”
Shae looks at Elra like she doesn’t care. Elra sighs, “Listen, Shae, please eat something for Kara, me, and your Sisters. I promise, if we need someone to go back into Kara’s mind to pull her out, Elra will let Shae go.” Shae seems to focus some on this statement. Elra scoops up some of the broth with a spoon and holds it up for Shae. She drinks the spoonful. Tai sits on the other side of Shae, “Here, Shae, Tai will feed Kara while Shae drinks and talks to Elra.” Shae lets Tai have the piece of cloth, then picks up her bowl and starts drinking.
While Shae drinks her broth, Elra asks, “Shae, Elra questioned Lines. Lines said he was placed under the control of a compulsion just after he joined The Wandering Mountain Trading Company.” Shae lowers the bowl, “Lines didn’t betray Kara?” Elra shakes her head, “No, but I need to know. Were there others with Lines?” Shae nods, “Many, all shadow elves.” Elra looks at Rasome, “Make sure the wards are up around the temple. Take whomever you need. If those other shadow elves were under the same control, they could try to attack here.” Rasome nods and leaves, looking around and calling out the names of Sisters. Elra sees Sister Caethaea standing, looking at them, with birds flitting around her; she gets a brief memory of Leo and his canaries, “Yes, Sister Caethaea, do you need something?” She approaches and pulls out some berries, “I made these berries; maybe they will help.” Elra holds out her hand, “Thank you, Sister Caethaea; they most definitely will.” The elf smiles, then turns quickly and leaves. Elra holds the berries out to Shae; when Shae reaches for one, Elra pulls her hand back, “Shae can squeeze the juice of two berries into Kara’s mouth if Shae eats one first.” Then she moves her hand back to Shae. Shae reaches out, takes three berries, and places one in her mouth. Elra says, “Chew and swallow.” Shae does as told, and Elra sees some of the color return. Then Shae squeezes the juice of two into Kara’s mouth. All three of them see some of the color return to Kara.
Sylnoa yells out, “KARA!” from across the main hall. Elra sees her sit up as she turns, “Thank Veleris.” Shae nods to her as she stands. Elra looks at Shae, “I need Shae to talk to Sylnoa. Let Tai take care of Kara for a little while, trust Shae’s Sisters.” Shae stands. Her legs feel weak. Elra takes her arm, and they walk to Sylnoa together; by the time they get there, Ari has calmed her, but she’s refusing to lie back down. She’s sitting on the edge of the bed, looking around, confused, asking, “Where is Ava? How is Kara? Is Shae okay?” She stops asking about Shae when she sees Elra and Shae approaching. Ari is standing in front of her, “Calm down, Sylnoa. Ava left for Cragcall over a day ago to get help; she will return as soon as possible. Aran and fifteen other Sisters went with her. Kara is unchanged. See, there is Shae.” Ari steps to the side. Sylnoa tries to stand to hug Shae, but her legs give out. Ari barely manages to catch her and heft her back onto the bed.
Elra shakes her head, “What is it with all of you? You spend too much time with Kara, and all of you go jumping in front of every blow and pushing yourselves far past where normal people would collapse. Sit down. We need to talk.” Elra sits Shae down in the chair Ari was sitting in, “I need to understand what state Kara is in?” Shae starts to tear up, “They are torturing Kara.” Elra looks at Sylnoa, “Explain.” Sylnoa says, “Whatever Malachi did, it trapped Kara in her in memory from her past, when she was in prison, and they were trying to break her. To make her into Azura’s regent. When I went into Shae’s mind, they somehow saw Shae there and were in the process of trying to,,,” Sylnoa looks at the floor, “rape Shae.” Elra looks at Shae; she looks down at the floor, too, “Sylnoa is correct. They saw Shae and attacked Shae.” Elra looks at Sylnoa and shrugs, “I don’t know, I don’t understand. Memories shouldn’t be aware of anyone’s presence outside the memory. What did he do to Kara?” Ari says, “He cast mental prison on her and feeble mind.” Sylnoa gets a horrified expression, “That would put her in the worst place she could imagine and remove her ability to distinguish any sense of reality. She is there, with no concept that she escaped.”
Elra kneels in front of Shae, “When they attacked you, Shae, could you fight back? Did you have your weapons?” She nods, “Yes, but they were too strong for Shae.” Shae starts wiping tears away, “They were dragging Kara around and threw her into a cell. Kara looked so helpless; Kara needs the Sister’s help.” Elra says, “Kara will get help as soon as we can figure out how. Shae can go back to Kara now.” Elra looks at Ari. She takes Shae’s arms and escorts her back to Kara’s bed. Sylnoa looks at Elra like she feels a “But” coming.
When they are well out of earshot, Elra tells Sylnoa, “Shae has been a wreck since you pulled her out yesterday morning; she hadn’t eaten until I just forced her to, and she hasn’t rested at all, so what I’m about to tell you stays with you and only you.” Sylnoa gets a worried look but nods, “I mean it, Sylnoa. We’re the only ones here who can make decisions for Kara, and I depend on your insight.” Sylnoa’s eyes start to tear up, but she swallows and nods. Elra steps in front of her, “Kara’s health is going down. She’s getting weaker. It’s straining her body tremendously; her innate abilities are protecting her child at the cost of her own life. If Arden doesn’t get here soon, we may have to make a choice.”
Sylnoa starts shaking her head, crying, “no, no, no.” Elra takes Sylnoa in her arms, “I’m sorry, Sylnoa. I’ll hold off as long as possible. I need you levelheaded, rested, and thinking about how we can get her out.” Sylnoa nods. Elra says, “I’ll get Ari and Ula to bring you some food, and I want all three of you to brainstorm ideas on how to get her out. Got it?” Sylnoa nods. Elra walks back over to Shae; as she passes Ari, she tells her to get some food for Sylnoa and then work with her and Ula.
Elra takes Shae’s arm to help her the rest of the way, “Shae, if we need to go back in. Elra wants Shae with us.” Shae looks up with some excitement, “But only if Shae is rested and ready to fight. Will Shae rest and let Sister Tai care for Kara?” Shae looks at Tai, “Shae will rest, but Shae will not leave Kara’s side.” Elra smiles, “If that’s the best Elra will get from Shae, then Elra will accept that. Now rest, girl. Kara will need you.” Elra snaps a finger at Tai to get her attention, “Take care of Kara and make sure this girl rests.” She looks Tai in the eye and silently mouths, “Sleeping drought.” Tai nods to her.
Kara lays strapped to the rack. No one else is in the chamber with her. She thought Flax was going to finally kill her last night when she laughed at him. But Broma overheard the beating he was giving her, interrupted him before he could kill her, and dropped her into the cess pit to think about her place. No one has been here to check on her for several hours. An array of instruments is arranged so she can see them, no doubt to give her time to contemplate what will come. The rack has been turned to face away from the door, facing the back wall where various jars and bottles are arranged with a variety of potions, poisons, acids, and, worst of all, Pain. She hears the door open behind her, and immediately, her mind disconnects or tries to. She feels something grab her mind and hold her. She tries again. It has an iron grip and won’t let her go. Looking side to side, Warden walks around from her left, “Oh, she’s still here.” She looks past Kara at the door, smiling with delight. “She actually appears terrified. I haven’t seen this look on her for nearly a year.” Warden laughs as she leans over so close to Kara’s face that she loses the ability to focus on her. “Oh, you’re going to love this beautiful. Come take a look, Broma.” She hears the heavy footsteps of the goliath as he walks around to her right side.
Kara starts shaking her head. She would try to knock herself out, but there’s nothing close enough to hit her head on. Tears start streaming down her face as she tries to scream, but all she manages are pitiful rasps. Broma pinches her right breast so hard it makes her tense up in pain, then he laughs too, “My little bitch isn’t a lump of meat.” Warden says, “I told you not to call her that. What if Her Majesty Azura connected to her and heard you? Plus, if you would ever learn to do your job, our pretty little blonde girl here will be your boss.” Broma looks from Kara to Warden, “Bah, as long as she’s broken, the Mistress will not be offended; plus, by the time I’m done breaking her, she’ll lick the sweat from my balls anytime I snap my fingers.” Warden laughs at Broma, “She’s liable to cut your balls off and make you eat them. Let’s see how good it works.” Warden walks over to the tables along the back wall, picks up some long leather gloves, slides them on, and selects a black jar with the Pain parasites.
Kara is bucking around in the rack, “Please, no. not that, I won’t try to leave again. please, please.” Warden looks back at Kara again, then to whoever is behind her, “I love it. You can even have her tonight.” Broma seems too not like this. Warden looks at him, “Is that jealousy I see, Broma? Oh, he deserves her. I tell you what. You can have her tomorrow night, and Ka’Amas can watch and keep her from escaping into that little paradise of the mind so you can hear her moan.” Warden picks up some tongs and walks back over to Kara. Kara is sweating profusely now; her eyes are moving back and forth so fast she can’t focus on any one thing as she hears the lid of the jar unscrew. Broma grabs her head and forces her mouth open as Warden drops the small, silvery parasite into her mouth. The blast of pain is instant and unending. Warden begins to caress her, at first, turning every nerve ending into liquid fire. Warden lets Broma take a knife to her feet to shut him up about Ka’Amas getting her tonight. Then, then he moves to cutting her fingers, which are magnified a thousand-fold.
Somewhere in the white of the pain, she can hear Warden in her mind, “All you need to do is dedicate yourself to Mistress Azura. She already owns your body, give your soul to her and it will stop.” Kara screams back, “NO!” Ka’Amas recoils from the emotion. He laughs, “This is going to be so much fun. He grabs her mind again, connecting Warden to her as she begins softly talking to her, telling her how easy it would be. She even tells her that she can have Broma and do whatever she wants with him. Warden feels Kara relax some at that. She keeps the focus on the revenge she can have against her torturers if all she does is submit and give her soul to the Mistress.
Sylnoa says, “Let’s try this again. Ari, you touch the mirror and start the memory; Ula, Xiam, Rasome, and Amethyst all go into the memory. Once you’re in, I will enter Ula’s mind and try to anchor all of you. This time, I’m going to add a phrase so that all of you can focus.” Sylnoa smiles, “I’ll say, “Slimy and naked.” They all give her a strange look, “Trust me, it’s something Kara will hopefully recognize too. Plus, we’ve been at this all day. I’m out of ideas.” Another voice says, “Shae will help too.” This time, Sylnoa comes off the bed without falling to hug Shae, “Shae, you beautiful elf. Thank you.” Sylnoa moves her face far enough away to look Shae in the eyes, “We’re going to get her, Shae; stop worrying.” Shae turns her head to look at Kara but doesn’t look convinced.
Ari closes her eyes and thinks of her worst memory before touching the mirror. She is not trying to just view it but to put herself into it, to become a part of it.
The ship is burning as people run around her screaming. Some are on fire and jumping into the sea. All around her, swords clash. A head thumps onto the deck in front of her face. She screams and looks up to see the body spraying blood as it falls over. The pirate reaches down for her, and his head snaps forward, impossibly far.
A massive female half-orc with a great club stands over her, kicking the pirate’s body out of the way.
An elf walks by, hurling daggers at pirates.
A purple elementi steps in front of her, firing spells from a wand.
Another elf walks by, firing arrows and dropping pirates.
A half-elf woman touches her; she feels life surge into her, healing her.
The half-orc pulls her up, “Ari, we’re here to get you out. Do you know me?” Ari shakes her head, terrified. An arrow hits the half-orc in the shoulder, and she screams a war cry at the archer who shot her. The half-orc stops like she’s listening to someone. She looks at Ari and screams, “SLIMY AND NAKED!” Ari says, “What?” thinking this sounds familiar.
All her rescuers start yelling over the battle, “SLIMY AND NAKED!” as she begins to recognize Ula, Rasome, Shae, Xiam, and Amethyst. Then she sees the ghostly image of Sylnoa, “Come back with us, Ari.”
All of them remove their hands from the mirror. Ari jerks away out of reflex, initially not realizing where she is. It takes a few moments to recognize her friends. Sylnoa slowly approaches her, with Ula next to her, “It’s okay, Ari, we’re back.” Ari shakes her head, “Did we do it?” Sylnoa smiles and nods. “I think we did?” Kara screams in with a dry raspy voice from the other side of the room and starts bucking on the bed. Tai is trying to hold her down but is getting thrown around. Shae is halfway across the room before anyone else reacts. Other Sisters nearby are starting to run in Kara’s direction too. Sylnoa looks at Ari, “Go get Elra, now!”. Ari runs from the room.