Elucard dashed down the dark corridor in a dead sprint. His footsteps echoed with each stride he took. He spotted a soft glow from a torch bobbing further up ahead. It had to be Tashna. He kept his eyes locked on the light; even with a split in the path and each twisted turn, he knew which way he needed to go and made sure to follow close behind.

“Elucard, wait up!” the distant voice of Quinn called out.

“Hurry up, Quinn!” Elucard shouted between breaths. “She’s getting away!”

Elucard nearly tripped over himself as the corridor turned into a steep staircase. He turned back to see how far Quinn was from him. How long could he give the harekin to catch up before Tashna completely escaped his grasp? The elf bit his lip until he tasted salty blood. Finally Quinn appeared from around the corner.

It was peculiar to Elucard. All his life the need to complete the mission outweighed the needs of his allies. The mission always drove him, but drove a wedge between him and his friends as well. To the point where the relationships that he claimed were sacred to him, he had lost for his bull-headed, narrow vision.

For the first time since becoming a Devil Jumper and meeting Mave, he saw that perhaps the value of the mission was not worth as much as the value of true friendship. In fact, the bigger picture was actually a very small picture. Mave showed him that and it took a dagger to the neck for him to agree. So waiting for Quinn to catch up was just another byproduct of learning to value his friends instead of ‘being a jerk’, as Essie might put it.

Was he a less effective tool for it? Or did the concept of being trustworthy make him a stronger tool? Only time would really tell.

“I’m here, Elucard,” a winded Quinn huffed. “Thanks for waiting, mate.”

Elucard hid a smile. “Not a problem.” Elucard turned his attention back to the stairs. The glow of the torch was now all but gone. Tashna had a commanding lead, but it still bounced as if the Div’Rah was still making her way down the stairs. There was still a chance to reach her.

“I know you can’t see well in the dark,” Elucard said without looking at the harekin, “so I am going to get down these stairs faster than you’ll be comfortable to travel.”

“What? You are going to just bloody bound the stairs? You’ll break your neck!”

“I have a plan,” Elucard said with a grin. “I learned a lot from jumping off of dragons, so just watch me apply it!”

Elucard took several steps backwards. He bent down low to the ground, rocking back and forth on either foot before lunging down the staircase. He extended his legs backwards and spread his silky webbing to catch his fall and began gliding down the flight of stairs.

Tucking in his arms to gain speed and then extending them to bank around the twisting staircase. He sailed faster and faster, quickly gaining speed and closing the gap from his prey. Tashna was now a mere few feet from him.

As the stairs came to an end, the corridor spilled into a massive part of the sewer. A small ferry floated at the side of the sewer channel. Elucard curled his back, catching a drift that threw him up to the ceiling. He dropped his hands and hovered over Tashna before diving down to tackle her to the ground.

Elucard grabbed the dazed Tashna by the collar and shook her violently. “Where is Koda?” he snarled in a threatening voice.

Tashna struggled with the elf’s tight grip. She wriggled desperately to get free.

Elucard struck her with a swift backhand. “I asked you a question!”

Tashna’s pupils shriveled in fear. “H-How dare you strike me you filth—”

Another stinging smack across her cheek silenced her quickly.

“You will listen and you will listen well,” Elucard spat. “I have tortured many men in my lifetime to get the answers that I wanted to hear.”

Tashna’s face quivered. “You have no idea who you are speak—”

Elucard took a rough hold of her chin and squeezed it until she grunted. “I have killed many more without hesitation or remorse. From the lowest scum to the highest of kings. All kinds of people have fallen to my blade. If you cross me, you will be no different.”

Tashna’s eyes drained black and then morphed into demonic amber ones. “You have never faced a foe such as I,” Tashna sneered.

Elucard felt his hands go limp. His face drooped. His eyes stared blankly at Tashna. In his head he knew he was being manipulated, but his body refused to listen to his screams for help. It felt like water rose up to his neck.

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I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!

“You vill release me now, elf!” Tashna spat.

In Elucard’s mind he heard Tashna’s words and a tiny bit of him fought to not listen, but the water continued to rise, and despite his best efforts to struggle, he could not keep this invasive voice at bay.

Tashna grinned as Elucard loosened his grip. “Take your dagger!”

No! Don’t listen to her!

Elucard’s muscles stiffened as if his arms had iron cast weights tied to them. Slowly he reached for his dagger.

No!

“Slit your throat,” commanded Tashna.

Elucard felt helpless as his hand rose to his throat and his blade’s edge nicked his flesh.

“Do it!” Tashna sneered.

Elucard’s hand quivered as it pushed the dagger further against his neck. All Elucard could do was watch his body act against him.

“Elucard!” Quinn’s voice shouted from behind Elucard as the harekin tackled him to the ground.

The spell broke. Elucard dropped his weapon and wiped the daze from his eyes. He looked to Tashna and leaped on her before she could scurry away. He pulled another dagger from his belt.

“We’re going to play a game, Tashna.” He snatched one of her hands and squeezed it so painfully the queen yelped. He then pressed his dagger’s edge against her index finger. “Each time you refuse to answer my questions, you will lose a finger.”

“What is going on here, mate?” asked Quinn.

“Don’t look into her eyes, Quinn!” warned Elucard.

“Please, rabbit! Help me! He’s crazy!” Her look of frozen fear had kept her in a frantic panic.

Elucard began to slice Tashna’s captured finger. “Talk and you will not be harmed. I promise you this.”

Tashna’s eyes turned a bright orange once more and she stared at the unsuspecting Quinn. “Kill this one, harekin! Kill Eluc—”

“Do not test me, Tashna. You have no idea what I am capable of!” Elucard hissed. He let loose a fierce backhand across her face once more. Tashna’s rebellious demeanor softened into a sulking one.

“Fine, fine. I’ll talk,” she sobbed. Tashna’s demonic eyes vanished. “Please stop hitting me.”

Elucard put away his dagger and let Quinn tie her hands and feet.

“Where is my king? Where is Koda Dawnedge?” Elucard asked.

Tashna looked up and winced. “I don’t know—”

“That answer isn’t good enough.” Elucard took out the dagger again.

“Vait! Vait!” Tashna shrieked. “I have a theory of vhere he is!”

Quinn took a hold of Elucard’s blade. “Let her speak.”

“Yes. Yes. Let me speak.” Tashna nodded her head up and down.

Elucard crossed his arms. “Spit it out.”

“There is an underground city near my castle. It may hold a Celestial Seal.”

“A what?” gawked Quinn in confusion.

Elucard’s grip on his dagger tightened at the words ‘Celestial Seal’. The last time he encountered one, it devastated the entire realm of Scorch. If the one in Blight were to break, it could harm Draak’Terra in an unknown way. Not only that, but Inle’s master would be one step closer to unleashing the gods upon the realms.

“Koda sought me out because of the seal in Blight. If my calculations are right, he vill be in that city.”

Elucard lifted Tasha by the collar and dragged her to the ferry. “You will lead us there.”

“Yes, of course. In exchange for my life,” said Tashna.

“You are in no position to bargain.” Elucard dropped his prisoner into the boat and gestured for Quinn to join him.

“You need me, if I don’t comply, then—”

“Then you will be in a world of hurt,” Elucard finished.

Tashna sucked in her lip and glanced at the harekin.

“Don’t look at me, lass, I’m not going to help you,” Quinn chuckled.

Tashna frowned in defeat. “At least untie my feet. These bonds are cutting into my delicate skin.”

Elucard rolled his eyes. “When you need to walk, I’ll make sure you can.” Elucard pushed the oar along the water. “Until then, you will speak only when spoken to!”

“Do you think the others made it out safely?” asked Quinn.

“If Mave is half as tough as she acts, they’ll be just fine,” assured Elucard. He took note of Quinn’s worrisome expression. “Listen up, Quinn.”

Quinn gave the elf his attention.

“The king might have gotten himself into some real trouble. If he is with a Celestial Seal, then he was brought there by the people who destroyed the last seal in Dragon Realm Scorch. We must do everything in our power to not only save Koda, but save all of Blight too.”

Quinn raised his brow. “What is a Celestial Seal, anyhow?”

“It’s really a long story, but the short of it is that a set of runes were drawn on Draak’Terra to cut us off from the gods. If they are destroyed the gods will bring their wars back to the mortal realm. Dahlemar will be free to command the Night once again and man will be caught in the clash,” explained Elucard.

“Save the king, save the seal, anything else I need to know?”

“There might be some fighting we have to do with a shady set of individuals. They are part of a shadow syndicate. I do not know how many members they have, but I have fought them before.”

Quinn punched his fist. “Right-O, then! Save the king, save the seal, fight some dastardly chaps, make it home for afternoon tea!”

Elucard shook his head and snickered. “That’s the plan, at least.”

But even the most sensible plans can come crashing down around me, and this is not a very sensible plan, thought Elucard.