A Mage's Tale Ch. 18

The room was bright in the morning sun. The feel of her body laying over mine made me hopeful things would go smoothly today. Sliding off the bed, I place my feet to the floor and have an unnerving realization. I'm colorblind. I close my eyes hoping it is just temporary. I stagger for the bathroom.

"How was your night, as if I need to ask." Stilla says setting silverware on the table.

"Don't you sleep?" I ask.

"Not more than an hour. I'm too afraid I won't wake up." She replies.

"This because of the ring and soul thing?" I ask stepping into the toilet.

"And he's right in one." Stilla says.

"Is that Nameless out there with you?" Strike calls from the second bedroom.

"Most of him." She says.

"Your wife's a funny one, Strike." I call back.

Stepping back out I am full frontal to the waiter putting food on the table. Strike snickers behind a hand hiding his grin. Stone shakes his head with half a grin himself. All bets are off when Jezabell steps out as naked as the blade she is wielding. The waiter yelps before scurrying from the room.

"Did you have to do that?" Stilla asks.

"He posed a threat. Don't use the jam. It's poisoned." Jezabell says.

Strike is out of his chair and at the waiter's throat before I have a chance to react. He whimpers and spills that the owner wanted it done. When food was ordered that none of elves would be eating, venom was laced in the food. Stone drops his fork back on the plate.

"So we aren't getting breakfast?" Stone asks.

"I'll handle this." I say stepping for the bedroom. "Toss him out. Don't kill him."

"But he'll warn them." Strike says.

"Yeah, I want him to." I say closing the door after Jezabell follows me in.

"Shall I hunt?" She asks.

"No." I answer putting my cloths on.

"Why?" She asks.

"I'm colorblind from over using my powers one way." I state.

"You're hoping that using it the other way will help restore your proper vision?" She asks.

"Something like that." I say pulling the last of my gear on.

"I will be in the ether." She says grabbing her things and fading away.

I open the door to find the three of them geared and ready. "Your call." Strike says.

"Just hang back. They want to make this about me. Well they have my attention." I reply walking towards the door.

As I figured the waiter ran down raising the alarm. When we got to the head of the staircase only a handful of armed people remained in the main room. A quick glance over the room gives me a little relief that none has a bow. The owner stands at the foot of the stairs blade drawn.

"You won't be leaving this building alive, Meadir." He says all but cursing the word Meadir.

"Unless you want to die, I suggest you leave." I say coldly holding eye contact with the owner. "You cuss the word at me without knowing what is means."

"You are nothing but a ..." I silence him by turning him to stone.

The others pull weapons but shield their eyes.

"You wanna die for him?" I ask.

They retreat further into the room.

"The stupid should not be allow to breed." I hiss at the statue as I walk past it.

None of them try to stop us as we walk from the building. I taller elf in long robes stands outside the building. Seeing us puts a scowl on his face. I turn right at him. He averts his eyes trying not to be noticeable. It's too late for that. After being hunted by so many others, having these abilities are going to be put to use. I won't run. Not anymore.

"You think to claim my corpse?" I yell at him.

The street comes to a stop.

"Your minion makes an ugly bird perch. I just have one question." I say.

"You vile despicable creature." He rants and he looses a chain lightning spell.

Knowing my ring is full I drive my sword into the ground. The arch of energy obliterates the blade but harms on one else on the street. The local wielders quickly side up. Two rush to his aid, the rest take up defensive potions against him. Not siding with me but I'll take what I can get.

"You call me monster, yet you would kill innocent people just in an attempt to wound me." I ask.

"How many of them would you feed on if I don't stop you?" He asks.

"None, elves are too gamey. You all might taste better if you ate meat." I say bluntly. "Though licking the females has been most satisfying. They seemed to enjoy it greatly." Strike chokes back a laugh.

"You will die for your vile existence." He growls.

"Try it." I say spells ready.

He starts to chant but I loose a missile at his face. He swings a hand up to block it. His sight of me blocked by his hand I rush forward. Hos eyes widen in fear making contact with mine. My eyes burn as I end him. I don't stop at his flesh. I kill him.

I close my eyes and try to regain my composure. I feel a hand at my shoulder but dare not look to see who it is. A few screams ring out from the onlookers. The hand pats twice before leaving my shoulder. At a guess it was Strike.

"All of you should be about you way." Strike says.

"Tell that thing to put him back." A male voice says closer to me.

At that I reach forward and shove the statue over. A few more gasps followed by a scream when it shatters on the ground. The discomfort in my eyes recedes so I timidly open my eyes. I can see color. I turn toward the demanding voice.

"I will not restore this pile of rubble. I didn't want to do this. By the law, he was wrong. By the rules of mage combat, he again was wrong. I have acted fairly and in self defense. By doing so saved any number of the innocent people here from harm. Would you still champion the rantings of a madman?"

"You will leave this city at once." A member of constabulary demands.

"Very well." I say as I take to the air.

Strike, Stilla, and Stone are quick to follow. Once outside the city limits I slow to let them catch up. Strike nods and takes point. I then follow. It is an hour before we touch back down. We are just at the edge of a small town. Stone's stomach growling has all of us thinking about food.

"How far are we from the boarder?" I ask.

"We passed it five minutes ago?" Strike says.

"How far are we from jackass's keep?" I ask.

"Fifteen minute flight. Six hour walk. Two by horse." Strike says.

"Food?" Stone asks.

"I'm with you." I say walking towards town.

"How did you find this insane fuck?" Stilla asks Strike.

"I fucked a mermaid so good she spared my life." I blurt as I pass her.

Stone steps to my side, "How was it?" He asks.

"Oh, you're that guy. Why do we need him?" I ask.

"We had enough weird this morning. Can we just get food and move on?" Strike asks.

No one says a word as we walk into the Inn. No one gives us any looks they shouldn't. Two full roasted chickens and a gallon of tea later, money's on the table as we head for the door. A swimg through an armor shop to grab a cheap sword and out of town we go.

"Do you have a plan Strike?" I ask.

"Once we're closer we recon the keep for the night. See were the Lord hangs his hat and lays his head. From that we get Stone here to give us a clue what might be hidden around that location. With his ego he isn't going to stay far from his trophies, so to speak." Strike says.

"Sounds reasonable." I say.

"Once we have a location that seems the best for the search, it slaughterhouse rules. Leave nothing in our wake to raise an alarm. If they are serving this fiend willing, death would be deserved. If they aren't willing, death will probably be welcome. You Ok with that Nameless?" Strike asks.

"Putting it that way, I can live with it. One pint of concern is the devil. It is to be taken alive. That said, if he has one..." I say.

"He may have others." Stone finishes the statement.

"That, I'm hoping, is where your Lordship comes in. As a Lord, you trump his enslavement. If we free them and you offer to take them into your house. You have allies and we have less to fight." Strike says. "The devil is supposedly already of your House. Freeing it first is the goal here."

"Moving order?" Stone asks.

"Moving order?" I ask, only confused.

"We'll decide on that after we get some idea of the layout of the buildings and guard placement." Strike says. "Nameless it's who goes first and who stays in the back."

"Got it." I say.

"Let's get a little more air under us before we are stuck walking." Strike says.

They talk to the air and fly. Strike keeps them close to the ground. They stay over hunting or lumbering trails for most of the flight. Reaching the outskirts of the city just around evening feast. There is a noticeable lack of non-human residents. Twenty minutes of watching and not a single halfling or dwarf had been seen.

Pulling up our hoods we go in for a closer look. In under two blocks it is clear that this city is full human. A few checks of the local guild boards we head for the out quarter, it's called. Reaching that part of town is like walking in to an internment camp. A door opens for them and Strike waves them in.

"Ya'll just lookin ta die? What ya wandrin here fer?" A white bearded cobbler.

"We're looking for someone." Strike says.

"If they's been takin by the Lord, just put up a tombstone and save yerselves the hassels." He says.

"You've seen others the Lord has taken?" I ask.

"When he want's to speech it up, he'll put them on display at the keep gates. Most of them ain't much left of. He's got creepy guards. That's why none of us leave this part of town, cept to leave town." The old guy rattles.

"When did he get the creepy guards?" I ask.

"A number of years back." The old guy says tugging his beard.

"I got coin and need a safe place. We can hide out here?" Strike asks.

"Yeah, long as we stay's dry. The upstairs leaks. It would be drier in a tent." The codger says.

"What is it about these guards that's so creepy?" I ask.

"They's got's four arms they has." He answers.

"Creepy." Stone says.

We make our way up the steps. He wasn't kidding about the state of the roof. Dozens of light beams pierce the ceiling. The slanted roof only allows us stand straight in the room's middle six feet or so. I set my sword aside and find a cleaner part of the floor to sit on. I rack my brain trying to remember the name of the races know to have four arms.

"We need to lay eyes on one of those creepy guards." I say to all.

"You believe that koot?" Stone asks.

"Did you walk different streets than we did?" Strike asks.

"I saw it." Stilla said.

"To many people jumping at a cloaked figure to be normal. What you thinking Nameless?"

"I can think of only to races that have four arms naturally. Gimeskian and Grelesk. If it's Grelesk we're if for a ruff time of it. Their demons." I say hoping to be wrong.

"But that house thing. You can do that right?" Stone asks.

"Only if I can remove them from their current contract. They are mercenary breed. Unless their contractor releases or breaks the contract. They will do as ordered without question. It would be better for us if they were Gimeshian. At least if we stabbed them they would bleed." I say.

"Well no use dwelling on it until we have proof. Get some rest. We recon after dark." Strike says.

I laid back and focused on meditation. Sleep would never come in a place like this. The sounds of the street coming through the roof and the still in the air. Grelesk I roll over in my mind. It would be beneath them to serve a mortal, unless that mortal could give them something of unbelievable value.

Is that were the Devil Omneu came in. It could collect souls to keep the Grelesk fed. Just giving them souls wouldn't be enough. I couldn't get my head around the problem. It also put me in a questionable spot. If I call my huntress, I would be sending a signal to any feral being in the city.

When night fell we made our way to a bluff over looking the Keep grounds. Switching to my feral senses, it is as I feared. Grelesk are the creepy guard. It also becomes clear they are not allowed into the Keep itself. They are housed in the church at the north wall of the grounds. There is something else in that church that is not of this plane.

"Strike, I can't believe I am about to say this. Stay out of my way." I say.

"You're the back up." Strike starts to argue but Stilla puts a hand on his arm.

"You can feel it? Something else in there?" I asks Stilla.

"Yes." She admits.

"I will give your soul back. I will take the church. You three take the Lord." I say.

"You sure about this Nameless?" Strike asks.

"No but it's our best chance." I say. "Make yourselves ready. When the moon is at it zenith, I will make my play. Be ready."

"Why are you doing this?" Stilla asks.

"Only a man that truly loves a woman would go this far. You'll owe me greatly, Strike, hopeless romantic." I say and start down the hillside.

"You're my kinda insane, Nameless. See you on the other side." Strike says.

I give a quick wave and step into the deeper shadows. I can feel my Huntress trailing me in the ether. I make my way into the city and find a dark corner to tuck into. I call Prizm to me first. Once she has joined me I check to see if I am noticed. Not being shown any more attention I call the other two.

"What would you have us do, Lord?" Prizm asks.

"Where do I stand to a Grelesk, as a Lord of House?" I ask.

"There are but four of them and three of us. We could banish them with little danger to ourselves." Chareese says.

"That is not what our Lord asked. How you were viewed would depend on how you approach them." Prizm says.

"I want to be a bad ass. Lay claim to what was stolen from House Lexus. I want my Devil back." I say to Prizm. "Would that fly in their eyes. They are contract to a mortal."

"So you think." Jezabell says.

"Don't question our Lord." Prizm says.

"No, she is correct. I have no proof of contractor. I am not angered at being questioned. I need to be in matters I plan on walking into personally. Orders are not to be questioned." I say.

"I will strive to better serve, Lord." Prizm says.

"Don't get all formal on me. Guess I'm gonna have to fuck some more sense into you later. You'll share my bed when I have one." I say.

I tell them what I'd like to see happen. Prizm is leery but can't find fault in my logic. We just walk up and bang on the door. If they try to fight, my huntress may kill them. If they relent and hand over Omneu we take him and go. As demons they wouldn't be able to enter a church. But the Grelesk already defiled it so our entering wouldn't out Aqua's boon.

The moon reaches it's zenith and I step into the street. I bring them with me, but in there true form. I don't need other demons knowing their masks. I step to thedoor and pound on it three times. I can hear the slide bolt being pulled.

"Open! Or I tear it down!" I yell.

"What do you want?" A rash choked voice asks.

"I am here for my Devil. I have searched long and killed many to get this far. Adding your corpses to that list will do nothing but increase my fame and holdings." I say loudly.

"Enter." It says opening the door.

I step into the church with no hesitation. My huntress follow with barely a tilt of there heads as they cross the threshold of a once holy structure. Looking toward the alter I wince at the sight of an angel bound in black pulsing chains. At the dais a number of feral beings are collared to the floor.

"You are the weaselly mortal the sluts ran to." A richly accented voice coos.

In unison my huntress hiss in disgust.

"Mind yourselves, this is my house." He warns.

"Stolen, like everything about it." I comment in my best elven arrogance.

"You think you can stand as a Lord, mortal?" He asks slyly.

"I am a Lord. In more ways then just a feral house. I challenge you. House for house." I say. "Unless you fear a mortal and will hand my devil over."

"Name the weapon of your destruction, corpse." He hisses stepping forward.

"Water." I say calmly.

"This is not a weapon." He argues.

"I have named it and you are challenged. If you will not take up the weapon named. I will." I say pulling a set of holy water vials I gathered in case the huntress got wiggy on me. "Which do you choose. We drink or we fight."

"You think you are immune. Give me one. I will drink mine after you drink yours." He says.

"A deal is struck." I say loudly.

"You tricked me." He accuses.

"He has obeyed the laws." A deeper voice shakes the room.

"Cheers." I say tipping the bottle and drinking it down.

"It wasn't holy." He accuses.

"They vials were both holy. You could have chosen either one." I say. "Your turn."

"Drink or bow to my Lord in defeat." Prizm says hand on her blade.

"The Huntress speaks truthfully." The deeper voice says.

"I will remember." He says downing the vial himself. "That wasn't so ..."

He goes up in a pillar of blue flame and is gone. "Victory House Lexus." The dark judge says.

The dark judge transfers his holdings to my house. The chains on the angel, the Grelesk, and his House Manifest. The judge leaves and I get the feeling that he found the event amusing. Claim the chains is uncomfortable for three reasons. First their alive-ish, second their magic leaves a sour milk taste in my mouth, and lastly they let me feel the angel's pain.

"Huntress, catch the angel when I release the chains. Don't let her leave yet." I say, I step to the devil I now can feel as Omneu. "I am Lord of House Lexus, will you acknowledge my station, Omneu?"

"I do, Lord. What command would you have me follow?" He asks.

"Mine, you answer to me. If you don't not comply with my commands, banishment or this confinement will be nothing to the tortures you will endure." I say sternly.

"I hear truth my Lord." Omneu says bowing his head.

"What about the two of you?" I ask the other two devils chained in the same manner as Omneu.

"Shelter me and I shall serve." The one says.

"My House will not be so quick to release me, Lord. Return me to them, I will see you have compensation." It says bowing.

"Do them speak truth, Omneu?" I ask as a test.

"Yes, Lord." He answers.

I release Omneu, the second that has a house and the angel. The one that says he'll serve I keep in chains. The Huntress catch to angel before she falls to the floor. Her wounds though painful are not sufficient to end her life. I step closer to her noting her blindness and wounded throat.

"Angel, you have been soiled and wounded beyond what I am able to reverse. Do you wish to be banished from this realm?" I ask.

She shakes her head no.

"I am Lord of a Demon House, I am also for these purposes mortal. Will you take aid from me and my house?" I ask.

She nods yes.

"You have sanctuary in House Lexus." I say and she nods again.

"Why am I still chained?" The last devil asks. "I said I would serve."

"And you will, as an example. Grelesk! Hear me. Follow me and my House or follow this one!" I say pointing at the devil.

The four armed Grelsek shift murmuring to each other. This is taking longer than I had hoped. All four step forward and take a knee before me. I nod and with control of the living chains cut the last devil into pieces. I turn to Omneu.

"Is there anything of value in this building I should know of?" I ask.

"There are children in the basement. Two of them." He answers.

The angel wrestles my Huntress to stand.

"Be still angel. Omneu do they fear you?" I ask.

"No, but them yes." Ha says pointing at the Grelesk.

"Jezabell, I place these Grelesk in your command. Take them to the underworld to train and recharge. I will call for them when I have returned to the island. Go with her." I order to them. "You are dismissed, return to your House."

I watch as the children are led out. Prizm helps the angel out and Chareese steps to my side. Looking around anything of worth has be removed or destroyed. All that remains are the bloody chucks of devil and a ready supply of burnable material. I cast a couple of fire balls into the church as I exit. Any temple wishing to claim it would have had to do much the same. I however was hiding the angel's scent from other houses.