Chapter 7 - The Armor of Terror
Marcus comes with a small cart dragged by a mule, Fiona goes up in it while the rest of the group follows them on foot, accompanied by another man from the shelter, called Lao. They return along the road until they reach the statue and from there, go by the north road to the deep forest.
They arrive at a place full of flowers, of a sweet aroma and a warm atmosphere, in the background a beautiful barefoot woman dressed only with a light tunic, with long and shiny hair.
- Is she a witch, right? - Yovun asks Marcus.
- Of course ... it’s the only thing there is here - the man replies - Don’t get confused, all this is pure magic ... even if it seems the most beautiful woman in the world, her true appearance is the same as the one you saw last night.
- What a pity.
- Well yes, my friend, - Marcus responds while laughing.
They continue on their way to where the woman is, two other girls of similar appearance appear from among the trees on the other side of the road. The woman beckons them to stop and approaches Marcus.
- Hello... it is not time to cross yet - the woman says softly.
- Yes, well, ... apparently something has happened on the eastern road. So we have seen the need to go for provisions before the time.
- And who are these? - says the woman approaching the group.
He moves his hand slowly with the intention of caressing Egios's face, but Lao pulls him back.
- Don't let her touch you - Lao tells him.
The woman smiles and winks at Egios, then turns to Marcus.
- It's a lot of people Marcus - continues the woman - And we would like some to stay... to have fun.
- No, we all pass - he says - nobody is going to stay.
- Leave the girl... we will take good care of her. - She says, at the time Vicky is altered a little, but Marcus beckons her to wait.
- We will all pass, without exception... it’s what Master Xelos sent to say... well, that if you want the gifts he sends you.
- Ah! Gifts, ... we love gifts.
Marcus takes 3 boxes that he brings in the cart and gives them one by one to the woman, the other two girls also approach and begin to check the boxes.
- How generous - says the woman.
- It’s good that there is a good relationship with the master Xelos, don’t you think?
- Of course, Marcus... let's go... continue on your way.
Marcus bows and then continues the path followed by the others, after moving a little, Egios looks back to see that women are still playing with the boxes but are no longer the beautiful women who appeared, their bony and stooping figures hide behind dark and torn clothes, and the flowers have given way to dry trees and brush.
- Black magic... damages souls - says Marcus - That is why their bodies are like living corpses, their skin dries and cracks, their bones atrophy, only black magic keeps them alive but in turn destroys them.
- Xelos mentioned that they could return to normal - says Egios.
- Yes it is... but it is not easy, you need a magician, a very good one and who knows what he does, but that is the easy part, because for the ritual to work, the witch must be submissive and accept the rite, ... and you see how they are, their minds are disturbed and damaged, to tell the truth, I have never seen anyone access the ritual.
The road continues slowly and they must even make a stop that night, set up a small camp to rest, Marcus uses some spells from Xelos to protect the place. In spite of the terrible sounds that are heard in the place, and of the particularly cold climate, the night passes with great normality. At dawn they continue their journey and towards noon they are arriving at a small hamlet of lumberjacks. Marcus and Lao say goodbye after leaving them in a house and retire to the only store in the place for provisions. The small town is still far from the central road and the only way to go north is through the river, the villagers are particularly cautious with new visitors, it’s not very common. In the center of the village, there is a large wooden statue shaped like a dragon, and around 5 houses, a mill, a sawmill and a common area where some exchange food, around the town, there are several small towers with bonfires that seem to keep burning all day and night.
They arrive at the sawmill where a man agrees to take them further northeast through the river. They pay two boats and venture into the waters. The river is wide and quite large.
- The village is 4 hours from here - says one of the rowers - In the day it is calm, in the night... nobody should venture into the night.
- Why do you live so far? - Kathrinna asks.
- The wood is very good ... the place has very fertile lands, the Banú were the first to arrive, then the family of Haj and then mine, the Silond... we have been 5 years.
- Haven’t you had problems? I mean... forests are dangerous.
- The witches are afraid of the power of the guardians - the man continues - especially the guardian of the fire, he has protected us with his warmth.
- And has it worked? - Egios asks.
- Oh yes, witches can not pass... normal fire is harmful to them, but the guardian's fire is deadly... it's a blessing.
Kathrinna winks at Egios, who looks away and she teases a little.
- My friend doesn’t believe in the guardians - Kathrinna tells the rower.
- Oh! What a pity... their protection is real, don’t think that by sitting on their thrones they only forget about us.
- And how you make the the guardian fire - says Egios - you are far away.
- Dragon fire, we get rocks from the Igneous Valley, the land of Lord Xernoz, Guardian of the fire ... and once we use them to create the fire, they are never consumed.
- That while the guardian is not asleep. - he replies
- It does not matter, the guardian will not sleep.
The path through the river is even pleasant, after traveling through those putrid forests, the basin offers a very natural environment, great greenness, you can even see some birds crossing from side to side of the river.
The town is large enough to have a market, and following the river you can reach the capital of Yconav on the coast. Some walls of rock seem to protect the place, but the certain thing is that they are very old and in several sectors already are collapsed. Even so, the presence of the boreal guard can be seen. The locals cultivate small orchards and raise small animals, live on fishing and make a typical craftsmanship of the region, a kind of hoops woven with different shapes and colors that when rotated are unscrewed and show a different shape.
Egios buys some fruit for himself and for Fiona and then goes to the post office, he is surprised to find Yovun there.
- Hello, I didn’t think you were the one who sent letters - says Egios.
- Sometimes you can be surprised
- Do you write them?
- Don’t you think I know how to write?
- It's just not very common among mercenaries.
- I can write some things... but... you got me, this is what Barleif writes.
- Oh I see.
- There are letters from me and Barleif, you have to keep in touch with friends... and suppliers.
- Yes, you're right.
- Like you, do you write someone else or always the same person?
- Egios laughs a little - now only my friend Ardulan, although I have several who I like to write to them, only not so often.
- Well, I'll go see if I can get some supplies,... see you later.
Yovun retires and Egios goes out to watch where he is heading, but he only manages to catch sight of him turning the corner when the clerk calls him, there is a letter for him.
Egios
Dear friend
The waters of destiny are murky, be careful of those around you, a very important and sinister event is about to happen and I just hope you are prepared to face it, it’s difficult to assure what I mean as the mystical visions are confusing, the fortune-teller can only scratch a little the memories of the future time. Don’t let your guard down, I just hope this letter arrives on time.
You asked me about the red ring, but this one and the amethyst are one.
Your trip worries me and excites me at the same time, you are a great friend and an important resource, and I know we will learn a lot from this trip, Oh, I can imagine the adventures described between the pages of your next book, I can imagine Shaliz tasting little by little each word, each letter and composing, as only she knows how to do it, a great melody that transforms that ink and gives it life again. But I can’t help thinking about the danger and you know it, the risks of your mission, be very careful where you are going, in not all lands we are welcome.
I have left you a package with some things that I know will work for you.
Time is our way, destiny is our judge, and I know that you will succeed in your journey.
With much esteem
Ardulan
Egios marvel at having such a quick response from his great friend and, at the same time, he is intrigued by the words that this letter contains. What does Ardulan mean, a great event? Something sinister, really nothing good predicted that letter, and what was Yovun doing in the post office? Never before had he gone for a letter, why he suddenly became interested in contacting the outside world?. For some reason something was bothering him, his gaze, his passive form contrasted with the Yovun he had initially known, was it really tired? or something was brought up?
Upon returning to the inn, he finds Kathrinna training with Vicky, while Fiona shares with Nom. Egios passes by and enters his room, sits down at a table, bends and saves his friend's letter among his books and then opens the package he sent him, again with a small magic paper.
A key, golden and with an inscription on its tip and two potions, a small paper with indications.
"The key can open almost any lock, even magic locks. The potions will allow you to escape easily. It is very important to know who will receive the box and if it is someone you trust, when you complete the trip and arrive at your destination, I know you will know what to do. "
Egios takes that key and immediately his eyes rest on the chest, those bandits who had stolen it did not manage to open it with conventional means, but perhaps that magic key was the key to solve that mystery. Egios walks towards the chest, removes a little the fabrics that hide it but then thinks, wouldn’t it be betraying the trust Kathrinna placed in it? It was his honor to deliver the chest as she received it and what if it was a trap, if everything was false or that person who would receive it would be against them. His way of thinking inclined him to open the chest, but he felt that he could not go against Kathrinna, and if she didn’t find out?
Kathrinna enters the room and sees Egios kneeling near the slightly discovered chest. He manages to hide the key before she notices it.
- What do you do? - Kathrinna says something serious.
- I just... I was checking the box... you see, they changed it once, don’t we want that to happen again or not?
- No... really... What are you doing?
Egios is silent for a moment.
- I thought maybe we should open the box - he answers. - I just thought about it, I didn’t try it.
- We already talked about this - she says a little more relaxed. - It’s my contract and my honor, I will not open the box, I will only take it to whoever receives it.
- Doesn’t it terrify you? - he asks - The thought that maybe they are playing with you? That whatever is in this box would be used to cause evil?
- The cult, he wants to do evil... I take it to be protected, I'm sure, the priest would not lie to me.
- How much do you know him?
- To the priest?... enough to know that he would not try something against his people... by the way... Have you seen the cultists again?
- No, since we took the alternative path, I think we lost them.
- I don’t think so.
- Have you seen them?
- I'm sure they followed us. She says as she shows Egios a little gem.
- What is this?
- I picked it up on the way to the dragon town. In fact, it was near the statue of the bird before the detour.
Egios checks the little jewel, it's a magical earring full of mud and dirt.
- How do you know that is from the cultists?
- They all carry one, I saw them when they attacked me along with my group. They are enchanted to echo and communicate with other nearby members.
- And... have you heard something through it?
- No, you need to link with the earring in a magical way and it only serves 1 time for each object, it already belongs to a cultist so I cannot claim it.
- If they followed us here, why haven’t they attacked us yet?
- Maybe they are waiting for the right moment, we should be careful at night and with whom we talk.
- The good thing is that we don’t know anyone in this place.
- Yes, but we can’t stop being cautious, I'll be back with the girls... please do not open the box.
- No, don’t worry... I just thought about it, it's not like I'm going to do it, less without asking.
- Ok, see you then down.
Kathrinna leaves the room, Egios looks at the box for a moment, keeps the key in his luggage and covers the box again as it was with the fabrics. Remember Kathrinna's words for a moment, so he takes his dagger, his two rings, putting one in each hand, takes the jars of potions that his friend had sent him as well as the small spells on paper and then returns with the others.
The rest of the afternoon they spend in relative tranquility, Nom and Fiona play while Egios watches them, Yovun and Barleif remain at a table drinking but without getting too close to the group, Kathrinna trains with Vicky who has shown great progress and begins to feel more secure of herself.
- Are you ready to protect your sister? - she asks him.
- I don’t know, I think I still have to learn a lot more.
- That is not the answer - says Kathrinna pushing her hard.
- What do you want me to say?
- What will you do to protect your sister?
- Whatever is.
- Are you going to stop?
- Never! - She says as she throws herself against Kathrinna with her stake.
The girls exchange some blows with their timbers until Vicky breaks Kathrinna's with a strong blow.
- Oh, I'm sorry!
- It's just a piece of wood, don’t worry ... but I love your attitude, you're finally showing confidence in yourself.
- Do you believe?
- I'm sure you're not the same as when we picked you up, nor your sister either.
- Thank you Kathrinna, and everyone,... I think this was the best decision of our lives, I really thank you very much. - she says with great joy.
- We always like to help others, right Egios?
- Yeah! right! - he replies.
- But don’t stop training - says Nom - so that one day you can be almost as good as me - he ends with a laugh.
- I will do it - she replies laughing at Nom's comment.
- Hey Nom! - Yovun yells at him from the distance, beckoning him to go with him.
- See you now! - Nom.
Yovun, Barleif and Nom enter the inn, while the others remain in the courtyard.
- Don’t you think Mr. Yovun is a bit weird? - says Vicky.
- Yes, it has been a little distant - says Kathrinna - he must be tired, maybe we should spend a couple of days here to recover strength.
- Mr. Yovun is preparing for a great battle! - says Fiona.
- How? - Kathrinna asks - did you see anything?
- Oh well, it was that he was with Mr. Barleif and he asked him if he had everything ready, that it had been difficult to get something and that the fight would be difficult against that monster. They are very brave and recursive!
Egios and Kathrinna look at each other for a moment.
- Victoria - Kathrinna says - I need you to go with Fiona to the market... at this time there must still be enough people there, look for a guard and stay with him.
- Go with them, you too - says Egios.
- I will not leave you alone, we have to go for the box.
- All right.
Vicky nods, somewhat scared but with conviction and takes her sister. Egios and Kathrinna enter the inn, the owner is in the back doing their daily tasks normally, they go to their room which is next to Yovun and his group and they quickly come up corroborating that the luggage and the box are still there.
- Do you think we are being too cautious? - says Kathrinna - Maybe we are taking everything very lightly.
- You don’t feel like something strange, how does that feeling that something bad can happen?
- I don’t know ... wait ... I feel a smell in the air ...
- What is it?
At that moment Yovun and Barleif enter the room and are a bit surprised to find Egios and Kathrinna in the place, they are wearing their metal armor.
- Ah ... you were already here. - says Yovun.
- Where is Nom? - Kathrinna asks seriously.
- Nom?... decided to leave... is that... decided to try something new... the boy likes new things.
Egios looks at Barleif who immediately looks away, can see that he holds his ax hidden in the back.
- What do you want Yovun? - Egios says
- What are you talking about?
Kathrinna lifts the box and her luggage and tries to leave the room, but the two men cut her off.
- Don’t leave so soon - Yovun says - I really want to talk about something... it's important... for the mission.
- I think I don’t want to talk right now
Kathrinna turns around with the firm intention of throwing herself out the window, Yovun pulls out one of his light potions and throws her, Egios gets in the way and with a swift movement of his sword stops the movement of the flask that explodes over its blade, Kathrinna manages to escape. Barleif takes advantage of the blindness of Egios and catches it from the back, Yovun approaches the broken window to see that Kathrinna has disappeared with the box.
- Egios ... you really have fallen into her trap - Yovun tells him.
- What is it that you traitors claim? - Egios tells him while he begins to recover his sight a little.
- This is your last chance to do the right thing - Yovun says - We get tired of risking our skin for you, for a few coins and many more for a lying vampire.
- Vampires are not to be trusted - says Barleif.
- Do you know that sometimes at night she comes out and contacts someone? I've seen it - says Yovun.
- Who will her meet? We have always traveled only us.
- She communicates with someone from a distance, I assure you.
- Egios laughs at Yovun's words - you're crazy ... you can only do it with magic and I assure you, I know what she has in her luggage and she is not a magician.
- She lies to you... just as she lies to us all, with her good girl attitude, vampires are cold and heartless, it's all a facade. - Yovun continues.
- You only know vampires like you describe, it does not mean that everyone is the same, it's as if you said that all humans are traitors because you only know people like you two.
- We are not traitors - says Barleif.
- If we were, we would have already killed you - Yovun says - ... but we want the right thing, we don’t have anything against you or the girls, but that vampire, we have to exterminate her.
- I will not let you touch Kathrinna.
- You see, you've fallen for her seduction, you're not allowed to see the truth of his lie ... he's using you to take a box to a strange place, and why she would lead to mere humans?, it's simple... as it was with Fiona, if things go wrong, it would be easier to feed on us at night.
- Kathrinna is not like that.
- We are going to kill the vampire and we will take the box, sure that what is there is valuable, enough for the cult to want it, and they will pay much more than you will pay us to protect it.
- What have you done Yovun? You put everyone in danger!
- I worry much more that this treasure is in the hands of a vampire ... it is a pity that you don’t want to help us, you have fallen in her spell ... like Nom.
Yovun beckons to Barleif what he is preparing to cut Egios, but he gives him a strong header and with some agility is unleashed by taking his sword in his hands.
- Yovun smiles as he pulls out his sword - We couldn’t risk it before because that adramus intruded, look all the time we lost... but Egios, you're not a fighter as skilled as he is.
- Try me - Egios says defiantly.
Yovun approaches and attacks Egios, his swords resonate enough to get the attention of the owner who looks out the door and receives a strong blow from Barleif leaving him knocked out.
- Is it what you want Barleif? - Egios says - you are not a bad person, and you know that this is wrong.
The man looks away but says nothing, squeezes his ax hard but is still standing there.
- Remember your promise Barleif - Yovun says - remember everything I did for you.
- I'm sorry, Mr. Egios! - says Barleif as he pounces on Egios.
The men manage to overtake Egios and Yovun gets to make a cut in the leg, not very deep. Egios knows that he will not be able against both of them at the time ... Will Kathrinna return after leaving the box in a safe place? Or is he alone on his own? ... looks at the window, but before the attack of the men it’s a very low probability of achieving it, he doesn't have the agility or the strength of Kathrinna.
- Egios, you have no chance, surrender and we will be merciful to you - says Yovun.
- Never! - He says as he throws a thrust that hits Yovun's small briefcase.
A greenish vapor starts to come out and Yovun quickly throws the briefcase away.
- Damn! - says Yovun - You don’t know how difficult it was to prepare that potion, now you will pay for this!
Yovun and Barleif lash out at Egios, who barely avoids most of the blows with some luck, but doesn’t avoid receiving some cuts on his arm and leg.
Egios observes his trembling hands holding his sword, looks at his rings and remembers for a moment the words of his friend: "You asked me about the red ring, but this and the amethyst are one." Then he proceeds to join both rings, in doing so both shine brightly and from them begins to form a magical armor that covers first his fingers, then his hand and climbs up his body to complete a scary armor of black and purple shines.
- He’s a demon - says Yovun. - You're like her!
Egios looks at something terrified and amazed to that magic and then restarts the attack. The armor easily repels the cuts of the weapons of Yovun and Barleif, who begin to feel trapped.
- Barleif! - Yovun yells - Kan strategy!
Barleif nods and launches in an attack towards Egios but before hitting him, he lets himself fall and with his hands traps Egios' legs, his armor gives him great protection but does not give him more strength or agility. Immediately Yovun approaches and hits the sword of Egios causing that him releases it, soon it pretends to nail its sword on a free point or between the plates of armor, but it is difficult to find it, the armor of Egios is very compact.
- Don’t you think they're taking too long? - says Barleif.
- We can with this - Yovun replies.
Egios notices that the tips of the fingers of his armor are like claws and he quickly uses them to hurt Yovun's legs that moves away for a moment, he takes advantage to attack Barleif that while trying to dodge releases him a little, which Egios uses to give him a kick and free himself completely, he quickly run and take his sword.
- You are becoming an annoyance Egios - Yovun says as he pulls a jar out of his clothes. - I had this reserved for the vampire, but it looks like I'll have to use it with you.
Yovun throws the bottle at him as Egios raises his arm and it breaks on his armor releasing a kind of vapor, Egios feels a slight numbness in his hand, the steam has not penetrated enough due to the armor. He then sees Yovun attack quickly from the front and from the corner of his eye he feels Barleif attack from behind, with one of his hands he blocks Yovun's sword, the armor blocks the cut but the impact hurts his hand, with his other hand he throws a lunge backwards that hits against Barleif's ax turning its trajectory and ends up sticking on the man's chest. Barleif falls seriously injured on the floor with the sword of Egios still stuck in his body.
- No! - Yovun yells when he sees his partner on the floor.
Furiously he takes two more of his potions ready to throw at Egios, he notices and attacks Yovun grabbing his hands before he could throw their jars, pushes him and makes him hit the wall while dropping the jars, breaking in its impact against the floor. One of its vapors begins to dissolve Yovun's boot, Egios quickly retires while Yovun does too, not without having received some burns on his leg. Egios takes Barleif's ax and puts it on Yovun's neck.
- It's over - says he.
- Barleif, he was a good man! And he's dead because you decided that a vile vampire was better than your own people!
- You are blinded by hatred, Yovun, and this ends here.
- No... it's not over yet.
Egios turns to look and sees three men standing around him, wearing black robes, over their chests they bear the same mark that is on Kathrinna's box. Yovun takes advantage of Egios' moment of distraction and quickly removes one of the rings from his finger, in doing so Egios’ armor disappears.