4.27 In Which the Dark Lord Falls For It

4.27 In Which the Dark Lord Falls For It

Rhydion was across the room and through the door before any of us could react. By the time we thought to so much as follow, his voice was echoing from the hall beyond.

Wait! Please, I wish to speak.

We only avoided another doorway pileup because some of us (myself and Harker) had the presence of mind to hang back and not create one; Aster charged right through because that was the correct action given her role in the formation, and Dhinell did so because Dhinell.

It was clear from the noise alone that vampires in this setting got at least some of the traditional power-ups, at least insofar as preternatural strength. That axe was hitting that wall harder and much faster than a slender elf would be able to swing it. Even as we regathered our footing and then bolted toward the noise, it intensified and then changed. The sound of repeated impacts gave way to a great cacophonous rending as she apparently abandoned the tool and started ripping chunks out of the wall with her bare hands.

What exactly was Khariss up to, and how terrible an idea was it for us to be charging headlong toward it?

My name is Rhydion! We mean you no harm!

Biribo had said this hall was a straight shot toward the vampires location, but that was apparently only relative to Fflyr architecture, in which there were no straight shots of any kind. We dashed along with apparently the outer wall of the foundations to our right, consisting of huge rough-hewn akorthistwait, no, this was actually built of stone. Huh. My attention was more occupied with the leftward curve of the hallway itself, which put the destination always out of our sight. Even Rhydion had made such good time we were only catching glimpses of his fluttering tabard as we raced to catch up.

The sounds were closer nowdangerously close, just in time for the noise of ripping masonry to be replaced by the screech of torn metal. Okay, note to self, do not engage Khariss in a hand-to-hand contest of strength. At least we finally caught up just after that.

Well, caught up to Rhydionso fast, in fact, that we all very nearly piled into him and Dhinell only avoided impact by careening into the wall instead. He had stopped in front of the scene of utter destruction wed just heard being created.

Lord Seiji, he said into the incongruous silence, can you intensify that light?

Uh I can hold it higher?

If you please.

I lifted up the Orb of Light I was hosting, providing the best illumination I could to the end of this hallway.

Actually, the end of the hall had itself been walled off. Someone had hastily rigged up a relatively flimsy barrier of akorthist planks, which was now lying strewn about in ruins with only the vertical posts on both sides still standing, one bristling with broken ends. Wed all run right past that before managing to straggle to a halt.

It occurred to me, belatedly, that none of this had been a smart thing for us to do in a house wed already suspected of being booby-trapped. Rhydion presumably knew what he was about; hed already indicated he thought that armor would stand up to whatever she thew at it. The rest of us should probably have followed with more circumspection, if at all.

Oh, well, too late now.

Self-recrimination aside, I was far more interested in the surroundings. Past the barrier of planks had been a much more serious obstruction, which was now destroyed. I couldnt even identify what it was, except that it had been applied all over the walls, ceiling and floor, like Actually, it reminded me of huge wasp nests Id seen pictures of. Apparently some substance had been slathered all over the end of this hallway in layers which then hardened into something very like ambernot unlike the gunk in the windows up above, except without the light-refracting honeycomb filaments inside.

I bent to pick up a piece, testing it in my grip. It was not brittle enough to have been easy to tear apart. In fact, there was the axe shed used, a big double-headed battleaxe lying amid the rubble. One of its edges was badly dented by the impacts.

Before it had been sealed up with alchemy, this hall had terminated in a doorway. Into that had been set an iron gateactual iron, not akornin. Someone had spared no effort or expense in walling all this off from access. It was no secret who, but shed just undone all her hard work in a matter of seconds. The rusted iron gate now listed from one hinge, the whole thing bent at a steep angle and with its latch torn in two, broken lengths of chain which had apparently secured it now lying scattered about.

Beyond the demolished gate was a stairwellone going down, which would have taken it underground. I hadnt expected that, given the Fflyr distaste for digging and the fact that their predecessor culture seemed to have shared a lot of their sensibilities, but neverthelessthere it was.

The stairwell descended into darkness beyond the reach of my Orb of Light, but then farther still beyond the darkness. At the bottom there was illumination. Faint, and ominously red.

Ohhh, shit, Biribo whispered miserably. Boss, dont go down there. Big trouble.

I waited, but to my vast, indescribable irritation, that was all he said. What in the cryptic fuck did he expect me to do with that?!

All right, Im gonna put it out there, said Harker. If you were were still angling to have a civil talk with her, Rhydion, that really doesnt look to be in the cards. If this is a fact-finding mission alone, then the facts weve got now are enough to get the entire Kings Guild, the Radiant Convocation and maybe a Kingsguard detachment out here. Stopping at this point wouldnt be quitting. Its an appropriate point to stop.

Rhydion nodded once, though he did not shift the direction of his visor from the stairs. You are not wrong, Harker. Nor, Im afraid, are you right. Could you really live with the cowardice of coming this far, through all we have overcome already, only to turn back at a flight of stairs?

It wouldnt be the first time Ive made peace with cowardice, the archer retorted. Anytime the alternative is unnecessary risk to my survival, cowardice is usually my call. I sleep just fine.

Its the curiosity rather than the shame thatd keep me up, I admitted. Frankly I can go either way on this one, Rhydion. Youre in charge.

The paladin turned to me and nodded once. We proceed.

Dhinell made a very soft sound that I pretended not to hear, because as much fun as it was to harass her it just never feels satisfying to pile more onto people who are literally making sad puppy noises.

Rhydion went first, at least. These stairs were wider than the ones that had brought us down to the basement; there was room for us to go three abreast. We did not; nobody wanted to challenge Rhydion for the vanguard, nor share it with him, or even walk closer than four steps back. Aster kept alongside me behind the paladin, with Dhinell and Harker trailing along behind like the reluctant participants they were not even pretending not to be.

At the bottom, Rhydion paused, then deliberately raised both sword and shield and stepped through the doorway into the chamber beyond. Aster and I exchanged a glance before following. Biribo didnt make so much as a peep as we drew closer to whatever had spooked him so badly.

There was another formerly sealed doorway at the bottom of the stairs: as above, it had been slathered over with that rocklike amber stuff, and another iron gate was affixed beyond that. These had been burst inward, lying strewn in fragments across the floor of the chamber below. Apparently Khariss had just torn down the stairs at full tilt and plowed right through the defenses with all her vampire strength.

And the chamber beyond

I had seen places like this before. Not exactly like it, there were variations in the shape and dcor and such. But the purpose, the general organization, that was familiar by now. An enclosure with one entrance, built to perfectly secure the single precious resource hidden away within. Undoubtedly this chamber, this spot, had been the reason a village and a highly defensible mansion had been built here in the first place. It really said something about the extremity of whatever violent upheaval had followed the previous Dark Crusade that this place had since been abandoned and forgotten by broader Fflyr society, and apparently even the Shylver elves.

Not that it would have done them any good.

How is this anything but obvious? Dhinell shouted. She used Void magic!

If anything, that is distinctly improbable, Rhydion murmured. Teleportation via the Void is one of the very few gifts for which devils are unwilling to accept souls. They seem to harbor a deep aversion to allowing mortals the use of their plane for purposes of transit.

I filed that tidbit away, as it was increasingly looking like everything I could find out about devils and the Void was going to be urgently important sooner than I liked. As if it wasnt bad enough for me to have the Devil Kings personal attention, now this nonsense.

Much as I wanted Khariss on my side, with her alchemical mastery and vampire powers and clear fondness for my predecessor, if she was in bed with the Devil King we were going to throw down on sight. I could not have that asshole working a prying fingertip into my Crusade.

Were still standing around debating theory, said Harker. Fact is, the bitch poofed on us, we have no idea how except that it somehow involved that fucking thing, and I cant see any way of getting answer that dont involve screwing around with that Void altar ourselves. Rhydion, I dont care if Im out of line here: if thats the call, Im out.

You are correct, the paladin assured him. Tampering with the altar is not an option. The Void is lethally unsafe to access without a devils guidance, and to seek their aid is to be embroiled in their vile schemes. If we cannot deduce an answer to our question here, then it seems this mission is indeed concluded. For that reason, he added, raising his voice slightly as Dhinell opened her mouth to chime in, I will not abandon our course until we are certain. Consider that even for an active Void witch, to do anything with a Void altar which would result in physically disappearing would be catastrophically dangerous. Borderline suicidal. We know very little of Khariss, but none of that little suggests she is so careless with her own physical safety, not after she has gone to such lengths to survive for so long. I think it highly likely that this is some manner of ployto escape us, or perhaps even to bring this to our attention.

Seemslike a reach, I said skeptically.

We will only know more if we learn more, he replied. Let us investigate this chamber as thoroughly as we can, if only to rule out whatever possibilities we can, before we abandon our quest.

Rhydion, I know I just said youre in charge, I objected, but you are playing with fire. Im pretty sure were all within range of whatever this thing is capable of doing just by being in here. Poking around in this room when all we know about Khariss and this Void altar is that we dont know what she just did with it seems

I think suicidal was the word you just used, Aster finished.

Rhydions helmet shifted to regard the others.

Theyre right, Harker said tersely. Zombies, giant spiders, thats one thing. This is the Void. Were already way closer than I like, and have been for too long. I say we pull out.

Dhinells breath caught, but after a moment she lowered her eyes and nodded agreement, looking shame-faced.

I understand, Rhydion said gravely. You are all correct; what I ask is dire indeed, and beyond the scope of what you have pledged to this mission. It was wrong of me to ask this of you, and for that, you have my humblest apology. As I have said, I cannot abandon this quest so easily, but I will investigate this chamber alone. All of you should retreat at least to the top of the stairs, and preferably beyond the first broken barrier. She would have erected those outside this altars range of influence, so you should be safe there from any effects I may inadvertently trigger.

Now, hang on a minute, I interjected.

I will ask only one thing of you, Rhydion said, resolute as ever. If I come to grief from this, in any fashion, it is you who will need to relay our findings to the Kings Guild and the Convocation.

Oh, you asshole, I groaned. Son of a bitch, you know I cant just leave you here to face the Void alone after that. Fuck it, Ill take the left half of the room, you take the right.

Lord Seiji, he said with one of his rare tones of open exasperation, not everyone who expresses a sincere sentiment is trying to manipulate you. In seriousness, you were right the first time. It is better for your well-being and for the mission for you all to retreat!

Yeah, you heard him, I said, turning to Aster. Go with the others, well

Oh, go fuck yourself.

Can you not embarrass me in front of the paladin? I protested. Just once.

The dilemma here, she snarled, is whether I stay and watch your back while you do something stupidyou know, like I always door punch you compliant and drag your ass up the stairs while Rhydion does whatever he needs to in here!

Yeah, you lot talk amongst yourselves, Im out, Harker announced, turning and stepping back to the broken doorway.

A single pulse of red light flashed up along the grooves in the altar, terminating in a bright glow at its top. The floating text above it ceased to rotate and changed to a new message.

COMPLETE

Damn, I stated very calmly, it.

The pulse that flashed out from the Void altar nearly knocked all of us down. Not because of the physical force of itthere was nonebut because whatever magic had just been unleashed caused massive vertigo. Aster held herself upright, as did Rhydion, but I had to lean against the wall and Dhinell crumpled to her knees, retching. I couldnt see what Harker was doing from this angle.

Mercifully, that only lasted a moment. Once it ended, though, everything was subtlydifferent. I could almost have wished for a period of blissfully ignorant confusion, but the truth was, I recognized the odd greenish tint that suddenly filled the air, the sensation in my ears as if the air pressure had suddenly changed.

Behind me, Harker barked the bitterest laugh Id ever heard.

Triggered by trying to leave the room! Okay, Im a big enough man to admit it. That was a good trap.

I turned to look at him, and immediately stopped looking at him.

The iron gate across the door and the amber encasement beyond wereflickering. One moment they were in pieces across the floor, then firmly back in place. As if reality itself couldnt decide whether this recent change in condition was canonical.

Everyone, be calm, Rhydion urged, and I had to admire the way he projected calm, making his voice soothing even as it was firm. This guy really knew his way around a showtime. Breathe deeply, recite whatever prayer you must, take time to meditate. We will spare it, whatever you need to do. Maintaining calm is absolutely vital.

I knew what was coming, but he went ahead and vindicated it anyway.

We have been moved, physically, into the Void.