Brina’s place was in a fancier part of town, where the guards were less openly thuggish about their job. Although the place still felt tense, some of the townsfolk wandering about with tools that were bare inches from being weapons – hammers and long knives hanging from waists, something clearly brewing. It was a cheap flat, but even the doorman had a large club, as he opened the door for them.

As she prepared herself, Stathis poked around the place – small, and without a lot of stuff, although with quite a few musical instruments, and lots of clothing, mostly scattered around the place without any particular care. Stathis resisted the urge to tidy up, settling for folding and piling up some of the clothing and making the place a bit neater.

‘So, what’s the plan then?’

Brina yelled back from the other room. ‘I was hopin’ you’d have one! You’re the big shiny leader, ain’t you?’

‘Well, there’s definitely something going on, and it seems to be more than just the usual “nobles being dicks” stuff. That group that attacked last night were definitely not just bandits, and there’s apparently a load of people going missing. You know anything about that?’

Brina walked back in, barely dressed, rummaging through the heaps of clothing. ‘I’ve seen the black wagons. They look pretty creepy, but I’ve poked my head in a few and they’re, well, wagons. Cartin’ people around and away, yeah, but they’re not anythin’ weird themselves. A lot are thugs and crims, some just look to be poor though. And a few highbloods been goin’ missin’ too, although that’s probably not the wagons, at least not openly.’ She pulled out a dress, holding it against herself. ‘This one, you think?’

‘Where are we going now? Looks a bit short.’

‘It’s fashionable at the moment. And I thought you’d like somethin’ to look at. Embrelas tower, there’s some swank event goin’ on, more of the fancy meetin’ up. This one’s a bit more open, so we can probably get in, long as we look the part. But it’s where the Duke’s wizards are holdin’ up, so if there’s anythin’ shady going on, it’s the best place to look. I’ve had a poke around, but there’s some magic an’ stuff in the way, wasn’t able to get far. With you, we can probably go further.’

‘So you’ve tried scouting before?’ Stathis shook out another dress, before folding it and piling it with the others. It was probably a good thing Janaxia had magic to deal with her clothing, otherwise she’d need an extra-dimensional bag to hold everything!

‘Yeah, there’s wards and traps, you know? Glowing marks, probably spirit-monsters, all that stuff. Plus normal guards, but they’re pretty crap. Going to have to be hidden weapons though, which is a pain. Or deal with the guards and take theirs. This one any better?’

‘Looks good, but isn’t it too tight? If you’re wanting to sneak weapons in, then maybe something looser?’

‘Business before pleasure? Sensible, but no fun. I’ve managed to dig up some stuff you can use as well, but you’re going to look more like a guard than anything else. I’ll have to smile and play nice until we get in. I guess pretend to be servants?’

‘Sounds like a plan. Nobles aren’t generally too pushy in public, just don’t get caught alone with them, in case they get grabby.’

Brina grinned. ‘Oh? And here’s sweet innocent me, all alone with a big strapping noble lass. Who knows what wicked designs she might have on my virtue?’ She fluttered her eyelashes while posing.

Stathis balled up a dress and threw it at her. ‘Get dressed, and lets investigate this first! I guess Mother must have heard something, and that’s why she sent you?’

Brina had chosen something, tightening a sash around her waist, hiding a number of long steel needles within it, then pinning her hair up with more spikes, the blunt ends ornamented to hide their true purpose. ‘I guess. Some more backup woulda been better – no offence, it’s good to see you, but I’m not exactly geared for demons or cults or bastard rulers being bastards. I guess you’ve got two wizards, so it’s easier to blast ‘em though. Wasn’t expectin’ you to be travellin’ with an Uth Tremari though, they’re bad news. Even if she is all kinds of fetchin’.’

‘You mentioned them earlier – what have they been up to? I think Janaxia’s pretty much on the edge of the family, she doesn’t really talk about them much.’

Brina brushed some dirt off Stathis, fetching a brush that glowed with a soft light, magically cleaning the grime off. ‘Evil wizard stuff, dunno the details. Digging things up that should stay buried, ghosty minions, buyin’ all the bodies on the market, and marryin’ into other wizard clans. Nothing all that bad yet, but you know they’re gonna be doing something sooner rather than later. And they’ve got old blood, so can probably call on a lot of favours. Sure she’s on the up-and-up? Could be some deep-cover stuff, get close to you or something?’

‘I doubt it. She’s good at blasting things, and not actually that bad in combat, when she can be bothered to fight. I’ve still no idea what the hell her magic actually is, but she’s stopped hitting me with it by accident. If she’s up to anything evil, she’s probably forgotten it between picking out pretty dresses and flirting. She also got pretty pissed when she found out who I was, and I don’t think she’s that good at acting. You ready?’

‘Ready as ever, I guess. One good thing is that at least here you can get nice clothing, and there’s less chance of being eaten than in a dungeon.’

‘If you’ve got time, could you go take Janaxia shopping or something? She’s been acting strangely recently, and it’s getting a bit weird. You might be able to find out if she is up to anything.’

‘I’d rather spend some time with you, but I guess. Find out what she’s up to, at least.’ I’ve not got any proper swords, but there’s this.’ She tossed over a fancy wooden cane, Stathis pulling on the head to withdraw a thin blade. ‘That do you?’

‘Better than nothing. Prefer full armour and a shield, but that’s normally against the dress code. Hakara’s going to meet us there, she’s a proper wizard from the Barinian Academy, so if there’s anything strange going on, she can probably tell us what. And she’s got magic that doesn’t just involve blasting things.’

‘Sounds good. I look OK?’ She tossed her hair over her shoulder, bells tinkling.

‘Given we fought bloody cultists last night, pretty good. Better than I feel, anyway. Anyway, let’s go.’

The tower was an ugly thing, a looming spike of dull granite, half of one side broken and then repaired in obviously different stone. It looked like it had once been part of a bigger structure, the rest having been destroyed at some point, leaving the tower alone in a walled compound clearly built for an entire set of buildings. Hakara was waiting for them, shoulders hunched, as she warily watched those around her, shuffling nervously whenever anyone got close. Parth was rather more relaxed-looking, although didn’t have her bow, just a blade on each hip.

‘OK, Brina thinks she knows a back entrance. Once we’re inside, we’ll sneak into the tower, see what’s going on. Keep an eye out for anything shady or evil, I guess. Parth, keep an eye on Hakara.’

Brina led them around to the side, where there was the usual dirty alleyway filled with garbage, and a few bored-looking servants passing the time. They walked through as though they belonged there, heading for the gate and passing through without question. Inside, there was a variety of performers and staff providing food, as the nobles engaged in their inane chatter. At least the general movement made it easy to blend in, although a tray of food would have made things easier.

The tower loomed above them, although there were guards at the main gate. Parth and Hakara had already managed to disappear, leaving Stathis alone with Brina. Trying to look inconspicuous, they drifted towards the tower, ignoring the chattering groups of nobles, until a group swaggered close, demanding song. Brina shrugged, and grabbed an instrument off a passing bard, setting a beat. Stathis recognised the tune and groaned, Brina just shrugging. The Fall of Baramir the Flayer, about one of her mother’s earliest conquests. Still, the tune was catchy, and Stathis could remember most of the words, singing as best she could.

From the applause they received, it can’t have been that bad, some even tossing them some money, although only silvers and coppers. Brina bowed, accepting the praise, and taking the coins, before pulling Stathis away and heading towards the tower before they got dragged into another performance.

‘Did you have to do that song? Even Mother thinks it’s a bit excessive!’

‘It was the first thing that came to mind! It had evil wizards and a tower. And a rather fetching ally of the noble heroine.’

‘Yeah, Garthric’s a tosser. Used to show up and hit on Mother every so often. And then Carissia, when she got older; he was a bit of a creep. A good swordfighter, but a total prick. And he got really fat as well.’

‘Well, I’ll try to avoid that. Anyway, I think there’s a staff entrance, they’ve got to keep the bubbly somewhere nice and cool, after all. Just look relaxed and like you’re allowed to be here. Hells, you should be used to that, right?’

Inside, there was the usual vaguely-organised staff and servants, ferrying food around, getting more drinks ready and generally too busy to care about anything else. Brina let herself through a door, into the rest of the tower. Before any guards could find them, they headed upstairs, via a narrow staircase, mercifully unwarded and unguarded. Anything important would probably be upwards, where it would be easier to guard.

They headed upstairs, pass several storerooms full of the usual magical bric-a-brac; creepy but not necessarily evil, although the twisted, misshapen skulls were a bit questionable. Stathis extended her senses, recoiling as she felt a fierce, burning heat above her, a charnel blast of furnace heat, scorching her to the bone as she recoiled away. Brina was looking at her in concern, gently touching her back in reassurance.

‘Yeah, there’s something here. Whatever it is, it’s pretty bad. Let’s go find the others.’ She drew out the swordcane, just in case. After winding through various showrooms, filled with the usual busts and pointless trophies, they found Hakara, next to a ghostly and ethereal Parth, body misty and see-through.

‘You two found anything?’ Parth looked at them, unhearing before making a complicated gesture. ‘Has she at least got some paper or something?’ Parth shrugged. ‘I’m not playing goddam charades with her.’ She found a sheaf of paper on a nearby desk, flipping to a blank page and writing on it; Any demons or creepy shit?

Parth made some incomprehensible gesture.

Get some damned paper already. Is there anything that’s going to try and kill us?

Parth looked mildly irritated. Then she made horn gestures against her head, before pointing upwards.

Demons? How many? Powerful?

Parth looked mildly irritated, but held up two fingers on one hand, her other hand held flat, and shaking slightly. So two, and not that powerful, although they were lacking in offensive power, Hakara’s magic ill-suited to close-quarters combat and Brina better at stealth than straight combat.

Anything else? And no vague elven bullshit

Parth made a rude gesture, before drawing her sword, swinging it through the air.

Sword demon? Flying sword?

Parth shrugged, conveying a general ignorance as to the details. ‘OK, watch out for swords of some description, that might try to kill us. Parth, get a damned notebook for next time. Hakara, is there anything you can tell us that’s actually useful?’

From the shimmer in the air around her, Hakara already had a defensive shield active, as she wove another spell, magical energy sparking around her, a silvery disc shimmering into being. It showed Parth in full, normal colour, the rest of them as vague outlines in the air, before the angle changed, showing everything outlined in glowing mist. The point of view shifted, showing the next room, filled with more miscellaneous items of sorcery. Two shimmering entities could be seen, neither remotely humanoid – one a monstrous horse, body wreathed in flame and smoke, trailing away and then vanishing into nothingness a short distance from the body. The other was a blade, suspended in midair, a well-crafted longsword lined with dark energy, flickering and lashing out, runes along the metal glowing with crimson light. Both stayed eerily still and unmoving.

‘Is there any way past? We’re not really geared for demons, without any armour or magical weapons.’

Parth held up a hand, then pointed at the wall, making shapes with her hands. As Stathis stared at her uncomprehendingly, she rolled her eyes, then moved over to part of it, pointing at it emphatically. Brina pulled out one of her hair pins, jabbing it into the wall, finding a crack and shifting it around. Something clicked, and part of the wall opened slightly, revealing a hidden passage. Stathis gave Parth a thumbs-up, before stepping into the darkened passageway. Hakara summoned up a mage-light, a soft blue glue revealing a narrow stairway curving upstairs. Stathis motioned for silence and led the way, Parth’s ghostly form trailing right behind her.

Arrow-slots in the wall revealed that this passageway likely hadn’t been built to be hidden, but concealed later on. As the narrow passage wound up and around the tower, there were a few exits, tiny eyeslots revealing more worrying equipment – heavy tables equipped with shackles, large cages, neat arrangements of scalpels and other tools. Peering through, she could see the sword, appearing much the same, floating in the air without any support. The horse-demon didn’t seem to have any presence in the mortal realm, although that would probably change if it attacked.

The staircase wound around again, making almost an entire revolution without any exits before they came to the exit – an iron-bound doorway, warding runes glowing with red light. Stathis carefully poked one with her sword, a snap of scarlet lightning flicking out, dancing around her blade, making her arm twitch as it earthed itself through her body.

Hakara started casting again, a cool wind brushing around the tight space. She pushed a hand forward, and the runes flickered and paled, but didn’t extinguish. Something within the door cracked and shattered, as Brina started fiddling with the lock, picks working at the keyhole. Around her the runes slowly brightened, magic repairing itself. The lock soon succumbed, Stathis pulling it open, the stench of blood seeping out. Steeling herself, she entered, sword at the ready.

Inside, there was barely any light except from Hakara’s spell, but what Stathis could see was far from reassuring. Metal implements hung on the walls, well-sharpened steel catching the light. Half-glimpsed occult diagrams showed the human body, or at least bits of it, cut apart and opened. Several metal sarcophagi were hung from the ceiling by long chains, moving oh-so-slightly above them, dark stains on the stone beneath them. Several of the same metal boxes were lowered, hanging just above the floor, something pale sticking out from the side of one. Stathis approached, carefully poking it with a sword, the chain creaking, until Hakara moved closer, and she was able to see it properly.

It was an arm, or the tattered remnants of one, the hand removed, most of the skin and muscle flayed away to reveal the bone beneath. It has been somehow shaped, warped into a sharpened spiral, edges razor sharp. The sense of burning, seething evil was strong here, almost as strong as when Janaxia cast her spells, even if hot rather than a writhing and ancient cold. Hakara was flinching away, even Parth looking shocked. Brina carefully touched one of the sarcophagi. It rattled and shook with sudden motion, dark liquid oozing out of the cracks.

‘Yeah, this is some proper creepy shit. Stathis, can you reach? It looks like the top bit can open.’

The metal felt hot to the touch, although without any physical heat. She cautiously laid her palm flat against it, forcing herself to ignore the burning sensation. The “front” had a dome, where a head could go. She opened the latch, positioning herself to the side, out of sight of whatever might be inside, before opening it. The smell of blood intensified, Hakara squeaking nervously, but no attacker materialised. Steeling herself, Stathis moved to the front, and looked inside.

A face, drawn, gaunt and pale, stared back at her with unseeing eyes, contorted in pain. A metal spike had been pushed through their tongue, silencing them, and pinning their head in place against the metal. More spikes held their head in place, pricking the forehead, rivulets of dried blood trickling down their face. There were still traces of makeup around their eyes, a golden necklace incongruously bright in the darkness.

Brina broke the silence. ‘Fuck me, that looks a slow and shitty way to go. Seems there’s definitely something dodgy goin’ on then.’

Stathis looked around – the equipment was all very clearly sorcerous and being used for something bad, but she had no idea what it might be in aid of. Along one wall was a large pinboard, covered with a series of rough sketches of people. Beneath this, sat atop a velvet cushion, was a fragment of metal the length of Stathis’ arm, edges rough, looking like it had been hacked off something larger. A metal framework held dozens of the bracelets, each with a tiny stone embedded, flaked off the larger fragment. ‘Hakara, you got any idea what any of this stuff is?’

She was trying to stay as far away as possible, not coming anywhere near the sarcophagi. ‘Necromancy of some kind. Draining their magic and their spirits, but I can’t tell why. The average person doesn’t have much essence though, so this sort of thing is rarely worth it. Demons or magical beings are more potent, but that has the downside of, well, an angry demon to deal with.’

‘Any idea who she is, Brina?’

‘No-one I recognise. Looks a bit grubby, but that might be, well, the result of this stuff. Makeup’s fancy, which could mean noble, or just that she had good taste. Although I recognise some of those pictures – a lot of them are the fancy, nobles and whatnot. Hey, there’s Awdelly! This thing looks a bit suspicious though.’ She examined the shard, surface black even against the darkness, cracked and mazed edges catching the slight light, drinking it in.

Parth had moved to another one of the sarcophagi, and carefully opened the faceplate. She immediately recoiled from whatever was inside, before spinning it to face the others. While the person inside the first had been mostly intact, the face of this one was gone, the skin carefully peeled off, incisions still visible.

‘Terror and darkness.’

‘Yeah, there’s enough here to show that something is definitely going on. And there’s those damn demon-cultists we fought before. Hakara, I’m sorry to ask this, but could you have a closer look? We need to know what the hell these things are – I’ve not seen anything like this, I’ve never fought a necromancer before. These things look too hacked up to fight well, but I don’t know if magic could boost them or something. Or whatever the hell is going on with that arm, is it being shaped into a weapon?’

Hakara approached, looking nervous and frightened, but scrutinised the magical diagrams on the walls, mumbling arcane terminology under her breath as she did so. While she did that, Stathis went over to one of the windows and cracked the shutters open, looking out. The sunlight was a welcome relief, even if it illuminated more of the room, and even more of the sarcophagi above them, and a winch mechanism along the wall. Small cages, just about big enough for a person, if hunched over, were securely bolted to the floor, refuse-tainted straw showing they’d been used. The chains above clinked softly, as something wet splatted to the floor next to Stathis, a thick red goop splashing. Stathis looked upwards, glimpsing movement amongst the hanging boxes.

‘I can’t tell fully what this is.’ Hakara was very obviously trying to avoid touching anything. ‘It’s designed to take the spirit from those put inside those… things, but I’ve no idea what for. They’re also draining the blood, but that could be for anything.’

‘Hey, there’s a stack of these silver things!’ Brina had opened up a chest, the contents gleaming. ‘And there’s a big one, looks fancy.’ She pulled it out, a large silver disc, intricately worked, and covered with dried blood. Around the edge was a series of harsh slashes and cuts, the metal blackened, bent and spindled. ‘Missy-mage, any ideas?’

‘This can be used to communicate at a distance. Although I don’t recognise the precise style, but there will be at least one other item elsewhere that matches. It is very crudely made, such things are normally more intricate. This will slowly destroy itself with use, and takes essence to use – I imagine that would be the blood.’ She turned it, Stathis catching a glimpse of herself reflected for a moment, her reflection warped by the curves of metal, half-hidden in blood and shadow.

Stathis nodded. ‘I’ve seen similar ones before, yeah. Although they’re normally smaller. And less bloody.’ She glanced up again. The chains were definitely rattling more, the darkness above them shifting, something reflecting the light for a moment. The plate suddenly flared with a red flash, Brina yelping and dropping it, blowing on her fingers. ‘Ow! What the hell is with this place?’

Parth gently touched Stathis on the shoulder. ‘Darkness rejects the sun.’ She glanced up, as the chains above them clinked and clanked. ‘Retreat, return later.’ Another crimson gobbet fell from above, splatting onto the floor.

Stathis nodded. ‘Yeah, we know there’s something going on. Brina, quickly check over those faces, see if there’s any you recognise, then let’s get the hell out of here. Hakara, is there anything you can do to stop this stuff being used?’

‘There’s a lot of power here. It would be dangerous to disrupt it while present, without any form of warding. Very dangerous.’

‘Shit. Well, we best leave, before something finds us here.’ Above her, the chains rattled and clicked again, a longer, more sustained sound. Something was definitely moving up there. A spear or something would be nice, but there didn’t seem to be one around. ‘Brina, got what you need? We really should leave. Hakara, Parth, let’s go. Now.’

A dribble of goo poured down near Brina, as Stathis dove forward and pushed her out of the way, a shape dropping down from above, crashing to the ground behind them. There was a reek of blood, something swiping just above her head as she pushed Brina away, knocking into the shelving as she turned. Pain seared the back of her hand, the metal fragment having been knocked off and slicing her, blood starting to trickle down her hand. She rose and turned to see a misshapen figure, wrapped in heavy cloth, stained dark with gore. A misshapen arm, far longer than normal, and ending with savage claws ripped through the air, barely missing her. She ducked around, scuttling beneath a table, the wood splintering above her. A voice hissed out from it, broken and barely human. ‘Kill… intruders.’

‘Run!’ A bolt of ice shot out from Hakara, already backing towards the exit, Brina throwing a knife at the creature. The table began to break above her, another clawed rip ripping through the wood. Stathis stabbed upwards, penetrating the thin wood and piercing through a hand, dark ichor oozing out, then running as best she could with the table above her. The thing screeched and growled, table shifting as it tried to pull its hand out, pinned by the sword.

Stathis ran for the door, Brina just ahead of her. She glanced over her shoulder – whatever the thing was, it’s misshapen bulk writhed and shifted beneath the heavy fabric covering its body, the suggestion of a barely humanoid shape beneath it all, spines and strange shapes shifting as the moved. She caught a glimpse of part of a face, red-raw and pale, bloodied meat covered with shifting scars and wounds.

Then she was through the door, slamming it shut, hoping the lock still worked. The wards hissed and flared, darts of energy shooting out, some blocked by Hakara using a shielding spell, others striking home, peppering Stathis and Brina with stabbing darts of energy, electricity sparking into her, numbing an arm. They ran down the stairs, not caring about the noise, the sounds of smashing coming from behind them.