Chapter 33 — A Worrisome Warning

“Ayla, you don’t become the duke’s favorite fire mage without having the ability to control what burns. And just because I’m good at creating fires, that doesn’t mean I can’t put them out,” her brother pointed out with an eye roll. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

After what happened with Xyn’s group, Ayla wasn’t sure she believed her brother was telling the full truth. Though if he really could stop accidental fires from spreading, that would allow Yillian and Alennil to also use fire.

“Besides Ayla,” Denathen added and motioned to indicate the brazier-carrying clergy leading the way down into the depths of the catacombs, one winding descent at a time. “If their plan works, we only need to keep them safe from the spiders and non-vampire mages.”

Giving up on arguing with him, Ayla returned to sensing Xyn and Yillian’s location through the amulet. When they reached the right depth, she called them to halt. “The vampires are on this level. In that direction.”

Seeing the direction she was pointing, the monk nodded. “It would make sense. Those tunnels’ alcoves are fully occupied and aren’t being expanded.”

At the monk’s orders the group split to head down several of the tunnels at the same time and allow no escape. After some distance, webbing started covering the ceiling and alcoves, clearly indicating they were in the right place from what Xyn and Yillian had described earlier.

A glance at her brother, showed his right eye twitching a bit and his hand at the ready.

Ayla placed a hand on his arm. “Let me handle things. You’re not the only one who has grown since you joined the duke’s employ. Let me show-off a little. You can back me up, okay?”

“Guess I can allow my little sister that much.” He let out a breath and gave her a strained smile.

Ayla returned the smile with a challenging one of her own before returning her full attention to the tunnel ahead.

Because of her sparring with Xyn, her perception had improved significantly. Thanks to that, the movement of a black limb in the webs attached to the arched ceiling immediately drew her notice, and while filling her sword with aura until it glowed red, she Quick-Stepped forward past the monks in the lead and slashed at the ceiling with her Burning Divide technique.

The arc of severing fire continued a good distance down the passage slicing and igniting the webs, causing the surviving spiders to fall to the ground on flaming safety threads or jump to the walls to avoid the flames. Dead spiders and unmoving rats and bats rained down in a patter of smoldering plops.

Ayla didn’t wait for the spiders to land or regroup and was immediately stepping into the swarm, her glowing blade forming intricate arcs as Fire enhanced her muscles and her wrist angled and twitched with sinuous motions that drew beautiful continuously-chained arcs in the air and along the stone, redirecting to pass through spider after spider without pause.

With her improved understanding of both Fire and projecting her aura, she had finally learned the Smoldering Cut technique and even the shallowest of nicks from her aura-infused blade continued to smoke and burn from the injected aura, causing the spiders that survived to curl-up and writhe in pain until they succumbed.

“Wow, Ayla…” Denathen breathed out. “You weren’t joking.”

Ayla smirked at her success, but as the smoldering of the webbing continued to spread, she looked back and meaningfully motioned with her eyes that maybe he should do something about slowing the fire’s spread. Come on, Denathen! Get a hint!

“We would also appreciate your assistance keeping the Lady Ayla’s fire from excessively spreading—if you would, Sir Denathen,” the lead monk added. “The goddess will not be pleased if the dead are unnecessarily disturbed and further desecrated.”

Ugh. Embarrassing. Especially since she was the one just insisting Denathen be careful.

An odd movement in the shadows prevented her from dwelling on her embarrassment as the shadows began to form into a man. Her blade was already in motion and cut through the assailant’s dagger to stab him in the chest.

“Aaaggghh,” the man cried out, jumping back and trying to turn back to shadows but the floor of the corridor was suddenly glowing and the monks had begun chanting.

Smoke billowed out from the brazier at the same time that light surrounded the man, apparently restricting his movements. The man hissed, showing his fangs as the smoke coiled around him. In a matter of moments the man’s eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed to the ground like a corpse, not breathing as far as Ayla could tell.

“Bind him,” the lead monk ordered, and two of the monks rushed forward. One locking a black stone cuff on each wrist and the other placing a palm on the man’s chest, causing a glowing seal to form.

“Impressive work, abbot,” Denathen critiqued.

“For some of the recently turned, there may still be a chance to save them,” the abbot stated. “Assuming someone rids us of the Vampire Lord that birthed this current family of vampires. Take care not to inflict fatal wounds if possible.”

“Right,” Ayla acknowledged.

“Withdraw or we’ll kill the captives,” was the ultimatum given by a staff-wielding mage standing on top of the web-shrouded mausoleum that dominated the large circular room.

Above the mage, dozens of people-sized cocoons hung down connected to the webs shielding the ceiling from view. Other mages and probably vampires were positioned against the walls between the entrances with many of them out of the line-of-sight no matter which entrance was used.

Wrapped in shadows and mist, Xyn and Klode looked out upon the scene from an archway that provided one of the room’s several entrances—or exit depending on perspective. He and Klode had split off from the others to try a more stealthy approach to take advantage of Hoss blasting his way forward and drawing their attention.

“How about you surrender and we don’t don’t kill all of you?” Hoss boomed out, his voice shaking dust free from the ceiling even with the webbing.

A few balls of fire were lobbed in Hoss’ direction, causing him to duck back into the archway as a gust of wind, likely from Yillian, diverted them off-course and into the web-covered walls to promptly ignite the white spider silk. The mage atop the mausoleum also formed fire in his hand and visibly aimed it upward, refraining from launching it for the moment.

{We’re almost to your location, Xyn, Yillian! Be careful not to kill the vampires. The monks have a way to neutralize them and might be able to undo the turning.}

{Ayla, the mages are threatening to burn the captured cityfolk who are suspended in cocoons from the ceiling and the webs on the walls are already burning!}

Yillian’s worried voice echoed in Xyn’s head after Ayla’s update.

{We’ll hurry, keep them distracted!}

Shortly after Ayla’s reply, a chanting began sounding from several of the archways on the other side of the room, accompanied by pulsing booms from Hoss that made debris on the ground tremble and bounce, and Xyn didn’t hesitate to project his aura up and around the hanging cocoons wrapping them in dew from his mist to protect them from the fire.

“We’ll light them up!” the mage-in-charge reiterated and launched a streamer of fire at one of the nearby cocoons, only for it to dissipate against Xyn’s mist. The flash-evaporated mist and water still made the occupant of the cocoon writhe about causing the cocoon to swing and spin.

Xyn refocused his aura. Projecting his aura such a distance was clearly his limit and the effect was barely enough to stop even the casually-cast fire spell, but it was all the captured victims had to keep them from burning.

{We’re here! Coordinated attack?}

{Ready.}

{Yes. On three!}

Upon Ayla’s query and Xyn’s acknowledgement, Yillian ordered the assault.

“Klode, we’re going! I’ll draw them. Ayla says don’t kill the vamps.”

{Now!}

On Yillian’s signal, Xyn surged into the room with a roar and used his sword to flash light into the eyes of as many of the mages as he could to distract them and draw their attention. Ayla flew into the room at the opposite side, a strange smoke following her.

Ice spears, lightning, and streams of fire shot out from around the room at Xyn and the thundering Hoss, who was launching invisible strikes at mages and vampires, slamming them into walls.

Xyn was already Petal-stepping to avoid the magic he had drawn and punched a nearby mage hard enough to fly into the wall before Petal-stepping to the top of the mausoleum to face the assumed leader, who was launching fire at the cocoons and had already burned through the mist barrier that Xyn had attempted.

Only one of the cocoons was on fire but several were squirming in pain and muffled screams could be heard.

Not stopping to keep track of how everyone else was doing, Xyn wrapped the leader in a storm of cutting petals and continued using the Fluttering Petal technique to blind him.

The mage seemed to have a protective item or magic that kept the illusionary petals from actually cutting, but the sudden onslaught of distractions did disrupt the mage’s casting enough that he took several steps back to try and maintain some distance.

That was all the time Xyn needed to close the distance and strike, his sword clanging off the mage’s desperate parry before cutting against the protection and slicing through cloth. A Petal-step barely dodged a lightning bolt that shot out of the staff, and Xyn wrapped himself in mist to discharge and redirect any further lightning as he landed the first of a series of Rippling Strikes to stun the mage.

Before the defensive magic could reform, Xyn unleashed a full-strength Breath of Sleep, but he didn’t have time to reinforce the attack as Love’s Blossom barely redirected a strong bolt of lightning from behind over his head and into a wall.

Fortunately, the mage leader collapsing to the ground freed Xyn to direct his attention to the remaining threats. The melee was harried by large and small spiders dropping from the… no longer burning webs, but a slightly singed Hoss was holding back several vampires with the help of Jessi, Yillian, and Alennil. On the other side, Ayla was performing the same role as Hoss with her brother as her mage back-up. As the monks advanced into the room, the enemy fighters were wrapped in light that froze their movements, and when the smoke from the monk’s braziers reached them, they collapsed.

Another powerful bolt of lightning shot at Xyn, again barely deflected, leaving his hand numb this time. Xyn spotted his attacker and moved to Petal-step, but Klode appeared behind Xyn’s target, a shadow-wrapped dagger poking out the front of the mage’s chest, missing the heart and causing a wound that might not be immediately fatal but was most likely incapacitating.

Xyn spun about looking to see if anyone needed help, but the remaining mages and vampires were quickly dealt with as he watched, leaving only the spiders, many of which suddenly seemed more interested in fleeing than fighting.

Hefting the sleeping leader over his shoulder, Xyn dropped down near Ayla and her brother.

“Xyn!” Ayla greeted, and her eyes fixed on the man he was carrying. “You got the leader?”

“Yep. Got him with Breath of Sleep,” Xyn confirmed. “You and Yillian will probably want to search him.”

“Any items taken from the catacombs or the dead will need to stay here,” one of the monks spoke up.

Xyn dropped his burden on the stone floor, crunching some dead spiders, and shrugged, not really knowing who the guy was.

Ayla motioned toward the cocoons. “How are we going to get them down?”

“Yillian will probably have some ideas,” Xyn suggested as the half-elf mage approached with the rest of his team, including the two previously rescued humans that seemed to have been spooked out of the tunnel by the fleeing spiders.

“You’re from the Temple of Ellnys above?” Yillian asked as he approached the monk that spoke earlier.

The monk nodded and extended his hand. “Abbot Olyn. Head of medicine.”

“Explorer Yillian, acting on behalf of Master Arienos and the Cartographer’s Society.” Yillian clasped the abbot’s arm, receiving and returning the traditional human greeting.

The abbot raised an eyebrow at the mention of their master. “You, your companions, and the renowned Elven master have the temple’s thanks for assisting with the infestation that somehow found it’s way into our catacombs.”

“Your assistance was equally helpful to us in subduing these dangerous cultists,” Yillian countered and added a request, “If your temple could treat the victims for their injuries and exposure to Chaos essence that would also be helpful.”

“We can do one better than that. Assuming the Vampire Lord can be dealt with, we may be able to restore some of the ones turned. Of course, the temple will require those unable to pay for treatment to provide service to the temple until they have paid off the cost of their treatment as is our policy.” The abbot looked up at the cocoons. “We can discuss the details more later. Let us see to the victims.”

Ayla sat on a stone bench off to the side and out of the way of the work that the temple monks, Yillian, and the others were engaged in with the rescued cityfolk. These victims were in much worse shape than the ones found previously. From what she overheard these were mostly the failed experiments and the vampires had been using them as sources of blood for themselves and the spiders. The ‘successes’ had been turned, creating vampires with the power of unique bloodlines.

Lori and Pen successfully reunited with their family, who were among those ‘fortunate’ enough not to have been turned into vampires. Though to call them fortunate… seemed cruel.

Ayla sighed out her feelings at the injustice and the callous inhumanity of these cultists.

“Ayla…” a familiar whisper called out from the darkness behind the bench.

After her initial fright, Ayla motioned for Denathen, who was leaning against the wall behind her, to use his anti-eavesdropping magic.

Denathen was already looking in the direction the whisper had come from and quickly understood, forming the mandala and casting the spell as he had done in the duke’s chambers earlier.

Once the spell was complete, she let the shadows know it was safe and a raven rose up to stare at her with its barely perceptible black eyes. “Ayla, I’m glad you are safe. I see you are with Denathen. It’s good that you are working together in this matter. How goes your efforts?”

“I am well, thanks Master Garrin,” Ayla replied. “We have discovered much. Vampires have infiltrated the Tower and the cities and are using the cult to conduct bloodline experiments on abducted commoners. Even worse, the cult seems to be connected to the highest levels of the Tower.”

“I’m afraid it might be even worse than that,” Master Garrin added with a tense cawing voice, speaking through the crow. “Justicars showed up in Ravenhill. They were asking about you, Ayla. Whether you had been to the Tower recently and what we knew about it. Fortunately, I was able to shield the training cellar from their divinations and your father didn’t know anything about you going to the tower so we were able to avoid direct trouble, but he told them about you heading for Haverin City. So, I think you can expect them to show up there soon.”

Ayla sucked in a breath and shared a glance with her brother. It was her worst fear. That the king’s justicars would be sent for her.

“If the duke provides us shelter, even the justicars can’t enter the duke’s palace without his permission,” Denathen offered. “The king would have to send a written order instructing the duke to allow them access.”

“Don’t be so sure the king isn’t involved,” Master Garrin cautioned. “If the justicars were sent because of Ayla’s actions against the cult…”

“Thank you for warning us and for protecting the teleport circle from their notice, Master,” Ayla said, sincerely grateful for that small mercy of fate. If they had examined the teleport circle, the whole family might have been incriminated together with her. “I think it best we leave Haverin City soon.”

“That may be for the best…” her master agreed. “Stay alert and make use of your own diviner to avoid meeting the justicars if you can.”

Ayla nodded and sat up a little straighter. “Speaking of Alennil of Breckan, he has asked a favor of our family on behalf of some of the cult’s victims. There are many here that have become corrupted by Chaos and deformed to an extent that they will never be able to return to normal society. He suggested that our land god might be able to help them, or at least provide them with a place to live somewhat normal lives out of sight.”

“Hmm.” The raven cocked its head to the side. “It’s possible. There haven’t been any formal tenders of the Shadow Raven’s domain for some time now, but there are records of such in the past. I can ask, but gaining an audience and receiving a reply will likely take a day or so.”

Ayla cringed at the delay. Alennil’s interest in helping these people had come as a surprise, especially that he would ask for something that would further indebt him to her and her family on their behalf, but if her family could do something for these people, Ayla thought they should.

“Yes, if you would,” Ayla decided.

The raven bobbed its head. “Ayla, if a fight with the justicars is unavoidable, know that they are rumored to use precognition and true-sight. Because of this, your new cat-kin friend may be the key you need to survive the encounter. Precognition doesn’t work on illusions, and they won’t bother dodging his illusionary attacks because their true-sight will show the attacks are illusions, but if Xyn can impart the illusions strongly enough with the idea of sharpness then he will be able to wound them.”

Ayla was stunned. She knew the justicars were strong, but to think they could make use of techniques that could predict the opponents movement during combat… “Thank you, Master Garrin.”

“I wish you luck and the Raven’s protection, Ayla, Denathen.” The raven looked to each in turn and adjusted it’s wings. “It would be sad to lose any more of the family as a result of Fenton’s ambitions.”

The Ravenhill siblings said their farewells to Master Garrin, and after the raven was gone, Ayla worried over how much time they had left before the justicars would find them.