The Chained One (Chapter 5)
Over the course of the next three days, twelve more Awakened came to Celia seeking answers. Two had come from as far as Japan in the Mortal Plane and its Ether mirror of Kelenpa Empire. On a soggy, gray Saturday morning, while Kathy and Selena sat down to a quick breakfast of eggs and bacon, Daggeuro made himself ready to report to the King. A runner awoke them all by pounding on the door at the ungodly hour of four in the morning, informing the kennin High Knight, who stood before the messenger in his breeches, that King Ovin required him post-haste.
The kennin chugged a scalding cup of coffee, gave Selena a kiss, and tromped out into the downpour, umbrella open. Kathy could still smell the lingering odor of sex on Selena, trying to let the bacon override it and failing. She hitched a sigh. "I wish I had what you have," she said wanly.
"Love?"
"That too," Kathy said. "Right now I'd be happy with a quickie with someone who knew what they were doing." Selena spurt coffee all over the table, which got both women laughing. "I'm sorry, it's just, well, it's been a while, and the last guy I was with was kind of a douche."
"I've been with a few of those," Selena said. She poured them each a fresh cup of coffee, passing Kathy the creamer. "They always seem fine while you're together, but afterwards you can't help but wonder what you were thinking." They lapsed into talk about the wedding again, until Kathy finally had an idea.
"Hey, you have contacts in the Mortal Plane who can get you intel on people, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Do me a favor, find out what you can about Byron Torg," Kathy said. "I've met most of the other Awakened around town, but thus far, him and Sheldon Burke are the only two who really jump out at me as different."
"Can do," Selena said. "After breakfast." Kathy thanked her, and over the last of the bacon they once again discussed the seating chart.
Councilman Stahg stood at his bedchamber window in his purple silk robe, staring out at the city, hands folded behind his back. The only sounds to touch his pointed ears were the drizzle of rain and the snores of his lover, an elven woman who worked as his chief scribe in the council. He would tire of her eventually, but for the time being, she served his purposes.
Stahg thought about the people in what he'd come to think of as his city, wondering momentarily what they saw in their King that made them so loyal to the throne. The people loved Ovin, respected and even revered him as some kind of demigod, an idea he couldn't fathom. He was just a fairy, a creature whose magic was all he had.
Stahg 'harumphed', turning away from the window, walking out of the room on silent feet. None of those loyal subjects knew how much work he'd done to ensure trade roads stayed open and free, how many hours he'd spent dickering with foreign dignitaries to secure trade between nations. They knew nothing of his political skills.
And now there were lowly humans in his city, capturing everybody's attention. "Miserable creatures," he grumbled, striding into his kitchen. His long, furry tail swished back and forth as he opened the ice box, weighing his options. "Short-lived, short-sighted, cocky little animals," he muttered, grabbing a platter with chocolate cake on it. He set it on the kitchen island, fetched himself a plate and fork, and took a large piece before putting the platter back in.
Stahg took his cake and a small glass of milk out to the den, lounging in an armchair, enjoying his snack. The humans had ever been an annoyance, and having a full compliment of fifteen of them in Celia made his blood run hot. Yet this business of some creature attacking them sat ill with him. King Ovin had always possessed a soft spot for Awakened humes, and not knowing where to look for this mysterious creature could prove costly. Who knew, after all, how many extra City Watch or Rangers would be hired on in reaction to this unknown threat?
There were always political ramifications to events such as these. Stahg decided he needed to get out ahead of whatever was coming. He needed to deploy his court spies in the morning, using the artifacts he'd procured from a recent auction in Alefer to the west.
He set his plate, fork and glass in the kitchen sink, running water over them briefly to avoid staining. Then he slipped back into his bedchamber and into bed, thoughts of campaign speeches already churning as he looked over at the clock. Four-thirty. Who but I would be up at this ridiculous hour, he thought.
Daggeuro was at that moment running past the homes of the High Councilmen, charging for his and Selena's house. The other Royal Guard members he streaked past asked no questions and remained free of his path; Sir Daggeuro had a tendency to run over people as opposed to around them.
His sense of urgency remained high as he passed through the inner court barbican, but he slowed down. It was nearly sunrise; merchants would setting up shop in the streets, shops opening for business. He flagged down a watchman and waved the woman over.
"Take this to your commanding officer," he said in a rush. "Go! Now!" The female kennin officer saluted and ran off without even looking at the paper, no questions asked. "The machine flows smoothly today," he muttered to himself, running off down Eternas Avenue.
He had several more copies of the paper to be passed out, and one scroll tucked into his swordbelt that he had to personally deliver. Running like a mad bastard, he distributed the fliers quickly and raced for the Green Quill Inn. Barging through the doors awakened the gotrin manning the desk, who gave him directions to his destination. He pelted down the east hallway on the first floor, his adrenaline pumping.
This was why his fist crashed down like an ancient god's wrath on the door, cracking the wood as he knocked. A minute later, the man he'd come looking for was yelling, "Hold on, hold on! Let a man get decent!" A paunchy little man of middle age, his hair thinning and eyes bleary, opened the dor in a deep crimson robe. "Who're you?"
"I am Sir Daggeuro, High Knight of Ovin's court, Lord of the Watch, Blademaster of kennin, santo of divars, wielder of Boon and Bane," said the kennin in a raspy wheeze. "I hereby furnish to thee, Sheldon Burke, this Travel Writ of Allowance for the use of Necromancy within the borders of Amermidst Kingdom," he continued, handing the flabbergasted human the scroll. "As an Awakened, it is my duty to inform you, sir, that your life is in danger. You are to gather your belongings and report to the Royal Manor at once. Royal Guard shall escort you from the gates."
"Wha, but I'm-"
"NOW!" Daggeuro's eyes and mouth glowed with the orange light of the Word of the Knight. "Thou question me not, human! Mine word is spoken, and thy safety is in threat! Do as I say!" Daggeuro didn't stick around to see to the order being carried out. He had to get to Kathy.
Selena stepped back through the rift into her living room, a blue plastic file binder in hand. "I got a chance to look at some of this, and I have to say, Mr. Torg seems to be an interesting man." She handed the binder to Kathy, who pulled out the top sheet, a copy of a medical records sheet. It listed his name as Byron Jacob Torg, son of Philip and Judith. Born in 1982, which made him 31 years old, in Canandaigua, New York.
She didn't care about most of the medical information until she saw the header of the sheet, which she had first ignored. "Um, where did you get this," she asked faintly.
"I have sources," Selena said. The header read: 'Patient Chart, O'Brien Brothers Mental Health Facility'. The date was listed as October 17th, 1997. He would have been fifteen years old, which was when he said he'd been Awakened. Kathy skimmed through the attached notes, gathering a snapshot of what had happened. Byron had gone missing for several days, showing up at home one day raving about another world he'd been to. A note from his psychiatrist said 'See attached journal page'.
Kathy flipped through the pages until she found a piece of notebook paper from what she assumed was a composition notebook. Byron had dated it October 7th, 1997. She hurriedly read it:
'Mom and dad don't believe me! Those things knew they wouldn't, they told me they wouldn't, and now I know they weren't telling lies! Oh, the pain in my back, it's like a fire that never dies. I can still feel them carving the flesh and meat, tearing my body open and filling it with their bugs and scorpions. I can still smell the rotted meat smell from their forced healing. The walls here are painted pink, but I keep seeing the warped faces from the room the monsters kept me in, trapped in the walls, calling for the sweet mercy of death. I would have helped them if I could have, but I made the door appear, and I had to run, had to. I knew the world I went to wasn't home, not yet, but the people there were nice, they didn't hurt me. I liked it there, but that wasn't home. So I asked for some paper, and I wrote Door Home and it appeared and I took it and now I'm back and NOBODY BELIEVES ME!'
Kathy felt a tear rolling down her cheek. This was why Daggeuro and her had felt such wrongness from Byron Torg. He had been Awakened, yes, but not in the Ether. She closed the folder and took it to the guest room, putting it in her enchanted gear bag for later reading. When she came back into the kitchen, Daggeuro burst into the house, calling for her.
"Kathy," he shouted, whipping into the room. Kathy went stiff, nerves on alert. He looked ready to do battle, his armor in full effect, tie-downs on his weapons undone. "Get your gear and get dressed for battle," he snapped. Kathy once might have panicked or asked questions, but now she knew better. When Daggeuro acted like this, trouble was usually near. She raced to the guest room to get ready, taking only eight minutes to be prepared.
When she came back out, Tigger in her backpack with his head poking out, she found both Daggeuro and Selena at the ready. Together they exited the house and jogged through the streets, people clearing a path as the kennin High Knight called out for them to make a path.
The barbican gates between the main city and the inner court was open, guarded by a full contingent of twelve Royal Guard, their weapons held tight, scowls of suspicion and apprehension masking their features. None blocked Sir Daggeuro and his companions, only one pausing to salute. Daggeuro threw one back hastily, and as soon as they were through, Kathy looked back to find their ranks closed, barring entry to the common folken seeking to sneak in.
Daggeuro and Selena led Kathy by a dozen strides as they reached the courtyard fronting the Royal Manor. There they had come up short, as three Royal Guard stood in a triangular huddle around a sleek gray fellin in dark yellow robes, barring him entry to the manor. One of them, a bear-like faery man in royal purple robes bearing the mark of the Royal Guard on the sleeve, looked over at Sir Daggeuro and inclined his head slightly.
"Lord Daggeuro," the bear rumbled. "This man claims to be newly attached to the court scribes," he said, grabbing the fellin by the arm and dragging him into plain view. Daggeuro recognized him at once, a plucky and insightful young page learning the duties of court scribes.
"He speaks true," Daggeuro said. "Young Wexler, isn't it?"
"Aye, sire," said the fellin. "I am a page for Councilman Stahg." Daggeuro shuddered, but recalled that he'd already had this man vetted.
"Let him pass." The page fled inside the manor, and as Daggeuro closed on the bear-faery, he said quietly, "Check him on the way out and confiscate any notes he has with him, as well as any mirrors."
"Sir?"
"No questions." The bear nodded and returned to his post. Daggeuro turned to Selena and sighed. "You won't be allowed in, my love. I'm sorry."
"I understand. I just wanted to make sure you got here all right." She gave him a brief peck on the snout, hugged Kathy, patted Tigger, and hoofed it away back home. Daggeuro led Kathy into the manor. The lobby was choked with milling humans, Awakened all, Burke and Torg among them but off to one side, partaking of no company. Kathy spotted Byron, hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, and she shocked herself by thinking, He's really quite handsome. She felt her cheeks grow flushed and looked away from him quickly, following Daggeuro to the throne room doors.
"No further yet," Daggeuro said to her, one hand out as he slipped into the throne room. Kathy stepped back into the crowd. Two young women approached her, dressed in high-end designer clothes, their spray-on tans glowing under bottle blonde hair.
"Hey," said one, a reasonably pretty young woman with a dazzling white smile. "You're Kathy Potts, aren't you?" Kathy blinked, surprised by her notoriety.
"Yes, I am. You are?"
"Oh, Vanessa Luret," she said, offering her hand. Kathy shook, feeling a thrum in her arm on contact. "This is my sister Pamela." Pamela just nodded quietly, but shook hands as well, her own grip frail, weak. "She doesn't say much. You're the one who helped defend the city against Luga, right?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, that is so boss," Vanessa said, crunching down excitedly. "Your tablet thingy? Such a great idea!"
"Oh, thank you," Kathy said with a grin. "It just seemed natural, given my talent. What do you guys specialize in?"
"I'm a healer, life magic. Pam's a whiz with wind magic. Neither of us need to use incantations or sigils," she said. "And I can use healing at a range of fifty yards."
"Neat," said Kathy. "Pretty useful, I imagine. So you guys both got attacked by this chain guy?"
"Yeah, about five months ago," she said. "We were at our salon, closing up, when he hit us both." Kathy was about to ask more when the throne room doors opened, and Daggeuro stepped out with his arms held high.
"The Awakened are now asked to enter the throne room, and to remain quiet," he called out. The orange glow of his eyes and mouth, as well as the deepened boom of his voice shone with the Word of the Knight. "Thy questions we ask thou keep until prompted. His majesty King Ovin shall address you all."
He about-faced and marched back into the room, and Kathy joined the press of people in the wide dining hall-turned-throne room. Ovin hovered high over his regal seat of power, pressing his aura of calm out among the humans gathered within. The doors were closed, and he began his speech.
"Friends, I give thee welcome to mine throne chamber. For most of you, this is your first time seeing me. For others, this is but a return visit. Yet what I have gathered you to say is vital to all. My sages have been investigating the scrolls of Ether history and lore in search for reference to a creature which recently came into your lives, and after much cross-reference and study, they have determined its identity.
"It is known as The Chained One." He let his words hang a moment as murmurs passed through the room. Kathy could feel tensions ratcheting up again, quickly suppressed by another burst of calm from the diminutive monarch. "This creature was once like yourselves; it was once human, long ago. The realm it lived in as a human in your world no longer exists as it once had, so ask not where it hails from.
"Three-thousand years ago, a man named Cassius Melchar and his brother, Horatio, crossed quite by accident into the Ether, becoming the first Awakened in nearly ten-thousand years. This was in the Wekina Empire, known now as Rinchak, parallel to China. Horatio Melchar was known to me, as he ultimately came here to Amermidst and became the only human to ever serve in the Royal Guard.
"Horatio's talents lay in an ability to craft weapons by merely touching the materials he required, shaping them like so much clay. He was a brilliant tactician, and led Amermidst Kingdom in several minor wars with its neighbors before passing away after seven-hundred years of service. But before passing, he warned the sages of that time to beware his brother's attentions.
"Cassius, unbeknownst to us here, had been terrorizing Wekina Empire and its citizenry with his own power. He possessed the ability to copy the talents and magics of other Awakened by consuming just a single drop of their blood. If he killed the Awakened with their own power, it became his to command permanently."
There came many grumbles and gasps at this, and Kathy could sense the fear worming through the crowd. Most of these people weren't fighters. She wouldn't consider herself one, for that matter, despite her proven experience in battle. King Ovin waited patiently for the noise to die down naturally, and this time, he didn't bother trying to pacify the crowd.
"The sages have learned that for nearly five-hundred years, Cassius Melchar gathered an army and carved out his own country within the Empire. He never made diplomatic relations, never had writs or accords formed to declare his own nation. He instead ruled as a crime lord of sorts, a monster in human guise. Finally, he one day traveled under cover of potent illusion magics to the Imperial capital, where he absorbed the powers of one of the Emperor's chief advisors and killed him.
"The Empirial High Command issued then a warrant for Cassius's summary capture and execution. He was captured by an elite unit of soldiers and brought before the greatest mages and warriors of Wekina, all of whom tried to kill him. But even bound, Cassius's powers kept him alive, until a necromancy power turned him into an undead creature of even greater power and hostility.
"The mages present then chose to perform an ancient binding ritual, chaining him to a ghostwood tree. The tree was uprooted, kept alive with spells until it could be taken to a hidden cave located on the borderlands of the Empire. There it was rooted, and Cassius left to fling curses against a barrier erected over the mouth of the cave.
"My sages have sent one of their number there to inspect the cave for confirmation. We believe at this time that Cassius Melchar, who became known in Wekina lore as The Chained One, has somehow partially escaped his imprisonment and come across the ocean to begin a new conquest."
Now the babble of the crowd could outshine even the screams of fans at a concert. It went on for almost a minute before Daggeuro shouted, "SILENCE!" The room fell quiet almost at once. Ovin continued.
"Because this is our suspicion, you are all considered to be in danger. As guests of Amermidst Kingdom, I hereby extend to you all an offer of asylum until such time as The Chained One can be dealt with. This offer may be taken up for the next three days, at which time those who have not accepted it shall be asked to disperse from the capital.
"Three of you will be asked to remain here for a private audience when this meeting is adjourned. They are Lady Kathy Potts, Lord Sheldon Burke, and Mr. Byron Torg. To the rest of you, if you wish to accept asylum, please speak with members of the Royal Guard in the courtyard or at the inner court gates, and you shall be tended to. The throne has spoken."
The crowd began milling about and blabbering amongst themselves as they were shunted outside, the doors closing once more when all but Kathy, Burke and Byron had left. King Ovin lowered himself to his seat. Daggeuro stepped forth and said, "Please come forth, you three." They did, with Burke on Kathy's left and Byron on her right.
"The three of you will obviously not be needing asylum," King Ovin said. "You will instead be helping us."
"Wait a moment," Burke objected, flapping his hands wildly. "I want protection!"
"You hardly need it," Ovin retorted. "Lord Burke, you know I speak true. You three all possess unique gifts, powers nobody else has, even among faery."
"Your majesty," Daggeuro said. "He is but a skilled necromancer. Many faerie can do this."
"Ah, yes, but how many of them can command the undead raised by others?" All eyes locked then on Burke, who looked away, demurring. "I also know of no other necromancer who can control vampires, rare as such creatures are."
"Holy shit," Byron blurted. "Dude, I had no idea, and I traveled with you!"
"A minor thing," Burke said.
"Nonsense," said Ovin. "We need someone with your talents, especially if The Chained One raises his own undead. Your task will be to counter such events throughout this and neighboring realms. I have already sent messengers to my counterparts. Now then, Mr. Torg, Lady Potts, you two are known to me as the most battle-capable Awakened involved thus far. Mr. Torg, your reputation as one who seeks out a story intrigues me. I therefore feel it suitable that you should accompany Miss Kathy and Sir Daggeuro in the investigation into this creature's activities."
"Of course," Byron said cheerily. King Ovin cocked his head to one side, eyes narrowed upon the human man. "Something wrong?"
"I recognize the flavour of your Awakened power," the fairy King said quietly. "Sir Daggeuro, you no doubt have an idea what I mean. We've felt it before, under the command of the shade, Luga." Daggeuro leaned in close to Byron, sniffing at him openly. He stepped back and nodded, his right hand sliding onto the handle of Boon. "Mr. Torg, you weren't Awakened here in this Ether Plane, were you?"
"I was not," Byron said flatly, no longer grinning.
"Will you do harm to those around you? Knowingly, I mean."
"No."
"I have your word?"
"You do."
"Well enough," said King Ovin. Kathy looked over at Byron, her flesh now clammy, riddled with goose bumps. Who was this man at her side? "You shall serve alongside Sir Daggeuro and Lady Potts. Lady Potts, you shall hereby once more receive the honorary rank of lieutenant among the Watch. Mr. Torg, you shall hereby be an honorary first sergeant. Now, we already possess one advantage over The Chained One. It isn't going to be able to copy Byron's power, because his talent does not belong here. It is of another world entirely, and such power can only have one conduit. But we will be able to use that flavour of power to track it."
"Are the sages on alert," Daggeuro asked.
"They are. The Chained One was detected in Alsem province to the west two days ago. And Sir Daggeuro, I apologize, but I lied to the others. We already checked the cave. Cassius Melchar is gone, as is the tree he was bound to."
"What of the Rinchak parliament," Daggeuro asked. "Have they offered any explanation or advice?"
"Only to tell me that it's my problem now," King Ovin said. "They're still upset that we have Rangers guarding the kalpas in their country. Frankly, they haven't the skill among their Outbound Guardians to do the job properly." He and Daggeuro shared a haughty chuckle and shook their heads. Kathy felt a stab of resentment for them for a moment; she often forgot that they were involved in the business of the societal elite. When she peeked over at Byron, she saw his scorn for their attitude writ plain in his face.
"This is all wonderful," said Burke in a tittery-whine voice, "but I fail to see how I'm going to be much help. If this Cassius fellow raises a flock of undead, how am I to get to them?"
"Ether doors have been opened for your use," King Ovin said. "Sir Armis and Sir Telenek will be attached to you for security detail. At this time, you are dismissed. Sir Armis will be waiting for you outside the court barbican." Burke bowed to the King and saw himself out. When he was gone, King Ovin said to the remaining three, "You shall go to Alsem in the morning via the Ether door in the Royal Guard barracks basement. It comes out in the town of Ryalt, the provincial seat."
"Isn't that Stahg's province," Daggeuro asked.
"It is. He'll still be here, but I know he's planning to head back soon to campaign for reelection. Hopefully, he'll wait until your need to be there is over. If you get the chance, don't hesitate to destroy The Chained One. We need to end this unsavory business quickly. You are dismissed."
Daggeuro led Kathy and Byron out of the manor, stopping in the courtyard. "Kathy? Tell Selena of what has come to pass. I have duty sheets to fill here before other preparations. As for you, Byron," the kennin said, standing upright, hand now gripping Boon openly. "Restrain yourself." He turned and marched away then, leaving the humans to their preparations.
"What do you suppose that was all about," Byron asked.
"I wouldn't worry about that. Dag has a hard time adjusting to working with new people," Kathy said, trying to be friendly. "So, um, did you want to grab some coffee with me? Maybe we could get to know each other a little before taking off on this business?" She smiled at him, trying to project openness and acceptance. Byron twitched his lips to the right and scuffed his right foot idly on the cobblestones.
"Thanks, but no," he said. "There'll be time for that tomorrow. I kind of want you guys to hear me out together, rather than repeating myself." He whistled to himself as he walked away, leaving Kathy feeling somewhat put off. The man clearly needed a friend; so why was he being stand-offish?As she started away behind him, she saw him walking strangely, jabbering at himself and moving in awkward, jerky motions. Ah, she thought, he wants to work this stuff out of his system. Makes sense.
If she were in his shoes, she might do the same thing.