The Wandering Spire

"Run, fool!" Ziplocke cried.

Mikal turned and ran as the corner they were hiding behind became awash with Fire and Affliction magic. The Healer's legs pumped as he ran down the corridor while a small army of cultists gave chase. Mikal tapped his channeling tool and spun around while he shaped glyphs in the air with his fingers. Cultists entered the hallway, and they launched Fire darts that hissed past, barely missing them. The Healer Summoned forth a mist, and he completed a second series of Glyphs that Shaped the water into a thick wall of ice just as a pair of cultists armed with curved swords ran through. The Ice wall flared as Fire magic bombarded it, but it held firm. The two cultists shivered as they were covered in frost, and Mikal easily dispatched them with two quick thrusts from his spear.

"Flee!" Ziplocke shrieked.

Mikal didn't need to be told twice, and the Healer turned and ran. It was mere moments later that his Ice wall blasted apart, and from over his shoulder, he saw the masked Cult leader cut a purple tear into reality. Fire darts struck the floors and walls around them as Mikal ran down the long corridor, and before he turned a corner, he saw a swarm of Bloodlings burst forth from the rift.

"We can't outrun them!" Ziplocke cried.

"Then do something!" Mikal snapped back.

The two ran down the next corridor, but they could hear the Bloodlings gain on them, and the scraping sounds of their clawed feet grew louder. Mikal, with his spear and Ice magic, could have probably defeated the Bloodlings by himself. But it would have delayed him long enough for the cultist to arrive, and Mikal did not want to test himself against those odds. Especially with the cult leader. If he had his team, he was confident that they could overcome these odds. The entire corridor was plunged into darkness.

"I think you overdid it," Mikal admonished the Goblin as he slid to a halt. There was no way he would run while being completely blind.

"That was not me," Ziplocke responded.

From down the corridor, they could hear the cult leader scream, "They have the Hold Core! We must get it back!"

"That could be bad news," Ziplocke muttered.

"What do you mean?" Mikal continued to grope in the dark.

Sniffing sounds could be heard behind them. The Bloodlings were still on the hunt!

"The Hold Core is extremely powerful and if it is in the wrong hands, it could spell doom for us all," Ziplocke replied.

"We know the cultists don't have it," Mikal responded as he prepared for a Bloodling attack.

"That is true. Maybe the knucklehead found it," Ziplocke responded.

The scraping sounds of claws on stone were louder. The Bloodlings were near. Mikal had an idea.

"Can you prepare the Darkness aspect down the hall?" He asked.

"What's it worth to you?" Ziplocke asked.

"How about I don't toss you to the Bloodlings?" Mikal threatened.

"Good point. I can do it," the Goblin said, he was still on the Healer's shoulder.

"Smart, on the count of three," Mikal said and counted.

Light flared from Mikal's magic torch, and Ziplocke Summoned and Shaped shadows to coalesce into opaque darkness just beyond the six Bloodlings. The monsters flinched at the sudden appearance of light, and their drool dripped from their terrible mandible jaws. Mikal immediately impaled the closest Bloodling through its multifaceted eyes. The other five surged forward. Mikal stabbed a second and encased the other four in ice that slowed them down. The Healer rapidly finished the remaining Bloodlings with savage spear thrusts. Ziplocke held the magic torch, and the two ran down the corridor. Four more Bloodlings emerged through Ziplocke's Darkness spell. The monsters gave chase.

"Same tactic," Mikal ordered Ziplocke.

"You can't tell me what to do," the Goblin snapped.

Mikal grabbed him and prepared to toss the Goblin.

"Okay! No need to be mean!" Ziplocke growled.

The Goblin's fingers twitched as he Summoned and Shaped shadows to plunge the end of the passageway into darkness. This was to keep the cultist in the dark so that Mikal could kill the Bloodlings. The four monsters leaped forward, and three were impaled by ice spears that had materialized from mist. Mikal batted the fourth one with his spear out of the air, and it slammed against the stone wall. The Bloodling rose, dazed, and the Healer plunged his spear through its insect-shaped head before it recovered.

"Do you hear that?" Ziplocke asked.

Mikal paused to listen and responded, "I hear nothing."

"Exactly! They are no longer chasing us," the Goblin observed.

"Why?"

"Because they are going the other way, we need to go after them!" Ziplocke cried.

"Are you mad? This is good news for us," Mikal snapped.

"But they are going after the Hold Core. We can't let them have it! It powers the Spire," Ziplocke stated.

"That is a suicide mission. Let's find the others first," Mikal reasoned.

"Jeze could be in danger!" Ziplocke cried.

Mikal hesitated. Despite his misgivings, he considered Jeze, a part of his team, and he did not want her to be in danger. However, he didn't know where to go. For all he knew, Dunar and the others could be in the opposite direction. Following a small army of cultists did not seem like a wise choice. The Healer shook his head.

"I'm sorry, it is too risky. Let's continue our direction and hope to find the others," Mikal said.

When they turned around, they saw that the corridor was illuminated by more magical torches.

"Oh, no," Ziplocke muttered.

The torches were held by Legionnaires. The captain pointed and shouted, "He is with a Demon! Attack the cultist!"

"Wait, what? No!" Mikal sputtered as a flurry of crossbow bolts and Ice magic launched at him and Ziplocke.

*****

Jeze came to and the first thing she discovered was that she was in a lit chamber. Didn't the lights go out? She wondered. With a groan she sat up and saw Viel studying her glowing Globe. The one that was supposed to be in Jeze's pack! She reached for her weapons.

Viel stated, "Where did you get this? It is an amazing device. It can be activated without shaping Runes. It is incredibly efficient with its energy, and the amount of Runes engraved along its surface leads me to suspect it can do more than just provide illumination."

"Give it back," Jeze growled.

"Relax, if I wanted you dead. You would be dead by now," the tall man responded and returned his attention back to the Globe. "I wonder what else it could do."

Jeze rose to her feet and her body tensed with her weapons at her sides. Her intention toward violence was as clear as the morning sunrise.

"Here," Viel rolled the Globe over toward Jeze. "And in good faith. I will also give this back to you," the tall man offered up the Hold Core

Jeze carefully accepted the Core and when she safely had it in hand she asked, "What is the meaning of this?"

Viel sighed. He looked tired. "I am sorry for my behavior earlier. That was a bloody catastrophe, am I right?"

Jeze put the Hold Core back into her back but kept her weapons in her hands.

"The Core was made out of my sister's heart and all of her rage. But I know what happened now," Viel replied.

"You said we betrayed you," Jeze said.

"Everyone betrays dragons because they fear us. The Fiends discovered that our hearts could power this Stronghold. So they hunted us. My kind found allies with your ancestors, the Ones from Before," Viel explained. His eyes looked off into the distance as he recalled his sister's memories.

"I don't know if they were my ancestors," Jeze pointed out.

Viel chuckled and shook his head. "How you humans quickly forget the past." The tall man continued, "Together, we defeated the Fiends and corrupted the Stronghold. But, the Ones from Before placed a powerful curse on us and forced us into human form."

"Why?" Jeze asked. "You were allies."

Viel replied, "Because they feared us, and if I were honest, they were wise too. Us dragons are extremely destructive and arrogant. My sister and I do not know how many of our kind came to this plane or how many accepted the curse."

"There are more like you?" Jeze asked.

Viel nodded, "But I do not know how many. I chose to fight back, or tried to, at least. Do you recall how I told you it was exhausting to revert to our true form under the curse? I was Eclipse! The terror of the Iron Fist Kingdom and hidden away in Mount Dragon. Left alone for centuries. My sister also rampaged, but eventually, she also needed to rest. The curse was too strong for us. While I fumed alone in my mountain, she plane-shifted to other realms in order to find answers."

"You can do that?" Viel asked and added, "Plane-shift?"

Viel grinned, and his red eyes sparkled. "We are truly amazing beasts. But alas, you know how her story ended."

"The Fiends killed her?"

Viel nodded sadly and replied, "Yes, they took her heart to power this contraption. Maybe that is why the rifts are happening again and why the Stronghold is appearing in your realm."

Despite the fact that Viel tried to murder her when he was in dragon form, Jeze hugged him in a warm embrace.

"You and I have both lost a sibling to them," she said.

Viel hugged her back, and tears formed in his eyes. "I have been among your kind for hundreds of years. I forgot what it was like to be a dragon. I wanted answers, and I found them."

"What now?" Jeze asked.

"Your brother aided me, and so did you. A promise is a promise. I will now do my best to help you find your team," Viel answered.

Jeze's head snapped up as her sharp ears picked up a sound. "We are not alone," she whispered.

Viel's face became serious and he drew his two handed sword. He whispered, "Our fight must have drawn attention."

Jeze spotted the familiar shimmering appear through the doorway. Her eyes went wide, and she shoved Viel behind one of the columns just as a twang from a crossbow could be heard, and a bolt snapped against the far wall.

"A Light aspect illusion spell!" Viel exclaimed.

"The Empire found us," Jeze replied.

Thinking fast, she turned the column and the tall man nodded in understanding. Jeze resetted the pressure plate trap that led to the Core chamber behind them. Jeze deactivated her light Globe and plunged the room into darkness.

"Clever," a familiar voice said.

A bright light illuminated the chamber, and the darkness was pushed away. Jeze peeked around the column and saw Drake along with four Elite Legionnaires. The Imperial captain, with his half-burned face, was equipped in his familiar gear. Silver plate armor with a sword and shield. Two Legionnaires wore thick, dark navy padded coats with golden buttons. One was armed with a crossbow, and a side sword sheathed at her hip. The other was an older man with gray hair, and he carried a rune-covered rod. Jeze recognized other channeling tools on his body. He was the Rune caster. The final two Legionnaires wore plated armor from head to toe and were armed with a poleaxes. Their faces and features were obscured under visored helmets.

"Drake?" Viel asked.

Jeze and Drake blinked in shock.

"Viel, hello old friend," the Imperial Agent greeted with a wide smile that showed perfect teeth.

"You two know each other?" Jeze asked, surprised.

"Yes, we both were on your brother's team. But, how do you know each other?" Viel shot back.

"What?!?" Jeze was surprised to hear that, and she added, "He tried to kill me!" Jeze exclaimed and glared at the Imperial agent.

Viel's eyes went back and forth as if he was trying to solve a riddle. After a moment, he turned to Drake and said, "You scoundrel! You sought Daverius's sister in hopes that he shared his knowledge with her!"

This was a lot for Jeze to grasp. All this time that Drake was after her, it was not because she discovered the true purpose of the Wandering Spire. It had nothing to do with the secret that the Emperor was not immortal. That was a ruse for Drake to access Imperial resources. It was plain greed! Daverius discovered how to find the Core Tunnels and, with them, untold treasures and powerful artifacts.

"Oh, I'm the scoundrel? Look who's talking?" Drake accused back.

Viel shook his head and replied, "My running into her was pure luck. I came here on my own."

Drake looked around the chamber and stated with a smirk on his face, "Daverius, that bastard was right about the Wandering Spire after all. I considered him mad, but in the end, I was wrong."

Viel glanced at Jeze and responded, "That he was. And look, we found it! The Core Tunnels, but he didn't share his knowledge with his sister. Through the doors behind us is a chamber filled with treasure. It is yours, Drake."

Drake narrowed his eyes with distrust. "What else does she know?" He asked.

"Nothing, but we can all leave here without any bloodshed," Viel responded.

Jeze growled with anger, and the Legionnaires tensed with their weapons at the ready.

"Orders, sir?" The gray-haired Rune caster asked.

Drake's face and voice shifted like a chameleon back to that of a loyal agent of the Empire. His true nature was revealed and now it was hidden again. He is such a snake! Jeze thought.

"These are fugitives wanted by the Guild and the Empire. Seize them!" Drake ordered.

"He lies!" Jeze cried.

But her plea fell on deaf ears. The Legionnaires resolutely followed orders and marched forward. The Rune caster began to shape glyphs.

"This is a big mistake," Viel growled.

"Fall back into the chamber," Jeze said.

She was the faster Rune caster, and she Summoned heavy shadows to obscure visibility. Her and Viel retreated and they were pursued by the Legionnaires. They adapted the formation with the heavily armored soldiers in front with the Rune caster and archer just behind and Drake at the end.

Click!

One armored Legionnaire stepped on the pressure plate just as Jeze and Viel entered the circular chamber where the Hold Core was contained. The traps ignited, and all hell broke loose.