Chapter 41: 41. Häerz Castle - Keep

BOOK TWO

THE SEAL OF THE SPHINX

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Flora’s scent was vexingly recognizable.

The memory of it pointed nowhere. But its familiarity remained.

Who is she? he asked Pietr.

I’m afraid I don’t know, my lord. But she seems quite taken with you, said Pietr.

She did indeed.

Flora stared at Redmane, wearing a starry eyed smile. Irina smirked and looked away. Vella grinned from ear to ear.

Radovid cleared his throat. “Shall we go inside?”

Redmane realized he’d lost track of the moment. He blinked, shook his head as if trying to clear a fog. “Aye.”

He led the Coterie through the gatehouse and into the castle yard, which had been transformed into a wild garden. Flora let them pass by and then followed, smiling and looking off into space as if she were recalling a pleasant dream.

“What happened here?” said Redmane.

“I inquired of the folk in residence what fruits did please their palates most, that I might furnish them,” said Flora.

But the Flora speaking was not the one who met them at the gatehouse. The one who spoke sat at a table made of living tree branches, sipping a cup of hot tea.

“If the sight doth displease the lord of the castle, I can remove these plants to another place,” said a third Flora, who sat above them, on the limb of a tree to their right.

Redmane’s eyes shifted from one Flora to the next, his eyebrows raised. The Floras were all looking at him, smiling identically.

Then he noticed the place by the kennels. Where he planted that seed.

Thine other half, the old crone called it.

The spot was overgrown with bushes bearing fruits so blue they nearly glowed. There were fifteen green flowers sprouting from these bushes, which had all bloomed. And the blooms were massive.

Another Flora, who leaned against the trunk of a tree, noticed where Redmane’s eyes went, and the look of dawning comprehension on them.

“Didst thou plant mine seed, Lord Redmane?” she asked.

He nodded slowly.

Her smile brightened. She walked over to him, got up on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“Then I thank thee for bringing me forth anew, and do pledge myself to thy service,” she said. “I am called Flora, yet thou may choose another appellation for me, O fair and gracious Lord.”

Her manner of speaking made Redmane think she was teasing him. But that impression only lasted a moment.

The way she looked up into his eyes told him she was serious.

“Flora will do fine,” he said.

“As it please thee, my Lord.”

She smiled up at Redmane like a flower facing the sun.

Redmane gazed at her the way a wolf on a wintry night might peer through the trees at the inviting warmth of a campfire. As if he’d never seen such a thing.

“I had a feeling them two were gonna like each other,” said Vengarl.

“Aye,” said Valtr. “Two odd ducks, birds of a feather.”

The Hunter duo wore matching grins as they approached their comrades, carrying baskets heavily laden with bright blue fruit.

“Magister’s Delight, we got plenty for everyone,” Valtr walked by, putting one in Redmane’s hand, then Radovid’s, then Irina’s.

Vengarl gave one to Vella, took one ouf of the basket for himself. “Now hurry up and eat, we’ve got a Sanctuary to fortify,”

Redmane and the three others with fresh blue fruits in their hands stared at the Hunters, confused. Which made them laugh.

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Once it was all properly explained, Redmane and the entire Coterie got to snacking.

The Magister’s Delight tasted sweet and sharp, like mint, and it dissolved in Redmane’s mouth. He barely had to chew it. It felt like motes of living ice trickling down his throat, filling up his Gnosis, clearing his mind.

Gnosis: 135

An enduring solution to his Gnosis problem, at last.

Perhaps she truly was his other half.

They sat around one of Flora’s root and vine tables, after she created enough seats for the whole group, and attended to them as they conferred about their plans for the Sanctuary, serving food and drinks to round out their meal. Since there were fifteen of her in various places between the castle yard and the kitchen, service was prompt. And she seemed to sincerely enjoy the act of waiting on them.

For the most part, Redmane let the Coterie discuss which enhancements to the Sanctuary would be best. They seemed to know the ins and outs of such things better then he did. He kept looking at Flora, and Flora kept looking at him, but mostly he occupied himself with the map screen, which he’d called forth and displayed over the tabletop in ghostly miniature.

He recognized the same few points of blue light on the map as he’d seen last time. Häerz Castle was one of them, then Gull's Glut on the northwest coast, Beroh Keep high in the mountains of Asgoph, and the district of the city of Port Luck all the way in the south.

Each of the three Sanctuaries had grown, but theirs had grown the most. The domain surrounding Häerz Castle was the only one of the three with two zones added to its territory. Gull’s Glut had one, and Beroh Keep had none, though it looked like its Sanctuary had been upgraded more than the others.

Then there was Taracon. It sat unchanged, a bastion of blue on a lake of red.

I assume you know where the rest of these seals are located, Redmane said to Pietr.

I most certainly do, said Pietr, with a note of eagerness in his voice.

Show me the nearest one.

He moved the map around until Pietr stopped him.

To the north, said Pietr.

Redmane scrolled the map northward. Beyond Midva Forest lay the foothills of the Skalla mountain range, which stretched all the way to the northern coast of Volos. From there, a chain of small islands stretched off the rocky shore to the northwest.

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His eyes fell upon one of the northernmost islands, and Pietr stopped him.

There, said Pietr. That temple. The Seal of the Sphinx lies within.

The island was larger than its neighbors, but not by much. A single structure took up most of its land mass. It was difficult to see in detail, but the architecture resembled that of the church Pietr had awaited Redmane in, back in Barograd.

Redmane wasn’t familiar with the area. The map labeled the island chain Fangs of Frost. It was a high level zone.

We have to find the quickest path, said Redmane.

Whatever the path will be, my lord, it will wind through the Skalla Mountains, which are the domain of House Ushenko. They’re uncouth, hardy folk, who eke out a meager living in the high elevation. Most suspect they consort with pirates, as their domain includes the northron shore. A place full of hidden coves and treacherous reefs.

Redmane examined the map, for the quickest route to their domain. There was a branch from the southron road out of Barograd, which wound around the foothills for dozens of miles before beginning a treacherous ascent up to the peaks. Not exactly a direct path, but it was the only one Redmane saw.

If I may, we have a second option, said Pietr.

Pietr had Redmane scroll back down to the border between Midva Forest and the Skalla Mountains. He indicated the place where the Bear River flowed from a cavern at the forest’s edge, before winding its way through the woods and then behind Häerz Castle.

The Underworld is not without its perils, but the long road has perils of its own. Passage to the mountains will be faster this way, said Pietr.

Redmane tilted his head. He moved the map upward, to see if the Skalla Caverns constituted their own Zone.

They did. And it was also quite high level.

The Caverns had many exits. One emptied out into the lands of the Ushenkos on a high mountain road, and a town called Rollo’s Pass, which had a heavily fortified keep. Rollo’s Pass was yet another choke point. Its bridge connected the southron part of the road to the northron part, making it the most direct path to the coast.

From there the, road meandered down the mountainside, ending at a fishing village called Kenvik. Then he would have to traverse a short stretch of sea to reach the Fangs of Frost, where his final destination lay.

“Makin plans?” Valtr asked, peering down at the map as he chewed on a piece of fruit.

Redmane glanced at him, nodded. “You may have assumed as much already, but I’m not the typical Imbued.”

Valtr laughed so hard he almost spit out the mouthful he was chewing on. “You assume right.”

“My powers — my true powers — remain sealed away in various places. One seal broke in Barograd. The next one is here.”

He placed his finger on the northron island, and everybody at the table looked.

A few eyebrows went up.

“Can you survive a Zone that level?” asked Radovid. “Because we cannot. Not yet, at least.”

“I’ll handle it on my own,” said Redmane. “You decide with your Coterie what you want to do.”

That prompted the group to take a look at the map together. Valtr stroked his moustache, leaning over it with an elbow on the table. Irina’s eyes flicked from Zone to Zone, noting their level ranges.

“Our levels are a bit mismatched, thanks to these two,” she side-eyed Valtr and Vengarl.

Vengarl shrugged. “Nothin some Monster killing won’t fix.”

Valtr pointed at a cluster of Zones adjacent to Midva Forest on the west side. The largest, and lowest level, was a vast stretch of farmland dotted with the homes of peasant farmers. The next Zone over was a large lake, bracketed in by forest on its northern side and hills on the southern side. At the center of the farmland was a separate Zone, demarcating a walled town with a keep, much like Barograd but a bit larger.

“How about here, looks like it starts in the 30s. We can handle that.”

“The lands of House Kiszka,” said Radovid, stroking his chin. He shook his head. “Hard to imagine them becoming beastmen.”

“Perhaps they haven’t, and they’re holed up in their keep with the gates closed and the drawbridge up, awaiting rescuers,” said Irina.

Valtr chuckled. “Wishful thinkin.”

“So we go west and redhead goes north,” said Vella, who nodded her approval, her lip curled in a grin. “And we claim twice the Zones in the same amount of time, I like it.”

“And rescue innocents, by clearing the Blight,” said Irina, in a scolding tone.

“Yeah that too,” said Vella. “Lucky we got us a Monster who’s marchin under the wrong banner, eh?”

Vella’s crass remark made Irina’s eyebrows rise. She glanced at Redmane, to see if he looked offended.

Redmane stared at the map, unbothered.

“The System gave me the strength to free myself. I’ll conquer this whole world if that’s what it wants me to do,” he said.

His words made Radovid look uncomfortable for a moment.

Redmane knew that look. And it reminded him of someone.

“Where is that Magister, Helmold?” he asked.

“Up in the keep like usual, he won’t get off the Pharos,” said Valtr.

“Says he’s conferrin with the Coteries in Gull’s Glut and Asgoph, pullin down Profession manuals from the Astral Librarium so he can do his Tutelary duties with the folk we rescued from Midva,” said Vengarl. Then he shrugged. “Better he stays up there, if you ask me. He ain’t a fighter.”

“He can mind the Sanctuary while we’re away, at least,” said Valtr.

That would work well. Helmold, and the strange girl Flora, could manage this place and its mundane inhabitants, while he and the Imbued claimed all the Zones around Häerz Castle. The domain of House Redmane could grow quickly indeed.

Redmane eyed one of the big baskets of Magister’s Delight.

“I have preparations to make,” he said. “I’ll be setting out as soon as they’re done.”

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Gnosis: 1235

It felt like enough.

He could sit and eat Magister’s Delight endlessly, but he didn’t want to waste time.

The next thing to do was create Spawn.

Not that he wanted to spy on the Coterie. He simply wanted to be aware of what was happening. Also, he may be able to help them if they found themselves in a bind. He spawned three little birds, and bid them to follow the Coterie and not be too obvious about it.

Then he spawned three more, to send to Midva Forest, and three to keep an eye on Helmold and Flora. There were already three in Barograd. Orginially four, but Pietr ate one.

The last spawn was a crow with red feathers and golden eyes, to house the soul of Pietr.

Corpus: 2000

Oh I quite like it, he said, looking around with new eyes, his head darting from angle to angle in the manner of birds.

So we can still communicate, said Redmane. Good.

Do you have a task for me, my lord?

Yes, said Redmane. Watch over the green haired girl. Tell me what she does. What she’s like.

Pietr tried to laugh, but the sound came out a bit like clucking.

I shall do as you bid, lord, he said, though there was amusement in his tone. Though, it would be wise for you to leave me with Gnosis, so I may use my Skills in the defense of this place, should such be required.

Redmane gave him 500.

Gnosis: 735

Then he grabbed a few more baskets of Magister’s Delight and scarfed them down as quickly as possible.

Gnosis: 1000

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Redmane set out from Häerz Castle as the sun descended on the horizon.

He followed the Bear River northward, toward its source. The cavern at the edge of Midva Forest, which would take him down into the Underworld. For the first leg of the journey he used Carnivorous Metamorph to take flight using the wings of the Manticore, which were much stronger and better suited to bearing weight than those of of the little bats and birds he’d inherited from the Gruu.

He also took the Manticore’s claws. They were thicker, sturdier, and sharper. On his hands they resembled five curved black daggers. And more importantly than aesthetics, they did greater damage while retaining all the weapon qualities he’d eaten thus far.

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Weapon Profile:

Claws

Damage +20

Armor Penetration 8

Corpus damage over time on hit (Rending 4)

Armor +4 while blocking (Defensive 2)

Attacks damage up to 4 foes (Cleaving 3)

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The Manticore’s bite was also quite impressive, as was its scorpion-like tail. But Redmane chose to keep the transformations minimal unless necessity called for more.

That beast had given him more than enough.

The extra Quality Points from breaking the Seal of the Manticore alone put him on another level. Even if the Coterie were all the same level as he, they still wouldn’t measure up.

Flying made quick work of the journey to the cavern entrance, and when he landed he dismissed the Manticore’s wings, letting them dissolve into motes of Gnosis as he made his way into the Underworld. He could see in the darkness well enough, but as the path into the caverns grew deeper and darker, even his natural low light vision grew poor.

Until he found himself in a series of caverns with natural skylights, which let in shafts of pale blue moonlight. The Bear River flowed through these caves at a somewhat calmer pace than the rapids above ground, and in the caverns with skylights there was tall green grass growing at the banks of the river, and bushes with violet leaves and scarlet flowers.

When Redmane entered the largest of these caverns, he found someone waiting for him.

The man was clad all in white, and he sat against the carcass of an immense black bear. A fresh kill, by the look of it. The body of the bear had not yet begun to smell of decay. And Redmane would have smelled it from far away, even if his nose weren’t especially keen. The bear was the size of a small house. Battle scars pocked and furrowed its fur all over.

Redmane felt a strange sense of familiarity, looking at it.

The figure in white stood and fixed Redmane with an emotionless gaze. His skin was the color of bleached bone, and his eyes were pools of black ink. A few wisps of white hair trailed out from the hood of his cloak. All that white made him look like an apparition. He drew a slender, curved blade from the scabbard at his waist, and it shined in the moonlight like a mirror.

Redmane’s eyes widened.

He’d seen someone like this before. On a very important day.

Sicarius Neonate

First Generation Imbued

Level 100