Kota positioned himself in front, peering around the corner to spot two figures in the room. The figures faced the other direction. He eyed them both, noticing that the person on the left was taller, rounder, and wearing armor similar to that of the prison guards. His focus shifted to his lower back as the figure held a long wooden pole that seemed as tall as a person. Kota moved his eyes to the other figure, who wore a black hood and cloak over his clothes.
"That big one on the left is probably the prison warden. Similar clothes. Something seems familiar about the cloaked figure," Kota said, looking back at Lucinda and Sonya.
"Do you recognize him?" asked Sonya.
Briefly contemplating, Kota was abruptly seized by a sharp pain in the back of his head, causing him to clutch his temple. Lucinda caught him as he leaned forward in reaction to the pain. She helped him brace himself and keep on his feet. "Is everything all right?"
"Just a slight headache, I think. I do not recognize the cloaked figure," said Kota, rubbing his temple while he focused on the two of them. "Let's move before they turn back this way."
Kota was about to turn the corner when Lucinda grabbed his shoulder while moving in front of him. "Allow me to go first; you remain by the room's edges. Stay away from the torches so the shadows will conceal you. We only kill if we cannot avoid it. Got it?"
Lucinda stared at Sonya until she nodded in agreement. Kota observed her gesture towards the dimly lit left side of the room. A landing, concealed by a small brick wall, ascended to a higher level.
"Can you trust her?" asked Sonya, looking at Kota.
Kota focused on Lucinda's position before turning to Sonya. "Yes. She seems like a different person than the girl I met in the chapel, but I know we can trust her."
The two followed Lucinda as she moved low to the ground and silently behind a short brick wall. A cobblestone path led to a higher landing, about ten feet away. The group stopped as they crept behind the wall, and the taller figure yelled out, "I am sick and tired of that woman coming and going as she pleases! I have authority in this prison, not her."
Kota's eyes widened, knowing they were talking about the mysterious woman. He moved a little closer to the edge of the wall to listen, but Sonya held out her ax, blocking his path. Over the smaller man's response, she leaned close to him. "I know you want answers, but we need to escape first. We cannot risk a long battle here. We will be quickly outnumbered."
Kota's right hand shook with anger until he locked eyes with Sonya. He nodded to her while he gritted his teeth. They ascended the landing while the taller man shouted once more. "I will answer only to the king! You can tell that littleâ" He stopped mid-sentence.
Kota peeked over the top of the wall. The cloaked man raised his arm, revealing a tan hand within the sleeve. He spoke quietly enough for only those two to hear. The man turned as they spoke, softer for the moment.
The group reached the upper landing. It lay circular with a few crates and papers scattered about. Kota glanced over the edge and saw they were now a few feet higher than the two men below them.
"Silently look around the room," Sonya whispered. "We need to find that stone."
Lucinda and Kota watched as she moved down the other side of the landing, where a pathway led down, just like the one they had taken. With his head low, Kota walked down the path, glancing around the room. From behind the cobblestone wall, he glanced around the corner, spotting an open space on the other side of the room. A large metal and wood door stood closed, with boxes scattered against the walls next to it.
He shook his head and returned to Lucinda, who was slowly looking over the brick wall to see what Kota saw.
"The stone wasn't visible from here. Any luck?" asked Kota, watching Lucinda shake her head in response.
"I think we will have to deal with these two before we can have a look around. Aria would not have left it in the open," Lucinda answered, crouching down next to Kota. "I was hoping to avoid a fight here."
Shaking her head, Sonya moved back to where she had come from. She saw Kota and Lucinda having no luck either. Sonya placed her ax on the ground quietly and tapped her fingers on the ground. "You two head behind them, and I will get their attention. You look for the stone as I keep them busy."
"That is too dangerous," said Kota hastily, keeping his voice down. "You cannot take them both on."
Sonya smiled as she picked up her ax. "My goal is not to fight, but to keep them busy. I'll give you time to find the stone, and I'll be okay. I don't think you will let me die."
Before Kota could interject, she moved back down the pathway. Lucinda touched Kota's shoulder, gesturing for him to move down the other path. "You weren't helpless when we met in the chapel. Your purpose for being there was not just to rest, right?"
Lucinda shrugged as she smiled. "Rest was my intention that night, but I am not as helpless as you assumed. One day, I will explain my past to you."
She turned back toward the higher ground. Then Lucinda turned her head back toward him. "Despite her suggestion to search, we must find the stone and be prepared to battle. When she distracts them, I'll move to higher ground for a better view. After all, I know what it looks like. She does not."
Kota reached out his arm as if he was going to disagree, but then he nodded. "Fine. Just be careful. No risks."
She nodded down at him as she moved to the higher ground.
Kota peered around the corner and saw two figures engrossed in a hushed conversation on the other side of the room. With agility and composure, Kota swiftly maneuvered to the other side of the room. Placing his hand on a nearby crate, he edged around it, looking behind the box. He saw nothing but air behind it. Kota continued to search around other boxes, seeing nothing, before turning back to where Lucinda was. He watched her poke her head over the wall, and she glanced at him. Kota shrugged at Lucinda, gesturing towards the barrels by the men.
You want me to look over there? Kota mouthed as he pointed to where she did.
Lucinda pointed again and nodded in confirmation. Kota nodded, staying near the crates. She pointed back and mouthed something. He threw up his hands in protest before he moved closer to the two men. Leaning forward, he accidentally bumped into the crate. Giving no pause, he dashed behind another crate. He held his breath as he heard the two men stop their conversation.
Lucinda watched as Kota moved behind another crate, keeping himself low as the two figures took a step in his direction.
Without delay, Sonya leaped over a small wall, gaining their attention. "This is quite the... interesting prison you have here," she said, holding her ax to her right side as she moved closer to the two figures.
The bigger and taller man, dressed similarly to the guards, took a step forward. "Thank you, but breaking into my prison is a feat. A death sentence, but still kind of impressive."
"I did not mean for that to be a compliment. Whoever you are," Sonya said, keeping their attention on her as Kota moved to a different location behind them, looking for the stone. "Just making a statement."
"I am the Warden of this prison, and I suppose that mask of yours is supposed to scare me. It is certainly interesting, but why did you break into my prison?" asked the taller man, crossing his arms while moving a step closer to Sonya.
Kota observed as they stood motionless, not fighting but conversing. He moved closer, searching behind some more of the crates near the big wooden door.
"I am looking for someone, but my purpose has changed. Do you know the name Ordell?"
After a moment's thought, the Warden shook his head and turned to the robed figure. "Do you know this name the masked figure speaks of?"
Keeping his face within the shadows of his hood, the figure shook his head.
"Looks like you came here to die for nothing."
"Not for nothing. I said my purpose has changed. To begin, I'll remove both of you from my path," Sonya declared, swinging the ax in a sweeping motion.
The Warden smiled as he brought the giant wooden pole out from behind his back and slammed it onto the ground, shaking the dirt and rocks around the impact. Kota watched as Sonya readied for him to strike, but then the robed figure raised his tan hand and walked toward Sonya while glancing back at the Warden. "Don't waste your energy on this one. I will handle this."
Sonya laughed as the hooded figure walked closer to her, and she lunged forward, swiping her ax down at the figure's head. The figure effortlessly moved to the side, and the ax missed its target. Sonya instantly repositioned herself and swiped the blade at the figure's chest, only for him to move backward, evading the attack. Sonya tried a few more times before the figure spun around behind her, tripping her. She fell to the ground and rolled, but she kept her feet and lunged toward the figure again.
Kota watched as, behind the figure's back, a blade appeared from the right sleeve of the cloak, and before he reared his arm again to strike her. "Sonya, watch out! He has a blade!"
The figure turned around a touch, seeing Kota, and as he did so, he sidestepped Sonya's attack. She brought the ax blade down, only slicing off a bit of the front of his hood. Using her momentum, he maneuvered himself to throw her to the ground, away from the Warden.
The Warden turned, seeing Kota move from behind the crates. Kota unsheathed his blade, aiming it at the two of them.
The Warden laughed as he held his mace, lifting it again before letting it hit the ground. "Well, if it isn't the Prince. She had her predictions, but this is earlier than expected."
"Who is the woman who imprisoned me here? Do you know her name?"
The robed figure moved his head to see him, as Kota specifically aimed his blade at him. Keeping the blade pointed at the figure, Kota tightened his grip. "I know you know her name. You move and fight like her."
The figure, motionless, glanced back at Sonya, who held her ax ready. The four of them watched as Lucinda jumped down from the higher ground, landing and rolling to stand next to Kota. Drawing her short sword and a dagger, holding one in each hand, she stayed focused on the Warden. "You said 'earlier than expected.' What do you mean?"
The Warden glanced at the hooded man, motioning for him to speak, but the figure declined.
Sonya began to feel impatient as the conversation continued. "We are just on our way out. You are outnumbered, so step aside, or we will have to go through you."
The Warden laughed as he moved closer to Kota and Lucinda, but then the hooded man waved his arm at him, stopping him in his tracks, and the blade disappeared back into his sleeve.
"As interesting as that sounds, that woman is paying generously for you to stay here. No one leaves here without my say," said the Warden, smacking the pole on the ground again with tremendous force.
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Kota, walking a step closer, now holding his blade at the Warden, ready for a fight. He tipped the blade and said, "Again, we have you outnumbered. Surrender. Answer my questions, and we will let you live."
The Warden laughed, but the robed figure raised his hand, cutting him short. The figure moved closer to be between his ally and Kota. "I will offer my services this time for you, Warden, but I take my leave. My fight is not with the Prince. I have other, more pressing matters to deal with."
The figure paused before he turned toward the Warden. He brought his hands together in the sleeves of his cloak, then pulled his hands from his sleeves again, revealing his now almost purple hands.
Kota glanced at his left hand, observing the distortion in the skin's color. He raised his left hand at the robed figure. "Were you the one who gave me this curse?"
The figure laughed with his arms stretched out wide. "That curse you carry is something else completely. Mine is no curse. Let me show you the gift I was given."
Staying on the defensive, Kota and Lucinda watched as his hands started to glow. A dark purple substance dripped from his palms onto the floor below them. In one swift motion, he got onto one knee, forcing his hands onto the ground as if reaching into the floor itself. He glanced up at the two of them as the surrounding area engulfed his arms in a dark mass. Lucinda moved closer to Kota, unsure of what their next move would be, while watching the figure reach elbow-deep into the pools of darkness. He pulled out two dark objects covered in a black and purple substance.
"What the hell?" Lucinda asked, changing her posture.
She moved to stand in front of Kota in a wholly defensive position, the dagger in her left hand facing away from her body, the short sword facing her enemy.
The three of them watched as he raised his hands above his head with the two objects hanging from his fingertips, still covered in the dark energy from the pools beside him. They watched as the dark liquid dripped onto the ground. As the robed figure dropped the objects onto the ground, they heard a heavy thud. The creaking of metal and the snapping of wood echoed in the area, and through the darkness, the two metal-and-wood figures stood, standing a few inches above Kota's height. Their joints moved erratically as they continued to snap into place, before the heads of the two new figures turned their bodies to face Lucinda and Kota. They revealed a half-wood, half-metal mask with no holes for the eyes to be seen.
"My puppets will help you this time, Warden. Watch out for the woman concealing her face. She is a fire caller, and a skilled one at that. Remember. Kota survives," the robed figure explained while turning away from them all as he took something out of his robes, and in a flash of light, he disappeared into the air.
After watching the man disappear, Sonya saw the Warden turn toward her, dragging the pole from the right side. Sonya brought her ax to her left side, holding it in both hands. Then she ran toward the Warden. She slashed as he blocked with his weapon.
Kota focused his attention on the puppets in front of them. He moved next to Lucinda, and they held their weapons at the ready, waiting for them to attack.
"Are they waiting for something?"
The two took a step forward vigilantly, holding their weapons towards the puppets' chests. Their blank wooden faces turned toward them. Each of the arms creaked. They both took a step back as two blades sprang from the puppets' forearms. The blades measured no longer than Kota's short sword, and the puppets stayed perfectly still.
"Well, that is certainly different," said Lucinda.
Without hesitation, in reaction to her comment, the two puppets lunged forward at both of them, striking each with blades aimed at their chests. Kota and Lucinda hastily went back-to-back, blocking the blades as they deflected them away. After blocking the blades, the puppets separated, with one in front of Kota and the other in front of Lucinda.
Without waiting for the puppets to turn, Kota looked at Lucinda and shouted, "This one is mine!"
Lunging toward the one closest to him, he slashed the puppet across the back, and the wood sliced and split before he took a step back. The puppet turned, ignoring the damage it had sustained, before slashing at Kota with quick repetition. He dodged and blocked each attempt, forcing him backward.
Lucinda observed Kota briefly before swiftly engaging her puppet. It retaliated by slashing back at her, as she skillfully dodged and blocked with her blades. She blocked each strike of the assault and waited for an opening to appear. Then she pushed back at the puppet, taking the chance, she swiftly swung her blades with deadly accuracy.
Her attacks, which landed only on the puppet's outer layers, did not cause it to flinch or react. The puppet waited to let its target hit her marks, then it struck back with its weapons. Keeping pace with the puppet's attacks, Lucinda was able to block and redirect its attacks until she saw another opening.
She ducked underneath a swipe of the blade, and as she knelt, she stuck her sword into the ground. Gripping her dagger in her left hand, she accurately struck the blade in between the puppet's wrist and arm. In one motion, she grabbed the puppet's hand and ripped the blade forward, pulling the hand toward her as it separated from its host. Even with her quick attempt, the puppet did not react to the loss of its hand, instead dealing a swift strike with its other weapon. Lucinda ducked under another relentless attack, grabbing her sword from the ground.
The puppet in front of Kota ignored the damage as, once again, it lunged for Kota's head, crossing its blades and aiming for his neck. Raising his blade, Kota brought his sword in between the puppet's blades, stopping them short of his neck.
"What part of keeping me alive was that attack?" Kota asked as he groaned, keeping the puppet at arm's length.
Grunting in frustration, he lifted his leg before kicking the puppet back, and the blades moved away from his neck. He continued striking the puppet as it blocked every strike, clashing blades with the same force Kota used.
The puppet tried using both of his weapons again as it aimed for his head. Kota quickly anticipated the attack and placed his blade between them again, blocking the attack. Dropping to the floor, he used the puppet's weight as he let go of his blade, and he grabbed the puppet's hands beneath the blades as he fell to his back. Using his strength and the puppet's momentum, he lifted it and threw it back across the room. Then he stood up, reached down, and grabbed his weapon before glancing at Sonya.
Sonya jumped backward, avoiding the giant pole as it struck the ground in front of her, cracking the stones below it. She jumped onto the wooden weapon, leaping into the air before slicing the blade of her ax downward, aiming at the Warden's left shoulder. Having both speed and size, the Warden reacted fast enough, ducking forward and having the blade of the ax pass by his shoulder. The shaft hit his shoulder piece, and Sonya lost her grip on the ax, forcing it loose from her hands. The Warden quickly raised his right arm as he grabbed the mask that was still on her head, holding her off the ground. Tightening his grip, the Warden squeezed her helmet, and the bone cracked under the pressure.
Without hesitation, Kota ran over and jumped while slashing at the Warden's arm from his left side. The Warden quickly swung his left arm at Kota, knocking him back as the puppet lunged toward him. It brought its blades down, and he blocked them from hitting his chest.
The pressure around her helmet cracked the bone again, and Sonya snapped her fingers, creating a red glow, which emanated from her palm. She then frantically reached up, trying to find his bare skin. Touching his hand where he grabbed the helmet, she felt nothing but his metal gauntlets, so she moved her hands higher up his arm. Touching his flesh, she took a breath as her hand steamed ferociously with an orange glow.
Grabbing her hand, he snuffed out the flame as he tightened his grip, laughing. "Please. You do not get to this position by getting hurt by simple calling tricks."
As the Warden lifted her off the ground, Kota could hear another crack in the bone as it continued to break under his grip. The Warden laughed once more, and then Sonya felt his grip tighten before she lifted her legs to her chest. With a burst of flame, she kicked off his chest, soaring out of his hand while leaving her bone mask in his grip. Sonya crashed to the ground a few feet closer to Kota. She rolled as she tried to keep her feet, then fell forward. She positioned her body as she collided with and then threw off the puppet that held Kota against the ground.
He watched as she struggled to her feet before she extended a hand to him. Kota grabbed it, and she pulled him up to a standing position. He felt the heat coming from her grip, so he let her go. Then he noticed that on the right side of her face, next to her eye, a trail of blood slid down her face from where the bone had pierced her skin as she escaped the Warden's grasp. Standing next to Kota, Sonya unsheathed a blade strapped to her left leg and held it in front of her, still aiming it at the Warden. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a puppet lunge, attacking them with a blade in each arm.
Each attack was deflected and redirected by the two as their arms moved independently of each other. Kota deflected another attack from the puppet and swung his sword down at its left leg, cutting it cleanly off between the joints. The puppet lost its balance a bit, moving closer to Sonya, before she grabbed its wrist. Using its weight against hers, she lifted it, throwing the puppet toward the now recovered Warden. He stepped to the side, moving out of the way as he stalked closer to the group, and let the puppet crash onto the ground behind him.
The puppet closest to Lucinda creaked as it landed a quick blow with the armless blade, scratching up her left arm with its jagged pieces. Lucinda grunted in pain as she swung her dagger again, watching the puppet as it bent down before jumping over Sonya and Kota, landing near the Warden and facing the three of them.
"Lucinda, please tell me you found the stone before we started this fight," Kota begged as he moved next to her, helping her off the ground. He noticed the cut on her left arm and the heavy breathing of the group.
The Warden moved the spiked top of his mace against the ground as he placed his elbow on the handle. He slowly clapped as he gained their attention. "What do you plan to accomplish here? I see the three of you bleeding. Give up, and I will end your miserable lives quickly and painlessly."
Sonya moved closer to the other two while the second puppet hobbled to the right of the Warden. "Who would take that offer?" asked Sonya, moving in front of Kota to protect him from any more attacks.
"You would be surprised, girl. You lasted longer than others," he answered, taking a step closer, in sync with the puppets. "You callers all rely on those elements."
As Kota thought of a plan to fight off the three, they heard boots and metal entering the area. Groups of guards came pouring into the room from the different entrances.
"Couldn't take us on your own, could you?" Kota asked, catching his breath as he turned his head toward Sonya. "Any plans?"
"Why would I have a plan?" Sonya asked, holding her blade against her arm. "My plan was to keep the two busy."
The three backed away from the group in front of them as Kota tightened his grip. "You are the only offensive caller among us. Can you stall them somehow?"
Sonya shrugged before shaking her head as she sheathed her weapon. Kota watched as she took a deep breath. Her hands shone with a red glow before she swept them across the room in front of her, creating a wall of fire to separate the two groups. Falling to her knees, she took a deep breath. Kota knelt next to her, watching as her hands steamed from her calling. She reached her elbow out for him to help her stand, and he lifted her to her feet. She leaned against him. He swiftly pushed Sonya aside as he witnessed the two puppets charge through the flames, one attacking him, the other targeting her.
Sonya easily evaded the first attack before grabbing her blade, blocking the puppet's attack as she pushed the puppet closer to Kota. Kota was able to redirect the puppet's first strike as he turned, seeing the puppet Sonya had shoved toward him stumble. Kota clashed with it before striking his weapon through its heart. The second puppet lunged again at Kota as Sonya moved in front of him, blocking its attack. Then the puppet retracted its blade and gripped the blade Sonya was holding.
Her hands still steamed as she struggled to regain control of her weapon, but the puppet raised its broken hand to strike down on her. She ducked under its arm as she dropped her weapon and let out a small scream of rage as she raised her hand into its chest, causing a small explosion that broke the puppet into pieces as it flew back through the fire. Sonya fell to her knees, breathing profoundly as she turned her palms upward, and the skin on her hands grew redder.
Kota tried to pull his blade out of the puppet's chest as the puppet brought its bladed arm back to strike. Pulling it again, he realized it would not budge, so Kota let go of the weapon as the puppet thrust its arm forward, scarcely missing Kota. He bent down and then jumped. Leading with both legs, kicking the hilt of the blade. As he hit the ground, he watched the sword pass through the puppet. Then it faltered and crashed to the ground, seemingly lifeless.
He hit the ground by his side as he grunted in pain before rolling onto his back. Kota saw Sonya struggling to stand as he moved to his own feet. He touched his ear, feeling some blood behind it. Walking over to Sonya, he reached down and wrapped his arm around her. She placed an arm around his shoulder, and he helped her to her feet. They hastened away from the firewall. "Are you all right?"
"Just spending too much energy on my attacks. My flesh burns, and I need a breather," Sonya explained, glancing down at her hands before looking at him.
Kota saw Lucinda beside some crates. He lifted Sonya a bit more, bringing her over to Lucinda. Helping Sonya lean against the container, he turned to Lucinda. "Please tell me you found it."
Amidst dying flames, Kota spotted soldiers and guards swarming from different directions. He watched as Sonya backed up closer to the wall.
Lucinda was standing in front of the R'tal stone. She had her eyes closed and her hands over the stone as she chanted softly. Kota turned around to see the Warden walking through the lower flames as if they were nothing.
"Lucinda, what is the matter? We have to go!" yelled Kota, reaching back and touching her shoulder.
"Shut it and just let me work," Lucinda called out, focusing back on the stone and ignoring Kota.
The Warden and his guards walked through the low flames surrounding the group, and he struck the large pole against the ground with a loud crash. Kota raised his hands, prepared to fight, but the Warden laughed. "Do you believe you can still overpower me and everyone else in this room, even without any weapons?"
Kota looked at Sonya by the wall, holding her side, then back at Lucinda. Then he turned his eyes back toward the Warden. "Death is preferable to going back to that cell for her."
"What about your friends? Will they die for you?" asked the Warden, tightening his grip on the mace as he smiled through his readied eyes.
Sonya gave out a small chuckle before answering his question. "Hell, I barely know this man, and I would contentedly die for him. He is ten times the man you are."
The Warden stared at the group for a second before shaking his head. He raised the mace above his head and looked directly at Sonya.
Lucinda opened her eyes, turning toward Kota as she grabbed his shoulder. "We won't be dying here today. Kota, grab Sonya!"
The Warden yelled as he watched Kota turn and grab Sonya's hand. Before he brought down his mace, he stumbled backward in a flash of light. The stone illuminated the surroundings, and they vanished from sight.