A Sword For Gold

Chapter 15 - The First Move

"Report," ordered Velenya Martel.

Five of her fellow Shadow Hunters had just returned from a mission that they had been assigned, with minor injuries: bruises and cuts here and there, and all of their clothes and leather extremely sullied and dirtied as if they had been crawling through the underbelly of society and dragged through the muddiest and murkiest of swamps.

"Their numbers are growing," reported the man who seemed to be the one who had taken point in their mission, speaking in behalf of his four companions. "It seems that The Rising are receiving funding from other wealthy people and organizations who hire them to do their dirty work."

"Any recent movements or dealings from them that sound suspicious or demands warning, such as searching for an Unwieldable?" asked Velenya further.

"Not as of the moment," replied the recent mission's captain, "In the two weeks that we had been tracking their movements, all they've been doing are hunting down dangerous monsters and assassinating high-profile people in Dazolece."

"Hired to do dirty politics work, huh," Velenya observed, "That kingdom is a mess. It always has been. It doesn't help when Pietrus Llayne rules it as a tyrant. Anyone who stands against him is sure to die, and he takes all of the kingdom's wealth for himself. You all look like you've had quite the skirmish at your hands. Were they dangerously tough?"

"We were outnumbered," the captain replied, "We skirmished with them along the border of Dazolece and Tep Desert. Lady Velenya, this is just a wild guess, but I think we have reason to believe that the main hideout of The Rising is located in Dazolece."

"Well, I wouldn't put that assumption past us," said Velenya in agreement, "It can also be supported by the fact that they also do most of Pietrus Llayne's dirty work."

"What are your orders, Lady Velenya?" asked the captain, "I'd hate to think that we'll leave them alone for the time being."

"First order of business is for the five of you to take a bath and recover," she answered, "And we will have to think less about The Rising themselves and more about finding the Unwieldables. We have to be the ones to make the first move. If we simply react to their movements, at that rate, we will be outrun, and it will be too late; the Unwieldables will end up at their hands and all will be lost.

"But milady," replied the captain, "How do you propose we find the Unwieldables before those who work for The Rising?"

"They're not the only ones after them," Velenya reminded, "The Levyrian King is also after the Unwieldables. Luckily, we have insider information who will continue to keep in contact with me regarding these circumstances. High Sorceress Laelith Embersong sends me ravens, regularly updating me on that matter and whatever information they may have on the Unwieldabes' respective locations. It's been a while since she's sent me a messenger raven, though. I'm starting to get worried..."

"Sister!" Vaelia screamed from afar, "It's Kaleb! He's—!"

Velenya's eyes immediately widened in fear as she looked up. Immediately, she stood up and ran towards the entrance into the hideout, where her younger sister, Vaelia, had been calling her from. Only a few of her fellow Shadow Hunters were concerned enough to follow, namely, Ralys and Dorani. As Velenya arrived at the entrance, she saw Vaelia and the rest of her friends, tending carefully to Kaleb, who appeared as if he had seen a ghost, and had all of the air beaten out of him as if he had been running nonstop from the Levyrian capital all the way to the hideout of the Shadow Hunters at the base of the Levyrian Volcano.

"What's wrong, Kaleb?!" asked Velenya frantically, extremely worried now. The fact that Kaleb Penelyth desperately made his way to the Shadow Hunters as soon as possible as if he had fled the capital could only mean one thing, and as much as Velenya did not want to believe it to be true, she had to hear it straight from the royal guardsman's mouth.