"Is he dead?"
Leandyr squinted as light filtered through his eyelids, and clenched his jaw at the pain radiating through his skull. Chanting reached his ears, a cadence of ancient words that rolled into each other like the notes of a long lost song. Magic surged through his body, its gentle hum dragging him from the haze of semi-conciousness.
"He's coming to, give him some space."
He opened his eyes and blinked several times to clear his vision. Boran's was the first face he saw, his steely eyes holding both concern and anger as he chanted a healing spell. Ridivan and Enver were nearby, the former assessing the carnage while the latter looked down at Leandyr with a grim visage.
Leandyr tried to roll to his side, but Boran planted a firm hand on his chest to stop him. It was in that moment that he noticed the heavy chain of stone beads resting over his heart. An abius chain. So Boran was using Leandyr's own magic to heal him.
"Out of my way." He yanked his body more aggressively and pushed himself to his feet, swaying left and right before finding equilibrium. The remnants of his sword crunched under his feet, and he looked down at his sorry reflection in their silvery depths. A nasty bump marred his temple, and his eyes were bloodshot.
"What in damnation did you do?" Boran asked, his voice a deadly whisper.
"What did I do? Those worthless, white-faced wenches took Lady Hiroh. They used forbidden magic. Some kind of time altering spell." He looked at Ridivan and Enver in turn, his nostrils flaring like an angry bull's. "Where. Is. Barish?"
"And why should I believe you?" Ridivan asked. "You've been looking for an excuse to attack them since the Queen died. And considering your recent track record, I wouldn't be surprised if this," he gestured to the destruction around them, "was unprovoked."
"He authorized them to use force, Ridivan. Force. On me." Leandyr turned to leave them to their speculation, but stopped when Enver spoke.
"I suppose using forbidden magic would be the only way they could defeat both the Swordmaster and Lady Hiroh," he said. "What reason would Barish have to send all six of the Yilmaz?"
Ridivan scowled. "Because he knows just how stubborn Leandyr can be."
"I concur," the High Priest said, rising to his feet. "But..." He looked around at the bloody scene. "Stubborn as Leandyr may be, he wouldn't betray the King without good reason. And the fact that Barish felt the need to use force on him is troubling."
Enver gave a nod of agreement. "We need to find him. We should search the castle first and if we don't find him there... What do you think Van?"
Ridivan's face clouded over faster and darker than a summer sky. "So you're taking his side—"
"I'm taking no one's side. I love you, Ridivan. Dearly. But right now, your devotion to your King is clouding your judgment. Barish lied to me about those documents. I want to know what's going on. I'll understand if you can't set your biases aside." Enver nodded to Leandyr. "You should get a weapon."
"Wait..." Ridivan sighed through his nose. "Videlia will know where Barish is. In addition to the Yilmmaz, the castle guard keeps tabs on him as well. Just in case. She should be in the quadrangle running drills with the off duty guards."
Relief flooded Leandyr's body. "I'll meet you all there then. And... thank you." With that, he took off, sprinting towards the castle. Trees and people blurred past him, and his vision narrowed in on the west tower. He burst through the outside door and pounded up the steps, ignoring the burn in his legs and the throbbing in his head.
His mind was working up images of all the unspeakable things Barish could be doing to her while they were running around like headless chickens. Part of him wanted to believe that the King meant her no harm, but recent events had only worsened the foreboding feeling that had settled in his gut. This is my fault. I should've just left her alone.
Leandyr burst into his room and all but dove under his bed, pulling out the Minstrel's Sorrow. His hands shook as he undid the latches. The sword's familiar song hummed through him, its power wrapping around him like a lover's embrace.
He'd promised himself he wouldn't dishonour the Queen's memory by using it to spill blood. But he was sure Zehra would approve of him using it to defend an innocent. Hopefully, whatever lied beyond its sheath would be enough to save Lady Hiroh.
Leandyr sprinted from his room, down the steps and through the castle. Everyone else was going about their usual business. It was almost insulting that they were so calm and collected, blissfully ignorant, while his world was in turmoil.
He made it to the quadrangle, in time to see Enver trying to reason with a fuming Videlia, while Ridivan observed from a distance. The ground had fresh scorch marks and the air smelled of sweat and determination. The off-duty guards were long gone, but Ayolus, Videlia's cape, was packing away the practice dummies in the small shed at the quadrangles west corner.
"I don't know what you and that bastard are up to, but I want no part of it!" Videlia screamed, cutting the air with her hand.
"This isn't about us," Leadnyr interjected. "Lady Hiroh is in danger. And the more time we spend bickering the more that danger grows."
"What makes you believe Barish would harm her? Have you all lost your minds? I should have you hung for treason!"
"Videlia please. I get it. You don't think very highly of me, but you know I'd never betray Barish." The Minstrel's Sorrow was clutch so tightly in Leandyr's hands that the blade was rattling in its sheath. He looked the guard Captain straight in the eye and said the words that would've wounded his pride on any other day. "I'm begging you. Just this one favour, then you can go back to hating me."
After a long moment of silence, she exhaled a sigh and nodded to Enver. "Alright, but if this turns out to be nothing, I'll have you all thrown in a cell. Meet us by the Tarry."
"Are you serious?!" Ayolus injected, his silver eyes glinting with malice. "You're truly going to help this idiot?"
"The quicker we help him, the quicker he's not our problem anymore." Videlia held her hand out, and, after a moment's hesitation, he placed his own in it. A bright flash lit up the quadrangle and Ayolus became a cape of deep purple.
Videlia placed a hand on Leandyr's shoulder and uttered a few ancient words. The world plunged into darkness as the ground was ripped from beneath his feet. His stomach churned as he free-fell through nothing, and when solid ground was beneath his feet again, he swayed and reached for something to lean on.
The darkness shattered around them, and he found himself outside the Tarry. The main market road was devoid of its usual crowd. Or any crowd at all. Stands were kicked over, trampled and produce and seafood were scattered helter-skelter over the cobblestone.
Leandyr could only imagine the stampede that caused it.
"What in damnation?" Videlia growled, as she stared, bewildered at the scene. "Where are the guards?"
"Where are the people?" Ridivan added as he appeared behind them.
"Who cares?!" Leandyr threw his hands up. "Just tell me where Barish is."
"There's a building three doors down from the fishmarket. But you have to access from its rear near the docks. I'll try to figure out what's happening here." Videlia jogged off, while Leandyr and Ridivan headed down an alleyway to the docks.
Abandoned boats bobbed to and fro in the water, their opened portholes banging in the breeze. Dread coiled around Leandyr like ivy, making his heart rattle in his chest. He looked along the edge of the dock, and his stomach plummeted. Glowing red scales danced on the water, melodically clinking like bells as they churned in the cresting waves.
"That's quite enough out of you all." The words came from the lone Yilmaz guard standing a ways down the docks. Her daggers were unsheathed, clutched in a white-knuckled grip, and her cape was billowing in the breeze. A tense silence filled the space between them. Thick and steady as a stone pillar, not even the stiff sea breeze could dash it away.
The mud brown eyes of the Yilmaz cut to Ridivan. "Sahn Cera, on the King's orders, I will respectfully ask that you and the head Scribe retire to the castle."
Ridivan stood his ground and squared his shoulders. "Why?"
"Because the King—"
Her words were cut off when Leandyr shot forward. In less than a second he'd closed the distance between them. His boot connected with the side of her head, and she went skipping across the waves like a stone.
She skidded to a stop, standing on the water as though it were solid ground. Her dark curls hand escaped their bun and whipped in front of her face like coiled snakes. As she bared her teeth, blood trickled from her lips, making red streaks on her chin. And in a blink, she was gone.
Leandyr watched the space she occupied, apprehension gripping him by the neck and suffocating him.
"Run!" Ridivan yelled, sprinting towards him. He grabbed Leandyr by the arm and dragged him down the dock, moving at a speed Leandyr didn't know his friend was capable of. The water swelled and a red-orange tentacle shot from its depths.
They dove as it snaked past them and punched through the wall of the fish market. Another rose from the sea, truncated scales glimmering like flames in the sunlight. Ridivan held out a shaking hand and began chanting a spell. But, before he got the last word out, another creature emerged from the water. One with blue-green scales that sparkled on its serpentine body like gems, a dragon-like head and long whiskers. It locked its jaw around the tentacle and took it down into the water.
The resulting wave engulfed the dock, slamming into the buildings along its length. Ridivan released his spell and the water parted, leaving them dry. "We need to get back-up before those things destroy the city."
"One of those monolith's is Lady Hiroh's." Leandyr explained. He almost didn't see the third tentacle snaking towards him. A whistle reached his ear as Videlia's whip intercepted it.
She emerged from the fish market, one hand holding her whip while the other crackled with sparks of lightning. "Leandyr, go! Find Barish!" she said, pulling hard on her whip.
"But—"
"Reinforcements are on the way! Don't worry about us!" She squeezed one eye shut as blood dripped into it from the gash on her head. "Hurry, you idiot!"
Leandyr swore and charged down the dock, the sounds of battle fading behind him. Hopefully they, along with Enduwir, would be enough to stop that beast from destroying the city. His focus was on Lady Hiroh. If anything happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.
Leandyr found the building, an unremarkable greystone structure. No guards were around so he eased the door open, internally cursing when it released a miserable groan. A stairwell greeted him, along with the musty scent of wet wood and a blinding, inky darkness. He took them two at a time, as quickly and quietly as he could manage, trailing a hand against the wall.
From a hallway ahead, torchlight flickered but as soon as he banked the corner, he came face to face with his King.
Barish stood at ease in the center of the hall, torchlight setting his auburn hair ablaze. "Swordmaster." His voice echoed through the empty halls.
"My King." It wasn't the time for respectabilities, but Leandyr inclined his head out of habit. "Where is Lady Hiroh?"
The King shook his head as though Leandyr were a child who'd done something amusingly silly. "Why are you here, Swordmaster? Your end of our deal is complete. You may leave Abydon with my blessing and frolic around Magika as you please."
"Barish please..." Leandyr hands were shaking, and his palms grew slick with sweat. "Don't make me do this."
The King gave him a sad smile. "Funny, I was going to say the same thing to you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a string of ether stones, winding it around his hand with a flick of his wrist.
The Minstrel's sorrow felt heavy in his hands. When he became the Swordmaster, he'd vowed to raise his sword in service to the crown. To raise it against the crown would dishonour that vow, and he wasn't sure if was willing to go that far. When all was said and done, Barish was still his King. And his friend.
But so was Ayzel.
The Minstrel's Sorrow sang like bird freed from its cage as he unsheathed it. The torchlight winked of its silvery edge, and its hum tingled up his arm. He poised it front of him, looking down its blade at his King.
"Why are you hesitating?" Barish asked, as he took several steps forward. "Were I one of the Yilmaz, my head would've been gone as soon as that blade left its sheath." He stopped just shy of the sword's tip.
Leandyr's hands shook, much like his resolve. He couldn't do it. Simply pointing his sword at Barish made his stomach churn and bile pool in his mouth. Zehra had given him this blade. He couldn't and wouldn't use it on the man she loved.
Leandyr lowered the Minstrel's Sorrow, frustration making his chest burn. "Just tell me where she is, Barish. Please. My conscience won't let me rest until I know she's safe."
"How noble of you." Barish smiled. "I suppose I should expect nothing less from you, Swordmaster."
Perhaps I can edge past him. He kept his eyes on Barish but focused on the hall behind the King. Lady Hiroh had to be somewhere in this place. If he wouldn't tell Leandyr where Ayzel was, he'd just find her himself. After a beat of silence he tucked his sword into its sheath.
A few pretty words escaped the King's lips and invisible force seized Leandyr, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm sorry, Leandyr, but I can't let you go any further."
Leandyr strained against his hold, flexing every muscle in his body and digging the balls of his feet into the ground. He breathed easy – in through his nose, out through his mouth, focusing on the bonds holding him hostage. They strained and stretched and, in short order, he was inching forward.
The spell broke and he shot forward, charging down the hall. He skid around a corner at its end and was greeted by a metal door that was rusting on its hinges. He wasted no time ramming it in with his shoulder.
It flew across the room, banging into the opposite wall. The room Leandyr stepped into was alight with every colour imaginable. Runes covered the floors and walls, their colours pulsing in time to the chants that filled the air. The Yilmaz sat around a stone likeness of Shifah. A glowing blue gem was set into the goddess' chest, and Lady Hiroh was sprawled out, unconscious at her feet.
Leandyr rushed towards her, but didn't make it two steps. Heat and light engulfed him, and he slammed into the nearest wall, limbs twitching involuntarily as sparks danced over his skin. Through doubled vision he saw Barish walking towards him. The Minstrel's Sorrow was beside him, just out of his reach, and warm blood was trickling into his collar.
"Barish, stop! Don't hurt him!" a voice rose over the chanting.
It was a voice Leandyr knew too well. It made his heart leap into his throat and his stomach drop to his foot. His eyes widened as he looked at the gem set in the statues chest. "Queen Zehra..."