Lord of Terror Chapter 6
The Cave
By Iced Blood
Garnet had wrapped her shoulder with a bit of my cloak, and within seconds it was soaked with blood. She insisted that she could manage, but I wasn’t so sure. After a bit of searching, Crono found a scroll and handed it to me, thinking it may be a Healing spell. Looking it over, I discerned that it wasn’t.
“It will suffice, though.” I said. “This scroll, if I am correct, will construct a portal that will transport us to Tristram. Hopefully, Pepin can heal her. I’d like to make sure Nightsong is fully healed, also. Her flying was a bit unsteady when we left.”
I quickly recited the words to the spell, and waited for the effects. As is suspected, a large blue portal opened in front of me. Without hesitation, I stepped inside. I didn’t check to see if the others followed, and was only curious as to where the portal would lead. When I walked out, I was near the road that led to the blacksmith shop. My comrades entered a moment later, and followed me to the Healer’s home. Along the way, Garnet collapsed and I carried her the remainder of the way. Pepin stood outside, looking up into the sky when we reached him.
“Good day, Sir.” I said politely. “We are in need of your services.”
“Ah, I see. Bring her inside. I’ll see what has to be done.” He opened the door to his home and led me to a couch, where I set Garnet down. He carefully removed the bandage and inspected the wound.
“Oh, my. What caused this?”
“A skeleton’s sword and the Warlord of Blood playing a joke.”
“Warlord of Blood?! He caused this?”
“Mostly, yes.”
“Oh, my. I will need to create a special potion for this. However, to do it, I need fresh water. Our wells have been tainted. The springs that lead to them are in the labyrinth somewhere. If you can find it and cleanse the water, She will fully heal. However, if I only use what I have now, Her arm will become paralyzed within a week. I can stop the bleeding, though. She will live. Whether or not she will be able to use her arm will be up to you.”
“Consider it done, Sir.” I said, then walked to Garnet. I kissed her forehead, and walked outside. “The wells have been tainted, and we need to cleanse it.” They all nodded in understanding. I smiled and, knowing it would be okay, whistled loudly. A huge shadow began to circle the area around me, growing larger with each rotation, until Nightsong landed in front of me.
“How are things going up here?”
“Boring. Nothin’ comes around here. Only thing I saw was that one goat thing you killed the day we got here. How ‘bout you?”
“Nothing much. Except I had the pleasure of dueling the Warlord of Blood.”
“Oh? How’d it go?”
“I won, sort of. He’s immortal, so I couldn’t kill him, but I would have if he were mortal like me. So, I was able to keep this.” I unsheathed Demonslayer. Nightsong’s eyes grew large as she looked over the obsidian blade.
“Whoa. Now that thing suits you well.”
“Really? You think so? Hmmm…I suppose you’re right. It does sort of show my evil side, doesn’t it?”
“Definitely.” She nodded to emphasize her point.
“Well, I always did trust your judgement when it came to these things.” I said, then snapped my fingers. She quickly took flight and once again began to circle the sky. Pepin walked outside, and waved me over.
“Garnet wishes to speak to you.” He informed. I walked inside his house and kneeled by Garnet. She looked toward me.
“What is it?” I asked, taking her hand.
“I want you to have this…” She said, then added, “In case I…don’t make it.”
“Pepin said you’d live no matter what happened.”
“I’m not so sure. But in any case, I’d like you to have this.” She reached into a pouch on her belt and drew out a dagger. The entire handle, from hilt to pummel, was gold wrapped in red silk. I took the dagger and unsheathed it to examine the blade. I gasped. The kriss-style blade might have been steel but I couldn’t tell. Every color of the rainbow swirled within the blade, as if it were alive.
“W-What is this?”
“The Blade of the Elements. With this in your hands it will dramatically increase the potency of your elemental spells. I’ve had this since I was 12 years old. You see, my family has always been a family of battle, and when my mother gave it to me she said to only give it to the man I wished to marry.”
My jaw dropped. I stared from Garnet to the dagger then back to Garnet. “You mean…You and I…?”
“Yes. If I do in fact live through this journey, I want you to be my husband. Please, keep the dagger with you.” I nodded. She smiled, and closed her eyes. I kissed her softly, then rose to my feet and left, the dagger still unsheathed in my hand, the sheathe in the other.
“What’s that?” Crono asked.
“I think, in her family, it’s a marriage proposal…” I said, looking at it.
“A little fast, don’t ya think?” He asked. “I mean, she just met ya, right?”
“Sometimes it doesn’t take long to know who the right person is.” Glenn said. “Apparently she knew ahead of time that she would stay with him forever.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” I replied in a low voice, still not comprehending the ordeal. Then, without warning, I pushed past the others, placing the dagger in my belt as I ran quickly toward the portal. I leaped through it, and landed on one knee inside the dungeon. My head was spinning just as quickly as the colors within my dagger, and I hadn’t a clue where I was going as I sprinted through the hallways of the labyrinth. I stopped as suddenly as I had begun, and waited until the others could catch up to me. Glenn walked up next to me, breathing hard.
“What on earth was that about?”
“I wish I knew. But I don’t know much of anything right now, to tell the truth.” I began to walk again, this time at a reasonable pace. I was looking for something that would lead to the springs. I kept walking, walking, until I collapsed from exhaustion. I cursed my body for its mortality before falling unconsious.
.
“Garnet! Hi!” Clarine cried happily as Garnet walked slowly into the house. “You’re looking better.” She nodded and sat down on a couch.
“How are things going on around here?”
“I got a letter, somehow, from your parents. I haven’t read it yet. I figured you’d want to be here.”
“How do they know I’m here?” Garnet asked.
“I wrote them the day you guys went down into the dungeon. I told them about what’s going on.”
“Did you tell my parents about Magus?”
“Of course! They have a right to know that their little girl’s in love, don’t they?”
“I guess it can’t do any harm. So where’s the letter?”
“Right here.” Clarine said as she picked up a small envelope from a wooden table. “Want to read it first?”
“Is it addressed to me?”
“Well, no, but they are your parents.”
“Go ahead. You read it.” Garnet waved in dismissal. Clarine shrugged her shoulders and tore open the envelope. After reading it, her smile faded into a frown.
“Uh oh.” She said.
‘What?” Garnet asked. ”Are they hurt? What?”
“No, they aren’t hurt, but I have a feeling Magus might.”
“Huh? What’s that mean?” Clarine handed her cousin the sheet of parchment. She read silently. It was short.
Clarine,
How could you let Garnet go down into a dungeon?
And with Diablo apparently residing there! Not to mention that you let her
down with that heartless Warlord Magus! He cannot be trusted with anyone,
much less my daughter. He obviously cast some sort of spell on her to make
her go with him. I will be in Tristram shortly to obliterate this Sorcerer
and free my daughter. My wife will accompany me to stay with you and help
with your troubles.
Sincerely,
Lord Frederic Alexander
“Oh no. We can’t let him do this! We have to stop them from coming!” Garnet shouted, rising to her feet and running to the window. She tried desperately to think of a plan, but was too disoriented and panicked to come up with anything relatively sane.
“Calm down. Just think a sec. We can’t stop your parents from coming since they’re probably already on their way. And besides, what makes you think your father can stand a chance against Magus, anyway?”
“Well, I guess you’re right.”
“And his dragon’s probably gonna watch from in the sky, too. So he’s not gonna die.”
“Well, sure, but I don’t want my father dying, either!” She replied, crossing her arms. Clarine thought for a moment.
“Well, try to talk with him, then. You’re his baby girl, he’ll listen.”
“Yeah, but in the letter he said he thought Magus cast a spell on me. He’ll think I’m just talking through Magus’ magic.” She sat down, put her head in her hands, and started to cry. Clarine sat down next to her, put an arm around her shoulders, and rocked her gently.
.
I woke from a dreamless sleep and my guess was that it was about noon. I stood up and dusted myself off. Turning back, I saw Glenn, Crono, Marle, and Schala waiting for me. I smiled, embarrassed, and waved them to follow me as I looked around for an entrance to the springs.
“How long has it been?” I asked Glenn as he moved up next to me, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“You’ve been out for at least two days.” He said. “You must’ve been exhausted.”
“Yeah, I guess. So, Pepin said her arm would be paralyzed in about a week, and it’s been two days, so we have five days left.” I reasoned as I turned another corner. “Where are all the monsters, anyway?”
“Maybe they’re in the springs, and that’s why the water’s tainted.” Glenn replied. It was a good idea. At least it made sense. Nothing else did right now. I drew the dagger and looked at it as I walked. The swirling colors made me feel as if I’d drunk a barrel of ale. When I could stand it anymore, I sheathed it and blinked several times to focus. In front of me was a giant crack in the wall.
“Hey, Glenn. Look at this.” I said, beckoning him over. “You think this leads to the springs?” I asked. Glenn nodded, and walked to the others, pointing to the crack. Soon, we all were walking, single file, into the crack, and into a large cave. Sure enough, as soon as we all entered, we were surrounded by the little two-foot monsters which I had termed Fallen. I drew Demonslayer, and they all ran away.
“Hmmm, seems that this sword has another use. It causes fear to overtake the smaller demons.” I said. Good, because I had an idea. I walked through the cave, causing all the demons to run away, until they all were running in the same direction in a giant swarm. The pathway opened up soon to a large room that some goat demons seemed to use as a throne room. A long stream of sickening water flowed along the entire room. One large goat demon sat in a chair that looked somewhat like a throne.
“Outsiders.” The large one said loudly. “Why have you come to my domain?”
“It makes no difference to you, but I have come to cleanse the springs that run to Tristram.”
“I cannot allow that.” He said, rising from the chair and picking up a large battleaxe. “Minions! Attack!” He yelled, and all the goat demons and Fallen Ones rushed toward me. I took out the scroll for Inferno quickly and read it aloud. I rose my arms, and a stream of flames engulfed the pack of demons. The King Goat, I supposed, looked in shock at the pile of singed bodies near the stream. I smirked as he growled and leaped over them and landed near me, his battleaxe gleaming from the light of the magical fire that was still burning. I raised Demonslayer in a salute and waited for the demon to attack. When he did, a moment later, I found that this demon was much smarter than his counterparts. I dodged his swing and slipped near the stream, and was down on one knee as the Goat prepared for an executioner’s strike that would sever my head. However, he forgot about my comrades, and was hit from behind by an arrow from Marle’s bow. He was pitched forward, and fell over my kneeled form and into the water. I grabbed him by the fur of his head and slammed it onto the floor, cracking his skull. I dragged his body out of the water, and threw him on top of the pile. I picked up his axe as a trophy. I watched as the water of the stream magically cleared until the stream was a sparkling blue. I raised the axe in triumph.
“Another foe defeated because of stupidity!” I shouted, laughing. I walked back to my comrades. “Thanks, Marle.” I said as I passed her.
“No problem.” She replied, still holding her bow. “That was a good plan, making all the monsters come together like that. The spell just wiped them out quickly and probably saved us an hour or so.”
“And time is what we’re short on, at the moment.” I said.
“I think we don’t have to worry much about that. You said we still have five days. That may be four and a half, now, but that’s plenty.” Glenn replied as we walked out into the labyrinth and began to backtrack to the stairway. I wondered if anything was happening in Tristram.
.
“Nightsong!” Garnet yelled, remembering the dragon’s name with only some effort. She looked up and saw the huge dragon land next to her.
“Good day. How may I be of service to you?” She asked, smiling broadly.
“Have you seen anybody lately, in the forest?”
“No, but I did see a few people at the dock today. They looked like they were preparing to enter.”
“That’s probably my parents and their knights. When they come to Tristram, watch them carefully. My father is angry with Magus because he thinks he cast a spell on me. If it looks like he may be in danger, come down. He may be afraid and leave.”
“Gotcha.” She said, and lifted off. Garnet smiled and entered Clarine’s house to wait. She sat on the couch and stared intently at a burning candle. Clarine came into the room a few moments later and sat down next to her.
“I don’t know why you’re watching that candle, but you should get some sleep. You didn’t get any last night. You’ve got to be tired by now.”
“I guess you’re right.” She said, and lay down on the couch and closed her eyes. Soon enough, she was asleep. Clarine put a blanket around her and started to wash the dishes from the night before.
Garnet woke up when a loud, forceful knock came from outside the door. Clarine ran to the door and pulled it open.
“Do you mind?!” She said loudly. “Someone’s trying to sleep in here!” A knight pushed past her and walked to Garnet. She sat up and looked angrily at the knight.
“Apologize to my cousin, you dolt!” She ordered.
“I do not follow the orders of a child.” The knight replied coldly. Garnet rose to her feet and grabbed her staff.
“Well, start to, idiot!” She shouted and brought the staff down on his shoulder, causing him to fall to the ground. “Learn some manners.”
“Your daughter is in here, milord.” The knight said.
“Are you sure?” Came a voice from outside. The knight looked up at Garnet, then to his shoulder.
“I’m sure.” He said finally. A man and woman, both in rich clothing, walked side by side into the house to see Garnet standing with one hand on her hip and the other holding her staff, glaring down at the fallen knight.
“You need to train your knights better next time, Father.” She said, looking at him. He nodded as he looked at his knight. “They don’t know how to enter someone else’s house. And this one doesn’t know how to follow orders.”
“What did you ask of him?”
“To apologize for pushing Clarine into the table.” She replied, pointing to her cousin, who was picking up the pieces of a broken vase.
“Sir Grondell.” Lord Frederic said as he walked to his knight. “You are dismissed. Leave now.” The knight rose to his feet, saluted, and left the house. Frederic nodded and turned to his daughter. “I apologize for my knight’s disobedience, my dear.”
“Okay. So, how are you doing?”
“We are fine. I see that you made it here safely. You received my letter?”
“Yes, Father.”
“So, where is the Sorcerer?” Garnet walked to the window and pointed to the cathedral.
“Under that, in a labyrinth.” She said. As she said this, she noticed a figure emerge from the depths of it. Her breathing grew fast. Frederic flew through the door in a single leap, and sprinted up to the cathedral. Garnet, her Mother, and Clarine followed more slowly.
.
As I finally stepped onto the grass of Tristram, a man I didn’t recognize was running up to me. I ducked as he lunged at me, and rose as his form was over me, causing him to catapult backwards onto the ground. Looking forward again, I saw Garnet, her cousin, and some other woman, I assumed a relative, walking up to us.
“Good day to you all.” I said as they reached us, then stepped to my left as the man lunged at me from behind. “Honestly, trying to hit a man while his back is turned. What sense of honor do you possess, sir?”
“I show no honor to your kind, Magus.” He replied, spitting out my name as if it were a poison. I smirked.
“And what kind am I, sir?”
“A sorcerer! And a Mystic, no less! Your kind is a cowardly lot, hiding behind knights in your battles. I have despised you since I was born.”
“Oh? Cowardly, you say? What right do you have to call me cowardly?”
“I have every right!” He retorted.
“Father!” Garnet shouted. “Stop this nonsense.”
“This does not concern you.”
“Of course it does! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here!” I crossed my arms and waited for him to reply. He did by slapping her in the face, causing her to fall backwards onto one knee. I drew my sword.
“Don’t touch her.” I said softly.
“And why do you care? She’s only a tool to you!”
“Father!” Garnet yelled. “How dare you?!”
“I? No, Garnet, how dare you? Do not speak to me that way.”
“I’ll speak to you any damn way I want to!” He slapped her again, this time much harder.
“I warned you not to touch her.” I said, my tone still low. I drew out my dagger, the one Garnet gave to me, and threw it. It struck the man in the shoulder. He took it out quickly and stared at it, ignoring the gash in his shoulder.
“Where did you get this, Sorcerer?”
“Your daughter gave it to me.”
“I have no daughter!” He shouted, throwing the dagger back at me. I caught it easily. He growled.
“Of course you have a daughter. She stands next to you.” I waved in her direction.
“I have no daughter!” He yelled, and drew a sword, preparing to slice her in half.
“Well, then. If you have no daughter, then I suppose that means she has no father?”
“Correct.” He said, bringing the sword back, about to strike.
“Then she won’t care if I do this.” I said, then ran at him, driving Demonslayer through his chest. His face showed complete shock.
“Don’t be so surprised. If I struck your wife, you’d do the same.” I said, smiling. He slid off my blade and onto the ground. I picked him up silently, and walked to Garnet’s house. Opening the door, I set him on a couch.
“What happened?!” Asked a knight.
“Ignorance.” I said, then left. I reached the others in a minute or so, and waited for someone to talk.
“Serves him right.” Garnet’s mother said much to my surprise. I looked at her for an explanation. “I told him to stay out of this. And when he wouldn’t agree I told him to be careful with what he said. I told him if he said the wrong thing he would end up dead. He just thought he was too good for death.”
“I hate people like that.” Glenn said softly, looking at the pool of blood in the grass. As was customary in his religion, he kneeled by the blood and crossed himself.
“So, you have given this man the blade of Elements?” Garnet’s mother asked her. She nodded slowly. Her mother smiled and hugged her. “I’m very proud of you, dear.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I always told you to find a husband who would protect you. He has proven that to me.” She told her. She then walked to me. “I am Lady Dianne Alexander of the Kingdom of Alexandria. I am pleased to enter you into our family.”
“I am Lord Janus Zeal of the Mystic Empire. I am honored to enter your family.” I returned, kneeling as I swept my cape over myself in a flourish. I took Dianne’s hand and kissed it as a sign of respect.
“Would you be so kind as to introduce me to your comrades?” She asked when I stood.
“I am Sir Glenn Travis of the Kehistanian Knighthood.” Glenn introduced himself. Drawing his sword and bowing.
“Name’s Crono Briare. How ya doin’?” Crono said as he waved.
“My name is Princess Nadia of the kingdom of Kehistan.” Marle said as she curtsied. “But my friends call me Marle.”
“I am Schala Zeal, Janus’ sister.” Schala waved slightly. I smiled, and whistled.
“And last but not least, my pet…” I began. Nightsong landed behind me.
“…Dragon, Nightsong.” I finished.
“Oh, my…” Dianne gasped, looking up at Nightsong’s grinning face. “P-Pleased to meet you, N-Nightsong…” She said awkwardly.
“Why does everyone greet me like that?” Nightsong asked me. “Am I that intimidating?”
“Probably…” I replied. “Your kind is supposed to be extinct.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not my fault.” She said, then lifted off and began her circuit. I smiled as she disappeared into the shadows, and looked over at Garnet. She seemed distressed.
“The water’s been cleansed. Pepin can heal your arm now.” I told her. She shrugged her shoulders and kept looking at the patch of blood on the grass. “Garnet? What is it?” I asked only out of formality. I could easily guess the reason of her sadness.
“You killed my father! You don’t care about me. He was right, I am just a tool to you!” She shouted, and ran off. Clarine followed her. Even though I expected her to be upset, I wasn’t prepared for that. My legs gave way and I fell to my knees. I shut my eyes, and ground my teeth. My fists clenched as my anger at myself rose.
“Damn it to Hell!!” I yelled, leaping into the air, using my magic to fly into the night sky, unintentionally leaving a trail of fire. My cloak spread out like Nightsong’s wings as the wind reached me. I had no clue where I was going, but I didn’t care.
.
“Janus?” Schala called unnecessarily as the fire dissipated. “Where’s he going?” She looked at Glenn, who was looking up into the sky, trying to spot him.
“I haven’t the faintest clue.” He murmured. “I’m going to try talking to Garnet. If anyone can get him back, she can.” He turned and sprinted off toward Pepin’s home, where Garnet had gone to a few moments earlier.
Garnet sat on the couch as Pepin poured a potion onto the wound on her shoulder. She winced as it began to work. Glenn looked at the floor as he walked toward her. She looked up as he approached.
“What was that about?” He asked.
“I never want to see Magus again. He doesn’t give a damn about me.”
“Oh?” Glenn looked up, into her face. “Then why did he save your life? Did you happen to see the crazed look in your father’s eyes just before Magus killed him? He would have killed you.”
“That’s not true! My father would never kill me!” She snarled, half-crazed herself.
“I know the look of death, Garnet. And your father held the epitome of that look in his eyes. Magus is not the type to kill without a just reason.”
“You speak so well of him. Strange, if you ask me. Isn’t he your enemy?”
“Even my enemies deserve respect, Garnet! And I will die myself before I see another man accused of such a thing without reasonable cause. He loves you, Garnet. I can tell, just as I can tell which way is up.” He crossed his arms.
“Prove it.” She said simply.
“How?”
“Bring him here.”
“I can’t do that. He left.”
“Why?”
“He was angry with himself. He broke down when you left. So, he flew off toward the deserts. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”
“He’s…gone?” She seemed shocked. “He just left? Just because I was mad at him?” She rose to her feet and walked past Glenn, walking on the dirt path to the clearing near the labyrinth where her mother still stood with her companions. Glenn followed, wondering if his talking had worked. When he reached her, she was crying.
“I’m…sorry.” She sighed.
.
My endless roaming stopped with a sudden jerk. I turned without knowing it and flew full speed back to Tristram. I landed kneeling on top of the cathedral. I could clearly see everyone of my party. Garnet was crying. Glenn was standing next to her. He looked up and saw me. He gave a small smiled. I nodded, and dropped silently to the ground.
“So! You have returned, Magus!” Glenn said sternly, drawing his sword and winking before anyone else noticed. I winked back and drew Demonslayer, and rushed him. He blocked my swing, and pushed me back.
“Your heartless actions will not go unpaid for!” He shouted. Garnet ran in front of him.
“No! What are you doing?!”
“I thought you would do that eventually.” Glenn said, smirking. “I just wasn’t sure when.” He sheathed his sword, and I sheathed mine. Garnet let out a relieved breath.
“I thought you would kill him.” She said to Glenn. I laughed.
“Him? Kill me? That’s funny.” I laughed harder. Glenn scowled at me. Apparently he didn’t think it was so funny. I gave him the most innocent look I could muster, but it only resulted in Schala laughing.
“That’s the same look you perfected as a child, Janus.” She said through giggles. I smiled, embarrassed. I took the hood of my cloak and pulled it over my face. I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and I looked down. Garnet kissed me as soon as my face was visible. She was laughing too.
“Where did you go, anyway?” She asked.
“Don’t know. Don’t care. But I’m tired.” I said simply, and walked into the tavern. I climbed the stairs, opened the door to my room, and climbed into bed. Sleep came quickly.
.