The lack of windows didn’t make the Barbatos hideout any less vibrant. Carvings in walls were magically showing what was happening in different parts of the world. Plants grew out of cracks in the walls and well-maintained containers. Rooms were occupied by groups of diverse humanoids as they planned excursions. None hid their apparent awe at the sight of the Hero and her party members. Some bowed while others simply waved. While the guild members may have held Aisha in reverence, they still viewed her as an equal. She had to admit, it was a nice feeling.
“I’m surprised you’re so close to Neves. Relatively speaking, at least,” Aisha said while absentmindedly looking around. “I mean what are the chances that I was chosen so close to where you’re based out of.”
“We have no primary base,” Kira replied. She was leading the group to a room deeper into the base. “This is one of many hideouts spread across multiple continents to accommodate over one thousand individuals. The chances of the chosen one crossing our path was incredibly high.”
“More than 1,000 strong, eh?” Vofric mumbled. “It must have taken quite some time to gather that many allies.”
“Almost a millenia.”
Aisha hummed softly. “Barbatos has been around almost as long as the demon king’s been gone.”
“It’s no coincidence.”
Kira said as she opened a door with her name scratched into it. The office was messy with papers stacked high on the desk. Cabinet doors and drawers were left slightly ajar from past interactions. A detailed yet worn out map hung on the back wall with dozens of different symbols scratched into it. Pins marked major locations according to Barbatos. The most well-kept object in the room was a dull glowing conch on the left side of the desk with stones hovering above it.
The halfling walked to a wooden filing cabinet at the right wall and opened the bottom drawer. At the back was a dusty gray journal which she retrieved before handing it to the Hero. A simple gesture told Aisha to open it.
“Kharim might have retired as an adventurer after his journey but that doesn’t mean he stopped protecting the realm. Some of his allies came together to protect innocents from powerful threats while consulting the first Hero.” Kira explained. “Their descendants continued the work as threats continued to appear. While they weren’t at the level of the demon king, they were stronger than the average adventurer could handle. As time passed and the name of Barbatos spread we began taking jobs from individuals who had no one else to turn to. Whether because of the cost or due to secrets that needed to be kept. Never anything villainous. Though I won’t pretend we haven’t gotten our hands dirty in a thousand years.”
Kira sighed while remembering something unpleasant. “Regardless, we realized that if growing threats didn’t awaken Valefor, whatever did would be unmatched. Whoever drew the sword would need more than a few allies. That is why Barbatos remains. We are here, in every sense, to work with you.”
Though Aisha and Vofric were processing the statement, Sariel latched onto an earlier phrase. Not from Kira but her father. The halfling hadn’t mentioned it but everything she said matched Edthecridaldyrth’s words.
“You are named after a demon in order to face a demon,” Sariel said. “Edthecridaldyrth informed us of the meaning.”
Kira raised an eyebrow at the mention of the dragon. “He’s an old friend. Barbatos’ relationship with him started as a benefactor providing a quest. Over time, however, he has aided us with knowledge while we continue to search for his child. How do you know him?”
“I am said child,” Sariel replied. A smirk passed her lips and vanished as quickly.
“Oh, that’s wonderful! He can hopefully breathe easy now.”
The genuine relief in Kira’s voice pleased the elf. It was obvious the guild, regardless how mysterious, clearly cared for those who entrusted them. At least that was the case for this halfling of unknown rank.
“What is your role?” Sariel asked.
“I’m one of four captains who lead Barbatos members located in Teprav and southwestern Ionzel,” Kira answered. “There are at least that many at each of our bases which can communicate to one another via the Farspeech Conches.”
“I take it that’s how you share information that’s been gathered without having to physically travel across dangerous places,” Aisha finally said.
Kira nodded. “It also bypasses the need to interact with guards or scholars who may hinder us. Depending on where one comes from, they can be rather condescending.”
“Like with Teprav.”
“It is one of the smallest continents and connects to one of the biggest. In their eyes, you are only strong compared to your world. The new world is far stronger.” Kira scratched the side of her head and squinted at the map behind her. “I admit even the weakest monsters in Ionzel are stronger than expected but not so much that Teprav citizens can’t face them. Especially when they’ve crossed so much of one continent to get here.”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out how Kira knew about the party’s trek across the continent. While they focused on enemies and objectives to push forward on the quest, they ignored inconspicuous citizens. If Barbatos members were spread across every continent it was a given that some encountered the Hero and her friends. Though they hadn’t encountered anyone for a few months. Some amount of information had to be missing from Barbatos. Gauging it was a necessity if they would be an ally moving forward.
Vofric was obviously on the same thought process when he said, “You are aware of how far we have traveled thus I assume you know what we seek.”
Kira responded by pulling a small key out of a pouch on her hip. It fit into a locked drawer at her desk. Inside was a folio with documents regarding the remaining Artifacts of Arcana. Unfortunately none resembled the armor worn by Avant. It bothered Aisha to no end that the scholars had been correct even if it was a given.
Red ink marked Great Sunderer as taken by the demon king. The page for Lightbringer was marked with blue ink. Instead of a name it simply read “allied.” Many questions swam through Aisha’s head but she pushed them aside to focus on more important matters. She slowly leafed through the other pages, reading them aloud.
“Unbinding Chains, Judgement, Pyro… manic?” Aisha slowed on the final page and read it slowly. “Ring of Planes. There’s not much history about that one.”
Skimming the files told of brief instances when every other Artifact had been utilized. The Unbinding Chains caused the user to erratically change their alliance while punishing those who opposed them. Similarly the tome “Judgement” was capable of eradicating anyone the wielder deemed an enemy. Fire giant’s drove themselves mad with Pyromanic even though it was created only for their use. Even a cursory glance made it apparent they all had devastating consequences. Minus possibly the eyewear which Aisha put on the table beneath the other records.
“The devastation comes from when the chains and tome are used in tandem,” Kira said. “There’s no downside for the user. They could deem anyone allied with say the Hero and wipe them out without losing themselves.”
“With Great Sunderer’s ability to amplify the wielder and their allies any battle becomes a massacre,” Sariel said as she read over the sword’s documentation.
Kira shook her head. “And even still, none of those compare to the Ring of Planes. You mentioned there’s no history about it. That’s because anyone who could document anything was removed from this realm. The ring allows its wielder to not only travel between planes but force others to as well. Depending on how strong the wearer is, more individuals can be affected.”
The party listened in stunned silence. Something so powerful should have been written about in history books. Then again, public record had scraps when it pertained to the Arifacts of Arcana. How they were handled after the Great War was a guessing game. Though Barbatos was ahead of the average group in learning the locations, it was still far from actual awareness.
“Why were they not destroyed?” Vofric asked as he left his stupor.
“The Artifacts were created by beings from different realms. Some were simply too powerful to break with methods of the time.” Kira nodded to the sheet about the ring. “That one was made by 22 individuals from different realms. To say it is the strongest magic item in existence is both factual and an understatement.”
Aisha rifled through the pages and huffed. “I understand the ring, tome, and swords. But what about the goggles? How come it survived? I’ve never heard of fire giants making something indestructible.”
“They lost it.”
“They lost it?”
“Yes, so well in fact that it’s seemingly vanished from existence.” Kira clarified. “Even if it hadn’t, its power is so niche that we don’t need to worry about it. Lords know the demon king won’t.”
As the halfling spoke, the sound of heavy boots running sounded overhead. Guards were clearly making their rounds with more fervor than usual. The group brushed it aside and pushed on.
Sariel grunted. “Considering the power of each individual Artifact, it is likely the demon king will first seek the Ring of Planes. Based on your knowledge you have likely come to the same conclusion. Have you made any progress seeking it out?”
“None so far.” Kira replied. She twitched at the sound of chatter overhead. Clearly underground hideouts had their own problems. “We have many members searching the world over. Some are assigned to the other Artifacts but most seek the ring. Obviously, it's very small and the planet is vast so that has been a hindrance in itself.”
“Let us hope that is a similar impediment to the demon king’s search. After all, he found Great Sunderer in a location that you have documented. Meaning some groups had knowledge of its hiding place.” Vofric suggested. “It is possible they could—”
Something crashing on street level cut the dwarf short. The ground and walls shook furiously, making more of a mess in Kira’s office. The marching overhead grew in ferocity. Chatter turned into fearful screams and panicked conversations. Booming thunder vibrated the entire facility. A Barbatos member rushed to the room and shoved the door open.
“Boss, head for the Ionzel main gate!” he yelled before running off.
The party followed Kira as she darted out of the office. Other members were running for the exits to see the commotion. Aisha’s eyes stayed trained on their guide to find the quickest exit. With no knowledge of the hideout, her party was bound in place. The halfling turned back and looked at the party. Whatever question she almost asked was deemed pointless. One nod, smirk, and wave of the hand signaled the adventurers to follow.
A seemingly innocuous closet led to a ladder towards a dead end. Kira clambered up while rapidly reciting an incantation. Stones in the ceiling shifted to allow passage onto the roof of an apothecary near the north main gate of the city. All attention was on something so far in the distance it was imperceivable. Some guards looked out with a telescopic monocular and couldn’t hide fear from the sight. Kira unhooked her own from her hip and climbed onto some crates strategically placed at one side of the roof. A flick of the wrist extended the monocular with a satisfying series of clicks before she put it to her eye.
“Oh my gods.”
The utterance held more shock than someone of Kira’s caliber often felt. Normally the curvature of the planet would make it impossible to see a place thousands of miles away. However, the halfling’s magic tool was made to see the impossible.
Black bolts of lightning rained from the sky on a single point. Each flash created parts of a building. Barricades that stood hundreds of feet high appeared in seconds. Towering spires connected each wall. Stories upon stories piled onto each other like a children’s toy blocks. The central spire stood hundreds of feet higher than any other. A protected keep rested within. Though the shape of a castle was familiar, Kira had yet to see one.
The final strike was not atop the castle. Rather it spread across fields and plains the world over. Some could be seen while others only felt on the other side of the planet. Bolts rained down in unison. The sight of one at the Shusyoun north gate made their goal clear. Another attack. This was less focused with only a single giant cyclops charging the wall. But one thing was clear to all; the new world’s king had arrived.
Worrying about other cities and villages had to wait until Shusyoun was safe. Regardless of how unsavory its government had been, the Hero would protect it.
“Kira, get everyone away from that thing,” Aisha commanded. “Sariel, Vofric, Avant; with me.”
The Barbatos captain wasn’t used to following orders but the pecking order was clear where the Hero was involved. Years of fighting together made the Hero’s party preemptively ready for the declaration. Vofric climbed onto Avant’s stone saddle to easily traverse the rooftops before landing between the massive brute and its target. The moment Sariel reached the top of the city gate she sprouted wings and flew over the monster. A rain of poisonous arrows launched from her bow before she landed behind the creature. Moments later, Aisha landed with two swift lightning empowered strikes at the cyclops heels before jumping away.
Attacks of such caliber were child’s play for the monster. It didn’t stop due to pain but because of how boring it would be to crush a city with no opposition. A tenderized meal before work was well worth the effort.
With a hefty swing, the cyclops swung an arm the size of a tree trunk in a circle around him. Everyone dodged easily but one did so in a way the monster could take advantage of. Sariel flew upwards and her wings vanished. Momentum from the cyclops’ swing allowed it to carry its other arm over its shoulder and down towards the mid-air target. Aisha prepared to jump but had trouble tracking both the hand and Sariel’s trajectory. Simultaneously Avant ran through the cyclops legs and propelled Vofric off to block the attack. All fell short.
“Do not underestimate me,” Sariel spat.
The speed of the massive hand didn’t matter. Only that the fingers were still spread. It burned to summon wings again so soon but practice had dulled the sensation. A dragon did not fear her own capabilities. As the swing grew close Sariel flew through with her bow drawn. The cyclops massive strength left it with abysmal speed and redirection skills. While its attack plummeted, the elf created an arrow like never before. Much like a needle would do little to hinder her in battle, a normal arrow meant little to the cyclops. Its resilience to her poison was a whole other matter. But the arrow of a ballista; that would be devastating.
Aisha caught on the projectile began to eclipse Sariel in size. The cyclops was about to pull his arm back. The arrow would surely hit but the attack had to be devastating.
“Avant, pull the arm down! Sariel, get some distance then fire! Vofric, brace then hammer the nail!”
If not for the sound of battle, everyone would hear three sets of teeth and a beak tightly click against each other. Cyclops did not train in order to be strong. Thus its natural abilities were not enough to draw its hand back as it was forcefully pulled towards the ground. The roar of a full grown owlbear was enough to send someone into a panic. One accompanied by powerful magic could make a giant shrink in fear. Dirt and clay shifted on the pavement as the monstrous hand pushed them out of place. One day, people would pause to admire the massive imprint left after this battle.
Sariel flapped her wings one more time to fly ever higher. Calmness in the face of danger defined a ranger. Confidence in the face of failure defined a dragon. The loosed ballista arrow did not whistle as it drilled downward. Air itself broke apart near its four blades. Blood erupted from the back of the monster’s massive hand as the projectile pushed a massive volume of crimson ichor out of the wound. Stone against heavy wood made a distinct sound only the party was familiar with after so much time with their artificed carriage. That was the sign for Avant to release his downward force.
Fluctuations in gravity could knock over the most trained fighters. Accompany experience with evolution and a dwarf felt little hindrance from the shift. While the cyclops wildly watched every attacker, it only heard one thing; a deep throated prayer. Drawing a warhammer was never a swift action for Vofric. He’d learned long ago it was better to take his time and make a statement. It mattered not that his grandmother was a peaceful god. The fear of such beings was ever present in the hearts of mortals. Golden light erupted from Vofric’s warhammer like it was fighting to break out. He hefted it onto his shoulder and leapt upward.
“Glory to the Starcaller,” he said softly while swinging the hammer down at the back of the arrow.
Magic surged from one weapon to the other as the projectile dug further into the ground. The cyclops screamed in horror as it began swinging its free hand wildly. Even if it got a grip of the arrow, it was unlikely to break free. The adventurers had seen what panic and fear did to people. Intelligence meant little in the face of what felt inevitable. When the cyclops finally got a grip on the bolt stuck in its hand, realization dawned. There was a fourth adventurer that had yet to act.
Lightning crackled from Valefor as Aisha deliberately stepped towards her target. Each step forced more mana out of her. Each bit of mana wreathed another part of her in electricity. Field testing new techniques was never preferred. But the demon king sent a powerful message. To negate its effects, so would the Hero. Shusyoun’s panic had subsided as they saw the adventurers held back a massive threat with ease. That wasn’t enough. Word needed to spread. Spectacles had their place and this was it. The memory of the demon king beheading a dragon with a single swipe haunted Aisha’s nightmares. It pushed her to become a swordsman that would put her past self to shame.
Onlookers only saw the Hero take a single step. Trained eyes watched her lunge forward and jump. Even her allies only perceived further movement but couldn’t track it. With one step Aisha vanished from sight. She ran up the cyclops’ trapped arm at unmatched speed. Valefor shined brightly and drew a silver line through the air. It crossed the monster’s neck. Aisha reappeared past the beast as she dropped from the air. The moment she touched the ground the silver line erupted into a bolt of purple lightning that violently tore through the cyclops. Precise force decapitated the monster and launched its head backwards. It landed heavily across the open field near guards planning to flank the creature from another gate.
Stunned silence was quickly overtaken by bombastic cheers. Guards held back citizens trying to come out of the gates to meet the Hero. Some of them looked at the party in awe while others looked on in shame. The only person who got through was Kira because she leapt off a bannister on the wall.
“That was incredible,” she said. Even when excited she was able to keep an even keel.
“Kira, we were discussing a plan of what to do about the Artifacts.” Aisha replied. “We clearly can’t simply focus on the Artifacts and the demon king has to be stopped.”
Vofric interjected, “However we cannot leave villages to defend themselves. The least we can do is provide assistance.”
“Exactly. Turn all of Barbatos’s efforts towards defending locations that were struck by lightning. Following that, seek out the Artifacts.” Aisha instructed. “And be prepared for my call. When the time comes, we will face him. If you are willing to aid us.”
Kira smirked. “That is the very reason we were created. I won’t try to command you on your journey so do what you feel is right. If you find yourself by the Bursbo Shallows look for the town of Deriich. There are contacts in the area.” She fished a scroll out of her hip pouch and handed it over. “And take this. I’ll send a message on it if we learn anything about the Artifact locations. Now go! Oh, and welcome to Barbatos.”
The Hero smirked and looked at the city. Celebratory airs and jovial cheers were overwhelming and reminded her of home. It was understandable that Shusyoun would want to honor the party. But this was just an equalizer for them. To show they had grown since the loss at Spirefell. Nothing like that would happen again. Not if they had any say.
The lack of windows didn’t make the Barbatos hideout any less vibrant. Carvings in walls were magically showing what was happening in different parts of the world. Plants grew out of cracks in the walls and well-maintained containers. Rooms were occupied by groups of diverse humanoids as they planned excursions. None hid their apparent awe at the sight of the Hero and her party members. Some bowed while others simply waved. While the guild members may have held Aisha in reverence, they still viewed her as an equal. She had to admit, it was a nice feeling.
“I’m surprised you’re so close to Neves. Relatively speaking, at least,” Aisha said while absentmindedly looking around. “I mean what are the chances that I was chosen so close to where you’re based out of.”
“We have no primary base,” Kira replied. She was leading the group to a room deeper into the base. “This is one of many hideouts spread across multiple continents to accommodate over one thousand individuals. The chances of the chosen one crossing our path was incredibly high.”
“More than 1,000 strong, eh?” Vofric mumbled. “It must have taken quite some time to gather that many allies.”
“Almost a millenia.”
Aisha hummed softly. “Barbatos has been around almost as long as the demon king’s been gone.”
“It’s no coincidence.”
Kira said as she opened a door with her name scratched into it. The office was messy with papers stacked high on the desk. Cabinet doors and drawers were left slightly ajar from past interactions. A detailed yet worn out map hung on the back wall with dozens of different symbols scratched into it. Pins marked major locations according to Barbatos. The most well-kept object in the room was a dull glowing conch on the left side of the desk with stones hovering above it.
The halfling walked to a wooden filing cabinet at the right wall and opened the bottom drawer. At the back was a dusty gray journal which she retrieved before handing it to the Hero. A simple gesture told Aisha to open it.
“Kharim might have retired as an adventurer after his journey but that doesn’t mean he stopped protecting the realm. Some of his allies came together to protect innocents from powerful threats while consulting the first Hero.” Kira explained. “Their descendants continued the work as threats continued to appear. While they weren’t at the level of the demon king, they were stronger than the average adventurer could handle. As time passed and the name of Barbatos spread we began taking jobs from individuals who had no one else to turn to. Whether because of the cost or due to secrets that needed to be kept. Never anything villainous. Though I won’t pretend we haven’t gotten our hands dirty in a thousand years.”
Kira sighed while remembering something unpleasant. “Regardless, we realized that if growing threats didn’t awaken Valefor, whatever did would be unmatched. Whoever drew the sword would need more than a few allies. That is why Barbatos remains. We are here, in every sense, to work with you.”
Though Aisha and Vofric were processing the statement, Sariel latched onto an earlier phrase. Not from Kira but her father. The halfling hadn’t mentioned it but everything she said matched Edthecridaldyrth’s words.
“You are named after a demon in order to face a demon,” Sariel said. “Edthecridaldyrth informed us of the meaning.”
Kira raised an eyebrow at the mention of the dragon. “He’s an old friend. Barbatos’ relationship with him started as a benefactor providing a quest. Over time, however, he has aided us with knowledge while we continue to search for his child. How do you know him?”
“I am said child,” Sariel replied. A smirk passed her lips and vanished as quickly.
“Oh, that’s wonderful! He can hopefully breathe easy now.”
The genuine relief in Kira’s voice pleased the elf. It was obvious the guild, regardless how mysterious, clearly cared for those who entrusted them. At least that was the case for this halfling of unknown rank.
“What is your role?” Sariel asked.
“I’m one of four captains who lead Barbatos members located in Teprav and southwestern Ionzel,” Kira answered. “There are at least that many at each of our bases which can communicate to one another via the Farspeech Conches.”
“I take it that’s how you share information that’s been gathered without having to physically travel across dangerous places,” Aisha finally said.
Kira nodded. “It also bypasses the need to interact with guards or scholars who may hinder us. Depending on where one comes from, they can be rather condescending.”
“Like with Teprav.”
“It is one of the smallest continents and connects to one of the biggest. In their eyes, you are only strong compared to your world. The new world is far stronger.” Kira scratched the side of her head and squinted at the map behind her. “I admit even the weakest monsters in Ionzel are stronger than expected but not so much that Teprav citizens can’t face them. Especially when they’ve crossed so much of one continent to get here.”
It didn’t take a genius to figure out how Kira knew about the party’s trek across the continent. While they focused on enemies and objectives to push forward on the quest, they ignored inconspicuous citizens. If Barbatos members were spread across every continent it was a given that some encountered the Hero and her friends. Though they hadn’t encountered anyone for a few months. Some amount of information had to be missing from Barbatos. Gauging it was a necessity if they would be an ally moving forward.
Vofric was obviously on the same thought process when he said, “You are aware of how far we have traveled thus I assume you know what we seek.”
Kira responded by pulling a small key out of a pouch on her hip. It fit into a locked drawer at her desk. Inside was a folio with documents regarding the remaining Artifacts of Arcana. Unfortunately none resembled the armor worn by Avant. It bothered Aisha to no end that the scholars had been correct even if it was a given.
Red ink marked Great Sunderer as taken by the demon king. The page for Lightbringer was marked with blue ink. Instead of a name it simply read “allied.” Many questions swam through Aisha’s head but she pushed them aside to focus on more important matters. She slowly leafed through the other pages, reading them aloud.
“Unbinding Chains, Judgement, Pyro… manic?” Aisha slowed on the final page and read it slowly. “Ring of Planes. There’s not much history about that one.”
Skimming the files told of brief instances when every other Artifact had been utilized. The Unbinding Chains caused the user to erratically change their alliance while punishing those who opposed them. Similarly the tome “Judgement” was capable of eradicating anyone the wielder deemed an enemy. Fire giant’s drove themselves mad with Pyromanic even though it was created only for their use. Even a cursory glance made it apparent they all had devastating consequences. Minus possibly the eyewear which Aisha put on the table beneath the other records.
“The devastation comes from when the chains and tome are used in tandem,” Kira said. “There’s no downside for the user. They could deem anyone allied with say the Hero and wipe them out without losing themselves.”
“With Great Sunderer’s ability to amplify the wielder and their allies any battle becomes a massacre,” Sariel said as she read over the sword’s documentation.
Kira shook her head. “And even still, none of those compare to the Ring of Planes. You mentioned there’s no history about it. That’s because anyone who could document anything was removed from this realm. The ring allows its wielder to not only travel between planes but force others to as well. Depending on how strong the wearer is, more individuals can be affected.”
The party listened in stunned silence. Something so powerful should have been written about in history books. Then again, public record had scraps when it pertained to the Arifacts of Arcana. How they were handled after the Great War was a guessing game. Though Barbatos was ahead of the average group in learning the locations, it was still far from actual awareness.
“Why were they not destroyed?” Vofric asked as he left his stupor.
“The Artifacts were created by beings from different realms. Some were simply too powerful to break with methods of the time.” Kira nodded to the sheet about the ring. “That one was made by 22 individuals from different realms. To say it is the strongest magic item in existence is both factual and an understatement.”
Aisha rifled through the pages and huffed. “I understand the ring, tome, and swords. But what about the goggles? How come it survived? I’ve never heard of fire giants making something indestructible.”
“They lost it.”
“They lost it?”
“Yes, so well in fact that it’s seemingly vanished from existence.” Kira clarified. “Even if it hadn’t, its power is so niche that we don’t need to worry about it. Lords know the demon king won’t.”
As the halfling spoke, the sound of heavy boots running sounded overhead. Guards were clearly making their rounds with more fervor than usual. The group brushed it aside and pushed on.
Sariel grunted. “Considering the power of each individual Artifact, it is likely the demon king will first seek the Ring of Planes. Based on your knowledge you have likely come to the same conclusion. Have you made any progress seeking it out?”
“None so far.” Kira replied. She twitched at the sound of chatter overhead. Clearly underground hideouts had their own problems. “We have many members searching the world over. Some are assigned to the other Artifacts but most seek the ring. Obviously, it's very small and the planet is vast so that has been a hindrance in itself.”
“Let us hope that is a similar impediment to the demon king’s search. After all, he found Great Sunderer in a location that you have documented. Meaning some groups had knowledge of its hiding place.” Vofric suggested. “It is possible they could—”
Something crashing on street level cut the dwarf short. The ground and walls shook furiously, making more of a mess in Kira’s office. The marching overhead grew in ferocity. Chatter turned into fearful screams and panicked conversations. Booming thunder vibrated the entire facility. A Barbatos member rushed to the room and shoved the door open.
“Boss, head for the Ionzel main gate!” he yelled before running off.
The party followed Kira as she darted out of the office. Other members were running for the exits to see the commotion. Aisha’s eyes stayed trained on their guide to find the quickest exit. With no knowledge of the hideout, her party was bound in place. The halfling turned back and looked at the party. Whatever question she almost asked was deemed pointless. One nod, smirk, and wave of the hand signaled the adventurers to follow.
A seemingly innocuous closet led to a ladder towards a dead end. Kira clambered up while rapidly reciting an incantation. Stones in the ceiling shifted to allow passage onto the roof of an apothecary near the north main gate of the city. All attention was on something so far in the distance it was imperceivable. Some guards looked out with a telescopic monocular and couldn’t hide fear from the sight. Kira unhooked her own from her hip and climbed onto some crates strategically placed at one side of the roof. A flick of the wrist extended the monocular with a satisfying series of clicks before she put it to her eye.
“Oh my gods.”
The utterance held more shock than someone of Kira’s caliber often felt. Normally the curvature of the planet would make it impossible to see a place thousands of miles away. However, the halfling’s magic tool was made to see the impossible.
Black bolts of lightning rained from the sky on a single point. Each flash created parts of a building. Barricades that stood hundreds of feet high appeared in seconds. Towering spires connected each wall. Stories upon stories piled onto each other like a children’s toy blocks. The central spire stood hundreds of feet higher than any other. A protected keep rested within. Though the shape of a castle was familiar, Kira had yet to see one.
The final strike was not atop the castle. Rather it spread across fields and plains the world over. Some could be seen while others only felt on the other side of the planet. Bolts rained down in unison. The sight of one at the Shusyoun north gate made their goal clear. Another attack. This was less focused with only a single giant cyclops charging the wall. But one thing was clear to all; the new world’s king had arrived.
Worrying about other cities and villages had to wait until Shusyoun was safe. Regardless of how unsavory its government had been, the Hero would protect it.
“Kira, get everyone away from that thing,” Aisha commanded. “Sariel, Vofric, Avant; with me.”
The Barbatos captain wasn’t used to following orders but the pecking order was clear where the Hero was involved. Years of fighting together made the Hero’s party preemptively ready for the declaration. Vofric climbed onto Avant’s stone saddle to easily traverse the rooftops before landing between the massive brute and its target. The moment Sariel reached the top of the city gate she sprouted wings and flew over the monster. A rain of poisonous arrows launched from her bow before she landed behind the creature. Moments later, Aisha landed with two swift lightning empowered strikes at the cyclops heels before jumping away.
Attacks of such caliber were child’s play for the monster. It didn’t stop due to pain but because of how boring it would be to crush a city with no opposition. A tenderized meal before work was well worth the effort.
With a hefty swing, the cyclops swung an arm the size of a tree trunk in a circle around him. Everyone dodged easily but one did so in a way the monster could take advantage of. Sariel flew upwards and her wings vanished. Momentum from the cyclops’ swing allowed it to carry its other arm over its shoulder and down towards the mid-air target. Aisha prepared to jump but had trouble tracking both the hand and Sariel’s trajectory. Simultaneously Avant ran through the cyclops legs and propelled Vofric off to block the attack. All fell short.
“Do not underestimate me,” Sariel spat.
The speed of the massive hand didn’t matter. Only that the fingers were still spread. It burned to summon wings again so soon but practice had dulled the sensation. A dragon did not fear her own capabilities. As the swing grew close Sariel flew through with her bow drawn. The cyclops massive strength left it with abysmal speed and redirection skills. While its attack plummeted, the elf created an arrow like never before. Much like a needle would do little to hinder her in battle, a normal arrow meant little to the cyclops. Its resilience to her poison was a whole other matter. But the arrow of a ballista; that would be devastating.
Aisha caught on the projectile began to eclipse Sariel in size. The cyclops was about to pull his arm back. The arrow would surely hit but the attack had to be devastating.
“Avant, pull the arm down! Sariel, get some distance then fire! Vofric, brace then hammer the nail!”
If not for the sound of battle, everyone would hear three sets of teeth and a beak tightly click against each other. Cyclops did not train in order to be strong. Thus its natural abilities were not enough to draw its hand back as it was forcefully pulled towards the ground. The roar of a full grown owlbear was enough to send someone into a panic. One accompanied by powerful magic could make a giant shrink in fear. Dirt and clay shifted on the pavement as the monstrous hand pushed them out of place. One day, people would pause to admire the massive imprint left after this battle.
Sariel flapped her wings one more time to fly ever higher. Calmness in the face of danger defined a ranger. Confidence in the face of failure defined a dragon. The loosed ballista arrow did not whistle as it drilled downward. Air itself broke apart near its four blades. Blood erupted from the back of the monster’s massive hand as the projectile pushed a massive volume of crimson ichor out of the wound. Stone against heavy wood made a distinct sound only the party was familiar with after so much time with their artificed carriage. That was the sign for Avant to release his downward force.
Fluctuations in gravity could knock over the most trained fighters. Accompany experience with evolution and a dwarf felt little hindrance from the shift. While the cyclops wildly watched every attacker, it only heard one thing; a deep throated prayer. Drawing a warhammer was never a swift action for Vofric. He’d learned long ago it was better to take his time and make a statement. It mattered not that his grandmother was a peaceful god. The fear of such beings was ever present in the hearts of mortals. Golden light erupted from Vofric’s warhammer like it was fighting to break out. He hefted it onto his shoulder and leapt upward.
“Glory to the Starcaller,” he said softly while swinging the hammer down at the back of the arrow.
Magic surged from one weapon to the other as the projectile dug further into the ground. The cyclops screamed in horror as it began swinging its free hand wildly. Even if it got a grip of the arrow, it was unlikely to break free. The adventurers had seen what panic and fear did to people. Intelligence meant little in the face of what felt inevitable. When the cyclops finally got a grip on the bolt stuck in its hand, realization dawned. There was a fourth adventurer that had yet to act.
Lightning crackled from Valefor as Aisha deliberately stepped towards her target. Each step forced more mana out of her. Each bit of mana wreathed another part of her in electricity. Field testing new techniques was never preferred. But the demon king sent a powerful message. To negate its effects, so would the Hero. Shusyoun’s panic had subsided as they saw the adventurers held back a massive threat with ease. That wasn’t enough. Word needed to spread. Spectacles had their place and this was it. The memory of the demon king beheading a dragon with a single swipe haunted Aisha’s nightmares. It pushed her to become a swordsman that would put her past self to shame.
Onlookers only saw the Hero take a single step. Trained eyes watched her lunge forward and jump. Even her allies only perceived further movement but couldn’t track it. With one step Aisha vanished from sight. She ran up the cyclops’ trapped arm at unmatched speed. Valefor shined brightly and drew a silver line through the air. It crossed the monster’s neck. Aisha reappeared past the beast as she dropped from the air. The moment she touched the ground the silver line erupted into a bolt of purple lightning that violently tore through the cyclops. Precise force decapitated the monster and launched its head backwards. It landed heavily across the open field near guards planning to flank the creature from another gate.
Stunned silence was quickly overtaken by bombastic cheers. Guards held back citizens trying to come out of the gates to meet the Hero. Some of them looked at the party in awe while others looked on in shame. The only person who got through was Kira because she leapt off a bannister on the wall.
“That was incredible,” she said. Even when excited she was able to keep an even keel.
“Kira, we were discussing a plan of what to do about the Artifacts.” Aisha replied. “We clearly can’t simply focus on the Artifacts and the demon king has to be stopped.”
Vofric interjected, “However we cannot leave villages to defend themselves. The least we can do is provide assistance.”
“Exactly. Turn all of Barbatos’s efforts towards defending locations that were struck by lightning. Following that, seek out the Artifacts.” Aisha instructed. “And be prepared for my call. When the time comes, we will face him. If you are willing to aid us.”
Kira smirked. “That is the very reason we were created. I won’t try to command you on your journey so do what you feel is right. If you find yourself by the Bursbo Shallows look for the town of Deriich. There are contacts in the area.” She fished a scroll out of her hip pouch and handed it over. “And take this. I’ll send a message on it if we learn anything about the Artifact locations. Now go! Oh, and welcome to Barbatos.”
The Hero smirked and looked at the city. Celebratory airs and jovial cheers were overwhelming and reminded her of home. It was understandable that Shusyoun would want to honor the party. But this was just an equalizer for them. To show they had grown since the loss at Spirefell. Nothing like that would happen again. Not if they had any say.
