Adventures of the Cohort Ch. 03

"Indeed," Mikael nodded. "So, what should we do?"

Cassandra shrugged. "Kill them. These are highly trained warriors; we're not going to be able to outclass them tactically. When the first one dies they will all be ready."

"So we will have to overcome them through strength of arms," Mikael nodded. "I'm ready for that."

He unslung his bow, notching an arrow from his small quiver, and readied it.

"On your say," he grunted, holding the bow taut.

"Then attack!" Cassandra cried, jumping up.

Mikael let loose the arrow as the shaman next to him began to charge down the hill. A bolt of fire shot from her hands, immediately incinerating the closest of the warriors. They turned to face her, one instantly collapsing as Mikael's arrow pierced his exposed throat.

Mikael leapt to his feet, the arrow fired, and ran after Cassandra. His descent was decidedly less graceful, and he half-charged, half-stumbled down the steep incline of the dusty mound.

He smashed into the first warrior he came across, the force of his rush down the hill knocking the man clean off his feet. As he struggled to get up Mikael thrust down with one of his swords, slicing through the thick armour and cutting into the warrior's heart. He stopped struggling immediately, and Mikael withdrew the sword, ready to parry another blow.

He looked around as another Firebound charged at him, this warrior a woman much like the one he had fought at Scorch's Point. Cassandra stood in the centre of the open area, engulfed in a wall of flame. The warriors around her shirked away, the heat too intense; all bar the elemental who strode straight towards her. Altogether Mikael counted no more than seven opponents in the encampment, three of whom were already dead.

He lifted his sword to parry the attack of the crazed woman, deflecting her blade easily. Cutting upwards with his other weapon, he found himself striking air, and rolled to the side only just in time. She was as quick as his other opponent and he knew he would have trouble again.

He glanced over as one of the two warriors attacking Cassandra leapt forwards into the flames. He was beaten back, his armour on fire, and with a scream he fell to the floor, his flesh scorched. The other warrior turned away, instead charging at Mikael.

Shit! I can't take two of them at the same time, even if this new one is only a normal Firebound!

His mind raced as he deflected another blow from the female Firebound Champion assaulting him. The other warrior would be there in a matter of moments and he needed this one to be dead. He opened his mind magically, searching desperately for a thread of energy. They were so weak as to be unusable and as fear swept through him he grasped hold of the final thread that he found.

Power surged through him as he tapped into the strand of fire, sorcerous forces imbuing him with the heightened strength of the inferno. He was in the Plane of Fire, of course, and the magic of flames was very strong here.

With a cry he pushed the blaze outwards. He was not yet a mage who exercised tremendous authority over the eldritch energies but he was talented and could use them more than adequately.

The woman in front of him opened her eyes wide with horror as the conflagration swallowed her whole. Mikael continued to focus, driving the power into the space in front of him, his body merely a conduit between the sorcerous and the material. The woman's screams disturbed him but he continued, watching as she quickly blackened before collapsing to the ground.

Grimacing, he released the magic, spinning to face his new assailant. Casting the spell had taken a lot out of him and it was all he could do to deflect his opponent's furious blows. This one was not a Champion, though, and he was able to use the time to recover, his energy slowly returning.

His swords began now to dance, the warrior engaging him suddenly on the defensive. Mikael's twin blades arced outwards, glinting in the fierce glow of Cassandra's flames, and they sliced through the air. The man stumbled backwards, his balance lost as he attempted to retreat; he knew in Mikael he had met more than his match.

Mikael ended his pain and fear, cutting through his stomach as he failed to deflect an incoming blow. The main doubled over, his agony instantly ended as Mikael's other sword removed his head.

Mikael span, and his eyes were drawn to Cassandra, who was battling the elemental warrior. Every other opponent was dead and he edged towards the two combatants as the fight raged onwards.

The warrior's sword flickered outwards but Cassandra avoided the swipe. Her own sword was unhooked for the first time and Mikael realised that her control over the blade was at odds to its apparently infrequent usage.

Their weapons clashed, a spark of energy crackling through the air. Mikael approached them slowly, gripping his own two swords tightly. The elemental warrior attacked again, Cassandra once more deflecting the blow. She was still sheathed in flame, the two burning foes circling one another.

With an ethereal cry the elemental warrior thrashed outwards again, sending a tendril of flame directly at Cassandra's face as she raised her sword to parry his own. She repelled his blade but the blazing whip caught the side of her face. It left no mark, but she stumbled backwards, clearly hurt. The elemental warrior strode forwards, raising his huge sword skywards for the killing stroke.

"For the Gods!" Mikael cried, leaping forwards. The warrior turned to him, but far too slowly. Mikael's longswords passed through the elemental, straight into its core. Fire burst forth, the power in the twin blades hissing outwards as it destroyed the elemental and Mikael jumped out of the way as the warrior began to disintegrate. With a haunting cry it flared upwards, flames encompassing the ground where it had stood, before a huge explosion blasted through the air.

Mikael sheltered his eyes from the power but it was over in a matter of moments. He looked up, finding only the sword lying motionless on the ground, and breathed out heavily. His head thumped into the dirt as he collapsed onto his back with a huge exhalation of breath, victorious.

"Thank you," he heard Cassandra say, and turned to her. She was smiling at him, gently rubbing the cheek that had been hit by the fire lash.

"Are you alright?" Mikael asked, concerned. There was no apparent mark on her face but with magic one could never tell.

"I'm fine," she responded. "Its attack stunned me and left me unable to move. I owe you my life."

Mikael grinned. "Don't worry about it. In the Cohort we all owe each other our lives far too many times over to keep count. You're with us now and so that mantra is also extended to you."

"Good to know," she giggled back, slowly climbing to her feet. "But still, thank you."

Mikael, too, clambered upright, dusting ash and dirt from his armour. He sheathed his magical longswords, and looked around.

After a moment he spoke. "I suppose we best look for some charms. If they've survived the explosion."

"They will have done. We just need to find them."

It took only a brief search for them to locate three charms. Each was on the body of a fallen enemy, undamaged despite the battle that had raged. Even upon the pile of ash that had been body of the Champion whom he'd incinerated they found a magical amulet utterly pristine. Clearly they were powerful items.

"Where to now?" Mikael asked as Cassandra placed the three new charms with the others.

"Home," the gorgeous shaman replied with a smile.

****************************************

They approached the stone circle from the side, taking the more treacherous route up the steep and rocky hill. They could not take the large road that led directly to the circle, even though that would probably have made the journey much quicker, because they could not risk coming across a company of Firebound and jeopardising their task.

Eventually, the rocky outcrop grew nearer and Mikael could see the towering size of the stone obelisks as they stood proud against the glaring sun. He could feel their power pulsing outwards, buffeting his magical senses.

They slowly moved to the centre of the circle, making sure that, once again, there were no foes in the vicinity. Again the area was clear.

"Do we go, then?" Mikael asked. Cassandra nodded.

He cast his vision over the immediate surroundings once more, slowly relaxing. He needed his mind open to use the charms, not needing to access them magically but still with a clear head. The baking sun distracted him slightly but he blocked it out. He would not need to worry about it soon, anyway.

He closed his eyes, reaching outwards with his mind and probing for the charm. There was nothing. He tried again, assuming he had made a mistake, and searched his immediate vicinity. Again there was nothing and his eyes snapped open as a wave of cold fear passed through him. Had he lost his charm?

It still hung by his neck. He took a hold of it, looking desperately to see if it was damaged in some way. As far as he could tell, there was no difference now to how it had been when he had travelled through.

"I can't use the charm!" he exclaimed, glancing around nervously. "How am I to return home?"

Cassandra's eyes snapped open, her arms dropping back to her sides. She look surprisingly relaxed.

"You need to calm down first," she said soothingly. "Do not worry yourself; I know the reason."

"Oh?" Mikael asked, a sense of relief washing over him.

"The power of your charm is drained. Like the stones, it needs time to replenish its energy. I had hoped it would be ready for use again now but clearly that is not the case."

"So what do we do?"

The beautiful redhead shrugged. "We must wait for it to recharge. There is nothing else we can do."

"Why can't I use one of the other charms?" Mikael questioned. He was eager to return home.

"Because your soul is bound to that one, Mikael. A charm of passage is a potent magical artifact, despite its small stature. It may be useable by more than one person, but one person may not use more than one charm. You must wait for that one to regain its power."

"And how long will that take?"

"I do not know," she replied. "But it is evening now and I would hope that by morning it will be strong enough."

She turned away from the centre and began to walk purposefully away from the stones.

"Where are we to go, then?" Mikael said as he hurriedly moved to catch up with her. "I saw nowhere that struck me as overly safe on our journey."

"To my hideout," she stated matter-of-factly, turning to him.

"Your hideout?"

She nodded, a grin spreading across her beautiful features. "Indeed."

"You've been here before?"

She smiled at his shocked expression. "Of course. It is where I was born."

Mikael looked at her, genuinely surprised by her statement. He did not think such a thing was possible.

"You were born here?"

"Yes, to slaves," she replied softly. "And when my parents were killed, I fled. It was then that I discovered my magical affinity, though only in the arts of flame. I suspect that if I had been born in your world - as our race was meant to be - I would be a sorcerer. But being born here gave me a special aptitude for fire magic at the expense of the other strands of power."

"And so you became a shaman. How did you come into our world?"

"Through perseverance. I knew I did not belong here and I fought night and day for my freedom. It was in those very stones that I ambushed a pair of elementals and took their power. I used the remaining essence of their spirits to push through to our world, where I was welcomed by our Gods. They recognised that I held great sway over the element of fire and I was more than willing to help; they were my true Gods, after all."

"Which explains why they would place you near the stones. What better person to watch over the gateway to this world than one who has lived there?"

She smiled. "Precisely. And we are not far from the place where I originally hid myself away."

She gestured into the distance and Mikael followed the line of her finger. Ahead was a large cliff-face, shorn into the side of one of the larger hills. It was honeycombed with small caves and Mikael knew at once where they were heading.

"With any luck it remains undisturbed," she added, before setting off towards it. Mikael followed.

"I hope so," he said. "Because I can well imagine us being ambushed by a party of those warriors were we to stay out in the open too long."

The shaman nodded. "Certainly. And that is why we must find my shelter."

The journey across the hills in between was uneventful. Mikael was on his guard the entire route, prepared for an ambush at any moment, but none came. They made their way to the caves in good time and Mikael was eager to get out of the sun. Even now, in evening, it was almost unbearably hot. The physical exercise of walking and fighting was doing nothing to relieve him. He had already drunk a large part of his water reserve.

They entered the caves and Mikael was greeted by their cool shade. With Cassandra leading the way they moved deeper into the network, the light slowly fading until they were walking in near darkness. Mikael smiled as Cassandra lit the tip of her finger to provide enough luminescence and they continued on their way.

After a short while they came across a fork and Cassandra made a right turn. They had not been walking for more than a few minutes but already Mikael was lost. The air was cooler here, and surprisingly, slightly damp. He hoped that meant there was at least a small source of water in the area.

They strode down the right hand passage until it ended, the cave halting abruptly. Mikael wondered if they had become lost and was relieved to see that that was not the case. As he watched, Cassandra raised her hand and placed it flat on the wall. With a few words of power, a crevice shimmered open, and she slipped through it. Mikael followed, and jumped as the gap slammed shut behind him.

"Not quite as smooth as the sanctuary," he heard Cassandra laugh as he turned to face the room.

It was sparse, less a room than a hollowed out section of rock. He had stayed in sanctuaries that existed in caves before, not least on his first encounter with Lucinda, but they were nothing like this. They possessed at least a modicum of comfort and planning. The room Mikael found himself in contained nothing but a bedroll and a small pile of logs.

As Mikael watched, Cassandra lit the logs and a fire roared into life in the centre of the room. It was a small space and Mikael's initial assessment of the room's sparseness was correct. The only thing he had not noticed previously was the small pool of water that lay in the corner. It was not large enough to bathe in but there was certainly enough water to drink from.

Cassandra sighed. "It's not much, is it? I can't believe I lived here for so long with so little."

"How long were you here?" Mikael asked, curious. "Did you make this hiding place yourself, or come across it?"

"A little of both. There was a small space here that I sensed when hiding in these caves. I created the crevice and then enchanted it to be hidden. It served as my home for nearly six months, during which time I honed my skills and awaited the perfect time to escape."

"And you weren't found?"

"Don't worry," she smiled. "It may not be luxurious, but it is safe. Even if someone did wander this far into these caves they'd not be able to find the entrance to this place. We'll be fine here until morning, if a little uncomfortable."

Mikael laughed. "Fair enough. Is that water drinkable?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I was also a little surprised when I found it in this place but I suppose there must be sources of water on this Plane - the slaves still need to drink, after all. I drank it for six months and I'm still alive."

"Good enough for me," Mikael grinned as he unhooked his pack, pulling out an empty water container in order to refill it. The water sloshed into the vessel as he submerged it, and he drank deeply.

****************************************

The evening passed slowly. The fire continued to crackle in the dark room, and Mikael wondered whether there was an enchantment upon it. It did not seem to wane and it produced no smoke, and so he eventually concluded that there was.

He was lying down on the floor when the urge to drink struck him again. It may have been cooler in the caves, but it was still hot, and the faint sound of trickling water made him constantly thirsty. As he stood to get some more, he realised just how uncomfortable his armour had become. Whilst he was active he had not really noticed it, but now, lying on a stone floor in stifling heat, he was aware of its solid discomfort.

He drank deeply, before looking over at Cassandra. She, too, was lying on her back, although she was on the meagre bedroll that at least offered a modicum of softness, and was throwing a small ball of flame between her hands. She looked bored.

He finished drinking, throwing his canteen onto the small pile of items he had left in the corner. It landed on his pack, before sliding down and resting against one of his two scabbards that also lay on the floor. His cloak, too, was in the small mound of personal belongings, and he decided to add to that collection with his chestpiece.

He removed it carefully, eager to be rid of it but also eager not to damage it. When it was off he placed it gently on the pile of clothes, enjoying the feeling of his naked chest as it cooled. He pulled off his boots, and let his feet rest on the stone floor.

Turning back, he saw Cassandra looking at him, and he smiled. A twinkle had entered her amber eyes and she suddenly no longer looked so bored.

"You're not stopping there, are you?" she asked with a smirk, propping herself up onto one elbow.

Mikael laughed. "I was going to, yes. I don't want to be totally unprepared if we're attacked."

"We won't be attacked here," she said, rolling her eyes. "For the final time, it's safe."

He sat back down, running his hands through his hair. Cassandra was still looking at him.

"You know, I was a little saddened when you weren't in my group," she said at last. "I'd been looking forward to furthering our small conversation by the window."

A grin spread across Mikael's face. "I saw. But our task comes first. Besides, it's not as if you went without company that night."

Cassandra laughed. "True. Your paladin is a remarkable and beautiful woman."

"That she is," he smiled.

"Which of your Sisters do you prefer?"

"I do not have a favourite; I love them all equally," he replied with a shrug. "And I mean that honestly. My Sisters would answer the exact same way."

Cassandra smiled. "You do know them well. That is precisely how Kristine answered the question too. But if you won't be drawn on that, then perhaps I should ask a different question: which one did you fuck last?"

"What?" Mikael laughed, rather taken aback by the bluntness of the question. "Quintia, if you must know."

"Oh," she grinned. "I asked Kristine that question, too, and she thought it was her."

"When you were speaking to Kristine, then it was," Mikael winked. "But there was a whole night after that. Kristine would no longer say that I was her latest partner after her exploits with you last night, would she?"

Cassandra smiled mischievously. "I suppose not. I would have thought Victor would have stolen your Sisters away."

"He was busy with Ria'torr, it is true. But he ignored poor Quintia."

"Aha," she smiled wryly. "So you played the gentleman and made sure she wasn't left out."

"Precisely."

He lay flat on his back again, and the ball of flame reappeared in Cassandra's hands. A few moments passed in silence, before Cassandra broke it once more.