A Monster Life Ch. 76-78

The path led through rocky hills, but the joks were agile despite their bulky looks and traversed the terrain with ease. It didn't make Handil feel more at ease when she glanced down into the large cracks close to the side of the path while there was only a steep stone wall on the other side.

The joks halting suddenly startled her. 'Keep going.' she said and nudged her jok with her heels.

It didn't move a muscle.

'What're you doing?'

Her heart stopped when flocks of birds flew up from trees all around with loud chirping. She looked up and sighed. 'Shit piles.' she said, then gasped and gripped her saddle when the ground began to rumble.

The joks swayed as they tried to stay up on their hooves while the ground shook harder underneath them, and Handil looked back at Rachael swaying in her saddle. 'Hang on, honey! Hang on!'

Her gaze locked onto Rachael's when her Safo lover lost her weak grip and slipped sideways from the saddle. Terror rose fast in her when Rachael fell down at the dangerous side of the path, rolled over, and down into the crack. She screamed Rachael's name with all her might.

***

Tarrence and his companions drove their nasr hard across the rough terrain, while Muni and he kept an eye on any tracks left by the joks as they followed the path leading into the same direction that the artefact pointed to. It didn't take long for them to spot the two females in the distance as they travelled on the narrow and relatively straight part between the high rock surface and a deep drop.

A shiver ran up Muni's spine as birds flew up around them and the nasr buckled. He knew what it meant because he had experienced it many times before in his homeland. 'Earthquake!'

The others pulled on the reins just before the ground began to shake. Muni jumped from his riding bird and leaned back against the rock, and the others quickly followed his example. The scream from the Ruza female over the rumbling drew Tarrence's immediate attention, and he cursed when the Safo female fell from her mount and over the edge. 'Muni! Bring your rope! Elyta, Gigacks, bring the nasr!' He ran towards the women and hoped the crack wasn't too deep to recover the artefact.

Handil jumped from her jok and crawled towards the edge while the trembling subsided. 'Rachael! Can you hear me!? Honey!?' She jerked away when the demon canine dropped down on his knees at the edge close to her. 'What are you doing!?'

Tarrence ignored her and looked for a glimpse of the Safo woman down the crack, and noticed some white in the darkness. 'She's down there.' he said when Muni arrived. 'Looks like she snagged on something on the side.'

Muni tied one end of the rope around his waist while Tarrence threw the rest down into the crack, and the feline dug his feet into the ground as he sat down. He gave Tarrence a nod. 'Ready.'

Handil watched helplessly as the canine lowered himself along the rope into the crack, and leaned as far as she dared over the edge to see what he was doing.

Tarrence reached Rachael, who breathed shallow while her bandages were red from her blood while the back of several had snagged on thick, old roots. He checked the pouches on her belt and pulled the artefact out of one. 'Good.'

Elyta and Gigacks had arrived with the nasr in the meantime, and she spotted Ulric and the girls coming up the same route from between the trees. 'That damned party is coming!' she shouted down to Tarrence.

He climbed up. 'We're done here!'

***

The earthquake surprised Ulric and the girls as well but the capri rode on undeterred, although slower. He was impressed by how little Harry swayed at the shaking of the ground. 'Wow, they really are nimble despite this going on. Great work, Isa.'

She blushed and smiled with a little pride. 'Thank you.'

As soon as the party emerged from the dense trees, Elzbieta noticed the commotion at the edge and lower into the crevice in the distance. 'They're there! That canine is doing something with the Safo.'

'Hurry!' said Ulric and spurred Harry on to ride as fast as it could.

Tarrence climbed up onto the edge and mounted his nasr while Muni untied the rope from his waist. 'Move fast!' he said, and nearly knocked the joks and Handil aside when he drove his nasr in between them and the rock wall.

The others followed while Gigacks sent a volley of ice and fire projectiles at the oncoming party.

Handil desperately held on to clumps of grass to prevent falling into the crack. 'Wait! What about Rachael!?'

Valdys blocked the lich's attack and Ulric growled when he spotted the Safo far off down in the crack. 'I'll save the Safo! You girls try to catch those demons!'

He jumped off of Harry when he reached Handil and the joks. 'Kaui, Isa, I'll need your help.' The others passed over the joks via the rock wall and went in pursuit of Tarrence and his party, with Conchim and Yingshien taking to the skies.

Ulric looked over the edge, then looked back at Kaui and Isazea. 'Tie a couple of ropes to the capri and toss the other ends over the edge after looping them around Harry. I'm climbing down.' He lowered himself quickly, gripping the stone and compressed earth surface with his claws as he went down. When the girls dropped the ropes, he pulled on them to test them, and lowered himself farther down to Rachael along them. He heard her troubled breathing and with the strong scent of her blood, he feared the worst.

He tied the ropes around Rachael's and his waist, and looked up at Kaui. 'On my mark, pull us up gently!'

'Will do, Master!' Kaui said, and received a nod from Isazea when she looked at her.

Ulric pulled Rachael carefully from the jagged parts of roots where her bandages had snagged on, and held her secure in his arms. 'All right! Pull!'

Kaui gave Isazea the signal, and she led their two capri back along the path at a slow pace.

Handil watched nervously as the bloodwolf carrying her most precious person ascended, and moved up to them when they reached the edge. Ulric laid the quiet Rachael down on the path, and Handil put her trembling hand on Rachael's forehead and cheek. 'Is she?'

Kaui examined Rachael quickly. 'Lost a lot of blood, but she's still breathing.' she said, and grunted. 'I think she has been poisoned as well.' She pulled her healing potions from her satchel and gave one to Ulric. 'Drip this slowly into her mouth, Master. I'll treat the wounds.'

Kaui cut away the bloody bandages, cleaned the wounds one by one and applied her healing salve, and re-bandaged them with fresh herbal infused bandages. She sat back while Ulric dripped the last of the potion into Rachael's mouth. 'That's the best I can do. Now it's up to her own strength.'

Handil cried as she laid her hand on Rachael's. 'Thank you.' she said softly. 'Thank you so much.'

Kaui laid her hand on Handil's shoulder. 'I think she'll recover soon enough. Are you not hurt?'

Handil shook her head. 'I'm all right.'

Ulric focussed on the other girls. 'How are you doing?'

Iphigenia sighed as she looked at the damaged path before her and the gap against the steep rock wall. 'That lich caused a rock slide and destroyed the path. We can't follow them but Conchi and Ying went after them.'

Conchim and Yingshien already flew back to the others. 'We tried to stop them but they were too strong for just the two of us, and they split up under the thick tree cover. We had to cut off the pursuit as we lost them.'

Ulric sighed. 'All right, nothing we can do about that. It looks like we saved the Safo for now, so I suggest we return to a place where we can set up camp and rest for now.'

***

'Nothing.' said Valdys as she held up the artefact.

Ulric drummed his fingers on his folded arms. 'You don't suppose the demons have all the other artefacts, do you?'

She shook her head. 'I highly doubt that. To complete the portal ring there'd have to be a lot more of them, and if they had that many already, I don't think they'd go through all the trouble to retrieve the ones we now have.'

Iphigenia picked up the piece and looked it over. 'So, for now these are simply decorative pieces of stone? We can't use them to locate the others any longer?'

'Yes. I suspect that pulse was an effect caused by something those demons did to their artefact. Whether that was their intention or not, locating at long distance isn't possible any longer. Seeing how we were still able to follow at a short distance, that might still work.'

Caylais looked at the others. 'Does that mean we can't search for the other artefacts?'

The mood turned heavy as each tried to think of a way, until Rachael coughed softly from her bed of blankets and animal hides near the campfire. Handil, who sat next to her, stroked her forehead. 'Take it easy, honey.'

Rachael groaned as she turned her head and looked at the others. 'Sorcis might know.'

Valdys sat down next to her. 'Who is Sorcis?'

'Our royal wizard. He was the one who entrusted me with the artefact and sent me away in case the trolls were looking for it.'

Valdys turned the others. 'Sounds like he knows something about it.'

Ulric gave her a nod. 'Our only option to go forward right now and gather any information to find the rest of the artefacts. Unless you want attacking the demons after they all found them as an option.'

Valdys looked at Rachael. 'Is there a way to contact him?'

'Can any of you tat?'

Elzbieta put up her hand. 'I can.'

'There's a note in my pouch with the incantation to contact him. Tell him you received it from me and I failed in my task.'

Handil found the note and handed it to Elzbieta, and she gestured in the air as she composed a message. A moment later, the blue bird appeared, and flew off before disappearing again. 'I hope he can receive and respond.'

The party prepared to eat when another blue bird appeared a little later before Elzbieta. She read the message. 'He says to go to Ligna and find Breann.'

Handil looked up at her. 'Nothing else?'

Elzbieta shook her head. 'Nothing else.'

Handil looked at Rachael, who was asleep again. 'That might mean he can't speak because it's unsafe.'

Iphigenia put a hand on her shoulder. 'Or he wants to make sure you both are safe and we're not who we say we are. Either way, we won't find out more unless we see this Breann.'

Ulric placed skewered meat close to the fire. 'We'll leave first thing after a brief rest. That much we need, and Rachael as well.'

***

Tarrence looked over the poster he received from Kraeintos's minister of security in his personal office. 'We appreciate your help in this matter.' the minister said, and poured two glasses of wine and handed one to his visitor. 'And I appreciate your contribution to this office.' He already had an idea on what to spend the substantial bribe he had received earlier on. 'These have already been distributed to the cities, and they're on their way to our friendly neighbourhood countries with your, compliments, shall we say?'

Tarrence lifted his glass to the minister and drank while he read the poster again, stating the party named Quaint was wanted for manslaughter and theft.

***

The party arrived several days later at the outskirts of Ligna after a slow trip straight through the country, and looked out over another large, walled-in city from a meadow on higher ground. Ulric leaned a little forward and embraced Susi, who sat in front of him. 'How are we going to find this Breann in there?'

'They're likely also a wizard.' said Rachael, who had recovered enough to ride her jok for the last two days. 'I've only known Sorcis to have had dealings with fellow wizards abroad.'

Iphigenia turned to Ulric. 'I think it's best if only two or three of us go. More might be too intimidating.'

He nodded. 'Yeah. I agree.' he said and looked back at Handil. 'We don't know if there are still some nasty surprises, so I suggest you stay here out of harm's way, while Valdys, Iphigenia, and I escort Rachael.'

The others agreed, and the four of them left for the city with Ulric gratefully stretching his four limbs with his natural wolf walk after sitting on the capri for so long, even with the small Safo riding on his back while Iphigenia and Valdys rode the two joks. The two guards at the city gate eyed them suspiciously, but didn't stop them as they passed. Ulric chuckled when he glanced around at people stopping in their tracks the moment they saw him carrying Rachael. 'We might as well have taken the capri. I don't think we could have drawn more attention by the people.'

Iphigenia giggled. 'I'm sure you would have as a bloodwolf riding a never before seen type of wheeled golem mount, Wolfie. This is rather normal in comparison.' She looked at Rachael riding him like it was indeed normal for her. 'You seem comfortable riding a predator, Rachael.'

Rachael shrugged. 'After saving my life, I can't see how I can think of him as a predator. At least not in the usual dangerous monster way.'

Iphigenia smiled a little at her own view of him as predator after he had saved her life after they had met. 'Yes, that's true.'

They reached a small square where they looked over the shops for any involving magic. 'There's one.' said Valdys, and gestured with her head to a plain small building in the corner with a chair in front, on which stood a small potted plant with long, slender leaves.

'How do you know that?' asked Ulric, who saw no sign hanging out front.

'Did you forget what I am, my dear?'

He sniggered. 'Yeah, that was a stupid question.'

They went over to the nearby pole for customers to tie their mounts to, and entered the shop. Ulric sniffed the air once and was almost overwhelmed by the mixed smell of old materials, books, candles, pots with scented contents, and the dust they accumulated. 'If magic had a scent, I'd say this is it.'

They navigated the cramped space filled with racks, cabinets, tables in various sizes with wares on top, and a small stuffed bear and a man sized plant with large leaves in a big pot. At the back, they looked around for any sign of the owner. Ulric stood up on his legs and stretched his back. 'Anyone see a bell we can ring?'

A young human lady appeared from a doorway to the side, thrust her hand at him. An invisible force threw him back at the wall and pinned him to it. Before Iphigenia and Valdys could react, they fell to their knees and groaned against invisible restraints at another gesture from the young lady. Ulric snarled at her. 'What's the meaning of this!?'

The woman squinted at Rachael, who had raised her fists and was ready to fight. 'Tell me, were they the ones who did that to you?' she asked with a nod at Rachael's bandaged arm.

'No, someone else did.' Rachael said. 'They are the ones who saved me from certain death.'

'He said you could be in trouble and forced to cooperate.'

Rachael relaxed her stance. 'You're Breann?'

The woman nodded.

'Sorcis warned you we were coming then?'

'He told me about the message he received, and the threat you're under. I don't see your friend.'

'Handil? She's with the other members of this party just outside the city. She's safe.'

Breann gestured with her head to a poster on a cabinet to the side. 'You sure about that?'

Rachael picked up the poster, read it, and gazed in confusion at the others. 'Where did this come from?'

'What are you talking about?' asked Iphigenia.

Rachael held up the wanted poster with the summarised description of the party including portrait sketches, and the high reward offered for capture, dead or alive.

Iphigenia chuckled once. 'They pulled a fast one on us. Since they can't beat us, they make us out to be the bad ones.' She looked at Ulric. 'They didn't even correctly capture your dashing looks, Wolfie.'

Rachael turned to Breann. 'I know nothing of this, but I doubt they would have saved me if this was true.'

Breann glanced at her captives. 'But how can I be sure they are not a threat?'

'Simple.' said Valdys and stood up. 'Because if we were, we would not be talking at this very moment.'

Breann stepped back as Iphigenia stood up and Ulric took a step forward. 'How did you?'

Valdys ignited a flame in the palm of her hand. 'I'm capable of a trick or two.'

Breann stared at her hands. 'But I had you restrained? I still feel the bonds.'

Valdys smiled knowingly. 'I faked those a moment after you put those on us. Thought it was better to see what you were up to first before we show our hand.'

Breann sighed. 'I guess I can't stop you if you do have any bad plans.'

Ulric took the poster from Rachael and read it. 'Classic television and movie plot. Turn us into the bad guys so authorities and most people will try to take us down.'

Breann stared at him. 'What kind of vision and move?'

Valdys chuckled. 'Never mind that. Did Sorcis explain why we came to find you?'

Breann closed the front door of the shop with a gestured of her hand and turned to Rachael. 'It's about something he gave to you.'

Rachael nodded. 'But I failed and lost it.'

Valdys pulled out one of the artefacts and held it up. 'Something like this.'

Breann's expression turned grave. 'The gate they said that leads to the demon lord.'

'Can you help us in any way to find the other pieces?'

Before Breann could reply, a ruckus outside at the square stopped her. 'Wait here.' she said and hurried to the front of the shop. Through the murky window, she saw guards spread out and search the shops. 'We can't stay here. I'll take you to my place outside the city.'

'What about the joks?' said Ulric. 'We can't just leave them here.'

Breann went back to the rear. 'Don't worry, I'll have my apprentice pick them up, saying they're collateral from a client borrowing something of mine.' She pushed open the side door. 'Come, this way.'