CHAPTER 18
Druzeel’s spell led him directly to Dex and Jannda. To his delight, they had not yet reached the Wilted Rose but were currently on their way as he rode towards them. The area around them was mostly deserted, with only a handful of citizens moving along the sidewalks and empty streets. Most of the businesses were closed but there were a few open that people decided they had to visit before the sun rose. Solaris would bring hundreds of people from their beds, into the streets, and to the various shops lining the roads. Druzeel assumed those people still out and about wanted to avoid the crowds and conclude their business before that happened. Whatever their reasons for being awake at such a late hour, Druzeel just ignored them and headed straight for his companions.
Jannda noticed him first and waved him over, her face displaying nothing but a welcoming expression. Druzeel was glad to see such a look on her face. He had not exactly left their company under the best of circumstances. He had yelled at them and stormed away angry and frustrated, but now those feelings were gone. What he had learned from Piyus had all but removed the negative feelings he held toward the two Knights. They all needed to put aside their personal feelings for the time being and concentrate on finding the assassin. If he had learned anything in the past few hours, it was to ignore the little things, at least until the large things were taken care of. After they had accomplished their quest, only then could they deal with their feelings and aggravations.
“Welcome back,” Jannda said, nodding toward him. Dex nodded as well, his face showing a similar expression as his friend.
“I’m sorry,” Dex said, bringing a surprised look on Druzeel’s face. “I should not have spoken to you the way I did. I know what it is like to be talked down to and I should have acted better. You deserve better than that.”
Druzeel just sat in his saddle in silence. He had not expected an apology. In fact, that had been the last thing on his mind when he went to meet up with them. He had also been planning an apology of his own, for leaving them. He knew they could take care of themselves, but it was wrong for him to leave. Breaking up the group was not smart and could have put all of the in danger. The fact that Dex said he was sorry filled Druzeel with appreciation.
“Thank you,” Druzeel finally said, after a long pause. “And I too am sorry for my behavior. I know you were trying to help and should have acted better. This whole journey has just been so frustrating.”
“Yes,” Dex replied. “And it has become even more so in the past few hours.”
“I know,” Druzeel replied. “I have learned a few things about our assailant since we parted and none of them bode well.”
“What have you been up to?” Jannda asked, genuinely interested in knowing what Druzeel had been doing since he left them in the streets. She assumed that after he had left he would have been wondering the city, calming himself or looking for a place to rest. Instead, it appeared that Druzeel was out continuing to look for their assassin. That could have proven to be extremely dangerous if he had actually run into the man they were looking for. Druzeel may think himself experienced, but based on what he had told them of his first encounter with the assassin, he was still no match for a man of such lethal skill.
“I went to go see Piyus,” Druzeel said.
“The Magnificent?” Dex asked with surprise. “You went to go see Piyus the Magnificent?”
“Yes,” Druzeel responded.
“And actually talked to him?”
“Yes,” Druzeel answered, unable to keep the smile from his face at the tone in Dex’s voice. Even Jannda looked impressed. They both knew who Piyus was and never thought someone as famous as Piyus would actually take the time to talk to Druzeel. That man could be fickle and was not exactly known for his willingness to speak to anyone.
“He’s an old friend,” Druzeel said, embellishing the truth just a little bit. The archmage wasn’t actually his old friend, but Graeak’s, but Druzeel didn’t think Dex and Jannda needed to know that.
“Well?” Jannda said after a few moments of silence. “What’d you find?” Her voice held hope for if anyone could shed light on the assassin’s location, it would be someone as powerful as Piyus.
“Only more questions,” Druzeel answered, his voice telling Jannda that she was not going to like the answer.
For the next few moments, Druzeel went over, in exact detail, what had happened in Piyus’s spell chamber. He described how Piyus, in his relentlessness, had almost destroyed his entire home trying to find the thief and uncover the source of the magic blocking his spells. Jannda and Dex looked disappointed that Piyus had been unable to uncover anything but they took solace in the fact that the archmage had promised to contact Druzeel should he uncover something in the future. The fact that they now had a man as powerful as Piyus the Magnificent on their side, searching for the thief, was comforting, but they had many more uncomfortable thoughts after hearing about the power that had come up against him.
“I don’t know who or what he is working for,” Druzeel said, referring to the assassin, “but he has awesome power protecting him.”
“Would someone that had to move quickly and stealthy be able to carry such magic?” Jannda asked.
“No,” Druzeel answered. “The type of magic I witnessed Piyus going up against would require powerful artifacts and spells, items that would be too large to hide and I would think too powerful for one to want to carry around. The assassin has help, but from whom I do not know. Whoever it is is much more powerful than the assassin.”
“Who in the hells is this guy?” Jannda asked. “And who is the person or persons he is working for? And why would they go to all this trouble just for a few trinkets from Graeak’s tower?”
“As I said,” Druzeel said, “more questions than answers.”
“I can’t believe the assassin can stay hidden from Piyus forever,” Jannda said. “Can his shields last for that long?”
“Actually, yes,” Druzeel said sadly. “As long as the magic is renewed each day, the assassin and whoever is helping him can avoid Piyus’s magic for as long as they want. I just wish I knew who was helping him.”
“I guess we’ll have to catch him to find out,” Dex replied, his mind reeling from what Druzeel had told him. He had a dozen questions of his own, but since none of them would likely be answered until they caught the assassin, he kept them to himself. Right now, he wanted to concentrate on that, so he stayed silent and looked to Druzeel, who looked to have a question for them.
“So did you find out anything after I left?” Druzeel asked. He hoped that they had been more successful than he had, but based on their expressions, he didn’t think so. Jannda’s next words confirmed his thoughts.
“Yeah,” she said, “that we are being watched by others besides the Pillars. Speaking of which...”
Before Druzeel could ask what she meant, he looked at her and saw her gaze looking past him. He turned around and caught a group of Pillars just down the street, shadowing their movements. It appeared they were still being watched.
“Let them follow,” Dex said. “We have nothing to hide. Let’s just get to the Wilted Rose and see if the others were more successful than we were.” The trio urged their mounts down the street toward the tavern, hoping that Brask and the others would be there.
“What did you mean about others watching you?” Druzeel asked a few moments later, after they were on their way.
“We had a run in with some more shadow stalkers,” Jannda said.
“What?!” Druzeel said, stunned.
Dex and Jannda took a few minutes to explain where they went and whom they went to see after Druzeel had left. She told him about the battle with the stalkers in the Dryad’s Kiss, the encounter with the Pillars afterward, and how they had nearly been arrested before Brend showed up and cleared them. When they were finished, Jannda looked behind her and gave the Pillars that were following them a nasty look.
“So the assassin is watching us,” Druzeel said to himself more than to the othe
rs. He had never thought about the assassin or his associates actually watching them as they scoured the city for him. He would have thought the man would have done everything in his power to avoid the party and their attention. It looked like he was wrong. It appeared the assassin’s way of dealing with them was to just kill them outright. That would certainly hamper their tracking abilities.
“Not just us,” Dex said. “The stalkers had gone after Brend as well. It looks as though they did not appreciate us speaking with him.”
“Wait. What?” Druzeel suddenly said, his voice thick with worry. Dex and Jannda looked at him with confusion. When neither of them responded, Druzeel continued.
“They tried to kill the merchant?”
“Yes,” Jannda answered as if it would be obvious. “Assassins usually don’t care who they kill.”
“But you said they were going after him because you were speaking with him,” Druzeel said, trying to get them to understand. At this point, he had stopped his horse, too worried to continue. The others stopped with him.
“Yeah. So what?” Jannda asked.
“You think he is going to go after Piyus,” Dex said, figuring out what Druzeel was getting at.
“No way,” Jannda replied after Druzeel vigorously nodded. “No way the assassin would be that stupid and even if he was, Piyus is more than capable of handling himself. I mean, he’s an archmage.”
“You didn’t face down the assassin,” Druzeel quickly pointed out. “You didn’t see the magic he was wielding and you weren’t there when whatever magic is protecting him almost killed Piyus and myself. I may not know what type of power the assassin has aiding him, but if it is strong enough to beat back Piyus’s spells, it is strong enough to break through his wards. I have to go back and warn him.”
“Not a good idea,” Dex said. “If the Pillars see us rushing back to the archmage, they may think something is seriously wrong and try to detain us.”
“I can’t sit by and do nothing,” Druzeel said, clearly concerned for the archmage.
“I know,” Dex said, “and I agree with you, but I suggest we try to find the others first and see what they have found. If they have come up without about as much as we have, then we go to the archmage, together. They may have information that will lead us to the assassin. If that’s the case, we can get to him before he gets to Piyus.”
Druzeel looked a little reluctant. His face showed worry, concern, and fear, fear for Piyus’s life. He honestly believed that the assassin, or whoever he was working for, could be strong enough to kill Piyus. He couldn’t let that happen, but he understood Dex’s point and the last thing he wanted were the Pillars delaying them.
“We’ll go to Piyus,” Jannda said, trying to convince Druzeel to agree to Dex’s plan. Her tone told Druzeel she was not willing to split up again. “We’ll go, even if Brask says no,” she then said. “Just us. If we have to.”
Those last words seemed to be enough for Druzeel. He nodded and the three urged their mounts forward, rushing through Pelartis to the Wilted Rose. The deserted streets allowed them to move as fast as they needed. Jannda looked back to see if the Pillars were following. Sure enough, they stayed on them, matching their pace. Luckily, they didn’t look alarmed at the trio’s sudden increase in speed, or if they did, they seemed not to care.
Before long, they were in front of the Rose. The building stood three stories tall and built from a dark wood with a red hue. Vines covered in thrones were carved into the wood, stretching from the ground all the way to the roof. A single door led the way inside and it was carved to look like a wall of wilted roses. Though real, half-dead roses usually looked ugly and depressing, but carved from wood they actually appeared comforting and beautiful. But Druzeel didn’t take the time to admire the architectural beauty of the building. He just pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted. Dex and Jannda did the same and the three companions went inside.
None of them took the time admire the delicate woodwork or enjoy the fire that burned in a large hearth near the back of the room. They just scanned the crowd, which was thankfully thin at this time of night, looking for Brask and the others. When they failed to find the mercenary leader or any of the others, they walked back outside, intent to meet them as soon as they arrived. Druzeel did not want to give Brask any time to settle in for he knew the man would be hard to move once that happened. No, he wanted them mounted and ready to move. Warning Piyus was his number one priority and he wanted the others ready to go as soon as possible.
“How long do we wait?” Jannda asked.
“I don’t know,” Dex answered honestly. They were still about twenty minutes early. The fighter knew that was about nineteen more minutes than Druzeel wanted to wait, but they had to. If Brask showed up and found them missing, he would think something bad had happened because Dex was never late. He did not want to worry any of the others, but knew he might not have a choice.
So they waited. Druzeel paced back and forth, looking to the sky over a dozen times. After ten minutes, he wanted to leave, but Dex told him he had to be patient.
“But Piyus may be in danger!” Druzeel said. “We can’t just–”
“Do you trust Piyus?” Dex asked calmly. Druzeel went silent, unsure of the question. “Do you believe in his power?” Dex asked.
“Yes,” Druzeel answered.
“Then trust in him to be able to deal with trouble should it find him,” Dex said, reasoning with his young companion. “We will leave as soon as the others arrive, or very soon after the appointed time if they do not. Trust in your friend.” That seemed to calm Druzeel for he remained quiet, but continued his impatient pacing.
After the appointed time had come and gone, Druzeel looked back at Dex but said nothing. The fighter just kept his gaze out into the city, hoping the others would show soon. Five more minutes went by, then ten and still no sign of Brask and the others. After fifteen, Druzeel could take no more.
“I have to go,” Druzeel said, jumping on his horse. “I’m sorry, but I have to. You know where I’ll be when the others show.” He kicked his horse into a gallop and took off down the road. He thought he would be on his own, but after only thirty seconds, he heard Dex and Jannda’s horse right behind him. He turned and saw them right on his heels. He offered a thankful nod to the two Knights. They returned the gesture and followed him into the city, towards the archmage’s home.
Druzeel didn’t care if their galloping looked odd to the Pillars that would surely be following. His only concern was for Piyus and the danger he may be in. He was confident Piyus could combat anything coming his way but knew he owed it to the man to at least warn him.
They reached The Eye of All Things in less than a half hour. Druzeel brought his horse right up to the giant gates and dismounted. Dex and Jannda followed suit and stood next to him in front of the entrance to the wizard’s home.
“Hello?” Druzeel said after a few moments of silence.
“Um...what are we doing?” Jannda asked, unsure of why Druzeel was talking to the gate in front of them.
“When I was first here,” Druzeel explained, “a voice from the gates greeted me. When I was granted entrance, they opened.”
“How long did you have to wait?” Dex asked.
Druzeel looked over at Dex, clearly nervous. “Not this long.”
After a full two minutes of silence, Dex walked up and raised his hands to the gates, intent on touching them.
“Wait!” Druzeel said quickly, raising his hands to stop his friend. “He may have wards on the gates.”
“Relax,” Jannda said, grabbing his hip. “He knows what he’s doing.”
Druzeel stood by, thinking this was a bad idea, but his nervousness faded when Dex touched the gates without setting off any wards or spells of destruction. Unfortunately, that nervousness turned to cold fear as Dex pushed and the gate slowly swung open.
“Is that normal?” Jannda asked. Neither man answered her, letting her know that it surely wasn’t. Someone
like Piyus would not just leave his home wide open for anyone to wonder into.
The three companions walked in, a little more cautious. Dex and Jannda had their hands on their hilts. Druzeel walked forward, worry thick on his mind. He knew Piyus would not leave the gates unlocked. Could others be responsible for dealing with them? he asked himself, wondering if Piyus would leave that job to the people that worked for him or his apprentices. Even if he did, surely an archmage would know if the barrier around his home was no longer warded. Perhaps he was still searching for the thief, concentrating too hard to notice. Druzeel doubted his feelings but hoped they were true.
They continued down the paved path, walking right towards the large domed building. They scanned the grounds, peered into the shadows, and looked hard into every corner or area that may hide a body. It would be stupid for anyone to try to attack them out in the open, but this assassin was proven to be bold and they left nothing to chance.
“Oh, no,” Druzeel said, drawing Dex and Jannda’s attention. They looked to where his eyes were and saw a large opening in the domed building right in front of them. It was a large archway with nothing but darkness inside.
“What is it?” Dex asked, coming to stand next to Druzeel.
“That opening only appeared when I was within a few feet,” Druzeel said. “And it closed behind me after I left. Something is definitely wrong.” He moved to run forward but Dex grabbed his arm.
“If it is,” Dex said, his voice very serious, “we must be cautious. If Piyus is indeed in danger, then we may be placing ourselves in danger as well by entering his home. No running off. No heroics. I’ve seen smart men die by doing extremely foolish things because a friend or loved one was in trouble. Stay calm and try to think before acting. We stay together and keep our minds clear. Do you understand?”
Druzeel nodded, taking a deep breath though Dex’s words did nothing to calm his nerves. Seeing The Eye left open just amplified his fear.
They slowly walked forward, coming within a few feet of the entrance. Dex peered inside but saw no movement. Everything was silent and dark.
“You won’t see anything until you enter,” Druzeel said.
“Great,” Jannda commented. “How perfect for an ambush.”
“Can you shield us from attacks?” Dex asked Druzeel.
“Yes, but it will only block the first few.”
“That is all we need.”
Druzeel nodded and cast his spell. The magic settled over all three of them, coating their bodies with a shield that would turned away all ranged attacks and prevent all but the most powerful sword strikes from reaching them, at least the first few. It wasn’t much, but if an ambush did wait for them, it would give them a few seconds to recover and counterattack.
After the spell was cast, the three companions took a deep breath and stepped inside. They found themselves in the large foyer that Druzeel had been in a few hours earlier. Thankfully, no arrows sped towards them and no assassin jumped from the shadows. Except for the furniture and a few lit torches, the room was empty.
They took a few moments to make absolutely sure they were alone. When certain, Dex turned to Druzeel.
“Where would Piyus be?”
“Probably his spell chambers,” Druzeel said. “All the way at the end of the center hallway.”
“Then let’s go there,” Dex said. “Best not to deviate until we knew for sure what’s going on. If he’s not there, then we’ll look for him elsewhere.”
Druzeel nodded in agreement and walked to the double doors. He opened them and found a long, dark hallway waiting in front of him. Usually, over thirty torches kept the hallway brightly lit, but only a handful burned now, lighting the stone with an ominous glow. Druzeel took a deep breath, waited for Jannda and Dex to step beside him, and started down the hallway.
They moved slowly, eyes scanning every crevice, ready for a fight should something happened. Druzeel could hear his heartbeat in his ears and the blood rushing to his face. His breath came out in short bursts and his skin broke out in a light sweat. He looked to his companions and saw nothing but strength and courage on their faces. At that moment, he envied Dex and Jannda and a small part of him wished he were like them. They were hardened, experienced adventurers and he knew they had been in situations like this a hundred times before. They knew what to do and they knew how to act. Should an assassin come at them, they knew how to fight. Druzeel had never been in this situation and did not quite feel confident he would know what to do should a battle break out. He had to believe that his instincts would take over, but could not be sure. If something does happen, he told himself, just follow their lead. Look to Dex for what to do.
“At least the Pillars aren’t following us in here,” Jannda whispered, trying to lighten the mood. Dex and Druzeel remained silent. Her intention had obviously failed.
They came upon a closed door on their right but left it that way. At this point, they didn’t want to look anywhere else but the spell chamber. That was their goal and they wanted no delays, but after a few more feet, they come to another doorway and this time, the door was open.
“Jannda,” Dex said, nodding to the door. Though she was no thief, she was the smallest of the group and could move silently when needed.
They would not leave an open room unchecked, just in case someone waited within, so Jannda moved against the wall and slowly inched toward the door. Druzeel was amazed at how silent she actually moved. He watched her as she crept forward, hand on her dagger. She reached the doorway and leaned over, trying to see inside. As her eyes broke the plane of the archway and the room came into view, the tension in her shoulders suddenly loosened. She slowly stepped into the doorway, hands at her side. Her eyes, sad and full of remorse, soon looked over to her to companions.
Druzeel’s heart beat so hard he thought it would burst from his chest. What was in that room? he asked himself, expecting the worst, though he wasn’t entirely certain what that would be.
“You may not want to see this,” Jannda said, her gaze falling on Druzeel.
Druzeel stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. He wanted to ask what she was looking at, but the words would not come to his mouth. Dex looked back at him and just patted him on the shoulder. Then he walked toward Jannda. Druzeel watched him come to the doorway and his face suddenly went slack. He looked back at Druzeel, met his eyes for a single second, and walked in the room with Jannda. For that the one second, Druzeel saw a sadness he had never seen before and it scared him to death.
The moments crawled by and only silence came from the room. He thought he heard Jannda and Dex whispering to each other but could not be sure. What was in that room? he kept asking himself. He knew he shouldn’t look. He knew he should heed Jannda’s advice, but he found himself slowly inching forward. Stop! he screamed in his mind, be he couldn’t stop moving. When the room finally came into view, his heart stopped.
Every surface was covered in red. The walls, floor, and ceiling were splattered with blood. Even the furniture was covered with the stuff, all of it originating from the three bodies that still lay in the three beds placed around the room. Druzeel knew that this room and been one of the apprentice bedrooms so he knew he was looking at three of Piyus’s students, or what was left of them.
Their chests had been sliced open and their entrails had been taken out and thrown around the room. Two of the bodies were missing arms while the other had its leg meticulously cut away from its hip. Vicious slash marks painted everything else. It was as if their rooms had been filled with whirling blades, blades that continued to chop and slash for what had to have been hours. It also appeared that the three men had been caught by whatever had massacred them in their sleep. The poor men, no, kids Druzeel suddenly realized for they could be no older than fifteen or sixteen, never knew what hit them.
Bile jumped to Druzeel’s throat. He tried to hold it down but couldn’t and painted the floor with his stomach. It felt as he had retched for hours, but in truth it o
nly last a few seconds. After he was done, he looked back and saw Dex standing in the doorway, staring at him.
“Are you all right?” he asked, coming over.
Druzeel could only nod and wave him off, though he was not sure he was going to be all right. He had never seen such gore. Even Vallia’s death had not been so graphic and he would remember that for as long as he lived. He felt that what he had just seen would follow him long after he had left this world.
A surge of intense fear suddenly shot through Druzeel as he stood there holding his stomach. It was clear by the silence, the unlocked gate, and the wide open entrance that somebody had broken into The Eye and killed everyone they could. He did not know if anyone else was dead but had the feeling that there would be no left alive within The Eye of All Things. If what he had just seen had happened to mere apprentices, what had happened to Piyus?
Forgetting Dex’s words about running off, Druzeel turned and looked down the hallway. He eyes fell upon the large doors leading into Piyus’s spell chambers and he suddenly found himself running towards them. Gone were the thoughts of assassins hiding in the shadows or ambushes waiting around the corner. Gone were the visions of daggers and arrows ripping through him. All he thought about was finding his teacher’s friend. He had to find him and make sure he was all right.
“Druzeel!” someone yelled behind him but he barely heard the words. He just kept running, fearing what he would find. When he reached the doors, in what felt like only a few seconds, he threw them open and ran inside. His mind never registered that the doors were unlocked. He just moved without care. The scene before him crushed his soul.
The room was in shambles, the floor covered with books, broken furniture, and scorch marks. Splinters of wood, broken glass, and shredded parchment lay scattered everywhere. Many of the stacks of tomes and scrolls that Druzeel had seen upon his first visit now lay in broken piles, many of them showing signs of recently being burned. Many of the shelves and bookcase were broken or cracked, their contents now decorating the stone floor instead of the wooden planks. Nothing in the room seemed to have escaped some type of damage. Even parts of the floor showed damage, with one small section being crushed, looking like someone had taken a large chisel to the stone and pounded on it for hours. There was also a large area of the floor that had dozens of small burn marks, as if droplets of fire had fallen from the sky.
Druzeel saw damage, but what he did not see, what he had expected to see, was the source of that damage. There were no bodies of assassins, no broken weapons, and no splatters of blood of any kind. It was as if a hurricane had just swept through this place, leaving nothing behind but chaos. Based on what he was looking at, he would have expected to see gore in the same caliber as the bedroom he had just left behind him, but there was nothing. Well, that wasn’t completely true. There was blood, but it was not coming from a dead thief or assassin. The only blood that Druzeel saw in the room came from Piyus, whose body he was just now noticing.
“No!” Druzeel yelled and ran over. When he reached the archmage, he skidded to a stop, almost tipping over, his breath taken from him by what he saw.
Piyus lay on the floor, right in front of the stand where his orb lay. A large pool of blood lay beneath him and his eyes, dull and lifeless, lay open, staring at the darkness covering the ceiling. A single dagger lay embedded in his chest but it quickly became clear that the archmage had suffered from more than just a single wound. His clothing was singed and haggard and the sleeve of his right arm was torn open. Other small tears littered his clothing, but none was as large as the one that lay right below the dagger.
Directly below the hilt, right below Piyus’s ribs, was a vicious wound, most likely the wound that had killed him. The flesh around the puncture was black and rotten, looking like it had been that way for days if not weeks. A thick layer of dried blood covered the parted flesh and clothing around it was soaked through. The way the skin was parted told Druzeel that whoever had killed the archmage had stabbed him through the back, the blade easily slicing all the way through his body. It was the signature move of most assassins. After realizing that, he had no doubts that it was an assassin that had killed the archmage, perhaps the same man they were searching for. No one else would have been able to get that close to Piyus or cause so much damage.
Tears started streaming from Druzeel’s eyes as he looked down on Graeak’s friend. He would have thrown up from the sight but his stomach was empty. Also, what he had seen just a few moments earlier, the massacre of the apprentices, had numbed his body and mind. What he saw before him was horrible, but not nearly as terrible as what had happened to the apprentices. While that was horrific, Piyus’s death was more upsetting and more depressing than anything else.
“Druzeel,” came Dex’s voice from the doorway leading into the room. It was full or remorse and sadness. The man had let Druzeel’s recklessness go after seeing the corpse lying on the floor. He knew who the man was and understood how his young friend was feeling. The fear and remorse he was feeling was punishment enough.
“Piyus,” Dex said, coming to stand right next to Druzeel. Druzeel nodded even though it wasn’t a question.
“By the gods,” Jannda whispered, coming up on the other side of the shocked wizard. She leaned over and looked the archmage over. She studied the wound in the man’s chest and the blood beneath him. “He’s been like this for some time,” she said. “Even if we had gotten here earlier, there was nothing we could have done.”
Druzeel heard her words, understanding that she was trying to make him understand that they would have been too late to warn Piyus no matter when they would have headed in this direction. The assassin had struck early, probably right after Druzeel had left. It turned out their quarry had eyes on all of them.
“It’s my fault,” Druzeel suddenly said, dropping to his knees. “If I hadn’t come here, if I hadn’t asked for his help...” His words trailed off as the full realization of what he had done hit him.
“No,” Dex said, kneeling next to him. “You didn’t do this. You could not have known what would happen.” He took Druzeel by the shoulders when he saw he was not really listening.
“Look at me,” Dex said, waiting for Druzeel’s tear filled eyes to meet him. “This was not your fault,” he repeated again when Druzeel looked at him. “Do you understand? You didn’t do this or cause this. This death lay on the hand of whoever has taken Piyus’s life, not yours. Piyus would feel the same way, as would Graeak. You didn’t do this. This was not your fault.”
Druzeel only gave a weak nod and looked back at Piyus. Dex stood and took a deep breath. He knew that no matter what he had said, Druzeel would continue to blame himself for some time. He had done the same thing, when he was barely out of his teens, when someone close to him had been killed simply because they knew him. He had blamed himself for the death for many years, only relieving himself of the guilt after gaining experience and realizing that evil men would do evil things no matter what he did or whom he knew. He came to understand that he could not blame himself for the actions of those of evil nature. He knew that as Druzeel grew and went through life, he would come to understand that as well, at least, that was his hope.
Dex looked at Jannda and motioned for her to search the room. They needed to look for clues, to try to find out who had done this–though they already had a good idea–and how they had managed to kill someone as powerful as Piyus. If the assassin really was that strong and resourceful, Dex knew the Knights would have to rethink their strategy. They were well equipped and ready to take on almost any job, but this was slowly starting to be beyond them. They may have to call in a few favors and turn to more powerful allies to catch this thief.
As Dex and Jannda began to search through the wreckage, Druzeel scooted closer to Piyus. The tears had ceased falling from his eyes but sadness still filled him. His body felt empty, his heart a hallow husk. He didn’t think he would ever feel joy again. How am I going to tell Graeak? he asked himself.
How am I going to let him know that because of me, one of his oldest friends is dead?
Trying his best to keep the visions of his mentor from his mind, Druzeel leaned over and closed Piyus’s eyes. He didn’t want to leave the man in such a disrespectful position. The sight of him staring blankly at the ceiling also disturbed Druzeel more than he would like to admit.
Druzeel leaned back and looked over the body. His eyes fell upon the dagger sticking out from Piyus’s chest. The fact that the assassin had left it there to mock them, to throw it in their face that he had succeeded in killing such a great man, angered him. It burned some of the sadness and guilt away and filled him with anger. He would not let such a symbol of evil stand, so he leaned in and grabbed the hilt.
“Druzeel!” Jannda shouted, turning just as he grabbed the hilt. “Don’t!”
But it was too late. Druzeel had already yanked the dagger free, but before he could toss the weapon away, he looked up and Jannda in confusion. What was the big deal? he told himself, not understanding her outburst. It was then that the doorway they had entered through burst open.
Standing in the doorway, surrounded by a dozen Pillars, was Xavdak. The dwarven captain wore an expression of anger and frustration, and also disgust. He looked ready to explode in anger, but before he said a single word, his eyes fell on Druzeel, the body he kneeled over, and the bloody dagger in his hand. The High Captain’s gaze then went to Dex and Jannda, who by the looks of it, were pillaging through the archmage’s belongings.
Druzeel followed the dwarf’s eyes. He looked to his companions and back to the High Captain. Then his eyes went to the dagger in his hand. It slowly dawned on him what was probably running through the dwarf’s head. To any one of the guards standing in the doorway, the young wizard knew that they thought they had just walked into a murder and were looking at the three people responsible.
“No,” Druzeel whispered and dropped the dagger. It clattered to the ground and Druzeel went to stand, but before he moved, Xavdak shouted.
“Stay where you are!” he yelled, pointing at Druzeel. He marched into the room, followed by the guards behind him. He made a few gestures and the Pillars fanned out, weapons in hand, surrounding Druzeel and moving to surround Dex and Jannda. The two Knights remained still, hands held high. They both knew that any sudden movement and they would be filled with Pelartian steel and bolts. Half of the Pillars had crossbows trained on each one of them.
“What by Dominia Honorspirit is going on here?” Xavdak asked, invoking the name of the dwarven goddess of knowledge. His hardened eyes fell upon Druzeel as he was painfully yanked to his feet by two Pillars.
“We...we...,” Druzeel stammered. He was still in such shock that the words failed to find his lips. He could not believe this was happening.
“We found him like this,” Jannda said, speaking up for the group. “He–”
“I not be askin’ you!” Xavdak shouted, the presence of his dwarven accent telling the Pillars that he was angry. He took a second and calmed himself then looked back to Druzeel. “I asked your young wizard and he better find his words soon or I’ll have you all thrown in the dungeons.”
Druzeel looked to Dex and Jannda, his eyes pleading for help. Dex met his gaze and nodded, his face trying to portray strength and confidence. Jannda did not look nearly as confident, but luckily, Druzeel failed to notice. He just took a deep breath after looking at Dex. He did his best to clear his mind and the troubling thoughts.
“We found him like this,” he said, his words finally coming out even though they were thick with fear and nervousness. “We were coming to warn him, but got here too late.”
“Warn him of what?” Xavdak asked.
Druzeel quickly told Xavdak what had happened, starting with his first visit to Piyus’s home. Since the High Captain already knew why they were in Pelartis, he skipped telling him of the assassin again. He told him of Piyus’s attempt to locate the assassin, the magic that had almost destroyed them, and the help the archmage promised to give. He then spoke of his meeting with Jannda and Dex and that they knew the assassin was watching them and sending stalkers after them and the people they asked for help.
“I had to tell Piyus,” Druzeel said, “so we returned to warn him, but found that we were too late. We ran across the murdered apprentices then found Piyus in here. I swear, we are only trying to find out how this happened.”
“And the bloodied dagger you were holding?” Xavdak asked in a skeptical tone. Though the story made sense, it was full of holes
“I didn’t...” Druzeel began, his voice cracking. “I didn’t want to leave it in.”
“And what about you two?” Xavdak said, looking to Dex and Jannda. “What did you talk to the jewelry merchant about?” He had barely waited until Druzeel had finished speaking before asking the questions.
It came as no surprise to the two Knights that Xavdak knew about the encounter. The guard that had questioned them–was his name Ricus?–was one of the Pillars holding Druzeel. Knowing that there was no point to lie, Dex told the High Captain what they talked about. He left nothing out. When he was finished, he kept his eyes on the dwarf.
“Search the halfling,” Xavdak said, bringing surprised looks from both Knights. Druzeel even looked confused, wondering about the sudden interest in Jannda.
Though thoroughly perplexed as to why she was suddenly so popular, Jannda raised her hands high and let the guards close to her pat her down. He seemed specifically interested in her daggers. He even took them out of their sheathes and studied each blade. After a few moments, he must had been satisfied with what he found for he placed the daggers back in their scabbards and turned to face Xavdak.
“They are all here and clean,” he said.
“She could have bought new ones,” the guard who had questioned them in the Dryad said.
“Anyone want to tell me what that was about?” Jannda asked.
“Brend Hillsborrow was found murdered in his store not long after you two had visited him,” Xavdak said, pointing an accusing finger in their direction. “And a pair of daggers, daggers suited for the hand of a halfling, was found embedded into his body.”
Druzeel’s head snapped from Xavdak to his two companions. Dex’s mouth hung agape and Jannda looked similarly shocked. The fact that they were just as surprised at the revelation as he was brought a surge of relief through Druzeel. He knew they had not killed the merchant but a small part of him carried just a little bit of doubt. When he saw their expressions, that doubt faded away. Why would you doubt them at all? he asked himself.
“And you think I killed him?!” Jannda asked, her words interrupting Druzeel’s thoughts. A grin split her face because of the ridiculousness of the suggestion. She looked from Xavdak to Dex, who also looked as though what the dwarf was implying was absurd.
“We are still investigating,” Xavdak said, “but you two were the last to be seen with the merchant. It also does not matter what I think, only what the facts show.”
“But you have no facts,” Jannda shot back, her voice angry. She did not like being falsely accused. “Only speculation.”
“So you are proclaiming your innocence?” Asked a man standing next to Xavdak. He had the look of a captain and spoke like one to.
“What do you think?” Jannda asked, throwing out her hands.
“High Captain!” one of the Pillars exclaimed and pointed at Druzeel. Every eye in the room turned toward the guard. They quickly went to Druzeel next, who wore a look of terror and confusion.
“What?!” he exclaimed, looking down at his body, where the guard was pointing. By the way the man looked at him, he would have thought he was covered in flaming spiders. He would have grabbed his chest trying to find what the man was looking at, but the two guards on either side of him quickly grabbed his arms and held him steady.
“What is it?” Xavdak asked, following the Pillar as he walked over to Druzeel, but just before the guard reached Druzeel, he leaned down and picked up th
e dagger that had been pulled from Piyus’s chest.
“What’s happening?” Jannda asked, taking on an alarmed look. She wanted to grab her weapons but she dare not move.
The Pillar that had grabbed the dagger leaned over and brushed aside Druzeel’s robes. Sitting on his belt were three scabbards, each sized for holding a dagger. Two of them held blades, but the third was empty. Xavdak leaned in, looking at the hilts of the two daggers sitting on Druzeel’s belt. Then he looked over and studied the one held by the guard. He turned his gaze on Druzeel.
“Is this you dagger?” Xavdak asked, his eyes solidifying into orbs of rock.
“What? I...no...” Druzeel stuttered and stammered, the sight of an empty scabbard confusing him. When had he lost the third dagger? He hadn’t even pulled one of the blades free of its home since coming to the city.
“Look harder,” Xavdak growled.
Druzeel went silent and looked at the dagger in the guard’s hand. He looked over the leather wrapped grip, the silver cross-guard, and the blood covered blade. Those looked similar to just about any dagger he had seen, but then his eyes fell upon the rounded pommel and the small F engraved into the center of the circle. A fear like he had never known coursed through him and he felt the blood drain from his face. The style and position of the F told him what he had feared, that the dagger was indeed his. That letter was engraved into almost every weapon that was taken or borrowed from the place he had lived for most of his life. That letter stood for The Fount. Graeak’s tower. His home.
“No!” he whispered. “It can’t be. It’s not possible.”
“This be yer dagger!” Xavdak growled through clenched teeth. He was not asking a question.
“Y...Yes,” Druzeel cried, his admission bringing a startled gasp from all within the room, including Dex and Jannda. “But I didn’t do this! I didn’t kill anyone. It must have slipped out when I was riding. It must have–”
“Enough!” Xavdak shouted, silencing everyone in the room. “I be ‘avin’ enough o yer lies an the lies of ye an yer friends,” he spat, pointing at Dex and Jannda. The two held out their hands and started to say something but the guards around them moved in and grabbed their arms, rather forcefully. The others raised their crossbows, guarding them.
“I be foolish ta fall fer yer innocent naiveté once,” he said, turning his gaze back to Druzeel, “but never again.” He took a deep, calming breath. “You duped my men and I and because of it, two good men have lost their lives.”
“NO!” Druzeel shouted, almost bursting into tears again. “You can’t believe we did this! You can’t believe it!”
“It doesn’t matter what I believe,” Xavdak said, “only what the facts show and right now, they show you and your friend to be killers.” He stepped back and addressed the entire room, his voice loud, strong, and angry.
“I hereby place you, Druzeel Sesstar, under arrest for the murder of Piyus the Magnificent and I place Dex Swifthood and Jannda Cupsheight under arrest for the murder of Brend Hillsborrow. Take them away.”
The grips of the guards holding Druzeel tightened and he let out a grunt of pain. He struggled to break free, but the guards’ grips were like iron. Jannda and Dex didn’t struggle at all for they knew there was no use. They were surrounded and outnumbered. They were also too shocked to speak.
“No!” Druzeel screamed one last time. A heavy set of manacles were clasped around his wrists. The cold metal bit into his flesh, but the fear and terror he was feeling drowned out the pain. He screamed and fought as they took him away, pleading his innocence. A guard behind him must have finally had enough of his struggles for pain suddenly exploded in the back of Druzeel’s head, robbing him of his voice and consciousness. As fresh tears streamed down his face, darkness rushed up to meet him.
* * * * *