Armareth's Tower

“Krak was right on the mark,” A squat, bald man said as we walked into the cavern. Much of it had been gutted and reshaped to look like a hall in a noble’s mansion. But it still looked empty. A dais had been set up deep into the cavern. The soft swirl of the portal filled the hall, its light bathed everyone in soft blue. It was edged with round stone pillars, set up like an elaborate door. David was pulled in by the veins of cracks on the pillars–they curved and spiraled to form symbols that were both strange and intriguing.

“You have become Krak’s dog,” Tez said to the man. He was on the large stone table set up in the middle of the hall. He looked completely at home. His liverfish skin seemed to shine in the light of the portal. Compared to this trap-lock of a man, Tez seemed like a rattled prey. All the calm he exuded before was gone, replaced by caution. Or was it fear?

David looked up, trying to see if he could feel or sense anything–some kind of hidden threat that only Tez could feel. There was only the man and the twenty armed guards behind him. They stood straight, faces covered in grotesque masks like the ones Tez and the others had disposed of.

“You have reduced yourself to his hound. You have no respect for life nor do you remember why we decided to travel the tower. Han, you are not worth the life you have.”

Han, David thought, recalling the name. This man was one of the city Lords who sold outworlders. He was one of the reasons those people were turned into monsters. David took a step forward, growing tired of their exchange. They had to do away with this man and get through that portal.

“David…” Tara began but the pounding in David’s head was too loud to listen. He moved past Tez, walking casually down the length of the table. He saw the guards move, the first line of five advancing fast. His body tensed as he prepared himself to meet them. He was about to charge when he heard the familiar hiss and then they shot past him, whistling in the air as they pierced through helmets, skin, and then bones. Zoey’s arrows moved as if controlled. The guards fell one after the other. Yet they didn’t stop coming. Some faced the arrows, making shields of pure essence, but Zoey fired more, filling the space with the bee-buzz of deadly arrows.

David took a step back, dodging the swing of an ax. He almost turned to the guard briefly, contemplating how to crush him when a dark blur drilled through the guard’s army and tore a hole in his chest. Blood slid out the opening in the helm. The man fell forward and David made way for him to fall.

When he turned to look at Han, the arrogance was gone, replaced by shock and what David decided was not exactly fear. More like dread.

“How are people like you feared?” David asked, disgust folding his face. He couldn’t understand it. Galan had been weak too. Powerless by himself. So he had surrounded himself with those who were strong enough to make him look strong.

David stood before Han and the man cowered. “You sniveling rabid dogs,” David said as he took hold of Han’s robe. He wanted to crush his face with torrents of blows. He wanted to break the short man’s legs and smash his spine until he could understand the pain he had caused others. Yet, as David stared at the man, all he could do was wonder why.

Then he saw Han’s face transform from that of fear to excitement. The face started to peel like deep rotten wood becoming dust. The face first, then the neck and arms–they crumpled slowly until every part of Han had vanished like dust blown away, leaving the empty chair in front of him. David hissed, turning to Tez.

“Han creates copy dolls of himself,” Tez said, the corner of his lips curling up in a smile. David growled. Han chuckled, slipping out of the portal. More armored guards followed him out. This time they spilled down the dais, flanking the short man. His robe was the same as before–dark and luxurious, edged with fur. Tex hissed and David understood the frustration. They could kill the Han in front of them now, but there was no way to know if it was the real one or not.

“We can just keep killing you,” Hanna said and the man shrugged. “You would waste the lives of your guards? Just to hold us here?”

“Their lives mean nothing,” Han said. David couldn’t hear the Asian accent, but he saw it in the man’s soft features, the eyes, and the way he moved his hands. “They have pledged to serve Balek. They will give their lives for Krak and this is Krak’s order.”

“Once again, you willingly sink, Han,” Tez said. He walked up to the foot of the dais, then leaned slightly to the left. Han grinned, but in his eyes there was pity. “You will watch them die as you watched him die years ago? They are like us. Krak is a spawn of Balek himself.” Tez raised his sword, leveling it at Han. One of the guards moved but Zoey’s arrow found him quickly, plunging into his chest. David watched as something spread from the arrow, eating away at the armor and then the bright milk-pale flesh underneath. It was a woman. She screamed as she was consumed by Zoey’s spell. David turned slightly to see Zoey’s frown. She hadn’t expected that, yet she stared hard, perhaps trying to seem weakened by what had just happened.

“How about you come out and we settle our old grudge?” Tez asked. “You don’t think Krak should be scared of these young ones, do you?” David inched forward and Tez turned to give him a dark glare. David ignored him. There was a strong urge to lunge for Han, but he was trying to figure out something. If this wasn’t the real Han, he could simply pull the essence in it out and turn it to dust.

A bright flash streaked past his shoulder and struck Han in the chest and the clone disintegrated. Tez scoffed, placed a foot forward, and made a wide slash. The first few guards in front of the portal were sliced in two, and the ones behind them leaped back, some losing a foot or an arm.

David leaped on the Dais, knowing that if he wasted any time, more soldiers would come through. As he got closer to the portal, he heard a giggle and a spearhead shot out of the portal, almost skewering his face. He parried it, shoving it left into the back of a guard. The man yelled, but David was already turning for the portal.

A hand slipped out, gripping his neck in a hard lock. Then a masked face slid out and David was suddenly sure this wasn’t a clone. Nor was it Han.

“Ah! Tez, we should have killed you back then,” the masked man said. He looked up at David and grunted in displeasure. “You brought kids to fight Lord Krak?”

Spell: The Left Hand of Chaos

Acquired Spell: Lightning Fist

David slammed the gauntlet into the masked man’s arm, shattering the bone. Lightning ran through on contact, but it only made the man shudder, losing his grip on David. As he landed, he pulled on Ignis’ sword techniques, and twirled, bringing the sword down for a rough chop. The man lifted a hand and a shield of essence blocked the swing. The sword shattered it and sliced a shallow gash on the man’s chest. He looked down, his leather armor was burnt from the lightning fist.

And he laughed.

“David! Dodge!”

But it was too late. The hammer fell in an instant and David reached up to grab it. Essence swelled in his left arm, pulled from with him. The hammer cracked when it hit the gauntlet. Then it shattered. David took a step forward and shoved his sword through the cover of dust. It found the masked man’s armor, tore through, and drove into his chest. The man gasped, then grabbed David’s hand, his body shaking as he laughed.

“You think you have won?” He asked. “You think something like this will kill me?”

“Perhaps not,” David muttered. “But I bet this will.”

Spell: Aurora’s feast(1%)

The flames came to life like little red flowers blooming all over him. At first, the masked man only stared, then he started to howl and scream. David’s sword slid out of him and the man staggered back, falling through the portal to the other side. David turned around to see Tez staring.

“What?” David asked.

“You just killed Ailan,” Tez said, his eyes wide with disbelief. David shrugged, then turned back to the portal. He couldn’t see the other side, but he was sure they could see him coming. They’d probably try to kill him as he entered. He’d be ready.

“Let’s go!”