Heirs of Hyarch

Looking down the road at the lord's house, Hamond shook his head. He had to be crazy, going along with Edeline's plan to storm the place and find her brother.

Then again, it wasn't like he had any better options, and they needed a place with enough room for all of them. Additionally, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility the Spellking's agent had moved here to coordinate things. If the three of them could catch their enemy off-guard, they might be able to decisively end this today.

If worst came to worst, all three of them would have to go on the run. Hamond hated the mindset that required, and the stress that came with it. It had taken him months to bring himself to relax after crossing the border, to be confident that no one was pursuing him.

"No watchmen," Nela said, breaking the silence, "Wonder where they all are?"

Looking up and down the street, Hamond realized she was right. There was the usual group of people coming and going for the mid-morning, most not paying the trio any real attention. But the town watch was oddly absent from this part of town.

They'd had to avoid a few getting here, of course, but now it seemed safe. Too safe. "I'm thinking it's a trap," Hamond told them.

"I agree, but I'm not sure this is where the trap is," Edeline said, biting her lip. She still held a tight grip on the blade she'd taken. Hamond wished she'd thought to conceal it so it didn't draw attention. Then again, they were already pretty conspicuous.

"So, now what? We go in the front?" The time for stealth was definitely over.

"Servant's door around the side," Edeline explained, "Let's get in there."

Hamond was about to propose splitting up to do both, but then remembered that he still hadn't taught either of them the dispelling magic yet. As much as he disliked it, Edeline had made a good point, and the moment he had the time he'd instruct them on that spell.

"Lead the way." Hamond beckoned Edeline to take the lead. She knew the place, they did not.

Edeline nodded, and did just that, guiding them around the front of the house. Up close, it was surprisingly imposing despite not being all that ornately designed. The faded blue hues of the paint probably contributed to it, although perhaps it was just what they were trying to do there.

The three arrived at the side door, which sat next to a stone wall. Above and behind the wall, a tree loomed. Hamond figured it had to be a garden or orchard.

Edeline suddenly stopped. "Something wrong?" Nela asked.

Edeline looked over her shoulder, a grin on her face "O great hero, return home in glory, your labor's done, complete your story," she said.

"What in Aether's name is that supposed to mean?" Nela demanded. Hamond just smiled, recognizing it as her quoting something. Even if he didn't know what it was from, the intended irony was not lost on him.

"Never mind," Edeline said with a sigh. She pulled the door open, and they entered.

The door opened to a small empty hallway. The only furnishing was a single hanging portrait of a dignified man seated in a chair. The man had been wearing an ornate outfit, the kind Hamond knew only nobility and royalty would use. Hamond couldn't be sure if it was Edeline's father or one of his predecessors, but it was obviously someone who had held the title of Lord Hallowscroft at some point.

Edeline glanced back, apparently realizing he was studying the portrait. "My father's cousin," she whispered loudly, "The previous lord before him."

It was a curious detail that it hadn't passed directly from father to son, but Edeline's family history wasn't really of import.

The hallway connected to the kitchen, which Hamond amusedly noted were as large as his entire house, all three rooms. A pair of cooking hearths, side by side, were unlit. Tables with pots and pans lay strewn about, untended and dirty. It was clear no one had used this room in a few days.

Moving in silence past the kitchen, they entered a dining hall. A pair of long wooden tables filled the room, surrounded by chairs. A few were knocked over, which also told Hamond any servants had not been here.

"Don't you have hired help or something?" Nela asked, keeping her voice low.

"We did. But now...I have no idea." Edeline picked up one of the fallen chairs as she spoke, setting it upright. "The main hall should be just through those doors."

"Ready if you are," Hamond told them. He'd been going over his spells in his head, planning out what he could do to subdue someone with one of them if it came to that.

"Here we go." Edeline moved to the door. Pausing a moment, she then yanked the door open and darted out, Hamond and Nela following.

In the front hall, pacing back and forth, was a bearded unkempt man. His clothing was a formal uniform, but was visibly dirty and worn down. A sword hung on his belt, and the man's hand fell to its hilt as he spun to face them.

"Myron," Edeline said simply, standing there, her borrowed blade readied.

"Edeline? What are you doing here?" the man asked, voice emotionless. So this was her brother, and the moment of truth.

"Teleios horama," Hamond murmured under his breath, fixing his gaze on Edeline's brother. There it was, exactly as they had expected, the all too-familiar magical currents of the enchantment. Now, he just needed to get close to dispel it.

"I could ask you the same, brother." Edeline walked up to him, gaze fixated. "Why are you here?"

"I'm directing an important project, and it's not going well. I don't have time to talk."

"You better make time, and now." Edeline's voice shook.

"This project is very important. I don't have time to talk." With a clinking sound, Myron drew his own sword. "Don't interfere."

"Or what?" Edeline brought the flat of her blade across her brother's weapon. "I don't want to have to fight you, but you need to listen. You're under a spell."

"The spell doesn't matter. I need to see to this project."

"Talking isn't going to get him to stand down," Hamond reminded Edeline.

"It's just like last time," Nela chimed in, "Not going to listen to a word we're saying, are you?"

"Nela." To Hamond's surprise, a flicker of emotion passed over Myron's face as he glanced in her direction. "Please, go away."

"Not this time." Nela walked up. "You aren't getting rid of my arse that easy, and you know it."

If Hamond didn't know better, he'd have thought...suddenly, it hit him. So they were...oh. It absolutely explained so much. Edeline probably was not going to like this at all. It was just a question if she figured it out on her own, or one of them told her what was going on.

"So be it." Pulling his sword back, Myron launched a slash at Edeline, missing as she leapt back. Nela fell back as well, backpedaling to the wall.

With both of them clear, Hamond wasn't wasting this chance. "Ventus fugit!"

From his hands, a blast of air shot out and struck Myron head on, knocking him backwards. Impressively, he managed to keep his footing, settling into a crouched stance.

Edeline reversed direction cleanly, moving back in on Myron. He raised his blade up defensively to deflect hers. She sidestepped though, bringing the hilt of her sword down on the shoulder of his sword arm. Clearly not expecting that, he flinched, reflexively letting go of his sword. It fell to the floor with a dull clang.

With a step back, Edeline flipped her sword over, bringing the flat of the blade down to rest on Myron's shoulder. Letting out a sigh, Myron dropped to one knee, defeated.

"Nice work," Nela remarked.

Hamond wasn't about to allow himself to relax, not yet. He walked up, regarding the kneeling Myron closely. The man was breathing heavily, his eyes fixed on Edeline.

"You can't...why are you trying to stop him?" Myron asked, voice raspy.

"We're trying to save you," Edeline stated, before glancing at Hamond. "Do it."

"A demonstration, then," Hamond said, "This is the incantation." He extended a hand out, placing it on Myron's forehead.

"Katharsis logos."

There was a faint shimmer of light around Myron, and then it faded. It wasn't exactly visually impressive, the way many people pictured magic, but there was something to be said for spells that quietly did what they needed to do without drawing attention. Regardless, it had worked. The enchantment on Myron was gone.

"What...what was that? I..." Myron's voice trailed off as his face paled, eyes widening. "No. Aether. No."

"Are you...you?" Edeline tentatively asked, taking a step back. While she pulled her sword away from him, she still held it warily.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I want..." Myron slumped over, shuddering.

"Does he have a room somewhere here?" Nela interrupted.

"Upstairs, third door on the right," Edeline said, finally lowering her sword.

"Right. I'll take him there to rest a little. Can you two handle searching the rest of this place?" Nela bent over, lifting Myron up on one of her shoulders. She was stronger than she initially looked, Hamond noted.

"What if someone is hiding upstairs?" Edeline pointed out.

"Then you can search the upper level first," Nela grumbled. "Seriously, I think if someone else was here, they'd have heard that fight and come running. It's just us here."

Hamond had to admit, as worried as that made him, that was probably the truth of the matter. It did raise a number of other questions though. Hopefully, Myron might be able to answer them once he was sufficiently recovered from his ordeal.

Edeline sighed, "Fine. Just yell if you run into any danger."

"Will do," Nela said, heading down the hall leading to the stairs, Myron still leaning on her. Hamond and Edeline silently watched as the pair made their way up and turned the corner.

"That was too easy," Edeline said after her brother was out of view, "The watch had to have been diverted somewhere else."

"Probably," was all Hamond could say. He turned his gaze around the room, taking in the hall for the first time. Multiple portraits lined the walls, most of men and women he did not recognize. He did see what looked to be a portrait of a younger Myron, standing at attention with a sword in hand. There was an energy in that depiction the man they had just fought lacked.

Turning back, he could see Edeline standing over near the back of the hall, her gaze focused on part of the floor. Walking over, Hamond could immediately see the darkened stain on the aged wood. Blood had been spilled here, and he had a very good idea whose it was.

"I don't think this will ever come clean," Edeline said, "And honestly, I...I don't want it to. I want every lord and lady who passes through here to be reminded of what happened here." She looked up at Hamond, face cold. "People who die for us should never be forgotten."

"Agreed," Hamond said. Impulsively, he reached out and place one hand on her shoulder. "But I'd rather no one die for us."

The two stood there, looking at each other. He hadn't really noticed before, but Edeline's brown eyes were striking, glimmering as she stared into his own. In fact, one might even say they were...

They both jerked away from each other, with Hamond taking a few steps back. What had he been thinking? What had he been doing? He couldn't just...not with her.

"We...we should get started searching the place," Edeline mumbled, looking away from him.

"Uh, sure." Hamond wasn't about to argue a chance to take his mind off of...that. Turning to the nearest door, he opened it. It was time to get busy.