“What.... What happened?”
“I believe Doctor Visek had kidnapped you
and created his vessel around you.”
The prisoner cried out, not in pain but in
distress. “I remember now, yes.” He puts his head in his hands and shakes his
head. The movement gives Anneleigh the
impression of he is trying to shake off a horrible memory. “I was the vessel; the souls of others have
been trapped with me. The shell of the
gnarlbone was only an exterior.”
“They were not released when I freed you?” Anneleigh asked.
The prisoner shook his head. “I feel them still with me.”
Anneleigh considered this. She had hoped that, by killing the Gnarlbone,
she would free the souls of the two deceased Mathosians and set this prisoner
free.
“Kill me.” The prisoner whispered. It is a request for mercy. “Kill me and release us all.”
Anneleigh looked at the prisoner, a mixture
of horror and sadness passing her face.
“I can’t do that.”
“I am dead already.” He said, as though it
is a matter of fact, and not his own feelings.
“I will never be able to live the life I once did, knowing my fate was
nearly eternity as Regulos’ vessel, knowing while I live the souls of my
countrymen are tied to this world with me.”
He looked her in the eyes and took her hands. “You’ve already freed me from my prison. Better to die like this than as one of those
things. Kill me, and we all will be set
free.”
She shook her hands out of his grip. “But your life? You live.
I cannot take your life. You are
innocent of any crime and do not deserve to die. You may yet learn to live again.”
The prisoner cried out and shakes his head
again. “I can feel them, the souls of
the two who were more fortunate. They at
least went quickly, relatively painlessly.
Please,” He begged, “kill me.”
Anneleigh slowly took her dagger from her
belt, took his hands again, and prayed.
“Vigil, protect his soul.” She said, as she plunged the dagger into his
heart. At the moment her dagger pierced
flesh there is a flash of light, the sound of air escaping, and the sound of
more air rushing to fill the void. She
kept her attention on the dying prisoner.
“Thank you.” He whispered.
Once she was convinced the man was fully
dead, she turned to see Kain standing on the raised dais, where Visek had stood
only minutes before. The contrasting
image took her by surprise. Startled,
she quickly removed her dagger from the prisoner’s heart, but too late; Marshal
Kain had already seen.
“Gods among us! Anneleigh, I had no idea the corruption here
would run so deep.”
“I....” Anneleigh began, “I can explain.”
Her explanation was not needed, as Kain
continued. “He was weak. He asked to die rather than fight for life,
and you granted his wish. Soldiers who
do not wish to live are better off dead at the hands of one of their
superiors.”
Anneleigh resisted the urge to charge
across the room and slap him. “He was no
soldier. He was a civilian who deserved
my protection, and I failed him.” She
said with venom in her voice, but he was no longer listening.
“I would have come sooner, but Visek had
some kind of barrier in place that the Chain of Command could not pierce.” He walked towards the third orb towards the
back wall. Anneleigh could now see it as
a globe of sorts, fixed to the stand at its poles to spin freely. Kain placed his hands on the globe and spun
it gently.
“This is Mariel-Taun’s seal, but restoring
it will be no easy task. There is so
much vileness staining this place. Such
evil.” He spun the globe and remained
silent for a few moments before he turned to look at her. “You have done well here. I do not know if the ancient seals can ever
be fully restored, but with Doctor Visek gone, we can begin to purify this
site. “
Anneleigh nodded.
“I will send for priests from Sanctum
immediately. They will work around the
clock to cleanse the filth and stain of this abattoir and bring glory back to
the honor of the Vigil.”
“What would you have me do next?” Anneleigh asked.
Kain looked to her, as if only just
realizing she was still present. Crossing
the room to stand beside her in the prisoner’s pit, he lifts the Chain of
Command from around her neck with a single finger. “This Chain of Command we discovered is more
powerful than we could have dreamed. The
least of its powers is the ability to communicate with people over great
distances and even open portals to those locations. Such magic belongs in Sanctum, and you are
the only one I can entrust to see it there safely. Do not fail me, Anneleigh.”
He appeared to focus for a moment and then
a portal appeared, glowing brightly in the darkness of the cavern.
“Give this to Borrin, and then join me in
Whitefall Stepps. The Vigil directs me
continue there. The Chain will be able
to send you to Command when you are ready.”
Anneleigh tries to speak her protest, but
she can tell from the look on his face that Kain would not accept an excuse in
this matter. She nods to him before
silently walking through the portal, immerging in the throne room of the
Sanctum of the Vigil.
If Borrin, Shyla, and Cyril were expecting
her, they hid it well. The look of
surprise when she entered the room was enough to make her chuckle. Then a broad smile broke out on Borrin’s
face.
“Ah Anneleigh, you have the Chain of
Command! Keeping this safe within the
Sanctum will keep it out of evil hands.”
She handed the chain to him as Cyril
continued. “Rest assured that we will
begin to study this with the utmost priority.
It must be researched. We will
have some of our top men looking at it immediately.”
Anneleigh nodded. “Before it is put under lock and key, Kain
has commanded me to join him in Whitefall.
He said this would bring me there.”
The three Guardian leaders looked at each
other, concern crossing their faces.
Anneleigh turned away for a moment, understanding they required a moment
to converse alone. It was Shyla who
spoke first.
“If the Vigil is directing him, as he has
reported, then we must abide their bidding.”
“But we must also ask a task from you,
Anneleigh.” Cyril continued. “It is
above Kain’s reach to demand this Chain be used, no matter the reasons. We will send you to him, on the condition you
watch him for warning signs.”
“Warning signs for what?” Anneleigh asked.
“He’s been acting strangely since beginning
his own crusade, overstepping his rank.”
Borrin said. “Go to his aid, as
he requested, but be aware.”
Borrin focused for a moment and a portal
formed, snow blowing through the newly formed opening. Anneleigh, still puzzled by their request,
walked through to Iron Pine Peak.
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