Deliverance (9 page)

Tessla watched as her love and brother ran down the shoreline and thus leading the troll away from the cave’s entrance. Standing up, she hurried down from the rocky hillside and around to the cave. As she entered, the darkness of the cavern stole away the sunlight causing her to rely on nothing but her touch for guidance.

Each step Tessla took deeper into the cavern tunnel caused her to become increasingly worried.
I hope this leads to Ada,
she thought to herself
.
The smell of moist dirt and sea water filled the cavern’s air so strongly that she could taste it on her lips. After a few minutes of walking in the darkness, she saw a light down the way.
Finally,
she thought to herself as she picked up her pace getting closer to the light.

Coming to the light, Tessla came to a room. It was wide and open, and over in one of the corners, just beyond the light, she spotted Ada. Glancing up as she rushed to Ada’s side, she was able to see the sky through the opening in the cavern’s ceiling.

“Ada!” Tessla exclaimed as she lifted Ada’s chin up to make eye contact with her. Ada’s eyes were heavy and she appeared to be exhausted beyond the ability to speak. “I’m going to get you out of here!” Tessla said as she grabbed for the cuffs on Ada’s wrist. They were white hot to Tessla’s touch, causing her to jump back as they had burnt her.

Ada coughed and spoke delicately, “They are bound with magic. You won’t be able to loosen them easily…”

“How can I get them off?” Tessla asked. Ada’s strength appeared to be depleted from speaking, and she was unable to continue talking. “I have an idea,” Tessla said as she reached into her pouch and grabbed her mandolin.

Standing back from Ada, Tessla targeted the part in the chains that connected into the cavern wall. She began to play the Song of Fire, and dark red notes traveled through the air with the sounds of the music. As the notes landed on the chain, little fires erupted.
It must be working,
she thought to herself as the last note played. The gold infused red note landed and a small explosion followed. The smoke cleared and the fires died down to reveal the chain was still fully intact.

“That didn’t work,” Tessla said with a sigh. Reaching into her bag, Tessla searched for a black diamond, but was saddened when she had realized she was out. She began to ponder what she could do as her eyes combed over Ada and the restraints that bound her to the wall.

With nothing coming to mind, Tessla was about to give up all hope when Ada suddenly was able to speak again. “All magic that exists in the world must have a weakness…” Ada said.

“What’s the weakness for your chains?” Tessla asked.

“I don’t know…” Ada said with a cough. “But the chains are restricting me from using magic.”

Tessla heard something from the tunnel’s direction she had come through. Standing up, she turned and approached the darkness. “Is that you love?” She called out. Only the sound of her voice echoing down the tunnel could be heard.

“Illadari and Nejik should be here soon,” Tessla said as she returned back to Ada’s side. “Where’s Kessler? Is he gone because the illusion is?”

“Life, once born into existence cannot be removed. While your pregnancy was part of the illusion, his birth was real. He is safe with Kai.”

“Kai?” Tessla asked. “And how is that? Kessler vanished when the illusion did.”

Ada took a deep breath in. “Yes… You know him. I had my bird Davo enchanted to send Kai a warning message if I were to ever fail to cast the illusion. It was a safety measure, for something such as this to happen,” Ada said. She sat up and adjusted her position against the wall.

Tessla searched her mind for the name and had a faint memory come to mind from her travels with Illadari, she recalled meeting Kai while she was first learning how to play her mandolin. Then she remembered his trick with the water outside the town of Kol ‘Ork.

“I remember him,” Tessla said. “How did Kai get him? Why wouldn’t he tell Illadari and I that he was taking our son?”

“He had very specific instructions. And the spell I taught him to snatch Kessler was only so strong, it only allowed for one individual.”

“Where are they now?”

“My strength fails me,” Ada said softly. “Feed me child.”

“I’m not a child anymore Ada, but I’ll feed you,” Tessla said pulling out a piece of gymer bread and a waterskin from her pouch. Feeding her pieces of bread and drinks of water, allowed Ada the strength to continue speaking.

“They are in the Weston Mountains, just north of Silvermeer,” Ada said. “They are in a protection spell; the entrance into the lair is hidden with an illusion and they are untraceable.”

“Well, well, well…” A man’s voice said from the shadows of the tunnel. Startled, Tessla turned around and stood up quickly. Squinting, she tried to see who it was, but was unable to do so until he stepped out from the tunnel revealing that it was the ninja from the woods, Miko.

Tessla’s heart skipped a beat as her eyes fell upon him. Backing up, she stood in front of Ada. “How are you alive?”

“I have friends in
high
places… Your priest isn’t the only one that knows how to resurrect, silly woman,” Miko said with a smile.

“What do you want Miko?” Tessla asked angered.

“Still the same thing…” Miko said as he walked out into the light further. “Just need to get you back to the Curo Wizards.”

“I’m not going! I’m going to get Ada out of these chains and she’ll show you who you’re messing with!” Tessla shouted.

Miko began to laugh as he leaned over and waved to Ada. “Who do you think put her in those chains to begin with?” Miko asked.

“You did? How could you capture Ada?” Tessla asked confused as she looked back at Ada.

“It’s quite easy to capture even the most powerful of witches when you study their behavior for a short time… You see, humans are creatures of habit. They love to do the same thing over and over again…” Miko paused for a moment as he came up to Tessla. “You just have to lead them, without them knowing… and boom. You get what you need.”

“But I thought it was my parents who captured Ada, the liquid in the vial was Runic magic,” Tessla said.

“You didn’t think our little run in atop the tree was my main plan, did you?” Miko laughed. “I captured Ada and left that vial for you to find, hoping it would draw you from wherever she was hiding you and lead you to Ashengale. I took Ada through town and made sure people saw me with her before I brought her to this cavern, which is guarded by the troll outside that your stupid husband and hunter led down the beach.”

“Wow… that’s quite elaborate. You’re a ninja though…”

“Like I said, I was hired by the Curo Wizards. The trees out in the forest that helped you get here, the troll…” Glancing at Ada’s restraints, he said, “Even the restraints that hold her… all courteous of the Curo Wizards.”

“You aren’t going to get away with this!” Tessla yelled. “Illadari and Nejik are going to be here any minute and then you’ll lose quickly.”

“Oh yeah?” Miko laughed. Snapping his finger, the earth suddenly shook beneath their feet at what sounded like giant footsteps. The light in the center of the room suddenly had a shadow casted over it and when she looked up, she saw the troll with Nejik and Illadari in hand. “I don’t think they’ll be saving the day for you Tessla.”

“Now that we shouldn’t have any surprises like last time… let’s make a deal,” Miko said.

“I’m not going to make a deal with you Miko! You are holding my love and brother hostage and have disrupted my entire existence! Why would I ever make a deal with you?”

“You disrupted your own existence when you left the safety of your castle a long time ago. And it sounds like you made a list of reasons
why
you would make a deal with me… not reasons why you would not,” Miko said. Glancing upwards at the troll, Miko made eye contact with it and gave him a nod. The troll moved away from the hole and the light shone back down.

“Ok…” Tessla said overwhelmed with hopelessness. Looking over at Ada as she thought about her son Kessler, she thought to herself
I have to make sure my son is safe.
“What do you propose Miko?” she asked.

“Like I keep repeating…  I just need you to come with me. The Curo Wizards hired me to get you to them. Tell you what, I’m feeling unusually nice at this moment, so I won’t even cut you up and torture you again like previously. Just come with me,” Miko said with his hand extended. “Ada will be freed and your son will be safe since she can go get him out of the protection thingy and your husband and brother will be okay too. Deal?”

“But I’m stuck going with you and… who knows what the Curo Wizards want with me.”

“Yes, but they could just want to chat and then send you on your way. You don’t really know… but is it worth all this pain in your life not to just go meet with them? Think about your son. At least he will be with his dad instead of a stranger in a cave.”

“Don’t talk about my son!” Tessla snapped at Miko. Glancing at Ada and then up at the opening where she saw Illadari being held captive, she nodded. “I’ll go with you.”

With a clap of his hands, Miko smiled. “That’s a good princess.” As the clap happened, the chains fell off from Ada’s wrists and feet and her strength appeared to return to her. She moved to attack Miko and he turned.

“Esk’Ah Elamo,” Miko said, without even so much as turning to acknowledge Ada’s attack stance. Suddenly, Ada vanished into thin air.

“What did you do to her?” Tessla asked.

“She’s fine… she’s back home at the tree.” Miko removed the dark cloth from his hands revealing his runic marking. Etching in the air with his finger tip, he drew a green symbol and then pushed it forward, causing it to sizzle before vanishing. “That should keep her in the tree for a bit.”

“So not only are you ruining my life, you are a traitor to your own people…”

“I go where the gold is, that’s where my loyalty lies,” Miko said with his chin held high.

“Greed is a better fitting word than
loyalty.
How did you say those words and cause her to vanish, but moments later, you used runic magic?”

“Oh Tessla, if only you would listen to me, you’d have less questions,” Miko laughed. “The wizards are the ones who hired me. They provided me everything I need in order to capture you. Now… Let’s go!” Grabbing Tessla’s hand, he led her out from the cavern and down the shoreline towards the Ashengale port.

The troll dropped Illadari and Nejik into the sandy beach of the shoreline. Getting a mouthful of sand in his mouth, Illadari quickly stood up and started spitting as he tried to get it all off his tongue. The sound of seagulls and waves crashing could be heard as he peered down the shoreline curious to how far north up the shoreline the troll took them. Glancing over at Nejik, he could see him trying to get the sand out of his ears with his pinky.

“Did you see how far the troll took us up the shore?” Illadari asked looking around.

“I did not… I kind of blacked out there for a moment as he sprinted.”

“Same,” Illadari said as he kicked the sand. “We need to get back to the cave and get Tessla and Ada. I’m worried that Miko was there.” He started trekking through the sand and Nejik caught up to his side.

“So much for your so called
plan
,” Nejik said.

“I didn’t know the troll would just jump over our line we were trying to tangle his feet up in. It was an innocent mistake!”

“True, I do have to hand it to you, the bark hide from the wormwood tree made an amazingly strong rope to trip him with, and I was impressed. You can’t find that kind of rope in Belstrom.”

“It was a trick that they taught me in the Freya Priesthood. We used to strip the trees outside of town for their hide so we could make ropes. The priesthood is all about keeping costs low since we survive on the donations of the townspeople.”

“That makes sense.” As they approached the cavern, they saw the troll was gone. “That’s strange…” Nejik said looking at Illadari with a tight lip.

“Yeah it is,” Illadari said scratching his head as he went into the cavern with Nejik. They followed the rocky tunnel all the way back to the room that they had seen from up top with the troll. Glancing up, Illadari said, “This is the room, that’s for sure.” The room was empty and the chains that were fastened upon Ada were loosened and she was gone. “I’m going to kill Miko…” Illadari said as clenched his fist into a ball.

“Since you did such a marvelous job last time you fought him?” Nejik laughed as he inspected the chains.

“Good point… but maybe we both could take him?” Illadari noticed Nejik’s face seemed upset as he inspected the chains. “What is it?” Illadari asked as he approached Nejik. He looked up at Illadari.

“They were loosened… they were not broken out of,” Nejik said as he stood up and focused up at the cavern’s opening. “Ada was freed… but why?”

Illadari began to think back to his and Tessla’s encounter with Miko at the Great Tree. “Miko was after Tessla to take her to the Curo Wizards.”

“Khazar…” Nejik said confidently. Quickly, he began to leave the cave and Illadari grabbed Tessla’s pouch as he followed after him.

“You think they went to Khazar?” Illadari asked as they came out onto the beach. Nejik nodded as he looked southward towards Ashengale.

“Absolutely,” he said as he began walking. “I’m sure I can convince those sailors from the Ashengale tavern to lend us a ride up that direction.”

Illadari hadn’t even thought of the idea of seeking the help of the lowly tavern dwellers Nejik had used before to help locate Ada, and was surprised by the notion, but more so that he agreed. “I guess those thugs might be of some use after all,” Illadari said with a grin as he walked with Nejik.

“Just because they might be a little rougher than you, doesn’t mean they are bad people Illadari. They are just different,” Nejik said.

“Just like the kobolds?” Illadari asked smirking.

“Those are foul and disgusting beasts… those are not people…how dare you compare them” Nejik said with a bit of agitation.

Illadari felt convicted of his poor comparison of people to the vile creatures. “True… You have a good point Nejik, I’m sorry if I upset you. I just want to find my wife and kid. I’ve lost the two most valuable people in my life now…” Illadari said as they continued down the shoreline to the Ashengale port.

“I loss three people Illadari… Ada, my sister and my nephew… So I’m in the same boat with you.”

Illadari realized he had been so focused on himself that he wasn’t taking into consideration how Nejik was being affected by everything that had been happening. Putting his arm around Nejik as they walked, he said, “I’m truly sorry for my ill words.”

Nejik shrugged off his arm and said, “Don’t worry about it.”

“No, I’m serious. My behavior… it hasn’t been right of me, and for that I apologize.”

Nejik smiled a little bit and said, “Thank you.”

As they came up to the port of Ashengale, Nejik led Illadari under the docks to a place hidden out of sight, to hide out while he went back into town to meet up with his sailor acquaintances once again. As Nejik rounded the corner of the docks and went up the sandy incline into the town, Illadari sat against a post and watched the sunset across the Guilted Gulf. The yellows, oranges and reds created an elegant tapestry of colors as the sun went down on the horizon.

“Where are you Tessla?” Illadari said out loud pulling out his gymer bread and leaf. He hadn’t been separated from Tessla since they ran away together from her castle a decade prior. He held her mandolin close to his chest as he drifted off to sleep waiting for Nejik’s return.

**

Awaking to a nudge in the shoulder from a boot, Illadari opened his eyes to see an overweight man and his protruding gut, standing over him. Curly facial hair and a dirty appearance made Illadari suspect this was someone Nejik had probably spoken with. Rising to his feet, he extended a hand, “Hello.”

“Save the hello’s for someone who cares,” the man said helping brush the sand from Illadari’s robes. “You best put something different on if you are going to be on my ship!” Tossing a pair of gray leggings and a ratted shirt to Illadari, the man turned around.

Illadari quickly made his way behind a rock that sat up against the sandy beach beneath the docks and disrobed. As he started putting on the leggings, he asked “Where’s Nejik?”

“He’s a bit… busy at the moment,” the man said smiling as he turned around revealing a few missing teeth. “He’s taking care of some business for a friend of mine, don’t you mind him. He won’t be joining us on the ship. He will catch up with you after you make it to Khazar.”

“I see,” Illadari said as he pulled the ragged shirt over the top of his head.

“We best be going,” the man said as he waddled up the sandy incline around to the docks. Following after the stranger quickly, Illadari left his robe behind the rock and followed after the man. Stepping onto the ship, Illadari was met by strange looks from the crew that seemed to be the ones who ran the ship.

“Mack’s off his chump,” one sailor said, leaning into another sailor’s ear.

“It’s Captain Mack, and maybe I am! Recall for a moment where you came from before you speak ill of the new one,” Mack exclaimed.

Leading him through the crowd, Mack took Illadari to a gentleman that sat away from the rest of the sailors. The man sat quietly against the back of the ship and stood up when he saw Mack and Illadari approaching.

“Captain,” the man said firmly as he stood straight as a nail.

“Good day, Leroy,” Mack said shaking his hand. “This is the ship’s First Mate,” Mack said looking at Leroy and at Illadari. “This is Illadari; he’ll be working with you.” Illadari reached out and felt the firm handshake of Leroy. His hands were coarse and rugged like that of Jackson, the Blacksmith that worked next to the Halls in Ashengale back when he was a child. “You will be by Leroy’s side helping him hoist the anchor and observing anything amiss with the ship while we sail. When you aren’t with him, you’ll be swabbing the deck.”

Looking over at Leroy, Mack glared for a moment and then spat. “What’s the status on the repairs?”

“All repairs have been completed on the foremast. They worked into the night to get the repair done for us,” Leroy said.

“Good. We will set sail once the dawn breaks here shortly,” Mack said. Waddling away from Leroy, Mack began heading back towards the front of the ship and Illadari started to follow. Stopping, Mack turned to Illadari with a furrowed brow. “You best start swabbing and stop following!”

Illadari turned and walked over to Leroy. “Wow, that guy is kind of a jerk,” Illadari said looking back towards Mack. Pushing a mop into Illadari’s chest to the point it almost hurt, Leroy walked away without saying a word. As he began to swab the deck, Illadari thought about his wife Tessla and son Kessler, hoping they both were safe.