Chapter One Hundred One

July 28, 2013

 

24th of Haymonth

 

            Once we all settle from the teleport back to Brasov, I proceed to inspect the box.  It has no visible seam or latch, but does have two small hinges on the back.  It appears to be made of adamantium.  I inspect it carefully, but still find no seam.  I pick up some dirt and rub it over the surfaces, but it reveals nothing.  I dunk it in a water trough, both to clean off the dirt and check for any bubbles to indicate an opening, but still nothing.  I stop and think for a moment, then I have an idea.  I ask Briggette for her hand and prick her finger.  I rub the blood along the edge of the box where a seam should be, and a seam appears.

            “I think you need more blood,” Silas says.  He takes Briggette’s hand and slices across her palm, rubbing the blood all over the box.  It immediately pops up—but not completely open—and a design of a cuoatl raises up on the lid.  She opens it up, and a sense of awe spreads among those present.  Inside we see a long stick that appears to be hewn from mahogany.  It is quite smooth and beautiful, despite its plainness.  Briggette picks it up, and begins to feel its power, realizing it is made to be a handle for a mace.  She deems herself unworthy of its goodness and places it back in the box.  We use more of her blood to seal it.  I suggest we have someone else bleed on the box to see if the opening works for someone else.  Ulric agrees, and slices his hand, but his blood doesn’t seem to affect the cold metal at all.  Brianna performs the same ritual, and finds that her blood will open the box as well.

            Once we have everything closed up and packed away, we have Silas return us to Heltragen.  Briggette immediately runs inside to see if Sir Brannick is alive or dead.  Nicodemus is there, and he stops her, telling her that Brannick is alive, but he is asleep—magically—until she returns.  She takes a moment to speak with Nicodemus and tells him of the box with the handle.  He is stunned, and realizes that it is carved from the branch that St. Cuthbert used to beat the serpent mother down.

            “So, this is the mace of St. Cuthbert?” Ulric asks.

            “No,” Nicodemus replies, “it is the other part of the branch.”

            They discuss the box and its history further, and decide for safety’s sake to bury it in the Great Hall under Briggette’s throne.  The room is magically protected, and no one would suspect the item is here.  We take some time to rest a bit and get settled in, and we all gather in Brannick’s room just before he wakes up six hours later.

           

            When Brannick wakes up, he swings his arm out abruptly as if he is making an attack with a sword.  He sees Briggette and begins to look around, quite confused.  He doesn’t understand where he is or what is happening.  He cuts his hand to ensure he is not dreaming, and slowly begins the process of hearing what has happened in his absence.  He is suitably upset and discombobulated.  Briggette brings in Stefan and Bernadette to see him, and after a while, everyone parts ways.  I leave the feather behind to tell Brannick of our adventures since his death, as well as what has happened with the world.

            We all spend the day in and out of the room, sharing and talking.  Ulric opens some of our best apple brandy to celebrate.  We talk late into the night, and after a deep sleep from which we all wake too late, we go to see him and speak with him more.  That day passes too quickly, but in joy, and we all have the opportunity to rest and recouperate.

 

            The following day, very early in the morning as the sun rises, the horns sound from the wall, trumpeting three blasts to warn of possible combat.  Heinrick runs upstairs as Ulric runs down and delivers a white cloth with the word “peace” written in horrid handwriting.  “This was dropped, and there’s a griffon flying above the castle.”

            We all make our way to the courtyard just in time for eight griffons to land in the courtyard.  The normal horses in the stable act crazed, kicking and neighing.

            One of the griffons steps forward, “You are lord of this land?”

            “I have that pleasure,” Ulric replies, seemingly nonplussed by the talking beast, which is not something we’ve seen before.

            “You kill Old Fang?”

            “I did.”

            “There dragons south of here,” the griffon informs him.

            Ulric already knew of the threat, “Several.”

            The griffon looks around, “My pride need hunting ground. You give us forest where none your people live, we not attack you or your people.”  Ulric sends for the cleric of Ehlonna to speak with the beast.

            “I will have you speak with someone who can speak with you better,” Uric explains.  I step forward to take a better look at him.

            “Do all griffons speak?” I ask.

            “No, only important and special ones, like me,” he seems to be smiling.

            “Naturally,” I reply.  He scrutinizes me and looks back to Ulric, then back to Briggette.  “You seem like you not belong here.”

            “Neither do you,” I reply, “and yet, here we are.”

            “It hurt to be here,” he says, then turns to look Ulric in the eye.  “But, we do what must for people in our protection.”  Ulric nods and dismounts, walking up to speak with the griffon.  They discuss the draconic threat. 

            About twenty minutes later, the cleric arrives, dismounts and looks at the beast.  Ulric suddenly realizes something and asks for the creature for his name.  He seems a bit confused but then realizes what we ask.  When he tries to tell us, it is a horrid screeching sound, but the cleric tells us it translates roughly to “Talon Meet,” but carries a meaning more akin to “Courageous One.”  We decide we will call him Talon.  Together, the men work out an agreement so the griffons can stay on our land, finding their support in the unpopulated forests to the east.  He tells us exactly where they ran into the clutch of dragons by drawing a map out in the dirt with his claw. 

            Ulric explains that in “many seasons,” he will be taking many men south, even beyond the location where the dragons were.  “When we go, will you come?”

            “You call, we come,” Talon replies.

            “Well, welcome to Heltragen.”

            The griffon looks back at his pride and says, “Well, males come, women stay.”  Of course, Ulric agrees, and proceeds to introduce the important people in our land so his pride will know who to seek should anything become necessary.

            Ulric then introduces Stefan and says that when he dies, this land will be his.  The griffon uses one claw to cut his other forearm, letting the blood drip to the courtyard ground.  “By my blood, we not kill you or yours.”  There are some more exchanges of both vows and information before Talon beats his massive wings one and lifts away into the sky behind his pride, who had taken flight moments before.

            Later in the day, in the middle of lunch, Gustav comes in and tells Ulric that Nicodemus is here and has insisted on being announced, which is unusual for him.  Ulric says it must be for some official purpose and tells Gustav to announce him.

            When Nicodemus enters, he is wearing all black along with a heavy silver chain, bearing the universal symbol for law.  His aspect is quite ominous.

            “Your Excellency, Count Heltragen,” he says.

            “Master Wizard,” Ulric replies.

            “I’m sorry; I’m terrible about interrupting meals.”

            Briggette offers, “Perhaps you will join us?”

            He says he is not hungry now, but he will take a drink.  He sits down at Ulric’s table.  He waves his hand and a small table appears below it.

            “Your Excellency, I am here to address business with your wife.  It is nothing secret; I am happy to do it in front of you, but it would be improper for me to do so without your permission.”

            “Of course,” Ulric says.

            Nicodemus turns, “Briggette Bellyn, Lord Protector of Grozney, I have come to collect on a debt you owe me.”  She nods in resignation.  “I am going to travel to a very unsavory place, and I need someone to watch my back—someone with teeth.”  He further explains, “If all goes well, there will be no combat.”  He looks around, “You are free to bring whomever you would like.  We are going to go to the second layer of Hell.  I have business to attend to there.  For this trip, unlike your trip to Tartarus, you will want to dress your best.  Don’t hide your holy symbol; Hell is a place to gloat of your importance, not to hide it.  There can be no hiding—there is no need to.  How many days do you require to prepare?”

            Briggette indicates that we can leave tomorrow, and everyone begins to volunteer themselves for this mission.  By the time we are done, our party will consist of Nicodemus, Briggette, Ulric, Boian, Finn, Korvinean and myself.  We spend the rest of the day preparing for our departure.  I get some silver-tipped bolts because I remember that devils are susceptible to the metal.  I share this with my friends as well so they might prepare, too.

 

            The next day, during lunch, Gustav has prepared all of our favorite meals for us.  As we get ready to leave, Silas gives everyone a small bag to keep in their armor.  He steps up to me and reaches down to pierce my ear.  These items will serve as assistants should the need arise for him to find us.  We gather around and join hands, and Nicodemus slams his staff down, and we are suddenly in the middle of the woods.

            We all look around confused; this is not what we expected from Hell.  It is, however, exceedingly hot and humid, and the trees are odd.  They have large, somewhat shiny green leaves that seem to drip with accumulated moisture.  Ulric questions Nicodemus about our location, and he explains that he would rather we leave from here to go to our destination.  “There is no need to alert them to the location of the island, or even to invite the possibility.”  Ulric notes that any time he has left the Isle of Delrith, it has always been by magic.  He goes on to explain to us the dangers of indecisiveness and hesitation in this place.  We are schooled on how to behave and speak while there.

            After hearing this lecture, Ulric takes off his surcoat, “What if someone recognized me?  I can’t have anyone thinking a count of Grozney is being ordered around by a paladin.  What a scandal!”  Briggette looks suitably shocked, and Nicodemus begins to chant.  He hands Ulric a new surcoat made of cloth-of-gold to wear while here.  The count seems pleased with his new look.

            Nicodemus then uses his staff to draw a straight white line in the air, perpendicular to the ground.  He reaches in with both hands and spreads the line into an opening, stretching it to a width we can fit through.  We step in one by one into a scalding city filled with buildings made of black stone.  Above us, the sky is red, but appears as though we’re looking through a piece of red glass.  It seems there is another world there—we can see motion.  Immediately, we feel oppressed, and our skin breaks out with beads of sweat.  Nicodemus says, “Welcome to Dis, the city of iron.  Stay with me; it’s easy to get lost here.”  He goes on to tell us that we will see terrible things here, but that most of those who suffer here truly deserve it.  “Remember, this is a place of tyrannical order.  Don’t step out of line.”

            We step out of the alley we entered through the astral gate, and find ourselves on a wide avenue.  Upon closer inspection, we realize the road is paved with skulls.  Once we’ve travelled about twenty feet, a large creature leaps down from a window to block our path.  He demands to know who we are, and Nicodemus answers, “I have business here.  Now step out of my way or I will kill you.”

            “Do you have papers?” the creature asks.

            “Do you have proper authorization to ask for my papers?”  Nicodemus replies ominously.  “I’ll need to see your proof that you’re law enforcement before I show you anything.”  The strange creature backs down and sends us on our way.  We continue walking for some time, travelling more than a mile.  We pass devils building a building on the side of the road, and shortly after that, the composition of the road changes to hot iron rather than skulls.  Ahead, we see a few devils leading a group of humans through a crossroads.  Nicodemus pauses and waves his staff in front of him.  He mutters under his breath, “They’re all dead.”

            We continue on our way until we come across a devil that is over ten feet tall, with leather wings and horns protruding from his head.  He lands in our path and glares at each of us in turn, taking the time to draw out the symbol of Cuthbert from Briggette’s armor.  As I look around, I spot six other smaller devils on the walls, as well as something trying to hide behind the large man.

            I look directly at the hiding creature, “Too frightened to show your face?”  Nothing happens, so I snort derisively, “Well, I always knew we were fearsome.”

            The big guy wags his finger at us and says, “You do not belong here, I think.  You are intruders.  What is your business here?”

            “None of yours,” Nicodemus says haughtily.  He reaches into his cloak and pulls out a scroll.  “This is my safe passage from a Duke, and these are my bodyguards—not that I would need them to kill you.”

            The devil looks over the scroll and hands it back to Nicodemus, “Me think perhaps you need guide.”

            “Certainly not from you; you are obviously far too important for that.”

            About that time, one of the devils from the roof jumps down toward Ulric, who deftly bashes him with his shield.  At the moment of impact, we hear a loud thunderclap, as Nicodemus’s lightning bolt throws the creature at a nearby wall.  I fire, and my bolt drills through his skull and pins him to the wall.  The devils on the roof and the large confrontational one in front of us seem quite shaken and fly away.

            Nicodemus turns to us, “We should hurry.  He’ll be back with more friends later.”  We take his advice and keep moving, but only after he removes the beard of the one we killed.  “This could be useful later.” 

            We travel further, and at one point, I turn to look behind us, and I don’t recognize the landscape, though I don’t remember turning.  We come across several humanoid creatures covered in chains and hooks.  They stop and look at Ulric, who stops to glare back at them.  He has the bear on his shield snarl just a bit.  “Do they offend you?” he asks.

            Nicodemus turns to look at them as if he is just now noticing their existence.  “They may live,” he waves them away.

            “As you wish,” Ulric says with disgust and contempt.

We keep moving, and I feel a weight on my left shoulder.  I pull my dagger, and the weight lifts.  A moment later, I hear a whisper in my right ear, “You don’t belong here.  Your blood’s not right.”

I turn that way slightly, “I have as much right to be here as anyone.  Now leave me alone before I kill you.”

“You’re not very nice.”

“And you’re not very brave,” I say, “to keep hiding.  Show yourself or leave me be.”

“Of course I’m not brave,” the voice replies.  From this point, I simply ignore it.

Suddenly three small imps pop out in front of us, “Hello,” one says, “how are you doing?”  They are very happy, and the speech is high-pitched and very high.  “We can be your guides.  Do you need a guide?  We charge three pieces of silver a piece, so nine, that’s nine pieces of silver.”  They promise that they don’t lead people astray, and that they will take us where we want to go.  Nicodemus takes a moment to write, then shows them a contract for their services.  They agree and sign the contract, then eagerly await their silver as Ulric doles it out.  They lead us to the address Nicodemus supplies, pointing out all of the “tourist attractions” along the way.

At one point, one of them is flying backward but looking at Briggette.  He offers to bring her parents back for her.  He explains that he doesn’t want to charge a cost as high as her soul or anything; he simply says that she will owe a favor later.  She declines, and they lead on.  A bit later, they stop and begin to argue with one another.  They disagree on which direction would be less likely to be patrolled.  I tell them the patrols do not matter, and tell them to take us the shortest route.

When we get to the destination, our guides say they will wait in the street because the master of the house doesn’t like them.  We knock and are soon greeted at the door by an incredibly beautiful woman.  She invites us in to sit in the parlor while she retrieves the man we are here to see.  Nicodemus instructs us to put one silver piece in the cup by the door so that we can accept anything that’s offered to us in the house.

She leads us into the parlor, where Nicodemus takes a seat, and we array ourselves around him.  Briggette and Ulric stand behind the chair and slightly to the right and left of him.  Boian and Korvinean take a position behind them, and Finn stands in the center in the back.  I perch on the floor in front of him.  After about twenty minutes, the woman returns and says that the master of the house will see Nicodemus now.  He may take any or all of us as he chooses. 

Nicodemus slowly gets up, “Lead the way.”  She leads us into a beautiful courtyard with a beautiful fountain—well, it was beautiful until we realize it flows with blood rather than water.  The paths are all made from various bones.  There is a giant throne in the center of the garden, and atop it, there is a twelve-foot tall pit fiend.  The woman waves her hand and a chair comes up out of the ground; Nicodemus takes a seat.

The fiend takes a slow gaze around our group, stopping to examine each of us.  “You keep very different company these days,” he says to Nicodemus.

He tosses a bag to the fiend, “Here is my payment.  Where is the merchandise?”

The female waves her hand again and reaches down to pick up an iron box.  When Nicodemus opens it, I try to see what it is, but I can only catch a glimpse of silver.  The men agree that their business is concluded, and asks if there is anything else he can get for us.  He directly asks me if I’d like to have my uncle killed.  I decline his offer, as does everyone else in my group, and we soon leave.

When we get outside, the imps are still waiting on us.  They are surprised that we were done so quickly, and they begin to lead us back toward our point of entry.  Once we get close, Nicodemus turns to the imps, “Your contract is ended.”  He leads us back toward the alley, but we see the horned devil from earlier ahead.  He doesn’t attack immediately, but we still move as quickly as possible.

As soon as we round the corner, we hear a screaming creature come toward us, and poke our heads back out to see a bearded charging toward us.  Korvinean buries four arrows in it, and Finn finishes him off in a massive swing.  Then, Finn moves to the other end of the alley to ensure that Nicodemus is not interrupted in his casting from that direction.  The big devil starts to walk toward us menacingly.  He starts trying to talk to us as he approaches, trying to convince us to join him as employees.  About that time, Nicodemus yells, “Time to go!”  The gate is open, and we begin to step through, though there is some argument about the order. 

Just before he leaves, Ulric removes his helm, shakes out his hair, and looks the devil in the eye, “I am Count Ulric von Zurwald Heltragen, and I am always available to kill any of your kind.”  He bows to the creature, stands up, turns his back to the beast, and steps into the gate.

            We find ourselves in the strange forest again, and after he closes the gate, Nicodemus chants again and an odd sort of house appears, seemingly made of all the materials around it.  When we go inside, it is very pleasant and cool.  Most of the group begins to strip themselves of their armor and underclothes to cool off.  Ulric pulls out the tiny tub and takes Briggette by the hand.  They go off to bathe, and after a while, bring the tub back to me.  I grab Boian’s hand and we go bathe, but Finn asks us not to shrink the tub until he’s had a chance to get in after us.

            We sleep well that night, and the next morning, we have breakfast before Nicodemus says, “We should be going, but we’re going to bounce around quite a bit.”  We join hands and find ourselves in a city that smells of saffron.  “Welcome to the interior of the Southern Seas.  We’re leaving.”  We join hands again, and are suddenly in the cold on a mountain top. “Now we are very far north, near the pole,” he tells us.  We wait at this stop for about ten minutes to be sure we were not followed.  Seeing nothing, we join hands once more, and find ourselves suddenly in the courtyard of Heltragen.  “Thank you for your help,” Nicodemus says.  He truly seems grateful.  He offers once more to help me track down my parents, and talks with each of us for a few moments before he takes his leave by slamming his staff on the ground and disappearing.