Chapter Fifteen / The Pale Swordsmen

Dark. Darkness in front - darkness behind. Darkness everywhere. Snapping and heat, light flicked off a torch. She took a breath and held the torch further ahead. Her legs felt heavy, staggering and dragging against the ground. Her breath echoed in her ears and head, her helmet blocking its escape. Her armor lightly rattled as she walked towards her destination beyond the endless dark; eyes tunneled by her helmet. Her head twisted to look at the darkness beside her and behind.

The light revealed the dirt path in front of her, then suddenly curved upwards. A large stone door adorned with crude engravings and runes of a language she couldn’t even begin to piece together. She held the torch above her head, taking in the immensity of the door, and walked closer. She placed a hand on the door, her dirt crusted armored hand unable to reflect the light of the torch - and followed the engravings. She followed the engravings until her hand came to a particular rune: a circle surrounding a half open eye with three sharp pupils, two slightly shorter side pupils with a middle longer pupil.

“This is it.” She felt her tired voice say in an echo as if distantly from her.

She pressed on the symbol, and the door shuddered. The ground rumbled and the doorway began to part. Dust fell from the door as it slowly peeled open and revealed a deeper black beyond.

A light appeared in the black. Her eyes focused in the tunnel of her visor towards the light. It looked so far away. Then the light grew and grew, wider it grew and danced in the darkness. Then it moved upwards. She saw it then – something moving in the darkness. The light moved and danced around the black, and the darkness took shape in the form of an orb. Like an eclipse, the light danced around the orb’s edges. It danced until the light took everything, erasing the black and replacing it. She felt her body burn. Her armor seared and peeled from the intensity of the heat. Her skin flaked and burned to a crisp. She screamed.

“Alicia!” She screamed as she felt her face melt away. “Alicia!”

Her body sagged and fell to the ground, her flesh still burning under the heat. She could no longer scream, nor see.

Something brushed against her. She felt wetness tingle on her skin. Wet against her eyelids. She opened her eyes. Snow fell lightly from a gray and dark sky – her breath puffing visibly against it. She lifted her right hand and looked at her charred flesh. Snow lightly landed on her arm, and the skin became pale with every flake of snow. Her arm fell onto the snow. Her eyes grew heavy. No more heat, no more burning. Is it okay to lie here for a while, Alicia?

Her eyes felt heavy. She struggled to open them, the lids unwilling to lift the weight. She pushed through the fatigue, barely able to open them slightly. She caught a glimpse of her surroundings. Laying in a bed of white sheets and resting with her back propped up with pillows. She had on a white gown, which covered her body over her shoulders. She looked to her right and looked at the arm she could barely feel resting on the bed, and her hands. Hands? Her hand faced upwards with another grasping it. A chill rushed up her almost numb arm and into her body. Heat met the chill, heat that had been present in her body for some time. It feels nice. She thought, and her eyes closed again.

Her ears twitched – a sound familiar to her filled her awareness. Metal on metal. The more she became aware of it, the lighter it sounded. Fading against the backdrop of her approaching consciousness, she opened her eyes. Her eyelids felt heavy still but required less effort to keep open. She looked around at her surroundings. Her body lay resting in a comfortable bed made for one, adorned in white linen sheets and pillows, a set of wooden partitions to her left and right separated the bed from other beds to create a small bedroom. A small table sat beside the bed on her right. On the table, a white ceramic pitcher waited along with a white ceramic cup.

Metal on Metal, the scraping continued. She followed her gaze from the table and found the sound’s source. Ezbalath focused on engraving a small piece of metal, his brush in hand, his golden gaze dark.

“Ez?” Her voice cracked and meekly asked.

Ezbalath looked up from engraving, and a soft smile lightened his expression.

“How are you feeling?” Ezbalath asked.

Akiana shifted position in the bed, unsettling the soft fabric for a more comfortable feeling. “Tired.” She responded.

Ezbalath picked up and moved the chair he sat in closer to the ceramic pitcher and poured some water from the pitcher into the cup. He moved the cup over to Akiana, not moving his hand away when she took hold of the cup. Her fingers barely held the cup as she moved it to her mouth and she drank. A momentary pain pricked at her throat as the water washed it away. Ezbalath took the cup when she finished and placed it back on the table.

“How long?” She asked licking her now less dry lips.

Ezbalath’s soft expression smiled at her and softly responded: “Don’t worry about that now. Just rest. I’ll get you something to eat when you wake up.”

As if on response, her eyes fluttered and shut. Again, sleep took hold.

When Akiana woke again – Ezbalath returned with a tray and a bowl of soup. She took the metal spoon Ezbalath provided and looked at the soup. It appeared appetizing enough, but she couldn’t tell what was in it. She dipped the spoon into the soup and began eating. She finished moments later, rating the soup as not delicious but seemingly nutritious. Ezbalath cleaned up what was in front of her and turned to leave.

“You should rest some more. I’ll be back, and I’ll tell the others you’re up. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you awake.” Ezbalath said as he left the room.

The sound of Ezbalath’s boots drew distant, and Akiana stared at the ceiling. The gray stone ceiling toward above and drew itself into the matching walls and floor. The beds on the other side of the room looked identical to the one Akiana currently rested in, their white sheets plastered against the grayness of the room. Some kind of medical facility. Akiana thought to herself. A chill in the air swept through the room and over Akiana.

Footsteps approached from where Ezbalath had left. Ezbalath walked out from behind the right partition and said: “I’m back, and I brought some people you’ve met before.” He walked over to the chair on the right side of the bed and sat back down.

Two cloaked individuals walked from the right to the front of Akiana’s bed, one on the left front side and the other on the right. The man on the right gazed at Akiana with grayish green eyes, the bangs of his black hair nearly covering his eyes. The man’s fair complexion made it difficult to determine his age.

The man on the left, however, Akiana remembered. The man’s mask completely hid his features, and none of the man’s skin was visible beneath his cloak and clothes.

“I remember you. Arn, right?” Akiana asked looking upon the masked man.

A chuckle emanated from the masked man. “I’m glad you remember me.” Arn gestured to the man beside him. “This is Gelicarus.” Gelicarus nodded his greetings, and Arn continued. “I’m also glad to see that you’re doing better. That was a bit of a scare two days ago.”

Two days. Akiana thought to herself.

“I can’t say what may have caused this near-death experience, you’re only the second case we have had to work with, but it’s proved to be a valuable lesson. We’ll be more careful in the future.” Arn methodically said. “How are you feeling overall?”

“Tired.” Akiana responded. “Sluggish, but I think I just need to move.”

The other three looked at one another.

“Well, I don’t see any reason you can’t. We’ll have to keep an eye out for any further abnormalities.” Arn nodded.

A moment of silence fell between them before Akiana asked: “Where am I?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Ezbalath softly asked.

“I remember entering a dungeon to find my sister and making it to the bottom floor.” Akian said looking at Ezbalath. Headaches pestered her as she tried to recall. “I don’t remember how I got there, or much before entering. It’s all just bits and pieces.”

Heat shot through her body, and she reflexively brought her scarred hands together on her stomach. “I died.” Akiana’s voice shook.

Ezbalath nodded. “You did.”

There was an obvious question to ask, but Akiana stared at Ezbalath. The puzzles began to fit together in Akiana’s mind.

“Then, you?” Akiana asked.

Ezbalath nodded.

“Your brother?” Akiana asked.

Ezbalath shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

Akiana’s thoughts raced.

“What happened to the Sigilius Empire? The Emperor?” Akiana felt she knew the answer but had to ask.

“We don’t know. Nothing has really happened yet to provide a clear answer to that.” Ezbalath said. “When I left the Empire-” Ezbalath’s voice trailed, then continued. “I think it’s best to assume the worst.”

Akiana began to sweat, the heat coursing through her body. She knew she had to ask the obvious question: “How am I here? How are you?”

Ezbalath cleared his throat and asked softly: “I want you to think about where you died.”

Akiana stared at Ezbalath. Leading statements, questions. She thought to herself, and her amber eyes grew wide.

Akiana looked away from Ezbalath to the masked man. To Arn. She could feel his gaze. “Who are you?”

“Akiana, they’re-” Ezbalath began to explain.

“I am who you think I am.” Arn interrupted. “I am Arn – The Dark Lord.”

A gust of cool air pricked at Akiana’s warm exposed skin. Her mind went blank. She felt anger well into a pit in her stomach, fueled by the heat in her body, yet she didn’t feel it grow any further. Instead, she composed herself. She needed answers.

“Your sister is not here.” Arn said. “Neither she nor Ezbalath’s brother.”

Akiana looked at Ezbalath who simply sighed and nodded, and then slowly returned her gaze back to Arn.

“I have a number of souls here on this floor.” Arn said. “Souls that Ezbalath came along with. They are the only ones I am aware of. I can’t fully explain how, but I am certain that neither are here. Not on this floor at least.”

He could be lying. Akiana thought.

“I have no reason to lie to you, Akiana.” Arn answered as if responding. “I brought you here because I need you.”

Akiana’s mouth contorted into a mocking smirk. “What do you need me for?”

“From what Ezbalath was telling me you are an exceptional fighter. Enough of one that the Sigilius Emperor gave you a title. I need someone to help my army.” Arn answered.

“Why would I do that?”

“Well, I suppose you don’t have to.” Arn said. “It would be a mutually beneficial agreement. When we come across your sister – I can revive her. In the meantime, you can help train and lead my army.”

“You think she’s dead?” Akiana retorted.

“It’s hard to imagine she isn’t.” Arn bluntly responded.

Akiana grew quiet. A silence filling a momentary pause. Akiana then sighed, the heat pressing through her veins. Her gaze stuck to Arn, but she felt another gaze on her. Gelicarus on the right stared at Akiana as if attempting to punch a hole through her skull.

“No.” Akiana said. “I’ll find her on my own.”

 Ezbalath’s soft expression contorted into shock, and Gelicarus’s into a simmering anger.

“Very well. If that’s what you’ve decided, then I will honor it.” Arn said.

Surprise also took hold of Akiana. That was a quick response. Does he really mean that? Akiana thought to herself.

“When can I leave?” Akiana asked.

Arn chuckled behind an emotionless mask: “You’re not being confined here. You may leave whenever you feel you’re ready.”

Akiana shifted her legs under the sheets and pushed to her left. She pulled the sheets off herself and sat on the edge of the left side of the bed.

“Good. I’m feeling stiff and need to move.” Akiana said.

Akiana placed her feet on the stone floor, the cold seeping into her toes, and she stood. To her surprise, and seemingly everyone else’s, she had little trouble doing so. She felt light now that she was on her feet.

“I’m not going to rush you out the door. If you’d like, I just renovated this room’s facilities. There are private bathrooms to my right and towards the back of the room.” Arn said.

Akiana pulled on the front of her gown and sniffed. “I’ll take you up on that.”

Ezbalath stood out of his chair, his expression having softened but clearly still touched in hints of worry. “I’ll get you some clothes.”

Arn looked at Gelicarus and then back at Akiana. “Gelicarus and I will give you some privacy. If you need either one of us, we’ll be around.”

Akiana nodded and looked at Gelicarus - his eyes watching her every move.

All three exited the room, passing by several other separate rooms on their way out. She watched them leave, then sighed and caught her breath.

I guess I’ll use the bathroom like I said. Akiana followed the separate rooms down until reaching the bottom side of the facility. There she found a common area with comfortable looking chairs and tables, as well as a small kitchen settled against the wall. On the other back side of the facility, she found a wooden door and a sign etched into the stone wall: “Bathrooms.”

Stepping through the doorway, Akiana found herself in a hallway. Iron sconces lined the wall closest to the facility, and the other a line of doors. Ten doors, Akiana counted. Each door seemed to be of the same wooden material as the entry door but also had accompanying signs etched into the stone walls next to them. Each sign read: “Unoccupied.”

Strange signs. Akiana wondered to herself. I wonder if they change when I go into one. Akiana looked at the door directly across from the entry, pressing on the black iron handle, and entering. Latching the door behind her, she looked around inside the room. An overhead iron chandelier lit the room, its tender flames licking at its housing. The room seemed larger than it appeared on from outside, as to leave room for everything to breathe without seeming close to one another.

Several key items took hold of Akiana’s interest. The elaborate oval mirror and accompanying sink. When she turned one of the handles of the sink, warm water emptied itself out of the spout and down through a pipe. The toilet could be sat upon, its seat soft and warm, and made of black marble. The key feature of the toilet Akiana found, however, is its ability to be flushed. At the bottom of the toilet water sat and could remove any waste by flicking on a small metallic handle on the side of the toilet, and through what appeared to be more metal piping. Akiana couldn’t help but feel shocked and could barely contain herself from using it. So, she quickly utilized it. Before she stood, however, she noticed a similar handle above the flushing handle. She pulled on it and water shot out of the toilet at her butt.

Akiana stood immediately, and to her surprise the water shut itself off right after. What in the name of the Sigilius Emperor was that?! Akiana screamed internally and rubbed her exposed butt. She shook her head and moved on from the toilet.

Cut inside of a cluster of smoothed rocks at the back of the room, the bath could be walked into. The rocks appeared to be fused together enough, and smoothed enough, that Akiana hardly caught on any of the facing. On the right side of the bath, a similar set up to the sink, but with a larger spout, stuck onto the rock. She turned one of the handles, and the warm water emptied into a smoothed out stone interior. The interior was deep enough for a small plateau to form a ring on the outside of the interior for sitting.

Above the bath, something Akiana especially didn’t expect to see, and jetting out of the wall is a small silver coated pipe which led to a circular head spout. Akiana turned on the handles on the wall, and water gushed lightly from tiny spouts of the circular head. A large smile planted on Akiana’s pale face. “A shower!” Akiana gleefully said aloud.

Akiana tore off her white gown and stood inside the bath. The warm water lightly washed over her scarred pale skin, pouring through the crevices she allowed for it to lightly fall over. It brushed aside her damp hair, coating the pale blonde fibers in soft water. She could feel her stiff grogginess fade away with the water that drained below. Congruently, she filled the bathtub with warm water and turned off the shower. She sat down on the ledge lining the exterior and allowed the warm water of the bath to ease her other sores.

 Akiana stared up at the shower overhead. Technology like this was rare in the Sigilius Empire. I remember the sweeping reforms the emperor made to try to combat diseases. Showers were commonplace in the capital but rarely seen outside of it. Akiana tilted her head towards the toilet. No idea about the shooting water. She felt a chill run up her spine as she thought about it.

Several knocks came from the locked door, and a muffled voice asked: “Akiana?”

“Ez?” Akiana spoke up.

“Yeah, I’m leaving you some clothes outside the door. We don’t have a lot on hand when it comes to fashionable clothes, but I think these will do. If not, well, either way just come to see me when you’re done. I’ll be in the Smithy.” Ezbalath’s muffled voice trailed and sounded as if he was leaving, but then his voice returned from behind the door: “Oh, sorry. You probably don’t know where that is. Take a right when you go out into the main hall, follow that until you come to a crossroads. At the crossroads take a left. You’ll know which room it is from there.”

Akiana silently listened but realized once Ezbalath was done speaking he had left. She soaked for a little while longer after, then got out of the bath. She grabbed a white towel, its fluffy texture brushing between her fingers, and dried herself off, then wrapped the towel around herself to cover up. She unlatched the door and peeked outside into the hallway. A pile of clothes sat just beyond the door on the floor, and with no one in sight – she picked up the clothes and relatched the door.

She set the pile of the clothes down on the ramp leading to the bath. Two articles of clothing immediately took hold of her attention: a shapely article that appeared to be for supporting her breasts, and the other a lower piece of garment. Akiana first picked up the black piece that appeared to be for her breasts, lifting and tugging it over her head. It snuggly embraced her breasts, the straps over her shoulders thick and the article reached to just under her breasts and snuggly against the lower part of her chest. Then Akiana picked up the black lower garment and wore it tightly with a snapping sound. The lower garment resembled a pair of very short pants, pressing on her butt and stopping upwards just below her belly button. The lower part of garment stopped just above the middle of her thigh.

Akiana looked at the mirror just above the sink and examined the garments in the reflection. She felt free in them, a smile crossing her lips, and twisted her body to look at her own contours. This is amazing! I’ve never seen this type of clothing before! I always got such bad rashes with just tight pulled up shirts and pants when I wore my armor. Akiana smiled widely, and did a twirl on her right foot in front of the mirror. She placed her hands on her hips, some of her wet pale blond hair sticking to her right chin, and stared at the mirror. Her smile quickly faded. Her scars engraved her pale skin.

Something flew past her - her breath caught in her throat. She could smell smoke. She could taste it. Akiana coughed, choked on it, her voice sounding like she was in a tunnel. She felt heavy. Armor clung to her body. Screams echoed in the distance, then suddenly were all around her. She held something in her right hand. A scream ran towards her and she moved. The sword in her hand pierced through the scream with a wet crunch. She moved it further in – the movement becoming easier as she moved the sword slightly back and forth. Something moved over her fingers gripping the sword. Blood. A fireball soared overhead through the sky and towards her right.

“Akiana?” A meek voice called out.

Akiana turned towards the voice. “Alicia?” Akiana said looking at the person standing in the doorway. The young woman’s pale figure starkly contrasted with the black of the open door, her long pale blond hair disappeared behind her back, and a set of light amber eyes stared back. Alicia smiled; a necklace hung around her neck, pale silver with a small piece of metal resembling a sword at its center. Alicia screamed and disappeared into the open doorway.

“Alicia!” Akiana screamed into the mirror.

Akiana’s disheveled face stared back at her, her knuckles white as they gripped the sink. Her eyes grew wide and she pulled away. She fell into a kneeling fetal position, wrapping her arms around herself and gripping her back. She felt her hands tighten their grip, her nails beginning to dig into her skin beneath the material of her garments.

Akiana took drawn out breaths, inhaling through her mouth and exhaling through her nose. “I’m okay.” Her shaking voice said. She could smell and taste smoke as she inhaled through her mouth.

A few moments passed and Akiana stood. “I’m okay.”  She said with more confidence. She turned to the ramp of the bath and the remaining pieces of clothing. She picked up a long sleeve white cloth shirt, a pair of black leather pants, a brown buckle belt, and a pair of black buckle boots. They’re all in my size. She thought to herself in surprise. Each article fit perfectly and comfortably. Well, Ezbalath would have a rough idea considering he was my armorer.

Akiana hung the towels she had used on the racks in the room and picked up the gown she had worn, then exited the room. She went into the hallway and looked back at the sign next to the door.  The stone warped from “Occupied” to “Unoccupied”, the letters changing like moving clay. Moving away from the sign, she entered through the other door and into the facility. There she walked back to her room, the sheets unmade next to the other made beds, and placed her gown on top of the bed. She lingered for a moment before walking along the rooms to the exit the others had used.

Exiting the facility, Akiana stood just outside the entrance. She looked to her right and left, attempting to remember what Ezbalath had said to her. She turned to her right and walked down the hallway. The enormity of the hallways reminded her of the roads in the capital of the Empire, the stone of the floor a calculated spacing of grey stone which made it easy to walk upon. Iron sconces held back the licking flames of the light upon the walls that lit the way forward. She walked for some time before coming to the crossroads Ezbalath had mentioned.

She heard it before she could see it, a banging rang out with activity to her left. Akiana followed the sound, following the hall left, and coming upon a large opening in the wall. Heat poured out through the opening, pluming in great gusts, and through the gusts she found Ezbalath pounding away upon a piece of steel. Her eyes wandered from Ezbalath to a moving white silhouette beyond. Skeletons moved in rhythmic pounding and pouring, billowing steam of water pouring and cooling steel. The belly of the beast.

Ezbalath turned away from what he was working on, and spotted Akiana. Sweat fell from his grinning face, and he walked to a nearby iron rack. There he pulled from the rack a large sword – a great sword of immense heft. Sigils ran the length of the blade and even the wrapped black leather of the hilt. The cross guard plumed outwards and up to catch blades or pikes, and the pommel a large steel ball etched as if it was a blooming flower. Ezbalath hefted the great sword over his right shoulder and approached Akiana.

Ezbalath took the sword off his shoulder and placed the hilt in his right hand, his left hand under the flat of the blade. “It’s not going to be like your old one, I had more time for that one, but I think you’ll like this one.” Ezbalath said and held out the sword.

Akiana took hold of the hilt, feeling the magic running through the sword, and lifted it from Ezbalath’s grasp with one hand. Ezbalath took a few steps back, and Akiana closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, and clasped the hilt with both hands; one on the end near the pommel and the at the top. She swung horizontally, and then vertically. It moved in her hands like a normal sized long sword, utilizing both magic and her own strength to swing the blade.

“You’re right, it’s not the old one.” Akiana released her breath. Then looked at Ezbalath with a smile. “But its more than I could ask for. Thank you, Ez.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve heard you thank me for my work.” Ezbalath smirked.

“Does it still have that one ability the old one had?” Akiana asked.

Ezbalath’s smirk became a smile. “Of course, that’s what you were known for right?”

Akiana looked the blade over and nodded.

Ezbalath moved towards a nearby workbench, and took from it a band of leather and a knife holstered on a belt. He walked back over to Akiana and held out the items for her. Akiana took the belt with the knife and slung it around her waist. Then took the band of leather, the holster for the great sword, and slung it from her right shoulder to under her left shoulder. Buckling the strap over her chest, she took hold of the great sword, moving it over her right shoulder, and into the holster; the cross guard catching the leather holster.

Ezbalath also returned from the workbench with a pair of black leather vambraces and black gloves, which Akiana gladly put on.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make your armor in time.” Shame shook Ezbalath’s voice.

“It’s more than enough, Ez.” Akiana said.

A moment of silence passed between them, Ezbalath looking as if he wanted to say more but couldn’t find his voice.

“I better get going. Thanks again, Ez.” Akiana said before turning towards the entrance.

“Akiana.” Ezbalath started saying. Akiana stopped and turned back at Ezbalath. “At the crossroads take a left and it will take you to the exit of this floor.” He paused again before saying: “Whatever you see out there, just know that you have a friend here.”

Akiana nodded and walked out into the hallway.

At the crossroads Akiana took a left towards the exit. After walking for a few moments, she realized there would be little change in her view. The enormous “road” of the hall extended dimly beyond in the horizon of the light of iron sconces. The sword on her back barely hovered just above the floor below, lightly thudding against the stone every so often. Her boots echoed in the shadow she cast upon the hallway – the only sound next to the fires of the sconces. Minutes discounted themselves in the back of her mind fixated on finding her sister. Yet, beyond in the dim horizon – another image filled the hall.

Akiana walked down the center of the hall, avoiding the presence of the others. Rows upon rows of skeletons armed with spears and shields lined either side of the hall as if awaiting an order. She watched them as she passed with some anxiety, but none stirred. There has to be thousands of them. Akiana thought to herself. She became more confident in that thought as the minutes drew further and further in time, never once going without the rows of skeletons.

Beyond the skeletons, and after an hour’s time, she came upon a large room accompanied by a large gate. It looked like a rest area for a guard station, several beds partitioned themselves from each other off on the sides of the room. In the center of the room a large chunk of the floor floated and beamed off a blue light that appeared to be a map. Near the map five skeletons hovered, armored in black iron plate that covered only the forearms, chest, head, and calves. They backed away from the map, and a figure draped in black that she failed to notice – turned to her.

“Akiana.” She could hear the Dark Lord’s smile in his speech. “You arrived at the perfect time.”

Akiana approached the Dark Lord and watched as the five armored skeletons backed further away from them.

“This is the exit to the next floor?” Akiana asked, scanning the room.

“This is it.” The Dark Lord replied. “I was just about to leave. I have some business on the next floor. I was wondering, since we’re both going the same direction, if you would like to travel together?”

Akiana sternly gazed at the Dark Lord. Was this planned from the start?

“Fine. Let’s go.” Akiana curtly replied.

“Great!” The Dark Lord said turning to the map. With a wave of his hand the blue hue disappeared, and the floor returned to its normal state. The Dark Lord then stretched his left arm outwards, turning back to Akiana – gesturing for her to lead.

Akiana stepped by the Dark Lord and the gate opened before them. Beyond another hall stretched into a dimly lit horizon.

Akiana stepped into the hall, and the Dark Lord followed.

I’m coming, Alicia.