Final Death

[Orlan]

A thump was heard as the aged bard Usuiai struck his fist against the door to the tavern. The oak door swung open roughly, bouncing back when it hit its limit. The patrons of Loaren’s Tavern swung their faces about with the intrusion of noise. The children that were huddled around the large, brick fireplace all had the same expectant look on their faces. They were all trying to get a better look at the old bard, their eyes aglow. Usuiai took a moment to shake out the folds of his cloak, letting the rain that attached itself to him drop to the floor. With a slow hand he shut the oak door behind him, latching it shut.

 

The old bard took in his surroundings for a moment, savoring in the attention. The children of Arani were already prepared for the story that Usuiai was laying out in his mind right now. The annual harvest festival came only once a year, and every year for the past ten brought Usuiai to Loaren’s Tavern on the final festival day. Every year for ten years Usuiai told one of his tales to the townsfolk of Arani. Not many remember why he started, or why he always returned every year, yet not a one argued with the royal bard’s decision.

 

Usuiai spent a great deal of his life in the larger cities, from Milanka to Ryviar, entertaining the royalty, highlords and upper class of society with his tales, songs, poems and every other form of entertainment he could muster. Usuiai was one of the best. Luckily for the townsfolk of Arani, age had not affected his abilities in the slightest.

 

A large man, his hair as red as the crackling fire, walked over to Usuiai while wiping his hands on an apron. He stopped a few steps from the bard, towering over the bent, old man. He looked down with a great smile across his face and held out his hand to Usuiai.

 

“Good to see you again, Master Bard. Your cloak?” Usuiai grinned up at the massive man.

 

“Of course, Toamas,” Usuiai replied, removing his dripping cloak and handing it off to the tavern owner. Toamas took the cloak over and hung it from a peg, giving it a good shake beforehand. Usuiai then made his way over to the large chair that was positioned next to the fireplace. The children, about fifteen of them, surrounded it in a half circle. They ranged in age, yet they where the younger of the townsfolk. Their elders sat at the various tables strewn behind them, drinking and eating softly. They too, were waiting for Usuiai to begin his tale.

 

With a quite unceremoniously plop, the old bard sat in the large chair, letting out a sigh of satisfaction. One of the bar maids came over with a large tankard and Usuiai smiled up at her graciously as he accepted the tankard. He took a sip from it and grinned, half to himself and half to the tankard. He then set the tankard on the arm of the chair and looked down at the children. All their faces where painted with the exact impatience. They all wanted the story that Usuiai was putting the finishing touches on in his mind. Usuiai chuckled.

 

“So what will it be this year?” he asked them, leaning forward in his chair. “I could tell the tale of Floriaye, the Blade Mistress, or maybe of the fall of Orgardom. I ran across a wonderful off-color telling of the marriage of a milk maid and a blacksmith, too.” At once the chaos broke out.

 

“No! You promised…” said one of the children.

 

“You told of Floriaye three years ago,” came a voice right after the first.

 

“You said this year you’d tell *his* story!” a small boy in the front said.

 

“We’ve waited all year-“ started another.

 

“We’ve been GOOD!” interrupted yet another.

 

“Please…Mister Usuiai,” came the voice of a small girl in the front. Usuiai swung his head around so his eyes locked with hers. The little girl immediately looked to the ground, apparently too shy and mumbled nearly silently.

 

“Hmmm?” Usuiai said, turning his ear to the girl. “I didn’t quite catch that…” The girl turned five shades of scarlet in an instant, blazing like the fire behind Usuiai. Looking sheepishly up at the old bard the little girl spoke just over a whisper.

 

“You promised…you’d tell us the story about Taleth the Black.” Usuiai made himself look surprised to hide the smile he had. He mockingly slapped a hand to his forehead.

 

“Oh my!” he said with great exasperation. “If I promised a great lady such as yourself that then I absolutely MUST keep my word. One does not simply break his promises to women. That is just ungentlemanly!”

 

Usuiai’s ears perked up when he heard a soft yet amused grunt. He was old yet the many years he had spent training to be a bard had heightened his senses. He was nearly sure that no one else heard the grunt from the man who sat against one of the outside walls. The light from the fire was not enough to light anymore then the outline of the man. Usuiai wondered why his senses went off with that man. He shrugged internally and turned back to the children. Their faces were painted in anxiety. Usuiai’s own face broke into a great grin.

 

“Now then…Taleth the Black…where to begin…I wonder,” Usuiai began. “Well right off, there’s no one who knows exactly where Taleth came from. Quite really, there is no one alive from his time, for as I’m sure you all know, Taleth the Black is immortal.” Usuiai paused for dramatic effect. “A cold blooded, murdering immortal.”

 

 

“Taleth was the worst kind of lot. He was a murderer for hire…an assassin. He killed without care, and many think without remorse. The most sickening part about him was that he never failed. He was the most wanted man in the four kingdoms. The list of his crimes was far too long to list; yet, a list was not needed. Nearly the whole world lived in fear of one man. He eluded bounty hunter and soldier with ease. He could slip anywhere. He was the best of a deranged breed. Yet Taleth’s previous crimes where nothing compared to his final mortal deed.” Usuiai took a drink from his tankard before continuing. All eyes where focused on him.

 

“Queen Rysabella was possibly the greatest ruler the kingdoms had. She brought peace where war was fought, and saved lives where death ensued. She ruled with the power of the Crown of Life, and was loved and adored by almost all. Unfortunately, one did not love her. This despicable creature remains nameless to the kingdoms, yet all know his deed.” Usuiai looked around the room with stern and cold eyes, adding to the anxiety. “He hired Taleth the Black. Rysabella, the Great Queen, was the target…and Taleth did not even blink twice.

 

“On a dark night, in the beginnings of the fall, Taleth the Black slipped into the Holy City, and up to the heavily guarded castle. Without trouble, he moved through the shadows and into the Great Queen’s room. In the dark of that night, he took out his dagger, and committed the most heinous of murders. This,” Usuiai said with heavy pressure, “was the final death the gods permitted Taleth the Black to make. For whatever their reasons, they decided Taleth needed to be taught a lesson. Yet I do not think that the gods could have expected the outcome.

 

“The guards outside the Great Queen’s room heard a roar of pain and immediately rushed into aid their ruler. What they saw was burned into their memories forever. Floating in the air, facing one another, was Taleth and the body of Queen Rysabella. The two were bound together by pulsing tendrils of light that glowed a brilliant blue. Taleth was howling in pain, yet the Queen floated limp, obviously dead.” Usuiai sighed and took another drink as one of the younger girls sniffled sadly.

 

“In an instant the tendrils broke and the light vanished and the two bodies dropped to the floor. Queen Rysabella’s body crumpled limply when it hit, while Taleth was able to gain footing as he landed. For a moment nothing happened. The Crown of Life slipped off Rysabella’s head and rolled shortly before it too fell to the ground. The guards moved instantly. With a swing of his axe, a guard caught Taleth off guard for the first time ever. The axe cut the air swiftly, aimed dead center at Taleth’s neck. The blow was enough to shatter stone,” Usuiai stopped. His hands where spread out before him in a mystic pose. The children, and a few of the older ones, where leaning in waiting for what they knew was next. Usuiai let the moment drag on for a good moment of suspense before continuing.

 

“The axe shattered upon impact. Taleth remained unmoved. The guard’s momentum slammed him into the assassin and the guard bounced back like he hit a solid wall. The other guards who had reacted with their companion where once again frozen. Most could not believe what they had just seen, for truly, it was impossible. Taleth seemed as stunned as the guards, yet his face was soon twisted in horror. He stared at Rysabella’s body, yet he did not stare down at it, but rather right above it. He took a step back; the guards said he was shaking. Whatever he saw filled him with an intense amount of fear. So much fear, in fact, that he shocked the guards by turning and sprinting towards a window that he leapt out of…and down over a hundred feet to the cold, hard ground.

 

“Rumors spread like wildfire in every direction. Taleth the Black was immortal. He could not be killed. Some evil men even started lies that said Taleth was blessed with immortality by the gods for freeing the lands from Rysabella’s rule. A barrage of rumors floated about, yet, they were only rumors. Taleth was never caught. From that day very little was heard about him. No one knows exactly what happened that night and every night after save Taleth himself. Yet most, myself included, believe the gods meant for this to be a punishment for Taleth. Yet one can not say if it worked or not, and frankly, I doubt anyone would want to ask Taleth about it…don’t you agree?” Silence answered him. Usuiai smiled and took a drink from his tankard, finishing it off. He had told a superb story. The entire place was enraptured with the tale. One boy was looking at Usuiai with skepticism in his eyes.

 

“That would make Taleth over one hundred and fifty…if he was still alive,” he said. Usuiai turned to him and nodded.

 

“No one know how old Taleth was when he killed the Great Queen, so no one can give an accurate measurement of his age, but he is still out there, young lad.” Usuiai replied. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but the door to the tavern shot open with a loud bang. In walked four soldiers, armored in the style of the Great King. Behind them walked a shifty eyed man, with a black cloak draped over his shoulders. He looked with disgust at the shabby tavern and then to the people who all stared back at him.

 

“So this is where the townspeople of Arani had fled,” the man said. He cleared his throat and spoke in a louder voice. It sounded much like a weasel. “I am hereby authorized to extract from the people of Arani the taxes that they seem to think they need not pay. This is by order of his majesty, the Great King.” The older folk broke out in argument after a moment of silence. The taxes that the Great King enforced where nearly ridiculous. The town of Arani had refused to pay them. This entourage was obviously here to collect. Usuiai sat back and sighed regretfully as the arguing began. Something caught his eye after a minute.

 

The stranger who had first caught his attention stood up. Usuiai watched him as he reached into his cloak and set a small silver coin on the table to pay for his drink. He wore a traveler’s cloak and the hood was up. It was still slightly wet, meaning he had just stopped for a drink before Usuiai had arrived. The old bard watched him for some strange reason with an undying curiosity. The stranger started walking towards the door when Usuiai suspected, the tax collected first realized the stranger was there.

 

“You there!” the weasel man said. “You cannot leave until you pay your taxes to his majesty!” The stranger did not seem to notice, or care for that matter. He continued walking to the door. One of the guards reached out and took hold of the stranger’s arm, stopping him.

 

The man looked down at the guard’s grip on his arm and then looked up at the guard. His other hand came around and with a flick of his wrist he slammed his palm into the soldier’s breastplate with enough force to dislodge his grip and send him flying backwards out the door. The other guards drew out their swords and the townspeople backed out of the way. One soldier raised his sword and swung down on the stranger, to little avail though.

 

The stranger’s arm came up and deflected the sword with his forearm. In a smooth motion the stranger reached into his cloak and pulled out his own sword and sliced the soldier across his stomach. The guard fell with a cry while another jumped at the stranger. The stranger leapt at the soldier and sliced him right under the bottom of his helmet, slitting his throat. A gurgled yell accompanied this soldier as he fell to the floor in a shower of red. Without a glance behind him the stranger swung his sword around and landed it in the final soldier’s chest, piercing his breastplate. The soldier fell to the ground with a clang of finality.

 

People stood frozen in fear. This happened so fast no one could have reacted if they would have wanted. The stranger bent down to a soldier and used one of their cloaks to wipe his blade. The tax collector became scared. He looked around quickly as he the stranger stood up again. A dagger slipped out of the tax collector’s sleeve and he grabbed the little girl who had reminded Usuiai earlier. The girl let out a yelp that caused the people around them to jump.

 

“Nobody move!” cried the weasel man as he placed the dagger against the crying child’s throat. “Nobody move or she dies!” He was talking to the townsfolk who had reacted, but mainly to the stranger. The stranger sheathed his sword and looked back.

 

“Then kill her,” came the stranger’s voice. It was hard, cold and made Usuiai feel uneasy. It was also apparently final as the stranger turned to the door and started walking out. He took three steps and then stopped suddenly. The weasel man flinched, pressing the edge of the dagger into the child’s throat a bit, causing her to cry out louder. Usuiai moved himself to the edge of his chair, readying himself to jump but froze when the stranger stopped.

 

With slow and seemingly irritated movement, the stranger looked to his left, at nothing. He stared there for a moment before letting out a growl. His hand flashed movement an instant before the weasel man went rigid. He then fell back to the ground with a dagger protruding from the middle of his skull. The little girl turned back and stared in horror and then ran to her mother, who picked her up and held the crying child close. The stranger walked stoically back to where he had been sitting and reached into his cloak and set a gold coin next to his silver.

 

With the eyes of the tavern on him the stranger turned back around and made for the door. Before he stepped out into the rain he stopped and turned his head halfway back and spoke in the same cold voice he used before.

 

“Taleth,” the stranger said, “is one hundred and eighty seven.” With that, he stepped out into the pouring rain, leaving the tavern silent, save for the sound of the rain and the whimpering of a child.

[Orlan]

The warehouse rooftop was quiet in the still night. Dayane was being extra cautious tonight. Milsan’s warehouse was one of the more guarded storehouses in this part of town. She trod lightly and hoped that her other three companions did the same.

 

The bells of the Holy City of Aline reverberated thrice through the night, indicating midnight. After the echoes of the bells died, Dayane heard the poor imitation of a lark whistle that confirmed what the bells had just sang. It was midnight, and the time to act was now.

 

Dayane crept across the rest of the roof to the southern edge of the building. She kneeled to the end of the roof and glanced down, overcoming a wave of vertigo, and got her bearings. On the street below her, Dayane saw a line of trash that was spread across the street in a straight line. She moved her position so she was looking straight down on the trash.

 

After a quick look around and down to make sure she was alone, she unwrapped the length of rope from around her waist and began lowering one end down. The end had a medium sized metal ring attached to it, which made a soft clinking noise every time it came in contact against the stone building. She lowered it slowly until she felt gentle tugging that indicated the ring had reached the hands of her companion. She fed out the rope until her hands touched a large knot in the rope. She gripped the knot in her hands and waited.

 

Her gaze turned up for those minutes. She saw peeks of a crescent moon through the cloudy night. The Gods had blessed this night for the resistance, thought Dayane. She sighed to herself and looked towards the center of the city, where the Grand Castle stood. Torches lit up the castle through the night, causing an almost magical glow to surround the castle. The Tower of Rysabella stood prominent in this view. The windowless stone pillar was topped with a torch that never went out, no matter the weather.

 

 

Dayane was snapped out of her focus on the tower by a long pull on the rope. The pull was followed by the poor imitation of a lark again. The soft barking of a dog followed this lark imitation. Dayane made a mental note to rethink the cal sounds when this was all over.

 

Standing, Dayane inhaled deeply a few times. She slowly shuffled backwards until the rope became taut. She then took a few more deep breaths and twisted the rope around her leather gloves, tightening her grip and keeping the knot directly in front of her hands. She took another few breaths and resolved herself. She grimaced once and took off for the edge of the roof, holding her breath.

 

With a leap she left the edge of the roof, holding the rope very tightly in her hands as she sent herself sailing through the air. When she left the edge of the roof she forced herself to spin around so she was facing in the opposite direction. As she distanced herself from the warehouse the rope tightened and jolted her so she stopped moving horizontally, and started falling down to her predetermined target of the second story window. Dayane sailed down at the building, right at the darkened window. She braced herself just as she flew through the window when two massive hands reached out and grabbed her.

 

Dayane’s eyes shut tight and she let go of the rope as she felt herself being caught. When she stopped moving she opened one of her eyes and looked directly at an enormous bicep that was placed around her face.

 

“You all right?” came Ioran’s soft voice.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

 

“O’course,” Ioran said as he relaxed his hold on her, letting her slip out. Dayane kneeled down to try and get her breath back as the door to the room she had just slipped into opened and Galland stepped in. He had on black leather breeches and a black tunic, which made him look slightly ridiculous since his skin was about as white as a ghost.

 

“Let’s get moving,” Galland said, pausing to look around outside the door. He opened the door all the way and tossed to Dayane her leif-sword, a thin bladed short sword that was her most treasured possession. She gave the leif-sword an affectionate hug and attached it to her hip. Galland gave her a roll of his eyes and shake of his head. Ioran stepped around Dayane and crept towards the door. Dayane could clearly see the outline of his muscles in the low light. Ioran rarely wore a shirt, especially on the hot summer nights, yet Dayane figured it was more to show off then anything else. Dayane, however, did admit that Ioran was very easy on the eyes.

 

Dayane slipped behind Ioran, stalking quietly. Galland led the two of them down a hall, creeping quietly himself. The three moved swiftly down the empty corridors. Dayane started to get a bad feeling. Things usually went smoothly, but the warehouse seemed empty. Dayane put her senses on high alert, trying to hear anything and everything she could. Galland lead them to a door at the end of the hall and paused, waiting. A moment later the three of them heard a set of footsteps creeping towards them. Dayane watched as their last companion wavered into view as the footsteps stopped. Rilav appeared, dropping the illusion of his shadowcloak.

 

“You’re late,” Dayane whispered to the wizard. Rilav nodded in agreement.

 

“I went looking for some guards, but I couldn’t find any.” Rilav looked over his shoulder back where he had just come from. Dayane noticed the suspicious tone in his voice. She suspected that she was not the only one with strange feelings about how perfect this night was flowing.

 

“I don’t like it either,” Dayane agreed. “Let’s all keep on our guards.” The other three nodded their agreement. Dayane motioned for Galland to go ahead. Galland slipped a lock pick out of his boot and set about picking the lock one the door before them. The chest they where looking for was just beyond this door. Dayane had watched Milsan for a few months and knew how he prepared his monthly bribe to the crown. The gold would be sitting in a chest, prepared today at the end of the day and to be sent at first light tomorrow when the Grand Castle opened its gates. Dayane wanted that money instead, and she was determined to get it tonight.

 

A click sounded as the door fell ajar slightly on its own. Galland slid the lock pick back into his boot and listened at the door for a moment. With care, he pushed opened the door and turned back to Rilav. The wizard shut his eyes and promptly wavered and vanished. Dayane felt the wind of a passing body brush against her as Rilav moved through the door. The other three waited patiently until Dayane heard Rilav’s soft footsteps again. He wavered back into view shaking his head and mouthing curses.

 

“Twelve,” Rilav said after a moment. “Six of them are playing dice, three are watching the room, one is asleep and the other two are talking. What do we do?” Dayane thought for a moment.

 

“I need to see them first,” Dayane said. Rilav nodded and opened the door fully. There were some large crates directly in front of the door, blocking it from the view of the room. Rilav waved his hand and Dayane crept into the room. The wizard pointed to an opening in the crates where Dayane could see into the room. She slipped by him and watched as he wavered and disappeared out of the corner of her eye.

 

Dayane moved toward the opening and looked around the crates cautiously. Her eyes danced from guard to guard, making mental notes as to their positions. However, when she reached one of the guards her breath stopped. It was Milsan.

 

 

Dayane spun around muttering a silent curse, which was soon joined by a string of non-silent curses when she saw Ioran and Galland standing with knives at their throats.

 

“Well, well, well,” came an all to familiar voice. Dayane’s teeth grit as her gaze went up to the most pathetic and sniveling sorcerer in the Holy City. “Today looks like a good day for me,” Ippiden said, an evil grin on his face.

 

* * *

 

 

“I wouldn’t feel so sure of yourself, Ippy,” Dayane said. She, Galland and Ioran had been brought into the open and surrounded by guards with weapons drawn. The three faced Milsan, Ippiden and the guards.

 

“You seem to forget who has the power here, Dayane,” Ippiden said, emphasizing her name with scorn. The second rate sorcerer stood with a look of contempt and Dayane had to resist the urge to walk up to and slap it off his face. Dayane crossed her arms and grit her teeth again.

 

 

“You have about as much power as a blind mouse, Ippy,” Dayane spat. Ippiden was visibly angry now and stretched out his hand at her, crushing the air. Dayane immediately fell to the ground, he throat being slowly crushed. She scratched at an invisible set of hands around her neck, trying to break free and get some air. Milsan stepped in at this part, slapping Ippiden’s arm down and breaking the spell.

 

“Stop that!” he shouted at Ippiden. “The bounty is for them alive, they’re not worth anything dead.” Ippiden growled but did nothing else. Dayane coughed and sputtered a few times, getting her breath back. When she was doing this she felt the wind brush against her, like someone was walking by. She placed a hand down to look like she was trying to steady herself and held out three fingers. Ioran’s growl answered Dayane’s signal.

 

“You’re pathetic, Ippy. You’re just a lackey for your master and the king,” Dayane said between coughing. Ippiden looked as if he was going to lash out at her again, but Ioran caught him, and everyone else off guard. Ioran let out a guttural roar that stunned everyone for an instant. The instant was all Rilav needed. Dayane’s eyes shut tightly and her eyelids where flooded with an intensely bright light. The instant the light vanished, Dayane’s eyes shot open and she drew out her leif-sword in mid spin. She sliced out at the guard nearest her, dragging the tip of the blade across his unprotected chest. The guard fell out of the way and Dayane sprinted out of the room, the sounds of her companions followed.

 

Dayane ran down the hallway to the room that Ioran was in. She leapt through the door and skidded to a halt. Galland was right behind her and kept running, right out the window and to the rope that was hanging there. Rilav was right behind him when he started climbing down. Dayane turned in time to see Ioran come through the door with a few guards on his heels. Ioran immediately slammed the door shut and reached over to pull a cabinet down in front of the door to hold off the guards.

 

“Go!” he yelled at Dayane. She didn’t need any more encouraging then that as she shimmied down the rope. Ioran came down right after. The moment he hit the ground Galland tossed a dagger up at the rope, cutting it at the top.

 

“What now?” Rilav asked as the rope fell behind him. Dayane took a quick glance down the street as a group of city guards started running at them.

 

“Split up, and meet back at base!” Dayane shouted as she turned and started running the other way. She started running down a street here and there, slowly distancing herself from the three or four guards that where perusing her. Dayane had nearly gotten herself out of the view of the guards when she rounded a corner.

 

She spotted the person a moment too late and only had time to brace herself to tumble with them. To her surprise, and pain, she hit the stranger and bounced back, like she had hit a wall. She landed and scraped her hands on the ground with a yelp. She was about to look at her wounds when she heard the stampede of the guards catching up to her. She looked up and saw them bearing down on her. She was rather surprised when the first one went after the stranger that she had just bowled into.

 

The guard sliced at the stranger with a wild strike considering how fast he had been running. The stranger sidestepped it easily. The next guard had reached the two of them and lunged at the stranger. The stranger sidestepped again, but this time he showed amazing dexterity when he brought up his hand to hit the underside of the blade, popping it out of the guard’s grasp. The guard kept going forward in his lunge as the stranger fluidly took hold of the sword’s hilt and stabbed the blade into the back of the guard’s head.

 

The stranger was moving by the time the last two guards got to him and he sliced one of them open with a quick sideswipe and deflected the attack of the other one with a downward parry. With a flick of his wrist he jabbed the point of the sword into the guard’s wrist and with another flick the sword jumped up and slit the guards throat. At this time the first guard had recovered and was having second thoughts about attacking seeing as what just happened to his companions. The moment of hesitation was all the time the stranger needed as he tossed his pilfered sword right at the guard, sinking it into his chest with a sickening crunch.

 

An instant was all it took for the stranger to kill four of the city’s guards. Dayane was frozen there, half kneeling, half laying down, her eyes locked on the stranger. This man had short black hair, and a simple face. Nothing about him stood out to Dayane. Nothing except the cold, calculated way he had just slaughtered four people. She watched as he slowly looked around and then started walking away. Dayane clamored up to her feet and ran towards the stranger.

 

“Hey wait!” she called out, though not wholly knowing why. The stranger stopped and turned halfway swiftly, causing Dayane to stop short. She did not really want to be too close. The stranger looked at her with a level gaze and Dayane could feel the questioning coming from him. “Um…you know you just killed the town guard?” The stranger glanced back at the guards and then at Dayane.

 

“So?” he said. His voice was not very loud, but it was rigid, and as cold as the killing he had just done.

 

“So?” Dayane repeated. “So you better come with me, or else you’ll get tossed into the dungeon!” The stranger inhaled a single contempt laugh and turned and started walking away again. “Do you think you can take on ALL of the city guard?” Dayane said to him. He continued walking. “I can offer you protection!” Dayane realized how utterly stupid that sounded a moment after it came out. The stranger didn’t seem to need protection. Dayane started walking after him now. “Maybe not protection, but we would use your skills! We work for a noble cause!” The stranger continued walking. Dayane was trying to think of something to get this man’s attention. She was sure she could get him to help her if she had some times to work on him. He was an amazing swordsman, and the resistance needed people like him, especially now. Then, like a gentle whisper in her ear, she heard what she needed. Money. “I can pay you!”

 

This got the stranger to stop. He spun around and looked at her, causing Dayane to stop suddenly, frozen in his gaze. But it didn’t look like he was staring at her, but rather just over her shoulder. Dayane was sure it was just the lowlight and the torches on the street that where playing tricks on her. She did see the stranger’s lips as he mouthed a nearly silent whisper. Dayane had to strain her ears and still didn’t hear anything. The stranger stood there for a moment, a very long moment, before he let out a growl.

 

“You can’t afford me, little girl,” the stranger said. Dayane held back the counter for the “little girl” remark.

 

“What do you know of how much money I have?” she asked. She didn’t really need to pay him. She was sure that she would be able to guilt him into helping the resistance once she had some time to work on him. She was confident with herself on that matter. The stranger whispered something again and then turned around and started walking away again.

 

“No! Don’t go!” Dayane shouted after him. The stranger paid her no heed this time though. Dayane thought about going after him again but by then she heard the sound of more guards coming her way, and she knew she had to leave now. She let out a soft sigh and took off down the street once more.

[Orlan]

The tavern of the Roasting Spit was alive and quite rowdy for so late in the evening. Dayane easily slipped in unnoticed as always. The loud caroling and rowdy behavior in the tavern made it hard to focus on anything. Dayane made her way to the kitchen door and she waited there for a few moments until a rowdy blacksmith made his way to the stage. Then, to the delight of the drunken crowd, he started reciting a bawdy limerick. With the full attention of the crowd on the planned distraction, Dayane moved through the doorway.

 

She moved through the kitchen and down a back hall to the wine cellar. The cellar was quite large, maybe even a bit excessive for an inn of this size, but it was never questioned or suspected. Dayane moved among the racks of wine until she came to a half full rack of high quality mead. She gripped the rack and pulled. The rack and a section of the stone wall behind it swung open. On the other side were a door in the floor and a lightstone in the wall. Dayane shut the secret door behind her as she stepped into the opening. She kneeled down and knocked on the door once. After a moment she knocked two more times.

 

 

Silence answered for a moment, and then the door slowly rose up a bit, enough to see out, and then opened fully. Silest popped her blonde head out of the hole.

 

“Dayane!” she exclaimed in a loud whisper. “We were afraid that the guards might have gotten you.” Dayane shook her head.

 

“They came close,” Dayane said as Silest moved out of the way so Dayane could climb down.

 

“Where the boys upstairs able to make enough ruckus to get you into the kitchen without any notice?” Silest questioned. Dayane reached the floor of the basement in an easy jump and Silest closed the door. Dayane turned to Silest who still wore her extremely revealing bar wench outfit.

 

“Yes,” Dayane said with a big grin. “Ganness went on stage and started reciting one of his odes to your chest again.” Silest giggled.

 

“Good. I was beginning to think that he didn’t love me anymore after his ode to Marae’s legs last week.”

 

“That’s good to know,” Dayane said with a wink. “Now let’s go see everyone else.” Silest lead the way as they walked through the various passageways that were under the inn. The caves were lit by lightstones, rocks that where infused with magic to produce light without fire. Rilav’s job as a lightstone maker meant resistance had an abundance of them at their disposal. Silest came to stop at a large door and, following a click, the door swung open to reveal the hearth of the resistance.

 

A fireplace was set in the side of the rock. It was another bonus from Rilav for the fire acted the same as a regular fire, yet gave off no smoke. A fortunate necessity if you were in an underground cave. A long wood table was set into the stone ground with benches on both side and a large chair at the end with the fireplace. Lightstones where affixed into the wall on all sides of the room, and one large lightstone fixed like a chandelier in the ceiling, lighting the cave fully. Galland and Ioran both stood up when Dayane came in; their faces showed they had both been worried. Orthar gave Dayane a warm smile when she came in; the dancing flames of the fire and the soft glow of the lightstone lit up the old man’s face. Dayane went over and embraced the old man.

 

“You look terrible, grandfather,” Dayane said after the brief embrace. “Did he eat his stew today?” Dayane asked Silest.

 

“Of course not!” Orthar said before Silest could answer. “That stuff you made for me would kill a grown bull. I’m not going to suffer that concoction just because you think it will be good for me.” Dayane sighed at the old man with a smile. The old man’s face stayed soft for a moment and then turned hard. “What happened tonight?”

 

“Milsan must have known,” Dayane said, sitting down on one of the benches. Galland and Ioran sat back down. Silest opened a door on the other side of the room and stuck in her head. Out from the door came Rilav and two others. The first was Promeid, one of the many merchants of Aline and the main source of funds for the resistance. Promeid was a large man accustomed to a good meal. The lush life of a merchant did not disagree with him. On the other hand, the second in the door was Navah, a wiry, yet overly jovial bard. Navah had a boyish aura around him that made people trust him implicitly. Dayane had used that aura to her advantage many times, mostly against Navah’s wishes for the lad was not one to lie.

 

“Didn’t you see him leave?” Orthar asked.

 

“I did,” Dayane explained. “I trailed him for a bit and then broke off when I thought he was far enough away.”

 

“Maybe he doubled back?” Galland suggested.

 

“Or was it really him?” Silest added. Dayane shook her head.

 

“It was really him. I watched him for months to get to know his daily routine. I’m sure it was him.” Dayane pursed her lips in thought.

 

“I’m irritated to know that the king will get that bribe as usual,” Navah growled.

 

“If Ippiden was there then chances are that Vestat knew of it,” Promeid said. He spoke the king’s wizard’s name with a great sense of loathing. Vestat was not universally liked.

 

“Maybe,” Dayane mused.

 

“Ippiden and the other appetencies of Vestat often ‘rent’ themselves out to wealthy individuals who need them for some reason,” Orthar explained. The old man sat back in his chair and closed his eyes in concentration. Dayane hated when her grandfather did this. She always felt he looked too serene and peaceful, like he was dead. “Regardless, what happened has happened. We can’t do anything about it. We need to start worrying about what our next move should be.”

 

 

“I’d like to know what went wrong on this raid before I plan another one, grandfather,” Dayane complained.

 

“Milsan saw you.”

 

The voice spoke softly, and since Dayane was already lost in here thoughts, she was the last to react. She spun to the back of the room only to see the stranger she had run into in the street. He was leaning against the wall by a burned out lightstone. Dayane’s heart took a leap. He had rethought the proposition; he was here to help, she thought. Her heart fell sharply when she saw Silest moving.

 

“NO!” Dayane shouted out. It was too little too late. Silest was already committed. Dayane watched as one of Silest’s legs arced upward, aiming for the stranger’s head. Dayane braced herself for what she thought would be Silest’s final breath, but the stranger simply leaned his head to the side and slouched slightly. Silest’s boot came down and struck wall instead of the stranger. That did not stop Silest in the slightest.

 

Dayane had seen Silest practice her moves before, but she was not prepared to witness the next feat of dexterity. Silest spun her other leg up in a kick and placed a hand on the ground to hold herself. The stranger ducked his head, avoiding the kick once again. Silest pulled her legs to her and planted them on the floor, tightening like a spring. When she sprung up she had her slim daggers in both hands, taking a swing at the stranger.

 

This time, the stranger moved first and caught the blade of the dagger in his gloved hand. Then, with blinding speed, he struck Silest across her stomach with the forearm of his other arm. The powerful blow knocked Silest off of her feet and directly into Navah. Ioran was moving by now. The stranger spun the dagger in his hand so he held the hilt and, his eyes fixed on Ioran, let it fly directly at Orthar. The dagger imbedded itself in the wood right next to the old man’s ear. Orthar, surprisingly, did not flinch.

 

“Ioran stop!” Dayane shouted, this time as a command. Taken off guard by both the thrown dagger and the vehemence in Dayane’s voice, the others stopped. “Everyone just stop!” The command was hesitantly obeyed. Dayane walked right up in front of the stranger and looked him directly into his eyes. He had gorgeous blue eyes that did not fit with the rest of him. Dayane was momentarily speechless, but quickly recovered. “What are…how did you get here?”

 

“I walked in,” the stranger said in his cold voice.

 

“Why are you here then? I thought you said I couldn’t afford you.” Dayane voiced the comment with a little bitterness in her voice. She was still angry about the name he called her earlier. The stranger’s eyes bore down on her and she felt suddenly naked. The stranger walked over to Orthar’s chair and reached out his hand. Dayane’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of her leif-sword. Orthar looked up at the stranger. The stranger pulled the dagger out of the wood behind the old man’s head and then turned and walked back over to Silest. He held the dagger by the blade between his index and thumb and then he rolled the dagger over his fingers and offered it, blade first, back to Silest. Silest looked back curiously and stood herself up, ignoring the help from Navah. She reached out and accepted the blade between her last two fingers and rolled it across her hand as the stranger did and sheathed it, and the other dagger, in their sheaths under her skirt.

 

“You can’t afford me, yet I had a infection of conscience. I like to see what I’m refusing before I completely say no.” The stranger looked around at everyone in the room. His face bore little to no expression except for maybe a glimmer of irritation. The stranger turned back on Dayane and sized her up appraisingly.

 

“Six hundred gold,” the stranger said to her. Dayane thought she was hearing things. What the stranger just asked for was nearly impossible for her, or anyone, to come up with. Dayane’s face showed her outrage quite plainly. The stranger shrugged and turned to the door. “I told you that you couldn’t afford me, little girl.” Dayane’s attention came back, angry at the “little girl” remark.

 

“You may be good, but no one is that good. One fifty!” Dayane countered. The stranger turned back and looked at Dayane for a moment and then continued walking. “Grrr. Two hundred!” The stranger continued to the door. Dayane thought about how much money she could scrounge up. Two hundred and fifty gold was about the maximum she thought the resistance could come up with. The stranger stopped before the door, staring at it like it was going to do something.

 

Then Dayane heard something. It sounded like a slap, but no one moved in the room. Dayane, however, swore she saw the stranger flinch. It was barely even a flinch, but Dayane kept picking up strange senses from the stranger, almost as if he was not in full control of his facilities. Dayane did see the stranger ball his hands into fists. The fists looked tight and quite angry. The stranger turned around to Dayane.

 

“Two fifty.” It sounded final. Dayane sighed. This would break the resistance’s money, and Promeid’s face showed his dislike of the amount. The merchant was the main reason that the resistance had any money in the first place, but Dayane felt that she knew that she was doing. At least she hoped she knew what she was doing. Dayane nodded to the stranger.

 

“Two fifty,” she agreed extending her hand out to the stranger. The stranger walked over to her and clasped it, sealing the deal. His grip was stronger then iron. Dayane broke the handshake and turned to Galland. “Go gather it up, Galland. You’ll need to get what’s not in the chest from the gang upstairs, unfortunately.” Galland didn’t look pleased at being told he needed to talk people out of their gold. The stranger spoke.

 

 

“No need.” Dayane turned and looked at him, her eyes wide in question. “You will pay me after the job is done,” he said.

 

“That’s not a good way to do business,” Promeid spoke up before he realized to whom he was talking. He quickly went silent again, fear in his eyes. The stranger looked straight at the merchant.

 

“It’s how I do business,” the stranger said. “Besides, people stupid enough not to pay me never have to worry about gold again.” The stranger cracked his neck and relaxed somewhat. “Our contract starts tomorrow at sunrise.” He turned once again and started out the door. Dayane’s eyes glanced over her companions.

 

“I have two questions,” she piped up. The stranger stopped.

 

“Ask quickly,” he said without turning around.

 

“You slaughtered those guards without a second thought, why didn’t you kill Silest also?” Dayane asked with a logic that made the question sound cold. The stranger looked at Silest.

 

“Your friend is a student of the Uri-van. I respect their art form and refrain from killing them. The second question?”

 

“What’s your name?” In contrast, Dayane felt silly asking this question. She realized that she never got his name before. The stranger walked out the door and started shutting it behind him.

 

“Taleth,” he said as he shut the door. Nothing moved for a few moments.

 

“You’re kidding me,” Navah said. His eyes where alight with wonder. “That was Taleth the Black! Taleth the Black! Here! Praise the Great Queen, my story will be the greatest story ever written!”

 

“I wouldn’t be too quick with your pen, Navah. I don’t think that he was Taleth the Black,” Ioran said.

 

“I’m inclined to disagree,” Silest said, rubbing her stomach. “He did catch my dagger by the blade in his hand. And he hits hard enough to be immortal.”

 

“He could have had iron lined gloves,” Ioran said, shaking his head.

 

“But he moved like lightning!” Navah disagreed.

 

“So does our Silest if you’ll remember,” Galland said. Navah looked like he was planning up a reply.

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Dayane said, ending the argument. “Whoever he is, whatever he is, he has tremendous skill and I plan to utilize that skill. Now then, for the rest of the night you all need to get some sleep. I can safely say this meeting is over.”

 

A little more discussion followed about the stranger but after more stern words from Dayane the others went off to their homes. Dayane felt like a mother hen as she sat down at the table with her grandfather. She let out a deep thigh.

 

“Is he who he says he is, grandfather?” Dayane asked as she stared up at the lightstone in the ceiling. The lights in the stone where swirling around like rivers of water.

 

“He is,” Orthar said. Dayane was a little taken back. She picked her head up and looked at her grandfather, whom was himself staring off into the flames of the fireplace.

 

“Are you sure?” Dayane asked.

 

“Quite.” The old man turned back to his granddaughter and smiled at her. “When I was a blacksmith in the southern country I went to the magistrate to argue the taxes imposed on me. The magistrate was not being helpful when the door opened and that man walked in.” Orthar turned back to the fire as if it helped him remember. “He walked up to the magistrate and killed him right before me. Crossbow bolts flew from the guards at Taleth. The bolts bounced off him like he was solid granite. He calmly walked by me and out the door without so much as a glance.”

 

“If that was him why didn’t you say anything?” Dayane asked.

 

“He told me not to,” Orthar said turning back to Dayane.

 

“When?” Dayane stared wide-eyed at her grandfather.

 

“He slipped in before Ioran and Galland returned. He broke the lightstone and leaned against the wall,” Orthar said with a shrug. Dayane was outraged. The old man knew about him the whole time he was there and did not say a thing, even to his own granddaughter.

 

“How did you see him?” she asked.

 

“I was eating when he walked in the door,” Orthar said matter-of-factly. “The look he gave me spoke enough to make me know he wanted me to stay quiet.” Orthar grunted and used his cane for support as he stood. He looked at Dayane with a warm smile. “In all the stories and myths that surround Taleth the Black, you should remember that he upholds any contract he accepts. You may not think you had a good night because of the Milsan fiasco, but I think you should chalk this up as a good ending, granddaughter. Now do an old man a favor and get some rest tonight, will you?” Orthar leaned over and kissed Dayane on her cheek and rumbled out the door, leaving Dayane to think to herself.

 

Dayane found she agreed with the old man. Tonight did turn out to be a good night.

[Orlan]

Dayane woke early the next day. At least she believed that it was early. The main downside about being the leader of the resistance was the fact that her name and appearance was know to every guard and soldier in the city. She was forced to spend all her free time in the underground network of caves that served as the headquarters for the resistance. She figured in the end it was a small price to pay, but she still was not enthused about it all.

 

Dayane rubbed her eyes and stared up at the lightstone that was placed in the middle of the ceiling of her room. She sat up in her large bed. She was able to reason to herself and others that even though she has to live out of sight, there was no need to live in poverty. As such, her room was lavishly decorated. Her weapon, the leif-sword, was hanging off of the edge of the large mirror she kept in her room. She got herself up, dressed and checked herself out in the mirror. When she was as she liked herself, she belted the sword to her hip and left the room. After a few steps her stomach growled.

 

Breakfast was as it always was. Pilfered from the kitchen upstairs when no one was looking. Although it did happen to be left aside by the head cook, Orik, it hurt nobody to think that she stole it on her own accord. She wolfed down the bits of food. She realized that she was quite hungry, though she figured it was in part due to the giddiness of last night.

 

Taleth the Black! She still could not believe her luck. Sure, the stories painted him as a horrible killer, completely oblivious to any honor other then what one could buy, but he was on their side. Dayane let her mind wander over what she was going to use Taleth for first. She really wanted to get back at Milsan for making a fool of her, but she also knew other places that need to be hit to cause more damage for the king.

 

She was still lost in her thoughts as she moved to open the door to the hearth. To her surprise, the door opened itself before she got there. She was caught off guard as Taleth strode by. The immortal killer gave off an aura of intense power, enough to frighten Dayane into silence. Taleth did not even look at her as he moved down the hall. Dayane regained herself a moment later.

 

“Hey!” Dayane shouted after Taleth. He gave her no response and was quickly swallowed up by the darkness. Dayane looked into the hearth where her grandfather sat looking straight at her. “Where’s he off to?”

 

“We decided to hit Davin’s Armory with a fire,” Orthar explained. “Taleth is going now to stake out the place and look where to set the fires.”

 

“You just decided this without me?” Dayane said. Her voice gave away how shocked she was. She had though she would be able to tell Taleth what to do, not have him making his own decisions.

 

“Taleth made a good argument,” Orthar shrugged. “I’m sure he would have made an excellent merchant,” Orthar added as an afterthought. Dayane did not hear it, though. She was gone from the doorway and in pursuit of Taleth. She figured that she would decide on the way whether to watch Taleth or confront him and give him a lecture of the difference between employer and employee. Only when she grabbed her cloak and started for the back door did she realize that Taleth was right. Savin’s Armory would be the best place to hit.

 

* * *

 

Rain was falling. It was not, by any means, a downpour, but it was enough to keep people in their homes and outdoor vendors to skip a day of work. Dayane enjoyed the rain since it meant she was able to go out into the city and not be immediately arrested or followed. When it rained, everyone looked the same.

 

Dayane had not seen any trace of Taleth. She had not been looking very intensely for him, but she thought she might have seen him somewhere. There were only so many ways to get to Savin’s Armory. She assumed she beat Taleth to the armory when she came to where it was located and the street was empty.

 

Dayane slowed her pace. She strode by the armory, peering though the large glass display window. She glanced around nonchalantly attempting to see if she could spot Taleth anywhere. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. Then the hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end.

 

“They have third rate wares,” Taleth said. Dayane’s head spun to her side sharply and saw Taleth’s face being shaded by his cloak. Dayane opened her mouth to say something. “Keep your eyes forward,” Taleth ordered. Dayane did so.

 

 

She was able to watch Taleth’s reflection in the window. He glided behind her, not seeming to bounce with any steps. There was a dog curled up under an overhang, trying to keep itself dry. Taleth kneeled down next to the dog and reached out and scratched the scraggy dog behind the ears. The dog did not seem to dislike it.

 

“Whisper,” Taleth spoke softly, yet Dayane could still hear what he was saying clearly. “Were you trying to follow me for a reason or is this just a general check up?” Dayane grit her teeth to hold back a snide remark and to keep from speaking aloud.

 

“You don’t seem to understand that you’re being paid by me,” Dayane whispered barely moving her lips. “You work for me, so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t just go off by yourself without saying anything.” Taleth continued petting the dog.

 

“I work for money, not people,” Taleth told her. He stood up and glanced down the street. “You agreed to pay me for my help. This makes me more then just a hired goon that you can order around.” Taleth turned his head and looked directly into Dayane’s eyes. “I’ve been around for a bit longer then you have. I’ve seen things that you couldn’t begin to fathom. If you wish to be successful in what you hired me for, you will listen to what I tell you and take heed in it. If you’re looking for hired muscle, go look for it, I’ll be up and gone.” Dayane meet Taleth’s gaze straight on. His eyes seemed almost vacant right now. They showed no emotion. Dayane narrowed her own eyes as a response to him.

 

“Fine,” she said. “However, I am still your employer, and if you don’t do what I like I will sever the contract and you will not get paid.” Taleth’s eyes glanced over Dayane’s shoulder for a moment and then back at her eyes.

 

“Agreed,” Taleth said. “Now turn around and walk home. I work best alone.” Dayane hesitated a moment but then started walking back. She glanced behind her once to see Taleth give the dog a final scratch and then step into the building.

 

* * *

 

 

Dayane swore to herself as she nearly slipped on the cobblestone. The plans had gone flawlessly for the past two weeks. As much as she hated to admit it, though she never did, Taleth’s plans went perfectly. Two weeks had passed since Taleth was hired and seven separate jobs had all gone flawlessly. Unfortunately, something went wrong this night.

 

Dayane and Ioran were following close behind Taleth, trying hard to keep up. The assassin moved swiftly in front of them making sharp turns around hairpin corners, dodging behind shops and avoiding the few people who were out tonight. Yet, he was obviously not using his full speed since both Dayane and Ioran where able to keep up, as were the guards that where following them. They where starting to pull away from the guards when Taleth took a sharp turn into a house, breaking down the door with his shoulder.

 

Dayane did not hesitate and took off after Taleth, crashing into the house. Dayane launched herself through the door to the house with Ioran a step or two behind. Dayane’s hair was blown back as something whizzed by her face. She spun in time to see one of Taleth’s daggers slice through a leg of the cabinet that was by the door. The cabinet teetered and then fell down right after Dayane, blocking the door somewhat.

 

Taleth crashed his way through another door and out into street on the other side of the house. Dayane caught sight of a guard slamming his knees into the cabinet and tripping over it, crashing into the ground hard. She looked ahead of her in time to avoid running into Ioran’s back. Dayane steadied herself and looked around.

 

Taleth was walking toward a large metal gate that was at one end of the street. The gate towered over the street. It was made of black metal but seemed unable to reflect light back. On the other side of the gate stood a large and looming house. There was candlelight flickering in one of the top windows but other than that, the only light being cast was from the torches that lined the street.

 

Dayane had a sudden aversion to this place. She could think of other places where they could have run. She watched Taleth walk up to the gate and unlatch the lock, breaking a chain that was strewn across the bars. Taleth pushed open the gate and took a step in turning back to the others.

 

“Let’s go,” he said, more of an order then anything else. Dayane looked from Taleth to the house behind the gate and shook her head.

 

“Why are we going here?” she asked. “There has to be better place to go. The guards still aren’t too far behind us, we should use this time to gain a greater lead on them, not hide in some witch’s house.” Taleth’s eyes went sharp.

 

 

“What do you mean by ‘witch’s house’?” Taleth said. Dayane did not know what she meant, but her lips seemed to move of their own accord.

 

“The people just say this old house belongs to some witch. They stay away from it, that’s all. I just think we should get a greater distance from the guards since we have the time.”

 

“If it’s kept empty by old wives’ tales of a witch then the guards won’t look for us in here,” Taleth said. Dayane just shook her head. She did not know why, but she certainly did not want to go in this house.

 

“I’m NOT going in there, and that’s final,” Dayane said. “Now lets get going before the guards catch up to us.” Taleth glanced to his left at nothing and then turned to look back at the gate. He said something to himself and glanced at Ioran.

 

“Do you feel the same way?” Taleth asked the big man. Ioran nodded. Taleth started walking away from the gate. He stopped in front of Dayane turning his head a bit in her direction. Dayane did not see Taleth’s hand until after she was struck across the face. The backhand slap was solid, but, as Dayane had witnessed several times before, it was not Taleth’s full strength. Dayane’s jaw dropped and her hand went to the side of her face. She stood there gawking at Taleth.

 

Ioran roared and leapt at Taleth, most likely without thinking about the consequences. Taleth had already turned and was walking back at the gate. Ioran went to grab Taleth but completely missed him when the assassin vanished and appeared an arms length to the left. Taleth reached out a hand and hit Ioran on the back when he was off balance. The big man continued forward and stumbled into, and then through the wrought iron opening. Taleth strode calmly behind him.

 

It took a moment but Dayane regain composure enough to be nearly enraged at Taleth and stormed after him, forgetting all aversion she had to the witch’s house. Taleth had reached the old rotted door to the house when Dayane caught up with him. Ioran was standing beside Taleth fuming, yet to unsure of himself to do anything. Dayane grabbed Taleth’s shoulder and attempted to turn him to face her. Taleth did not move until he turned himself.

 

“What was THAT for?!” Dayane yelled at the assassin. Taleth glanced at the gate and then locked eyes with Dayane.

 

“Why didn’t you want to go through the gate?” Taleth asked. Dayane snapped back from her anger and spun around to look at the gate. Nothing had changed with the gate, but Dayane no longer felt any aversion to this wrought iron gate. In fact, Dayane had no idea where the witch story came from. She had never heard it before, even though she knew the story. She spun back at Taleth but he was already moving through the doorway. Ioran glanced at Dayane for instructions. Dayane rubbed her cheek and shrugged and stepped in after Taleth. Ioran followed.

 

The house was as dilapidated from the inside as it was from the outside. The front door opened out into a hallway that ran from left to right. Taleth started walking to the right and pointed his hand to the left, indicating that Dayane and Ioran should go that way. Dayane drew out her sword and crept along the battered hallway. The building looked like it had been unused for a hundred years. She stepped over a skittering spider and winced as the floorboard she stepped on creaked loudly.

 

Ioran poked his head into a room and looked around as Dayane took a step around a corner right into a candle. Dayane stopped herself from colliding with the old woman who was right before her, holding the candle. The old woman let out a yell and suddenly her staff came down on Dayane’s forehead.

 

“Who are you!? Get out! Get out!” she yelled as she brandished her staff before her. Dayane nearly fell back into Ioran, who steadied her with his hand. Dayane shook off her shock and stared at the old woman. The disheveled old woman looked like she was the witch that was ripped right out of a child’s story. She had a long crooked nose and her skin was old and withered. Her bony hands clung to a wood staff and her black robes were wrapped loosely around her.

 

“Hey! We’re not here for any ill purpose…” Ioran began. The old woman’s staff came around wildly again and Dayane and Ioran ducked to avoid the end.

 

“No ill purpose! HA!” the old woman cried out. “Come-to-steal-my-gold purpose is more like it!” With that she swung her staff wildly again. Once again the pair ducked to avoid it.

 

“Hold it, old woman, we don’t want any trouble,” Dayane said, sheathing her sword and raising her hands. The old woman seemed not to acknowledge the gesture of peace.

 

“Trouble?! I’ll show you trouble when I turn you into a frog!” The old woman went to swing her staff again but it failed to move like it had gotten caught on something. That something was Taleth, who stood a step behind the old woman with his hand on the staff.

 

“We both know you can’t do that,” he said to the old woman. Her hands let go of the staff instantly, as if it was suddenly on fire. She spun to Taleth and took two steps back from everyone, her eyes suddenly moving decisively over the room.

 

“Taleth,” said the old woman. Yet when she spoke this time, her voice was not that of the crazy old woman who just tried to bludgeon Dayane and Ioran to death with her staff. This time her voice was younger, and more vibrant, even commanding. “You are not someone I would have thought I’d see again so soon.” Dayane watched the old woman stand herself up straight. She did not look like an old witch anymore right now.

 

“Time passes, Mellara,” Taleth said, tossing back the staff. The old woman caught it deftly. “You seem oblivious to it as usual.” Dayane stared at Taleth first and then the old woman. Taleth called her Mellara. Mellara was the name of the Royal Sorcerer when Rysabella was Queen. When Taleth killed Rysabella, Mellara vanished soon after and many thought that she had gone after Taleth herself for revenge, for the Queen was her friend as well as her ruler. They seemed, at least to Dayane, to know each other well enough to have spoken before. Maybe the stories where true and Mellara did catch up with Taleth.

 

“Time will continue to flow whether or not I pay it any heed, Taleth,” the old woman responded. “You should know that since we’ve both stepped from its flow.” The old woman took a step forward. When she moved, everything around her seemed to wash away like she was standing under a waterfall. The black cloth she wore wavered into nothing, and her face seemed to vanish. In the old woman’s place stood a woman who looked like she had seen her thirtieth year just yesterday. Her face looked flawless, with her dark eyes focused on Taleth. She had thick brown hair down to her knees, with a gold ring holding it back at the nape of her neck. She had a dark violet dress on that looked nearly black with the midnight black cloak she wore over it. The staff that once looked like a gnarled piece of discarded tree had morphed into a sleek staff of silver with a golden serpent wrapped around the top end. “Why are you here Taleth?”

 

 

“Seemed a logical place to hide. Your wards are still up, I see.” Taleth folded his arms over his chest and returned Mellara’s gaze. Mellara closed her eyes for a moment and then turned to Dayane and Ioran. She lingered on Dayane for a moment.

 

“I see you’re still crafty enough to get around them, I assume you were the one who slapped her,” Mellara said to Taleth. The assassin nodded back. Mellara sighed and then suddenly Dayane’s cheek felt much better. In fact, all the pain in her body seemed to subside. Ioran’s surprised grunt confirmed that he too felt better. “I ask again, Taleth. Why are you here?”

 

“I’m on the job, Mellara,” Taleth said with a glance at Dayane. Mellara turned again to Dayane, this time giving her a longer look.

 

“This little girl hired you?” Mellara asked. Dayane was getting irritated at everyone calling her a “little girl.”

 

“Among others, yes. It was not fully my decision. You know how she gets when she comes home.” Taleth’s voice was subdued and soft. Dayane wondered what Taleth meant by her coming home. Mellara apparently understood since she nodded her head and glanced around.

 

“Well, since you’re all here anyway, let’s go downstairs to someplace quiet. The guards that were just repelled by the wards…I assume they were after you?” Mellara asked. Taleth nodded. “Well they’re gone now. Follow me.” With a flourish of her dress and hair, she turned and started walking away. Taleth followed and, after a glance back at Dayane and Ioran, they followed too.

[Orlan]

Vestat, Royal Sorcerer of Aline, sat upon his magic throne staring into the divining pool before him. His moustache was neatly trimmed and his hair was combed back behind his ears. The tiny gemstones in his royal robes sparkled in the light emitted from the pool. Vestat’s cold eyes sparkled like the gemstones of his robe. He watched his puppet king atop his own throne as advisors surrounded him.

 

The king was more then half dead. Vestat had long been destroying his mind and his body to the point where he would be child’s play to control. As it was now, Vestat’s magic was all that kept the king upright. Pulling the king’s strings, Vestat caused the old body to yawn and reflect the sorcerer’s boredom. Vestat was not really paying attention to the conversations that the advisors where having with the king. Because of this, Vestat jumped when he head an unexpected name.

 

“…say Taleth the Black is one of the men, Your Majesty! Will you not do anything about this?” Kaern demanded of the king. Vestat pulled his magic with him when he sprung up to look more attentively into the divining pool. His puppet was caught in the same magic and leapt to his feet, causing a moment of alarm with all the advisors.

 

“What do you mean Taleth the Black is one of the resistance?” demanded Vestat through the king. Kaern grit his teeth, biting back whatever was his immediate rebuke.

 

“As I have said, Your Majesty, my guards have reported that none other then Taleth could be the one working with the resistance,” Kaern said. Jonal, the king’s intelligence advisor, gave Kaern an exasperated look.

 

“I think you’ve been taken in by this rumor that the resistance is cycling around. Taleth the Black would not show up all of a sudden. And I assure you that I’d know about it if it was him.” Jonal enjoyed looking down on the young military advisor, Kaern. Kaern level his gaze at the fat old man.

 

“Perhaps you would know, but it so happens the two spies you where trying to infiltrate into the resistance turned up dead on the banks of the great river,” Kaern said with an edge. “Dead spies tell no tales.” Jonal growled. “And I know my men, Jonal. They’ve defended this city against enough threats to know if someone is not a usual nobody.” Kaern turned back to the king. “Your Majesty, I’ve had reports from a dozen separate guards. They report that swords bounce off of this man, he can deflect arrows and bolts without a worry and has killed more men single-handedly then the entire resistance has in the past year. I stake my job on this. Taleth the Black is working for the resistance.”

 

Vestat’s mind churned quickly as he formulated how to use this to his advantage. Regardless of whether this man was the Taleth the Black he claimed to be, he could be a great asset. The stories all told that Taleth the Black worked for the greatest power, money. Vestat laughed to himself and sent the king about the job of having Jonal set up a meeting with this Taleth the Black.

 

* * *

 

 

The room that Mellara lead them to was amazing. They had walked for several minutes down many stairs before coming to a large oak door. Raising her staff, Mellara tapped the golden serpent against the door. It responded to her push by opening on its own.

 

Mellara ushered them all into the room beyond and touched her staff to the door again, closing it. Dayane stared at where she had just come through. She knew she had walked down stairs, yet the door was sticking up from the ground, as if they had just walked up. Dayane decided not to ask about that and instead turned her attention to the room they just entered.

 

Shelves of tomes, jars and various other tools of the occult lined the high walls. Tables of different sizes and shapes where all about the floor. Mellara lead them through the tables to another door on the far side of the room. The door opened itself before they reached it and they blindly followed Mellara through. The door shut after Taleth, who was taking up the rear, had stepped through. Everything was plunged into darkness. After a moment two lightstones illuminated the place where the group was standing. Three winged-back chairs stood facing a fourth. Mellara sat in the fourth, legs crossed, hands folded in her lap. Her staff was leaning against the side of the chair. Dayane looked around the room and saw nothing. It was as if nothing existed beyond the chairs and the lightstones. Everything was black.

 

“Sit,” Mellara urged, indicating the three chairs she was facing. Taleth sat in one, and after a moment of hesitation, Dayane and Ioran followed suit. As Dayane sat, Mellara’s eyes focused in on her. Dayane stayed uncomfortably still as Mellara regarded her for several moments. “So you’re the thorn in Vestat’s side,” Mellara said, breaking the silence.

 

“Yes, I am,” Dayane said feeling defiant. Mellara smiled softly.

 

“It’s funny to see Vestat get so unbalanced over one little girl.” Dayane silently grit her teeth. She did not like the trend of calling her a “little girl” lately.

 

“Are you friends with Vestat?” Dayane asked with edge in her voice. Mellara’s expression remained the same.

 

“I apologize, child, maybe ‘see’ was not the proper word. Any sorcerer with half a mind can feel when Vestat goes off on one of his tantrums. Spells can be felt easily when one uses them in anger.” Mellara let out a gentle laugh. “The resistance causes Vestat much anger. I think what gets him the most is that you’re a woman as well. He’s not much for equality among the sexes. It’s why my appointment angered him so long ago.”

 

“Oh,” Dayane said, not really sure how to react now. She was saved from making an immediate decision because Mellara shifted her gaze to Taleth. The assassin locked eyes with the sorceress.

 

“Well?” Taleth asked. Mellara sighed after a moment.

 

“Nothing,” Mellara replied. Taleth gave off no reaction.

 

“I assumed as much.” Taleth glanced at Dayane who was staring at the assassin with a questioning look.

 

“You seemed filled with questions to which you have few answers,” Mellara stated. Dayane turned back to Mellara was who once again watching her, a soft smile across her face. “You may ask and I will answer what I can.” Dayane felt like her tongue was suddenly freed from its prison and questions came to her from everywhere.

 

“Why are you here? And why are you so civil with Taleth? Everyone knows that you went after him when he killed Rysabella. For that, why are you sill alive? Why is Taleth? If you know what’s going on in the city why do you stay secluded here rather then help out?” The last one Dayane surprised herself on and almost apologized for it, but Mellara’s smile did not falter at all, in fact, it became a grin.

 

“I see I was right. You where full of questions.” Mellara’s smile faded and she took on a more serious expression. “Very well, I will answer what I can. What I am doing here is the last command Rysabella ever gave me. I am civil with Taleth because, aside from his poor attitude, I have no strong reason to dislike him.” Mellara held up a hand to stay Dayane’s tongue. “Yes, I am aware of what history has to say of him, yet do you get angry at the arrow that strikes you down, or do you put that anger where it rightfully belongs, on the one that shot the arrow. Taleth simply did what he was hired to do. While I do not like what he did, I know better than to hold a grudge against him for it.

 

“After that fateful night so many years ago, I did find Taleth yet I found no reason to punish him anymore then he was already punished. I will say no more then that. As to my life, the forces of magic give extended life to those who respect it. I am far from immortal, yet time does not affect me like it does the rest of you. Taleth on the other hand, is…special.” Mellara seemed to be grouping for words to describe what she was going for. Dayane found this less then enthusiastic from someone who has probably lived many more years then her own short lifespan.

 

“It’s difficult to explain really. Taleth cannot be killed by any mundane means. Much more then that, I so not know.” Mellara paused. “Now as to your last question, I said I was down here as per the Queen’s last command. However, there is also the fact that there is nothing I can do on my own. The world of politics works with a completely different magic then the kind I possess. Undermining certain factions, bribing, assassinations, and manipulation. These are all fine things, yet they’re not something I possess an affinity for. And while I am quite formidable in battle, I alone cannot take on all of Vestat’s apprentices. And if I did win, what would I do then? I don’t want to rule.” Mellara let out a sigh and leaned back into her chair.

 

“However, since you’re here,” Mellara said glancing at Taleth. “I assume there is a plan in motion and I am apart of this plan.” Taleth chuckled once, lightly. It was one of the few moments of true amusement that Dayane had seen in Taleth.

 

“Good to see the years spent down here haven’t dulled your wits, Mel,” Taleth replied.

 

“You have a plan?” Dayane asked Taleth. The assassin turned in his chair and leaned forward so he could see her.

 

“Of course I do,” he answered the question as if Dayane was foolish for assuming anything otherwise. Dayane became angry.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me you had one when I asked?”

 

“The plan was useless without Mel. Once I made sure she was still around I’d let you in on it,” Taleth explained.

 

“I have little choice?” Mellara asked Taleth.

 

“She said you’d do it,” Taleth shrugged. She who? thought Dayane.

 

“Ah, of course,” Mellara nodded as she spoke. “I assumed you had her help with the plan. Now that I think about it those strikes that where made where far too meticulous for you.”

 

“I’m hurt,” Taleth said in his flat, unemotional tone.

 

“Who are you talking about?” Dayane asked, finally speaking up.

 

“A brilliant strategist that Taleth has an interesting relationship with,” Mellara said. Dayane could tell the sorceress was holding back something aside from just the individual’s name. She was about to try and pry the name out of Mellara when Taleth spoke up.

 

“She suggests the Crown of Life,” Taleth said, freezing Dayane’s tongue and causing Ioran to almost fall out of his chair.

 

“I thought she might,” Mellara said, her smile spreading across her lips again. Dayane stared at her, jaw half open. The Crown of Life. The magical crown that granted the wearer the ability to rule over all the land. Dayane’s mind started dancing over the possibilities of what could be done with the crown. Starting a revolution against Vestat and his puppet king would be simple if she had the Crown of Life as her rally flag. Nearly every citizen in Aline would answer the call of the possessor of the crown. However, the crown was magically sealed in the Tower of Rysabella and no one has been able to touch it since it was placed there.

 

“She has some things that she needs to speak to you about though,” Taleth said to Mellara. Mellara thought for a moment and nodded to him. She turned to Dayane and Ioran.

 

“Would you two be so kind as to wait outside for a moment?” Mellara asked in a voice that sounded less like a question and more like an order. Dayane wondered why she could not meet this “strategist” that Taleth knew so well. A thousand probabilities went through Dayane’s mind at this point, yet Mellara’s voice had left little room for anything other then obedience. Dayane and Ioran stood up and the door they came in magically appeared. After the two of them had walked through the portal, the door closed behind them.

 

“Something seems a bit too secretive,” Ioran said. Ioran, as Dayane had found out many times, was overly cautious. “I don’t like plans being formed without me that involve me. Are you sure you know where his loyalties lie?” Dayane knew he referred to Taleth.

 

“His loyalty is to himself first, Ioran,” Dayane said, taking the free moment to walk around and let her eyes take in the wondrous things in the massive room. “Then it’s to the money I’m paying him. I didn’t trust him at first but Orthar put my fears to rest. I may not trust Taleth completely, but I trust Orthar.” Dayane said this to Ioran, but she was having her own doubts about this plan Taleth was following. Mellara had made mention that the attacks seemed to show something more then just simple attacks. Dayane wondered if Taleth had this planned all along and his act thus far was all a façade. Everything seemed so out of her hands right now. Dayane did not like that feeling.

 

“Hmph…” Ioran muttered, in a non-committal way. Dayane silently agreed.

[Orlan]

Mellara’s help was as much a boon as Taleth’s was. Everyone in the resistance was shocked at the vast amount of wisdom and skills that Mellara possessed. Even Rilav, the resistance’s lead sorcerer, was too amazed to be jealous of this new sorceress. It was because of this that when both Taleth and Mellara vanished for periods of over a day, no one would bat an eye. It was one of these days that Vestat received a visitor.

 

* * *

 

 

Vestat watched in his divining pool as the man who claimed to be Taleth walked into the king’s meeting chamber. The two elite guard tensed up when the stranger slammed the door behind him. Vestat had the king send away all his advisors except for Jonal, his intelligence advisor. The man who claimed to be Taleth walked into the center of the room and stood, eyes fixed on the king. He wore a black cloak that was folded tight around his upper body, hiding his arms and hands from view. He had short black hair and cold blue eyes. He did not bow.

 

“What do you want?” he said without bothering to honey up his speech. Vestat began to think that he could easily get to like this man, regardless of who he really was.

 

“I want to know a few things, and I believe I have the right,” the king said. “This is my city after all.” The man made no reaction.

 

“You can ask all you like,” the man said. Jonal cleared his throat.

 

“You would do well to address him as ‘your majesty’ and treat him with the proper respect he deserves,” Jonal said. As in response, the guards hidden throughout the room loaded their crossbows with audible clicks. Once again there was no reaction.

 

“Ask, or I leave,” the man reiterated. Jonal was about to say something when the man emitted a “mewing” sound. Vestat’s eyebrows came up, and the king mimicked in kind. The man reached under his cloak and pulled out a tiny, ragged kitten. The thing looked like it had not eaten for a week, and its coat was wet with rain. The man set down the kitten by his feet and the thing immediately walked a few feet in front of him and sat down, looking around nervously.

 

“And this is…?” Vestat asked through the king.

 

“Something I found on the way in,” the man said. “Your time grows short and my patience grows thin. Ask.”

 

“Fine,” the king said, dismissing Jonal’s protests with a wave of his hand. “Are you Taleth the Black?” Vestat could see that this man was not going play along with any word games so he decided to skip all the pleasantries.

 

“Yes,” the man said.

 

“It’s an easy thing to claim that when you can offer no proof to back it up,” Jonal said. A crossbow bolt was fired from the back of the room, aiming straight at Taleth. The kitten meowed and Taleth’s hand came up behind him to strike the bolt away. The bolt ricocheted off his palm and went directly into the neck of one of the elite guards that flanked the door. The guard crumbled in a heap. The other elite jumped into action but was stopped by the Taleth’s cold stare. Vestat, and thus the king, laughed heartily at this show of strength.

 

“You’re lucky I didn’t have a better angle to hit it with,” Taleth said, turning back to the king. Vestat was not fazed at all by this. Of course killing the king would not do anything to hurt Vestat’s rule.

 

“Yes, yes,” the king began. “Threats from both sides get us nowhere. After that display I can only say one thing: Will you work for me?”

 

“I’m already on a job,” Taleth said. “Afterwards you are free to find me.”

 

“Bah!” the king said. “The resistance offered you what? A Hundred? Two Hundred?” The old king laughed aloud, a slightly sickening sound. “I can offer you tens of thousands.”

 

“So?” Taleth said.

 

“So!” the king said repeating Vestat’s words. “So I’m offering you an obscene amount of gold, and all you need to do is end your contract with the resistance!”

 

“That’s poor business,” Taleth said, his face still cold.

 

“But it’s worth the money!” Vestat said. This was what the sorcerer had feared. Taleth was loyal to money but he also seemed to have some misguided loyalty to his current employer. Vestat became irritated when Taleth did not respond to him this time. His mind began filtering through the ways he could get Taleth to go back on his contract. His thoughts where interrupted by the meowing of the kitten.

 

Vestat’s eyes instinctively drifted across his divining pool to the kitten. His mouth dropped agape when he saw that the kitten was sitting still, its head tilted so its eyes were looking directly at Vestat. Vestat’s eyes glowed blue as his shifted his gaze to the spectrum of magic. The kitten was no ordinary feline. It gave off a blindingly white aura. This was a sorcerer of immense power.

 

“Breaking a contact is a sign of weakness, Vestat,” Taleth said. Vestat’s gaze shifted swiftly and now Taleth was also looking up at him through the divining pool. In contrast to the blindingly white light, Taleth was the deepest black. A color that Vestat had never encountered before. “If that’s all then I’ll be off. I have things I need to do.” Vestat watched as Taleth bent over and picked up the kitten and turned to walk out the door. The kitten’s eyes never left Vestat.

 

Vestat quickly looked for possibilities. He began to gather magic up to strike against Taleth, but was stopped short when the kitten’s eyes began to glow red in the magic spectrum. Vestat was not going to take a risk against any sorcerer who could turn red in the magic spectrum. Demonic power was not something everyone could handle. Vestat had attempted to once and it nearly cost him his life. Vestat let his power go as he watched Taleth walk out the door. Vestat flicked his wrist and sent out a magic alert to his students. They where to report to him immediately. Something had to be done about this Taleth. And it had to be done soon.

 

* * *

 

 

“Well played,” Mellara congratulated Taleth as they stepped out onto the street. Rain was coming down hard now and Taleth put the little kitten into his cloak once again. “Yet it still smells in here. Take a bath.”

 

“Yes, Ma’am,” Taleth replied with no vehemence.

 

* * *

 

 

Dayane was unable to get much sleep. She was torn between anxiousness and doubt as she lay staring up at the ceiling. It was just past noon but tonight was the night when they where going to try for the Crown of Life. Taleth and Mellara had laid out their plan a few days ago. When they returned from one of their disappearances they gathered most of the resistance together to explain how they where going to steal the crown. Dayane thought the plan was a little too dependent on Taleth’s and Mellara’s parts, yet she did think the plan could work. However, that did not make it any easier to sleep this afternoon. She had sent all the members who where going to be involved to bed to get some rest before tonight. Too bad she was unable to take her own advice.

 

Dayane sat up in bed and resolved that she was not going to get to bed any time soon. She pulled on her robe and decided to take a walk to see if she would be able to clear her head. She walked out the door and proceeded down the hall, her feet making no noise on the cool floor. Halfway down the hall she stopped suddenly, hearing voices coming from a room on her left. A room Taleth occasionally used. Good sense was overruled by curiosity.

 

“Is that what you think or is it what she thinks?” Dayane heard Mellara say. The voice was far from a whisper but was hard to make out through the thick door. Dayane pressed her ear hard against the door to hear more clearly.

 

“It’s what I think,” Taleth responded. “I’d rather just kill Vestat outright and go from there.” Dayane heard a short laugh.

 

“You would solve everything by a murder,” Mellara responded.

 

“Assassination,” Taleth corrected. “Murder is what it’s called when you kill for the pleasure of it.” Dayane listened to a few moments of silence and then listened as a glass or something was set back on a table.

 

“I don’t think people put as much difference between them as you do, Taleth,” Mellara said. Dayane heard some muffled whispering, probably Taleth speaking under his breath. Dayane strained to try and make it out but Mellara’s voice overpowered it again. “I know your aversion to it, Taleth. You haven’t exactly had the best experience with it, yet that’s not a viable reason to toss out a perfectly workable plan.”

 

“I know, Mel. You have no idea how much I’ve heard about this plan ever since she caught wind of the resistance.” Once again Dayane wondered about this person that Taleth and Mellara talk about so familiarly. Taleth sighed loudly. “I should have cut that drunks throat before he blurted out about the resistance. Ignorance, not knowledge, is more often accompanied by bliss.”

 

Dayane knew that saying. It was something that Orthar used to say to her. It was his explanation about why the people of Anlise never rose up against the oppressive king. After hearing that for her younger years she was set upon doing something to stop all the oppression. However, from Taleth’s mouth, the adage had an ominous tone.

 

“If you would just explain to me why you’re so against it, I’m sure we could figure out how to alleviate your fears.” Mellara seemed to be fishing in the conversation for something. Dayane was curious to know if Taleth would bite or not.

 

“You’ve been trying the past hundred fifty years to whittle information about that night from me, Mel. One would expect you to understand that I won’t tell you who hired me.” Taleth sounded exasperated.

 

“And for the next hundred fifty I will continue to ask you until I find out,” Mellara replied stubbornly. “I have a lot of patience, Taleth. I will find out who it was and they will pay for what they did.” Now it was Taleth’s turn to laugh.

 

“She’s been rooting around for over one hundred and fifty years and she hasn’t been able to find out who it was, do you think you have any chance?” Taleth said.

 

“Yes, I do,” Mellara said back.

 

“Suit yourself, but by the time I tell you, I can assure you they’ll be dead or dying,” Taleth said. Dayane listened uncomfortably to the silence that filled the next few moments. Taleth spoke up again to break the stillness. “I do what I’m paid because that’s why I’m paid, Mel. I have no reason to be loyal to anyone beyond the job.”

 

“Then why are you doing this now? I’ve know you to ignore her for years on end,” Mellara asked. Dayane noted the mysterious “she” popping up again.

 

“Even evil needs a vacation now and then,” Taleth replied. His voice had no mirth in it, though. There was a quiet moment and then some shuffling. Dayane pressed herself against the door to see if she could hear more. When she thought she heard something, part of the door exploded out at her.

 

Dayane pulled herself backwards, raising her arms to try and shield her face, bracing herself for a barrage of splinters and shards of wood that never came. Dayane stumbled back and fell down undignified onto her rump. She peeked cautiously over her forearms and saw half of the door exploded away. All the shards and slivers from the door where floating in mid-air. They where not moving at all. Beyond the door in the room Mellara stood, her eyes focused on Dayane’s.

 

“Eavesdropping is something that childhood should have droned out of you, little girl,” Taleth said as he stepped through the broken door. The splinters and shards all suddenly went up in a puff of flame as did the rest of the door. They disintegrated into nothing. Taleth stepped across the hall and pulled out his dagger that was stuck blade deep into the stone wall. The same dagger he just threw through the solid wood door. He turned on his heel and stalked down the hallway before Dayane could say anything.

 

“He’s really a people person,” Mellara said with a mysterious smile. “You just need to get to know him more.” Mellara offered her hand to help Dayane up. “Now go to bed, you need to be awake tonight for this to work.” Dayane found she did not have the voice to argue.

[Orlan]

Taleth and Dayane loitered about in front of the Foaming Ale, a seedy bar despite its proximity to the Royal Castle walls. It was well past midnight and the bar was beginning to toss out the remaining drunks and close for the night. Taleth and Dayane seemed to just be another pair of those drunks. Dayane walked over to where Taleth was leaning against a warehouse.

 

“When are supposed to go again?” she asked him, her voice low. Taleth glanced up once at the half moon that barely lit the night sky.

 

“The four guards on this part of the wall will soon be called away, or at least waned down to just one or two,” Taleth explained. “When that happens then we’ll make our move.” Dayane let out an impatient sigh. She did not enjoy the waiting game at all. Taleth, on the other hand, made no indication of any impatience. Dayane only became more impatient because of that.

 

“I don’t like waiting and doing nothing while others are risking their lives,” Dayane said, mostly to herself.

 

“I can’t say anything for any of your people,” Taleth said. “But you can put your faith in Mel. She’ll get her part done easily.” Dayane nodded, but she was still unsure. Fortunately, though, she was now too excited to be nervous.

 

* * *

 

 

“Excellent, Ippiden,” Vestat congratulated his student. “Did this man say where he came across this information?” Ippiden stuttered for a moment and thought fast but was unable to offer an answer. Vestat gave him an angry look. “Let me guess, you forgot to ask him?” Vestat growled to himself and turned away from Ippiden without bothering to look at him again to see if he was right in his assumption. Still, it was good news.

 

 

“Bring the man into the interrogation chamber and rip the name from his mind if you have to, I have work to be done.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Ippiden said as he turned and nearly ran out the door. Vestat paused for a moment and then quickly went over to his bookshelf and grabbed a dusty tome from the top shelf. He began paging though the book, looking for something specific. He was feeling giddy right now. So giddy, in fact, that he started laughing to himself as he paged faster and faster through the book. His laughter reverberated off the walls in his chambers. It was a hideous sound, indeed.

 

* * *

 

 

KKZZZZAAATTTTT!

 

A bolt of pure white lightning sizzled over the ground and slammed into the armory building. The bolt shattered the stone of one of the walls, opening up a man size hole. Mellara strolled across the ground, following the path of her bolt of lightning. She glanced through the hole she just created and met eyes with a soldier who had apparently been thrown against the other wall of the armory. He looked dazed and quite shocked. Mellara smiled at him, a gesture of politeness that was unfortunately made a thousand times more frightening by the fact that it was illuminated by the dancing ball of blue flame atop her staff.

 

“Knock, knock,” Mellara said and waved her staff at the building. Stone caught on fire and began to burn. The soldier, who was previously frozen, suddenly found his feet again and bolted out a door by him, running fast towards the other side of the inner castle. Mellara let herself laugh a little. Everything was going according to plan. She was taken from her pause by a whizzing arrow that crossed a few feet over her head. She turned to the castle wall that she had previously blasted her way though and saw a handful of archers taking aim at her.

 

“Tut, tut, boys,” Mellara said, shaking her finger at them. “Didn’t you ever learn not to be rude to a lady?” A couple arrows found their aim true, yet they where burned to nothing when they where an arms-length in front of Mellara. Shouts of alarm began to rise up all over the area. Mellara set up a few more barriers around her just to be sure of herself, and then turned her attention on the archers’ bows. “I wonder how well you shoot with snakes as bows,” she said.

 

* * *

 

 

Pole sat at a table in the mess hall of the barracks. He was exhausted. He had angered his commanding office and because of that had to work a double duty. Pole’s only thoughts where of his bed and his pillow. Those thoughts where rudely interrupted when Alvarn burst through the doors.

 

“Pole!” he shouted painfully loud. “What are you doing just sitting there?”

 

“What do you mean what am I doing?” Pole shot back, the anger in his voice apparent. He rubbed his eyes with his fists.

 

“Well you should be moving like everyone else! The armory is on fire!”

 

“What does that have to do with us, Al? We’re guards, not the local firefighters.”

 

“Are you daft?” Pole looked up at Alvarn, an exasperated expression on his face. “The armory is built out of stone, you dolt! We’re under attack!” Pole was snapped out of his sleepiness in an instant to stare at Alvarn to make sure his fellow soldier was not lying to him.

 

“Who the hell would attack the capital city? Much less the most guarded part of that city?” Pole asked no one in particular.

 

“Hell if I know, but Marn said it was some sorceress,” Alvarn replied. Pole grunted as he stood up again.

 

“You are pretty eager for someone going to fight a sorceress who can set fire to stone,” Pole noted.

 

“Eh, I figure that she has a hell of a lot of other targets to go for,” Al said with a grin. “They called out everyone but the skeleton guards.” Pole silently wondered if that was a good thing or not.

 

* * *

 

 

Rilav shivered once, and then twice, and then a few more times for good measure. He was cold and wet and just a little disgruntled. He had spent five hours today with Mellara trying to master the spell to turn himself into a fish. He had been able to master the spell, but not well enough to keep him warm during the morph. Now he was treading water with one hand and using his staff in the other hand to keep himself in place. The end of the staff was jammed far into the bank of the raging river, Forgotten, and the staff’s magic was the only thing keeping Rilav from being washed away and drowned by the rivers undertow.

 

On the bright side, Rilav thought to himself as he listened to the stampeding soldiers crossing the bridge above him, It’s too loud to hear my teeth chattering.

 

Rilav shivered to himself for a little while longer, until the stamping and shouting died down to an occasional yell and a few footsteps. When he felt like the steady stream of soldiers had passed, he pushed off from the bank of the river and unleashed a bolt of air directly at the underside of the bridge. The bolt struck the bridge and exploded it into oblivion, sending stone everywhere. The undertow grabbed hold of Rilav and dragged him under. He formed a bubble around him to shield him from the water and let him breath. He enjoyed this mode of water transport much better then becoming a fish.

 

“Too bad I couldn’t float upstream in this,” he said to himself. “This is a helluva lot drier then being a fish.” He watched the last remnants of the northern river bridge fall into the water as the currents took him along down the river to the only other bridge in the inner castle. One down, one to go.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Mellara was not even paying attention to the soldiers who where trying to attack her right now. She had no problem fending off arrows. She had more then enough shields up right now to stop even enchanted arrowheads. Anytime any soldier got close to her on the ground he would either be blow away by the whirlwind that was gusting all around her, or would find themselves stuck in place. It was because of these shields that when the first of Vestat’s wizards began filtering into the battle that Mellara was able to properly gauge how good of a teacher Vestat had become. Her conclusion was that he had no idea how to teach anyone.

 

The first pet wizard that showed up on the field threw a massive fireball at her that had less power behind it then a light spell. She was not impressed by the rest of the wizards who started showing up either. Even combined they still lacked any semblance of power. She sighed as yet another fire bolt slammed into her shield and ricocheted into the castle wall. Mellara raised her staff and surrounded the archers atop that wall in a shield and caught the two who fell in an air net. She realized she needed to take out the wizards now or they would cause more deaths then she would.

 

Mellara stopped for a second and concentrated. She raised her staff high into the air and it burst into flame that jumped from the staff and took the form of a soaring phoenix. The phoenix went high into the air and spread its wings wide before soaring back down and slamming into the ground around the wizards. Most where able to raise shields in time, but even they where slammed to the ground under the earthquakes that followed. Mellara sighed and turned her attention to more falling archers. For all the pretense of exasperation she wore, she had to admit to herself, she was having fun.

 

“Damn you, Taleth,” Mellara said with a smile.

 

* * *

 

 

“There’s the signal,” Jor said, pointing up at the phoenix that brightened the night sky. Ioran grinned to himself and reached into the sack at his side. He pulled out the orb that Mellara had given him before they left. The orb was about the side of his fist and was a smooth metal sphere that felt warm to the touch. He turned to the resistance members behind him. There were five with him and another score hiding in the basement of the warehouse they where standing by.

 

“Are you all ready?” Ioran asked without need. Four eager faces answered his question. Jor reached over and opened the door to the warehouse. Ioran started walking towards the side gate nearest to the barracks. As he walked, the resistance members started filing out from the warehouse and following him. All of them where armed and anxious. As Ioran neared the gate a few arrows started to fly at them, yet they where tons less then if all the soldiers had been there. With a roar, Ioran launched the orb at the gate. With a deafening blast, the door exploded, rocking the entire part of town.

 

* * *

 

 

“Stupid officers need to make up their mind!” Pole said as he stood on the other side of the gate. He and Al where halfway over the bridge when some officer ordered them back to protect the barracks.

Protect the barracks, bah, Pole had said to himself, like they need any protecting. He was about to give another sigh when the gate exploded, sending him flying. He rolled on the ground for a little bit before he was able to stop. With a loud grunt he was able to stand himself up and turn to the gate. The last thing he saw was the arrowhead aimed at his head.

 

* * *

 

 

Taleth and Dayane watched as the guards panicked and ran towards the other side of the central castle, leaving the way in wide open. With a grappling hook, Taleth and Dayane had scaled the side wall and dropped themselves onto the ground on the other side before anyone noticed anything. Moving swiftly, they ran freely across the open field, wide open in the semi-lit night. The torch on the top of the Tower of Rysabella glowed eternally. When Taleth reached the door he turned back to Dayane.

 

“There will be guards in here,” Taleth explained. “One of the last commands that Mellara made was that there always be a station of guards here in case of… well, thieves like us. They would not be called out to fight Mel like the other soldiers would be.” Dayane nodded.

 

“Is this why I was to go with you? Because you needed help with soldiers?” Dayane asked, noting that the very idea seemed insane.

 

“Of course not,” Taleth said instantly. “You’re here because of that necklace that Mellara gave you. The door to the crown room is magically sealed. We need that necklace to get through.”

 

“Why don’t you wear it and go alone then?” Dayane asked more out of curiosity then a lack of desire to go get the crown. In truth she wanted desperately to get the crown, but she could not figure out why Mellara and Taleth wanted her to go with the assassin.

 

“It clashes with my cloak,” Taleth said blandly. The lie was so blatant that, coming from Taleth’s mouth, she was almost tempted to believe it. But she did not. She just kept her mouth closed for now. There was obviously some reason for her to be here, but she would just have to wait and find out what that was. “Are you ready?” Dayane nodded as she pulled out her leif-sword. “Good.” Taleth spun and smashed his fist into the door to the tower. It required nothing more then that as it shattered in on itself.

 

Taleth jumped through the open doorway and started running at his full speed. Dayane fought hard to try and keep up, but Taleth was quickly outpacing her. The assassin disappeared around a corner and it was a few seconds later that Dayane rounded that same corner. There were three bodies lying around on the ground. Dayane caught sight of Taleth’s cloak as he ran up a flight of stairs. Dayane hurried after him, curious about the fact that none of the bodies had a trace of blood on them.

 

Her answer came when she got to the top of the stairs. One of the guards lay on the ground, yet two more where on Taleth. One of the two was a woman with flowing red hair. She moved like a snake with her two daggers in hand. Her movements looked familiar to Dayane and it took a moment for her to realize that the woman was moving like Silest. She must have been one of the Uri-van also. The other soldier was a lean man with a slender sword. Taleth’s broadsword was dancing back and forth to block all of the furious blows that the woman was launching at him while his dagger in his other hand was deflecting the man’s sword. Dayane was too astounded to do anything other then watch. They three danced around evenly, none of them opening up any hole in their defenses.

 

The woman made the first mistake when she thought she had caught Taleth’s sword arm in a down thrust. One of her daggers arced around, aiming for his underarm. Taleth bent his knee a little, bringing his shoulder down to accept the blow. The dagger hit and deflected downward, not hurting Taleth in the slightest. The deflection knocked the woman off balance and she leaned forward too far, forcing her to place a foot before her so she would prevent herself from falling. That was what Taleth was waiting for as he sent his sword back up, turning it sideways. The blunt side of the sword smacked hard against the woman’s stomach and she was knocked back, her daggers sent flying in other directions. Her companion foolishly paused to watch this in amazement. He saw nothing more as Taleth’s knee came up into his chest and, doubling over, Taleth’s elbow dropped hard on the back of his neck. The soldier dropped in a heap.

 

“Why aren’t you killing them?” Dayane asked. Taleth sheathed his dagger and started walking to the next flight of stairs.

 

“Mel asked me not to,” Taleth explained. “Besides, being a crown guard means that you’re among the elite of the soldiers in the city. I have no reason to kill people who are this good at their job just because I’m immortal and they’re not.” Dayane stood for a moment wondering about that. As far as Dayane knew, it was the first time that Taleth had ever referred to his own immortality. Dayane was unable to ask him anything more as he took off up another set of stairs.

 

Taleth had no problem with the rest of the tower, and before Dayane knew it, they where up to the top of the tower. Before them was a large door made of stone. Taleth turned to Dayane.

 

“Just walk at it,” he said to her. Dayane looked at him with a curious glance, but did as he told her. Dayane cautiously walked over to the doors, and as she neared them, they swung inward. Dayane looked into the room that it opened into, and saw the Crown of Life, placed atop a pillow that was itself atop a pedestal in the middle of the room. The crown itself emitted enough light to keep the room illuminated. Dayane took another step towards the door when Taleth spoke up.

 

“Stop,” he ordered her. She froze still. Taleth did nothing for a few moments.

 

“What is it?” Dayane whispered. Taleth remained silent and Dayane turned a bit to see him surveying the room. His eyes seemed distant though. Dayane turned back and looked into the room again.

 

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Taleth said. Dayane looked around inside. Nothing seemed to feel wrong to her.

 

“What do you mean?” she asked him.

 

“I don’t know for sure,” he replied. “It just seems like something’s amiss.” Dayane got one of her trademark bouts of bravery and boldly walked through the door into the room. She braced herself for anything but received nothing in response. She turned back to Taleth and shrugged.

 

“It seems fine to me,” she said. Taleth still looked wary. After a moment he sighed softly and took a step into the room. When he stepped over the threshold, the room exploded in magic. Lightning surged across the ground from everywhere and went right at Taleth. The assassin’s body writhed in agony and Dayane watched in horror as the magic completely ignored her and coursed only through Taleth’s body. The roar of pain that Taleth emitted froze Dayane. It echoed all over the room, drowning out almost everything else.

 

Dayane did hear one other thing in that instant. Along with Taleth’s roar of pain came a high-pitched voice that Dayane felt she recognized, though it’s words where hauntingly foreboding.

 

“TALETH! LOOK OUT!”

 

* * *

 

 

Mellara de-clothed one of the wizards and dropped him across the street with a thought. She was thoroughly enjoying herself now, but she was not oblivious enough to miss the lightning cage spell that was emitted from the top of the tower. She realized at once that something was wrong. She sent a blue dragon of flame into the air to signify the retreat signal, and summoned all her power to herself. The tower had a tampering field that prevented opening a gate directly into it, but Mellara did not have the time to worry. She slammed her staff into the ground, knocking most of the soldiers and some of the wizards to the ground. In an instant Mellara was though the gate that she had created and in a blink, the gate was gone.

 

* * *

 

 

Vestat, the Royal Sorcerer, stood in front of the pedestal that held the Crown of Life. He looked down on Dayane condescendingly as she cradled Taleth’s head in her lap. She had watched in horror as Taleth crumpled into a heap after she heard the high-pitched voice, a woman’s voice, scream a warning to him. She had rushed over to him to see if he was alright, but she could find nothing to indicate that he was even alive. She did not know if it was because he was, dead or if it was because of his immortality. She had no time to think it through because Vestat appeared right before her.

 

“So much for immortality,” Vestat said as he looked at Taleth, a sneer across his face. “You should have taken the job I offered you instead of keeping your loyalties with her.” Vestat indicated Dayane with his head. Dayane’s mind was too much in a state of panic to wonder what Vestat meant by that. The panic increased tenfold when she felt herself suddenly unable to move. Vestat looked straight down on her.

 

“And you’re the little bitch who thinks she can usurp my hard-earned power,” he said to her. He let out a loud laugh. “Well a fat load of good that did for you now. I’d normally take pleasure in killing you over a period of days, but I’ve learned that it’s best to sometimes just make people dead.” Vestat raised his hand and aimed it at Dayane. Dayane tried desperately to do anything to get out of the way, but her muscles where frozen. She was helpless. She could not even close her eyes.

 

Vestat was suddenly slammed sideways by some unseen force. He hit the side of the room hard and fell into a heap on the ground. Dayane found herself able to move again and, instinctively, grabbed Taleth’s body and began to drag him out of the room. As she pulled him out of the room she saw why Vestat was just violently thrown against the side of the room. Mellara stood there, almost glowing in power. Her hair was floating around her heard of it’s own accord, and her dress followed suit. Her staff was leveled directly at Vestat. She looked as frighteningly powerful as anyone Dayane had ever seen in her life.

 

“Is he alright?” Mellara asked Dayane without taking her eyes off of Vestat’s still form. Dayane looked from the sorceress back down to Taleth.

 

“I...I don’t know…” Dayane stammered out. Mellara risked a glance down to Taleth. Dayane heard a grunt from Vestat and as she turned she saw the sorcerer extend his hand at the both of them. Mellara yelled in defiance and took a step towards the sorcerer, still holding the staff before her.

 

Dayane found herself almost being blown back into the wall of the hallway she had just dragged Taleth into. The force released by the two sorcerer’s spells when they met one another was truly awesome. When Dayane was able to see again, Vestat was on his feet and his hands where in front of him, palms facing out. Mellara gripped her staff in both hands and placed her feet shoulder-width apart, bracing herself.

 

“You always where at the bottom of the magic ladder, Vestat,” Mellara said. Vestat grinned a sickening grin.

 

“You’ll always be a dead queen’s aging legacy, Mellara,” Vestat replied. Black flame shot from the sorcerer’s hands and slammed into an invisible wall in front of Mellara. The sorceress yelled in another tongue and the black fire was dissipated. She then began chanting rapidly in the same tongue. Vestat’s eyes widened for a moment. Dayane guessed that he must have realized what Mellara was doing because he closed his eyes and began chanting in a similar tongue.

 

Mellara finished and slammed her staff to the ground. A flaming pentagram appeared directly before her, and through the pentagram came a being of pure fire. The creature rose up to eight feet tall and had long, clawed hands that where made entirely up of flame. Fiery wings sprouted from its back and it roared, a sound like the crackling bonfire, and then took off at Vestat.

 

In response to the pentagram of fire, a pentagram of water appeared before Vestat. The two sorcerers had summoned elementals to aid them in battle. From Vestat’s pentagram stepped a water elemental. The being was, by obvious inspection, in the form of a woman with an amazing amount of flowing water cascading from her head for her hair. Her body was made up of a lighter blue water, and her eyes where pure white. The water elemental and the fire elemental hit head on and steam suddenly filled the entire room.

 

Dayane felt a hand on her shoulder and then suddenly she was being pushed into something that felt very cold. And then she saw, and felt, nothing.

 

* * *

 

 

Dayane sat in the conference room of the resistance headquarters. She was not alone. Orthar, Silest, Ioran and several others where with her. The mood was extremely somber. No one had spoken for many minutes. They all waited anxiously for Mellara to come back in.

 

Mellara had successfully rescued Dayane and Taleth by taking a gate back to her library. The sorceress had tried, to no avail, to discern what was wrong with Taleth. After a while she had brought both him and Dayane back to the headquarters and then immediately brought Taleth to his room, shutting everyone else out. She told them all to wait in the conference room, where they were now.

 

The plan had worked almost flawlessly, until Taleth was attacked. Ioran’s group had minor injuries but only one death. Rilav had succeeded in destroying both of the Royal Castle’s river bridges. Until those were rebuilt, traffic from one side of the Forgotten to the other would have to go along the top of the castle wall, or outside of the castle all together.

 

Right now, however, it was little cause for celebration. No one knew what happened to Taleth, and Mellara had not spoken a word since she went into the room with him. Dayane watched the flames of the fire dance their eternal dance. Orthar placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, yet she did not even bother to look up at his calm, reassuring face. Dayane was piling the blame on herself for the attack on Taleth. She just kept playing everything over in her mind. She kept hearing herself saying that the room was fine, and then Taleth stepping over the threshold, and the agony in his voice. And then hearing the woman’s scream. She wanted to ask someone about the voice she heard, but she was too scared now. She was also too busy wallowing in self-pity.

 

The door opened and Dayane was snapped from her wallowing long enough to see Mellara walk in. The sorceress walked over to Orthar’s chair and the older man pulled it out for her to sit. She gave him a smile and sat down, letting out a deep sigh.

 

“He’s not dead,” Mellara said. The room defused an enormous amount. “But I’m sure he wishes he was right now. He has a Mind Wyrm in his head.” The only person to react was Rilav, who sat, wide-eyed in horror, and let out a long string of curses. Mellara nodded at Rilav. “I agree.” She turned back to the others.

 

“A Mind Wyrm is like a parasite…a virus,” she began explaining. “It goes into your mind and settles somewhere, and then begins to rapidly destroy your mind, eventually killing you. It’s true that Taleth is immortal, but no one can have an invulnerable mind, sans maybe the gods. The Mind Wyrm will destroy his mind unless we can find it and destroy it.”

 

“How do we do that?” Silest asked.

 

“I can easily destroy a Mind Wyrm,” Mellara said. “However, I need to be able to find the Wyrm, and I can not find the thing in the utter vastness of Taleth’s mind. Searching for a Mind Wyrm in a normal mortal’s mind is a challenge itself, but Taleth has been around for nearly two centuries. He has too many memories for the thing to hide in. It would take me far too long to search through all his mind to find the Wyrm.”

 

“What are our options then?” Orthar asked. Mellara took a deep breath and leveled a deadly serious gaze on the room.

 

“Someone has to go into Taleth’s mind and find the Wyrm,” Mellara said. She received more then one blank look. “Human minds are vast places where we store everything and anything that has, is, and will ever happen in our lives. Everything we learn, everything we experience, everything we imagine, all of it is kept in the vast recesses of our minds. There are people out there, called psionics, who have the ability to dive into other people’s minds. I know enough of their magic to be able to send myself, or someone else, in to another’s mind.

 

“Once inside, you’d have to go through their memories, their thoughts, their hopes and dreams to be able to find a Mind Wyrm. But the mind is an inconsistent place. Everyone has a different ideal of what they are, and that is reflected in their mind. Sorting through Taleth’s mind would be extremely difficult, but I can see no other option.”

 

“Can’t you just go in yourself?” Silest asked.

 

“You need an anchor in the actual world if you want to enter someone’s mind,” Mellara explained. “If you don’t have one then you have little to no chance of ever returning from the person’s mind. You would be trapped in there for all eternity.

 

I can serve as an anchor for someone, but I dare not go in alone.”

 

“I will go,” Dayane said. Everyone turned and looked at her. Orthar looked as if he was about to say something, but Mellara spoke up first.

 

“There is a chance that everything will go wrong and you will lose yourself in Taleth’s mind. I cannot guarantee anything, and I was not going to force anyone to do this. I would not willingly risk anyone’s life to save Taleth’s. I have enough faith in Taleth to believe he would agree with me.

 

“I have to go,” Dayane said in a self-pitying voice. “I’m the reason that he’s in this predicament in the first place.” Mellara looked long and hard at her and then she nodded.

 

“Very well then, come with me,” she said as she stood back up. Dayane stood up and started after her. Orthar stopped her.

 

“I will not let my only granddaughter go through this unless you are sure that this is the correct course of action,” he said. Dayane looked up at him. She could feel tears brimming in her. In the old man’s eyes she had always been just his little granddaughter, but right now he looked at her like an adult, like she was his equal.

 

 

“I am sure,” Dayane said. Orthar let her go and started walking with Mellara.

 

“Then let us get this done with,” the old man said.

 

* * *

 

 

Taleth lay in his bed and Dayane lay in a cot that was placed next to the bed. Mellara sat between the two. She placed her staff across her lap and had one end set on Taleth’s chest and the other on Dayane’s.

 

“You will feel a long moment of disorientation and then you’ll black out. When you come to, you’ll be in Taleth’s mind. I cannot monitor your process, but when you say ‘Al’repilan’la’hiath’ I will be able to locate and remove you immediately. Say that when you find the Mind Wyrm.”

“Where am I supposed to start looking?” Dayane asked.

 

“Don’t worry about that,” Mellara said with a gentle smile. “You’ll have a guide.”

 

“But I thought you said you couldn’t monitor my progress?” Dayane said, confused.

 

“I’m not your guide,” Mellara said as she closed her eyes.

 

“Then who?”

 

“Hush,” Mellara said. “I need to concentrate. You will be fine, I promised.” Dayane did as she was told but she still wondered what Mellara was talking about. That wondering stopped when she suddenly felt like she was spinning in circles, and then there was nothing.

 

* * *

 

Dayane woke up to the smell of grass. Her eyes shot open and she found herself face down in some tall grass. She shook out her head and then managed to get herself to a kneeling position despite the urge to retch. After a few moments she found herself on her feet and looking around. She was awestruck by what she saw.

 

She stood in the middle of an endless green field. Knee-high green grass was as far as the eye could see, and it was slowly rippling in some unfelt wind. The sky was a cloudless and impossible blue. Everything about this place seemed too perfect to be real. It was at that moment that Dayane realized that it was not real. She came to remember why she was here in the first place, and more importantly, where ‘here’ was. She was in Taleth’s mind.

 

“Mellara…?” Dayane said softly, hoping the sorceress would be able to hear her somehow. Nothing responded. Dayane stood for many more moments.

 

“Mellara already explained that she cannot help you, Dayane,” a voice from behind her said. Dayane spun around, her hand going unconsciously to the sword that was not at her side. Before her stood the most radiant woman Dayane had ever seen in her life. She easily rivaled Mellara’s looks. Dayane looked her up and down once.

 

The woman was wearing a simple white gown, almost like a sleeping gown. However, this sleeping gown looked like it was fit for royalty. It was made of an amazing lace material and had long sleeves that ended in small frills. It was tapered to her waist and flowed down to the ground, just above her bare feet. Truly it was more of a ballroom dress then a sleeping gown.

 

The woman herself was the epitome of beauty. She had full brown hair that fell just beyond her shoulders, and framed her perfectly chiseled face. Two eyes of the same impossible blue that made up the sky split her face. Those eyes made Dayane feel instantly warm and loved. The woman smiled at her and Dayane, despite the fact she had no idea who this woman was, smiled back.

 

“I am the one Mellara promised would be your guide,” the woman said. Her voice was melodious, and it was also very familiar. When Dayane first met Taleth she had heard what she thought was her own thoughts talking, but she realized now that the voice had actually been this woman’s. She also recognized the voice as the same voice that screamed the warning to Taleth earlier that night. Dayane fought to ask any of the million things that where floating around in her mind.

 

“What are you doing here?” Dayane blurted out.

 

“The same thing I have been doing for the past one hundred and sixty two years that I have been here,” the woman replied. “Wondering why I am here.” Dayane became visibly confused.

 

“Well…who are you?” Dayane asked.

 

“I though that would be obvious, Dayane,” the woman said, using Dayane’s name again, and quite familiarly. “My name,” she said, smiling, “Is Rysabella.”

[Orlan]

Dayane stood there stunned. She was well aware of the fact that her jaw was hanging wide open, but she was unable to do anything about that. Right now, nothing made sense to her. She could not think of anything to say. She was dumbfounded, something that seemed to have started when Taleth stepped into her life. Rysabella, possibly the greatest ruler ever, stood a few feet from Dayane, and she looked far from dead.

 

“What?” Dayane managed to ask. One word was more then Dayane thought she would have been able to manage. Rysabella smiled, and for a moment everything seemed right with the world. Her smile was warm, like a mother’s smile. She felt warm and secure where she was. She felt nothing could harm her here.

 

“It is because of where you are,” Rysabella said. Dayane looked at her odd. “The secure feeling you just got. It is because you’re in Taleth’s mind.”

 

“How did you know that I was feeling secure?” Dayane asked.

 

“Your body posture change, the lack of tension in the air again, the fact that you shut that dropped jaw of yours,” Rysabella listed off. “Mostly, though, I know how I feel every time I’m here, it’s easy to assume anyone else would feel like that. Would you mind following me?” With that she started walking away. After a moment pause Dayane hurried after her.

 

“Wait a minute,” Dayane said to Rysabella’s back. “You’re really Rysabella? The Rysabella?” Rysabella laughed.

 

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘The Rysabella.’ I am only myself.”

 

“I mean…are you Queen Rysabella? The Rysabella that Taleth killed?” Dayane asked.

 

“I was, and no,” she replied. Dayane stumbled but then caught her feet.

 

“But if you where Queen Rysabella, then Taleth must have been the one that killed you.”

 

“If I was dead how would I be here?” Rysabella asked. Dayane found she could not answer that. “My body can no longer support life, but as you can clearly see, I am far from dead. I live, even if it is with the help of another.”

 

 

“So your body is dead but you still are alive inside of Taleth’s mind?” Dayane asked. The question seemed very strange.

 

“In a sense,” Rysabella said. She was being oddly mysterious about everything so far and the little smile she wore never seemed to waver. “Now, no more questions until after we go visit someone.”

 

“There’s more people here? Who?” Dayane asked automatically.

 

“No questions,” Rysabella said. Dayane said no more. She followed Rysabella through the tall grass, not sure of the destination, nor of whoever they were going to meet. They walked for a while, the scenery not really changing at all, until they walked over a small hill and Dayane noticed a large tree that appeared from nowhere. Under the shade of this massive tree was a fair size log cabin. Smoke was puffing out of the stone chimney. Dayane stopped and stared. Rysabella slowed when she realized that Dayane had stopped.

 

“It’s a house,” Dayane stated, more to herself then anyone else. Rysabella smiled warmly at her again.

 

“At least that wasn’t a question.” Rysabella turned around and started walking towards the house again. Dayane continued to follow. As they neared the house the front door opened. Out from that door, wearing an apron covered in flour, was Taleth. While seeing Taleth in his own mind was something Dayane had somewhat prepared herself for, what was before her was quite unexpected. True, it was Taleth, but it was not the Taleth that Dayane knew. This Taleth looked physically younger, and his eyes seemed to have more youth to them. He looked like he was in his early twenties. His short hair also had remnants of flour in them, and he was wiping his hands on a towel as he stepped out of the door. He then did something that astonished Dayane. He smiled.

 

“’Bout time you two showed up. I thought you went straight into the memories,” Taleth said. He leaned over and kissed Rysabella on the cheek. He then took her by the elbow and helped her through the doorway, though she needed no help. Taleth then turned to Dayane, who was again standing awkwardly, staring at Taleth. Taleth smiled at her and held out his hand to her. She cautiously took it, a little shocked at how soft his skin was despite the flour, and, though she told herself otherwise, was surprised to find that it was a real touch. “What? Did you think I was just a figment of your imagination?” Taleth laughed at his own joke. “C’mon in.” He grasped her hand and walked into the house with her in tow.

 

The inside of the house was plain. They walked into a large room that had a few chairs that had stuffed pillows on them. A blazing fire was raging in the fireplace and a cauldron of a wonderful smelling something was cooking by its heat. The windows where all open and a soft breeze came through. Rysabella sat herself down in one of the chairs. Dayane followed suit.

 

“I just got done putting another loaf of bread together, the ones I did earlier should be done by now, let me go check to make sure. As always Bella,” Taleth said to Rysabella. “My home is your home...literally.” He gave a wink to the ladies and vanished into another room, most likely a kitchen. Dayane immediately leaned over to Rysabella.

 

“Who is that?!” she whispered fairly loudly. Rysabella, her smile never fading, gave a silvery chuckle.

 

“That’s Taleth, dear,” Rysabella said. “Who else would it be? He does have a distinctive set of gorgeous eyes you know.” Dayane realized that Rysabella was playing with her.

 

“That,” Dayane said with a lot of stress on the word. “Is not Taleth. Taleth is a blunt, arrogant, cold and calculating killer. That man is a kind homemaker who women would fall over each other to try to marry.”

 

“What did you want to be when you where growing up?” Rysabella suddenly asked. Dayane, caught off guard, responded without thinking.

 

“A princess, but what does that-” Dayane was cut off.

 

“Do you think that in your mind you still would like to have been a princess? Do you think that maybe there’s a little Dayane in there who wears pretty dresses and fancy jewelry and is catered on like a princess should be?” Rysabella asked.

 

“Well…maybe…I guess…” Dayane said, still wondering about everything.

 

“Then how hard is it to believe that he is Taleth also?”

 

“Taleth wanted to be a homemaker when he was young?” Dayane started to question her own sanity, as well as the sanity of the place she was in right now.

 

“No, but what you wanted to be when you where young is not the only way you imagine yourself sometimes, is it?”

 

“What else is there?”

 

“How about what you don’t want to become?” Taleth said. Dayane looked up to see Taleth walking into the room with a plate of sliced bread and butter. He sat down on one of the chairs that was opposite the two women and placed the plate between the three of them. “Please, eat.”

 

“So you’re what Taleth doesn’t want to become?” Dayane asked Taleth.

 

“Who knows really?” Taleth shrugged. “I am here, that’s really all there is to it after all.” He leaned forward and picked up a piece of bread and started gnawing on it.

 

“You said you assumed we would go straight into memories? Can I take that to mean you’ve looked everywhere else for it?” Rysabella asked, focusing the conversation. Dayane found it easier to focus on this new conversation then it was to dwell on the Taleth who sat before her. Taleth nodded.

 

“Yeah, I looked everywhere I can tolerate going…and a few places I can’t,” Taleth said. His voice dropped when he finished the last sentence. He did obviously not enjoy something that he had done. Rysabella nodded.

 

“What do you know of the Mind Wyrm?” Rysabella asked. Taleth leaned back in his chair and stopped eating for a moment. He closed his eyes and was silent. Dayane thought that maybe Rysabella had hit a touchy subject but Taleth’s eyes shot open and he looked quite focused.

 

“The last book I remember seeing any information about a Mind Wyrm was a long time ago, Bella. I only got a glance, but I can see the passage where it says something along the lines of ‘it always goes for the most unhappiest of places, where it can cause the most damage and where you are the weakest.’ More than that I can’t remember seeing. There was a crude drawing, though. Ugly things those were.” Taleth turned to Dayane who was watching him intently. “One benefit of Taleth is his ability to remember everything he sees, no matter how small a detail.” Then, in a soft voice that Dayane barely caught he added, “Blessing and a curse.”

 

“Well then do you think that-” Rysabella started.

 

“No, I checked.” Taleth’s voice held a hard note of finality and Rysabella did not question that any further. “It’s in my…our…his memories,” Taleth said. He then looked like he heard something. “Ah, another loaf is ready.” Taleth stood up and went off to the kitchen.

 

“I’ll help,” Rysabella offered, and stood up to follow him. It was obvious that she either wanted to apologize to him, or to talk to him in private. Dayane did not concern herself with which. She instead turned her eyes on the room. Everything seemed to fit perfectly. The chairs where positioned to get both fresh air from the windows but also get heat from the fire. There was a bookshelf on one wall. Dayane stood up and walked over to the bookshelf and took a look at the books. She found out quickly that she had no idea what language they where written in. She then heard a thump, and looked down to the side of the bookshelf. Sitting next to the bookshelf was a large wooden trunk. There was a lock on the trunk but it was undone and the latch was in the open position, though the trunk was closed.

 

Dayane reached down her hand and felt the top of the chest. It was smooth, and warm to the touch. Kneeling before it she wedged her fingers under the lid and lifted it up, curious to know what it held. A blast of wind knocked her back from the trunk as the lid snapped all the way open. Suddenly everything went black. Dayane became horribly frightened for some inexplicable reason.

 

Then she saw a face, a young man, probably just over thirty. Then she watched him die. The sight was horrid. Then another face appeared. This time it was an older man, fat and greedy. He died too. Another face came. This time a young woman in the arms of a lover. Someone who was not her husband. They both died. More faces appeared. This time it was a noble family. They all died, including a child barely over ten. Dayane’s hands went to her ears to try and cover out the cries, but she could still hear everything. She tried to cover her eyes so she would not see the blood, but she could still see it all. Another face appeared. And then another. One after another they started coming at her, faster and faster. Tears where streaming down her face. She was howling in pain and fury.

 

SLAM!

 

Dayane stopped. Her tears stopped, her howls stopped, her fear stopped. She was back in the house and was staring right at Taleth’s back. His hands where holding down the cover of the trunk that she had opened. Then Rysabella was there, wrapping her arms around Dayane’s head. All of it came back to Dayane, and she cried. All the pain, all the emotion, all of it came back to her.

 

“Wh-what was that?!” Dayane managed to say in between her sobs into Rysabella’s gown. Taleth locked the case again.

 

“That…is everyone I’ve, Taleth’s, killed…or seen killed….or heard being killed.” Taleth said in a soft voice. “It’s the other side of having a flawless memory. I normally keep it locked tight, but with this Mind Wyrm, I had to go looking. Thankfully, it was not in there.” Taleth turned back to Rysabella and Dayane. Dayane saw a sadness beyond description in his eyes. This man before her was not the Taleth that Taleth wanted to be. This man was the Taleth that Taleth had to be. This man was two hundred years of attempting to stay sane. This was the true Taleth.

 

“Hush, just rest,” Rysabella said. Dayane saw and heard nothing after that.

[Orlan]

Dayane and Rysabella stood outside the cabin door, beneath the massive tree. Taleth stood in his doorway, wiping his hands on his apron. Dayane could not tell if he was doing this out of habit or nervousness.

 

“Are you sure you can’t come with us?” Rysabella asked.

 

“Sorry. Bella,” Taleth responded. “I think the only reason that the Mind Wyrm didn’t hide in the trunk was because I was here. I want to make sure that it doesn’t get in there.” Rysabella nodded and turned to Dayane.

 

“Well, now comes the time where we go into Taleth’s memories.” Rysabella’s voice took on an ominous tone. “What we’re going to do now is to live through Taleth’s life. On the positive side, the Mind Wyrm will try to set itself in some unhappy place in Taleth’s memories, which narrows down the memories we need to look through to the ones in his later life.”

 

“He had a happy childhood then?” Dayane asked. The thought made Dayane feel somewhat better. She did not fully understand why.

 

“Most of it,” Rysabella said. Dayane suddenly realized that Rysabella had most likely gone through all of Taleth memories several times. She remembered hearing Taleth and Mellara talking once and they referred to “someone looking around” for something that Taleth knew. Rysabella was obviously who they where talking about.

 

“How many times have you gone through Taleth’s memories?” Dayane asked.

 

“Hundreds,” Rysabella said. “Possibly thousands, I have honestly lost count. Sometimes I don’t look through all of them, I just look through for what I’m interested in.” Dayane wondered how interesting the same memories could be over and over again. “And also the Taleth here is an invaluable source of information. He’s very good at recalling most everything that Taleth has experienced.” Rysabella smiled at Taleth and he smiled back at her.

 

“Praise from the queen is always welcome,” he said with a bow.

 

“So we’re just going to look through the memories that are unhappy? That’s not a pleasant thought,” Dayane stated.

 

“You knew that this was not going to be easy…I wondered why Mellara left out how unpleasant it would be, also.” Rysabella took a look up into the impossibly blue sky above and then closed her eyes and sighed. “Taleth has not lived a wonderful life. This is going to be very apparent very quickly. I can offer you precious few answers to the many questions that you will soon be assaulting me with as we skim over his memories. All I can offer you is the fact that Taleth himself knows all the answers, and that he has arrived at some sort of peace with it all.”

 

“Time, ladies,” Taleth said. “You can talk more as you walk through memories.”

 

“You’re right,” Rysabella agreed.

 

“Time?” Dayane wondered. “Won’t this take a long time to go through Taleth’s life? I mean…it’s nearly two hundred years.”

 

“Time passes differently in the mind. You can remember experiences and understand them fully in an instant sometimes, correct? Going through Taleth’s memories will be about the same. While we will go through and see things in the time that they happened, in the real world very little to no time shall pass. To Mellara you might go under and instantly come back.”

 

“Does the Mind Wyrm work under this time also?” Dayane asked.

 

“Yes, but it takes the Wyrm a long time to set itself into a person’s mind, and we do need to get going. All time is precious, regardless of how it passes.” Rysabella turned to Taleth. “We will find it, and we will get rid of it, I promise you that. This is my home, too.”

 

“I know,” Taleth said with another of his uncharacteristic smiles. “Now get going, you have a long life ahead of you.” Rysabella nodded to him and she took hold of Dayane’s hand. The world around them suddenly ran together like water on an oil canvas.

 

* * *

 

When things reformed, Dayane stood in the room of the same cabin that she was in a moment before. In this cabin, things where different then before. A pregnant lady sat in one of the chairs knitting. Sitting on the floor, staring at the fire that was in the fireplace was a small boy. He looked a little over ten years of age, with dark hair that was tousled and unkempt. He watched fascinated by the flames of the fire that crackled and popped. Every once and a while the pregnant woman would look up at the child, smile, and then go back to her knitting.

 

“Are we were I think we are?” Dayane asked Rysabella.

 

“Yes, this is Taleth’s childhood, and more specifically, this is Taleth.” Rysabella walked over to the child and placed her hand on his head. He did not react to it at all. The child shifted his weight and sat up further, passing his head right through her hand. “As you might assume, you can’t interact with memories. We’re just observers right now.”

 

“Why are we here then?” Dayane asked.

 

“Because…” Rysabella started. The door opened almost as in answer to her sentence. In walked a tall man with long brown hair, he was wearing a heavy leather smock and had remnants of soot still on his arms and hair as if he just stepped out from a forge. He walked into the room and collapsed into a chair with a loud sigh.

 

“Welcome home, dear,” the pregnant woman said without looking up from her knitting. The young Taleth turned around and looked at the man who just sat down.

 

“Welcome home, Pa,” he said to the man who just walked into the room.

 

“Oh, am I exhausted!” the man said. “The council meeting went on for far to long.”

 

“What did you end up deciding?” the woman asked.

 

 

“Nothing, Jes. Nothing at all. We’re still where we’ve been for the past week. They want to kill him. I can sometimes persuade members over to my side, but as quickly as I get one, I lose another. They can’t get it in their heads that it’s wrong to kill another. No one has the right to take another’s life. Just because he killed his wife, it does not make it right for us to take his life in response, it never is.”

 

“You’re preaching to the converted again, dear,” Jes, the pregnant woman, responded.

 

“I know, I know, but it just makes me mad. Even Prothan’s son was in on the blood thirst. The boy and his friends threw rocks at the cell the other day. I’ll be damned if I let Taleth grow up like that.” The sound of his name obviously caught the boy’s attention and he turned around.

 

“Hm, dad?” the young Taleth said, turning his attention away from the fire.

 

“Taleth, what have I taught you about harming another?” the father said.

 

“You said ‘no son of mine will ever be privy to the murder of another!’” the young Taleth said, making an apparent impression of his father.

 

“Interesting childhood for a man who is a world renowned assassin,” Dayane noted.

 

“We’re all raised as our parents want us to be raised. Sometimes life takes us down another path that we’re unfamiliar with. This is particularly true with Taleth.” Rysabella never took her eyes off of the young Taleth.

 

“What do you mean by-” Dayane began.

 

“Taleth! Taleth are you in there?” came an interrupting voice from outside. The young Taleth stood up eagerly and looked to his parents.

 

“That’s Aylin, can I go play with her, please?” he pleaded. His mother looked up from her knitting to scrutinize the boy.

 

“Are you all done with your chores?” she asked him.

 

“Yes, ma’am,” he assured her. She pondered something for a moment and then she turned to her husband. The blacksmith turned and looked down on his son.

 

“Will you stay away from Prothan’s boy, and his crowd?” he asked his son.

 

“Yes, sir,” Taleth replied. His father waited a moment before giving him a pat on the shoulder that sent him stumbling towards the door.

 

“Yeah then, get going.”

 

“Thank you,” came Taleth’s voice as he ran out the door. The world began shifting again. Everything turned to a cloudy gray color and began flying. Dayane caught sight of outlines of some individuals but could make out little beyond that. The sensation ceased after a short moment.

 

“What was that?” Dayane asked.

 

“A way to rush through some parts of Taleth’s memories,” Rysabella explained. “It’s somewhat like living a long period in an instant. It’ll make it easier to skim through Taleth’s memories and find the parts that the Mind Wyrm would go after.”

 

“About the bad parts,” Dayane began. “That didn’t seem like it was very bad to me. Why did we start there?”

 

“While it may not seem painful to you or I, Taleth puts a lot of stock into that memory.”

 

“Okay, count to twenty,” came a voice from behind Dayane. She turned around and she Taleth standing across from a little girl about his own age. The girl had long blonde hair and was wearing a plain brown dress. Her feet where grass-stained and fit in with the green that surrounded Dayane now. The girl had a big smile on her face as she started creeping away from Taleth.

 

“Fine, fine,” Taleth responded. “Then start hiding, Aylin.” Taleth turned to the tree that he was next to and started counting. The little girl, Aylin, took off into the forest.

 

“8…9…10…” Taleth peeked out from the tree and noticed that Aylin was gone. “11…20! Here I come.” With that he was off into the forest after the little girl. The world moved around Dayane and Rysabella without them having to do anything. The women where being taken along with the memory.

 

Taleth moved well through the forest. Dayane assumed he was familiar with the forest since he seemed to know where limbs were hanging and when to step over out sticking roots. Taleth gave out little laughs as he ran through the forest. He was obviously enjoying himself greatly, until he heard a scream.

 

Taleth stopped, as did Dayane and Rysabella with him. He turned around in a circle a few times while the intermittent screaming sounded around him. Dayane tried to make out what she could but the voice was too far away. All she was able to make out was a scream for Taleth. Taleth also heard his name.

 

 

“Aylin!” Taleth said in a quiet voice. He closed his eyes and listened to the screams, turning slowly in a circle. Suddenly his eyes shot open and the bolted off into the forest.

 

The screams began to get louder with each stride that Taleth took. More voices where beginning to be heard. Dayane could hear lower voices, men’s voices, along with the continual screams. Taleth was running up the side of a hill now, breathing heavily as he went. The screams where very clear now and Dayane recognized them as Aylin’s.

 

Taleth reached the top of a hill and the forest around him began to thin out. He stopped and stepped behind a tree, leaning around it to look down the hill. In the clearing at the bottom of the hill Aylin struggled against a burly man who held on to her arm. In his other hand was a large sword, which he continually threatened Aylin with.

 

“What’s this?” Dayane asked.

 

“Slave traders,” Rysabella responded, pointing down the hill to a horse drawn wagon that had a large cage on the back. In the cage where over half a dozen woman, ragged and weary looking. Around the cage where four armed slavers and a fat man dressed in gaudy silks with a whip at his side drove the wagon.

 

“Put her in the cage with the others, she might get something at the auction,” the fat man said to the fifth guard. The man who held Aylin’s arm brought her to the cage while another guard opened it up. With a slight grunt he lifted Aylin up and tossed her into the cage, locking it after her. Aylin immediately went at the bars, struggling to break free. One of the guards rapped his sword hilt across her knuckles and she felt back crying. None of the other women in the cage did anything to help her.

 

“Let’s get moving, it’s nearing nightfall,” one of the guards said. The fat man nodded his head and snapped the reins of the horses to start the wagon moving. Dayane watched Taleth as he gripped the tree he was leaning against so hard the bark tore right off. Taleth glared as the wagon slowly began moving away. Taleth took one last look around and then took off on a path through the trees that was parallel to the wagon’s path. Once again the world blurred by in a cloudy gray.

 

Dayane and Rysabella suddenly stood in the middle of the slaver’s campsite. The embers of their fire had grown dim and most of them where asleep right now. Dayane counted five asleep, which meant that one, more then likely, was out patrolling. Dayane heard a click and then spun around to see Taleth stalking almost silently towards the cage that held Aylin and the other women.

 

One of the women was awake and her eyes widened when she caught sight of Taleth approaching. Taleth lifted his finger to his lips to indicate that she should stay silent. Whether it was out of fear or hope, she remained silent. Taleth looked around at the guards, searching for something. After a moment he reached into his tunic and pulled out a small length of metal, and went about picking the lock. Two more women woke up as he was doing this. They remained silent but Dayane could feel their anticipation.

 

“Where did he get a lock pick?” Dayane suddenly wondered out loud. Rysabella let go a small smile at Dayane.

 

“You think the son of a blacksmith wouldn’t have miscellaneous pieces of metal on him?” the queen said. Dayane thought that made sense. Aylin came awake enough to see Taleth and she rushed over to the door to the cage where Taleth was working on the lock.

 

“Taleth…” Aylin whispered. Taleth stopped her from saying anything more with a soft hushing noise. Dayane watched as the tears began to well up in Aylin’s eyes. She knew that Taleth could see them as well but he focused himself on his task. Moments passed by. Tense moments.

 

With a small click the lock snapped open. Taleth quickly unhooked it and opened the cage. Aylin jumped into his arms and he quickly pulled her out of the cage. The women started to follow, one of them pausing to wake the others who where still asleep. Taleth helped the last woman out of the cage and then turned to the group who where huddled around him.

 

“What the?! They’re ESCAPIN’!”

 

Taleth spun around. One of the guards woke up and was leaning up in his bedroll. His shouts woke all the other slavers in the camp. His shouts also scared the women, and like frightened rabbits they scattered. A few went one way, and a few went the other way. Taleth grabbed a hold of Aylin’s hand and dragged her after one of the women who bolted into the forest. The three of them got as far as a few steps into the forest when one of the guards caught up to them. With his sword in one had, he reached out his other hand and grabbed Aylin by the arm. Aylin let out a scream.

 

The woman who was ahead of Aylin did not even spare a second thought and kept on running. Taleth changed his heading and ran hard into the guard. Aylin was wriggled free from his grasp and stumbled to the ground.

 

“RUN!” Taleth shouted at her. Aylin appeared to be thinking hard for a moment while the guard fought with Taleth to regain his footing and the sword that was knocked from his hand. Taleth urged Aylin with his eyes as he continued to try to keep the soldier from recovering. Aylin looked around, stood up, and the hurried over to a tree. She picked up a large log and rushed back to where Taleth and the guard struggled. She promptly struck the guard hard on his head and then took off running.

 

This did not knock the guard out, but it did daze him enough so Taleth was able to escape and start to chase after Aylin. He moved one step in her direction and was suddenly frozen, helpless.

 

The guard who had been out on patrol appeared from nowhere like a materializing shadow and, as suddenly as he appeared, ran Aylin through. Dayane gasped and her hands went to her mouth. She had wanted to yell out a warning but she realized how foolish that would have been. Aylin went limp immediately. Rysabella sighed but her eyes never blinked as she continually scanned everything around her, always looking for something.

 

“Aylin…” Taleth stammered, apparently too shocked to yell. He was frozen as the guard let Aylin slide off his sword.

 

“Eh, she was not in the contract anyway,” the guard said blandly. He turned to Taleth and let go a wicked smile. Taleth let out a loud scream and grabbed the dagger from the belt of the guard he was just wrestling with. He ran at the other guard with the dagger held high and slashed down. The guard grinned and stepped aside easily avoiding the wild blow. The guard turned to face Taleth again but was instead treated to the dagger into his eye. Taleth had spun mid-stride and amazingly kept his full balance. The guard thought the wild strike was an actual attack, but looking into the hated on Taleth’s face, Dayane knew otherwise.

 

The guard fell back screaming for a moment before Taleth wrenched the dagger free and brought it back around to cut the guard’s throat. It was a gruesome scene and Dayane felt herself becoming sick. Taleth barely paused at the sight but moved with a vengeance at the other guard who was now getting up. A solid strike across the belly and dagger into the chin later, the guard was dead.

 

Taleth stood there for several moments, breathing in labored gasps. He had blood over his face, hands and clothes. His breathing slowed down and his eyes and hands began to stop shaking. His battle high was slowly wearing off. Taleth looked over to Aylin’s body. A red pool of blood had formed around her. There was no doubt that she was dead. Taleth’s eyes welled up, and then he fell to the ground. Wrapping his arms around his knees he began sobbing.

 

“Dear gods…” was all Dayane had to offer at that moment. She watched the young Taleth sobbing and crying and then scream out as if something was hurting him. Through the sobs she heard him mutter the same thing over and over again.

 

“I can never go home, I can never go home, I can never go home.”

 

“What the hell?!” came a voice from behind Dayane. Before she could turn around a slaver stepped right through her and looked at the corpse-laden ground. Another slaver, this one holding a woman in each hand, stepped beside his companion.

 

“What happened to them?” the new guard asked his companion.

 

 

“I think I know,” said the other as he looked down at Taleth, crying on the ground. The guard took out his sword and reached down to Taleth. He lifted the boy up by the collar of his tunic and held him aloft before him. “You little brat. Those where my friends!” The guard raised his sword so it was level with Taleth’s crying eyes.

 

“Step back,” Rysabella warned, pulling Dayane back by her hand. Dayane turned to look at Rysabella to ask her why she would need to step back when she felt a blast of heat. She turned back to see Taleth falling back to the ground and a pile of ash where the guard used to be. Another searing ball of fire came from the trees and struck dead center in to the other guard, reducing him to ash in an instant. The two women he was holding onto fell to the ground in shock.

 

“I felt that,” Dayane whispered, awed.

 

“Magic of that caliber is real no matter where you experience it,” Rysabella said.

 

“Magic of what caliber?” Dayane asked.

 

“A wonderful night walk ruined by crying and dying. I can’t win,” came a voice from the forest. Out from behind one of the trees came a man in a deep black robe. He was a large man, both in girth and height, and he had a bushy reddish-brown beard across his face. Dayane had seen this man once before, a long time ago.

 

“Ryaxlan, the Mage Lord,” Rysabella said. “The oldest and most powerful sorcerer in the entire world. He’s lived as long as a hundred sorcerers, and has had his hand in the development and fall of nation after nation. Sorcerers around the world would give their very soul to be able to train under him, for he has produced legendary warriors as simply as a weaponsmith produces a sword. Yet he rarely troubles in the world anymore, and he is even more rarely seen.”

 

“What is he doing here?” Dayane asked.

 

“As far as I was able to tell, he was taking a stroll in the night,” Rysabella explained. “I made my way through life being able to read people by how they act and what they say, but I have never made any rhyme or reason out of Ryaxlan.” The slave women, after a previous moment of shock, took off running away from the sorcerer. Ryaxlan looked after them and snorted.

 

“Not even a shred of gratitude. People in this day and age, I guess.” The Mage Lord’s eyes went down to Taleth who was once again curled up and crying on the ground. “You know, you don’t have to cry anymore.” Taleth’s crying stopped immediately, as if the Mage Lord’s words where an order.

 

“I can never go home,” Taleth said through the choked back tears. Ryaxlan stared at Taleth for a moment, his eyes searching. After a moment he sighed.

 

“No, I see you can’t. Unfortunately, you have no magic in you, at all. You’re especially devoid of the gift, so I can not train you,” the Mage Lord said. Dayane gasped.

 

“Taleth was almost accepted by Ryaxlan?!” Dayane shouted.

 

“Almost…” Rysabella said.

 

“But,” Ryaxlan began. “I do know someone who can take care of you, if you would like. He is old and stogy and will work you to death and beyond, but it is better then the road that you plan to take now.” The Mage Lord reached out his hand to Taleth. The boy looked up at the sorcerer and watched the side of his mouth arch up in a little smile. “What have you got to lose, boy?”

Taleth slowly reached out his hand and took the Mage Lord’s. Will a slight tug, Ryaxlan lifted Taleth to his feet. When the boy stood up the blood washed off of his face and body, and his clothes changed to a black tunic and pants. Ryaxlan held the boys hand and started walking off into the forest. After a few steps the Mage Lord turned his head back and looked directly at Rysabella and nodded slowly. Rysabella sighed in relief.

“I thought you said that the memories couldn’t interact with us,” Dayane said.

 

“I told you before, nothing is impossible for magic of his caliber.” The world became gray as things started to speed by. “He assured me that Taleth’s memories for the next seven year are protected. Not even a thousand Mind Wyrms would be able to break his magic.”

 

“So what happens during then?” Dayane asked, curious at all the memories that she was no skipping.

 

“Taleth gets trained under Ryaxlan’s closest companion, Kilka, for seven years. After that he is let back into the world to do as he sees fit. There is little more then that during those years.

 

“Then where are we going now?” Dayane asked.

 

“Taleth’s return.”

[Orlan]

Taleth’s first order of business when he was released from his indenture to Kilka was vengeance. Seven years of hard training had turned Taleth from the small boy he once was into a warrior of amazing capacity. Dayane herself was a little taken back when the gray clouds of passing time parted to show Taleth walking into Milanka, the desert city. Taleth had a pack slung over his shoulder and the hilt of a sword sticking out of the opening. He had a thin cream-colored tunic on and wore a pair of baggy breeches yet, the sweltering heat seemed to have little affect on him.

 

“If you stare too long you might go blind,” Rysabella said, snapping Dayane from her thoughts. Dayane found that she had been staring rather hard at the well-toned arms and chest that she could see through Taleth’s tunic. Dayane blushed a deep red to which Rysabella laughed. “Don’t worry, you’ll see me do the same thing later. Taleth does have a few things going for him and he’s far from ugly, that’s for sure.”

 

This interlude of laughter was soon the only thing in Milanka that was uplifting. From the moment that Taleth stepped into the city he was focused on his one task. Dayane watched in amazement as this Taleth, so different from the little boy she saw a moment ago, bribed, cajoled, stole and killed his way through the city.

 

Taleth began small. He killed a few slavers who where drinking in a bar as they left. Then slowly, he began going after the slave masters, the ones who lead the slave caravans and ran the auctions. However, on every slaver that Dayane watched Taleth kill was the same insignia. Taleth was only killing a certain sect of the slavers. He even went out of his way once to flee from a fight with other slavers.

 

Taleth sat in a bar one night with his back to the wall, listening as other patrons of the bar told tales of the deadly assassin who seemed to have a grudge against Pahoan. Dayane watched as Taleth’s eyes went wide in shock as he heard some old man say that Pahoan was leaving tonight. Taleth left the bar and immediately set off to the home of the slave trader Pahoan. Taleth easily slipped into the house, past the guards and through the traps the house had. Dayane could only watch in awe as he saw how flawlessly Taleth worked. He was, before immortality, probably the greatest assassin of all time and immortality simply cemented that title. Dayane began to understand where Taleth’s limitless confidence and arrogance came from.

 

“I don’t care!” yelled someone through the silk curtains that the room Taleth just broke in to from another room.

 

“But sir,” came a pleading protest from another voice. “What will everyone who’s employed by you think if you up and run away from this assassin?”

 

“They’ll think ‘hey, that’s a damn good idea, I need to follow his lead and get out of here before I end up DEAD!’” the first voice said. Taleth parted some of the hanging silks for a moment and looked through. Dayane watched as he slid a dagger out of his belt and held it over his head ready to strike.

 

“Why do you-” the second voice began but was silenced an instant after Taleth let fly his dagger. A woman shrieked from the other room. With an over exaggerated flourish, Taleth threw aside the silk curtains and strode into the other room. Dayane and Rysabella followed him into a large dome room with a flowing fountain in the middle of it. The floor was tiled around the fountain instead of stone like the rest of the floor. Right now there was a body face down in the fountain with Taleth’s dagger sticking out of the back of it’s skull. The fountain was red with the dead man’s blood.

 

“Bad taste,” Taleth said as he looked around the room. One end of the room was lush with large pillows of all sorts of colors. On the pillows were three harem women clinging to one another, obviously frightened. Near them was a small wiry man with a horrid taste in clothes. He was as multicolored as a tropical bird and he had more jewelry on him then a marketplace peddler. He was currently stuffing gold into various bags on his belt.

 

“Who are you?!” the little man demanded. Taleth reached down to the dead body in the fountain and ripped the dagger out of the back of the body. With slow and methodical movements he wiped the blade clean on the dead man’s clothes and, after giving it a final bath in the fountain, pointed it at the small man.

 

“You know exactly who I am,” Taleth said. “I’m why you’re running away.” The wiry little man dropped the bag of coins he was carrying and they spilled over the pillows, some of the rolling over to stop at Taleth’s feet.

 

“Why are you after me? What did I ever do to you?” the man demanded. The man, Dayane assumed he was Pahoan, was shaking as Taleth started walking towards him.

 

“You destroyed my life. That should answer both of your questions.” Taleth continued his advance. The man stumbled backwards and tripped over a pillow, landing on his back.

 

“Wh-what are you going to do to me?” the man said as he tried to regain his balance. In answer Taleth let his dagger fly. The dagger sunk deep into the man’s chest and his body crmpled to the ground. Dayane had to turn her face away from the gruesome sight. When she turned away she was staring at one of the harem women who was transfixed on Taleth. The woman’s mouth was opened in awe as she watched Taleth walk over to Pahoan’s body and retrieve his dagger. The harem woman raised a hand to cover her mouth but stopped and it looked like something just occurred to her.

 

“What gives you the right to kill him? Or any of his men that you killed over the past week?” the woman suddenly asked. Dayane looked at the woman with abject horror. She took a step back and turned to look at Taleth. Taleth gave no reaction that he even heard the woman. He continued to wipe off his dagger and then resheathed it in his belt. “I’m asking you a question!” the woman said, this time louder.

 

“I heard,” Taleth said in a quiet voice. Taleth turned in space and faced the woman down. Dayane watched the woman move back a step. Taleth’s eyes were cold and emotionless as he held the woman in his gaze. “And I don’t care what your opinion is.” Taleth turned towards one of the doors and started walking away. The woman paused for a moment and then started laughing out loud. Taleth stopped and glanced back over his shoulder at her.

 

“You,” she said, “are the perfect assassin.”

 

“What?” Taleth said, confused.

 

“You are the perfect assassin, and I want to hire you.” To Dayane, the woman looked as if she was eager to have Taleth working for her. Taleth gave her another look.

 

“I’m not for sale,” Taleth said.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said. “With the years I’ve spent as a slave trader’s harem girl I’ve seen that everything has a price.” She leaned down to the ground and picked up a handful of gold coins. Thrusting them out at Taleth she gave him a sly smile. “You could be as rich as you want with your skills…all you have to do is kill one person for me.”

 

“What gives you the right to kill?” Taleth said, echoing the woman’s earlier remark.

 

“I am not the one who is going to kill, you are,” she said. “I’m simply paying you for the services.”

 

“That is the faultiest logic I have ever run into,” Taleth said and he turned to start walking away, but then stopped. Dayane watched him as he stood still, thinking of something. The harem woman’s breathing quickened. Her nervousness was getting to her. “But what do I care?” Taleth said, quietly, to himself. Dayane was barely able to hear it, but she could not miss Rysabella’s sigh from behind her. She turned to the queen who Dayane had almost forgotten was there. “A hundred gold.”

 

“Agreed,” the woman said. Rysabella’s eyes locked on Taleth and her face showed a great swell of pity.

 

“All he had to do was say no and so many troubles in this world would have been avoided,” Rysabella said. Dayane turned back to Taleth and the harem woman.

 

“What’s your name?” the harem woman asked.

 

“Taleth. My name is Taleth.”

 

“Fine then,” the woman said after an appraising look up and down Taleth’s clothes. “Taleth the Black it is.” The world turned gray and memories began speeding by.

 

“And thus was Taleth the Black, the deadliest assassin, was born,” Rysabella said with a sigh.

 

“That was….so surreal,” Dayane said. It truly was something surreal. It was as if the gods themselves had put that woman there to make Taleth into an assassin. Her words seemed to have had a control over Taleth that nothing else could.

 

“Truly, but like everything we will see, it is unchangeable, and therefore we must learn from it and not dwell on it all,” Rysabella said in a regal manner. Dayane was always amazed at how wise and deep Rysabella was.

 

“Where do we go now?” Dayane asked.

 

“There are a few assassinations we must bear witness to,” Rysabella explained. “However, our next stop is when Taleth gets caught.”

 

“Taleth got caught? When? I never remember him being in the royal dungeon.”

 

“He was not caught by the royal guard…”

 

* * *

 

A few assassinations later Taleth was sitting in the middle of a warehouse. He sat, wary of everything around him. Dayane watched him, as she had for the past five years worth of memories that they skipped through. Taleth was older now then he was on that night in Milanka when he became Taleth the Black. However, he had aged far too much in few too many years for Dayane’s liking. Taleth’s face had a few more scars, as did his arms. To Dayane, the most disturbing part was that he had many fewer scars in this memory then he had in the real world. The thoughts of what Taleth still had to go through in life was quite disturbing.

 

“I’m sorry I’m late,” came a voice. Taleth and Dayane turned and looked at where the voice came from. A young man with a blue mantle wrapped around him stepped into the light at the far edge of the warehouse. He was only a touch younger then Taleth, if that. He stood at the edge of the light in the warehouse giving Taleth all the time the assassin needed. Taleth watched the man for a moment and then nodded his head at him. The other man walked over to Taleth, stopping a few feet from her.

 

“Don’t be sorry, sorcerer’s apprentice,” Taleth said. “And don’t be late. While you are the one paying me, Hall, we’re working with my time tables right now.”

 

“I know, I know,” the man named Hall replied. “I had to avoid any suspicion from my master. It’s a delicate business you know.”

 

“Sure it is.” Taleth stood up from his seat and walked over to Hall. “Where you able to get your master to accompany the scroll tomorrow?”

 

“Yes,” Hall replied. “The scroll will be in my master’s hands tomorrow.” Dayane watched the sorcerer’s apprentice curiously. Something about him did not sit right with her.

 

“Good,” Taleth said. Hall held out his hand to Taleth.

 

“Well, good luck,” Hall said. Taleth looked suspiciously at the hand for a second but then reached out his hand and took hold of Hall’s. Lightning flared everywhere as Taleth fell victim to a lightning spell. Taleth howled in pain and his other hand went to his dagger. Taleth’s was able to get the dagger a foot from Hall’s neck before a strand of lightning wrapped around his wrist and held it still.

 

“Because you definitely need some luck,” Hall laughed.

 

“That went beautifully, Hall,” came a female voice. Dayane watched as a woman in black stepped out from the shadows behind Hall. Dayane realized that the woman seemed to materialize out of the shadows more then step from them.

 

The woman’s skin was extremely white, yet Dayane did not know if that was because of the contrast between her skin and the raven black hair and cloak or because she was just that fair-skinned. Her eyes had no color to them, they where only black and white. Even her lips where black. Dayane wondered if this woman had any color on her at all.

 

“Thank you, Master,” Hall replied, releasing Taleth’s hand. The lightning vanished but some unseen force immediately picked up Taleth. His hands opened wide and the dagger he had been holding fell to the ground.

 

“Well, well, well,” the woman said. “The great Taleth the Black, caught so easily.” Taleth glared down at the woman with a deep-seated hatred in his eyes.

 

“Rachel,” Taleth said through grinded teeth. “You just can’t let the dead lie, can you?”

 

“Letting the dead lie?” Rachel said. Whips of violet lashed out from in front of Rachel and wrapped around Taleth’s arms and legs. “My master is DEAD because of YOU!” The violet whips suddenly flared up in brightness and Taleth let out a roar of pain. “I’m letting the dead lie, Taleth the Black, but I’m taking my revenge on you.” Rachel’s high-pitched laughter sounded everywhere as the world was flooded with a blinding violet light. Dayane turned her head away to shield her eyes but then the world quickly went black. There was nothing but Dayane and Rysabella anymore.

 

“Where are we?” Dayane asked.

 

“Unconscious,” Rysabella replied. “It’ll take a moment…” As if on cue the world came back and Dayane saw Taleth, his arms suspended in the air by chains, kneeling in a pool of dried blood. Standing over him was Rachel. The harem girls earlier had worn more then the sorceress standing before Dayane. The black dress she wore barely covered her chest and legs and did nothing to cover the rest of her body. Dayane felt a little uncomfortable.

 

“I see you’re finally awake,” Rachel said to Taleth. Dayane watched Taleth’s head come up slightly, though not enough for Dayane to see his eyes. “You know, when you cold bloodedly assassinated my former master, I was angry. But now that I can look back on it, I’m not angry that you killed my master. I’m infuriated that you murdered my lover. I spent my life to find and learn from him, and then some fool comes in one night and jams a dagger into the back of his head and ruins everything.”

 

“Lover?” Taleth laughed though it turned into hacking up some blood halfway through. “I watched him like a mother hen watches her chicks and he was less in love with you then I am.” A black leather handle appeared in Rachel’s hand. The sorceress gripped it tightly and whips of violet poured out of one end. Dayane watched as Rachel struck Taleth with the wicked cat-o-nine-tails, every whip striking home on a vital part of him. Taleth did not scream but he let out a loud grunt every time the tips struck him.

 

“You lie, assassin,” Rachel said, glaring down on Taleth. “You’re a liar and a simple tool. People just use you for what they want.” Taleth laughed again which earned him another few strikes with the whips.

 

“We were both tools, you stupid woman, you just didn’t get paid anything for it,” Taleth said. He rose up his head and looked at Rachel directly in the eyes and gave her an evil smile. Rachel became infuriated and went into a flurry of strikes against Taleth. The assassin grit his teeth and writhed in pain trying his best not to cry out.

 

Dayane soon became ill after the first few days of Taleth’s memories. The days went fast since Taleth was unconscious for most of the time. The few hours he was awake where filled with Rachel’s sadistic torture. Rachel took pleasure in every little cut and bruise she made on Taleth’s body. The evil sorceress was relentless in her attacks on Taleth.

 

Some days Rachel would be alone, and some days Hall would be with her. Regardless of which day it was, Taleth would kneel there and take all the punishment. Sometimes he would egg her on and get her angry. This proved not to be the insanity Dayane had thought it would be. Whenever Rachel became angry she would put too much into her strikes and tired herself out quicker. Taleth used that fact to his advantage.

 

“I don’t know how much more I can take of this,” Dayane said as turned away her face and put a hand up before her eyes.

 

“I know,” Rysabella said turning from her scrutinizing of the memory. The queen looked at Taleth with sad eyes and then turned to Dayane. “Taleth had seen a lot of pain in his lifetime. More then any body should. I have walked though his life enough to wish I could change it all, and let him have a happy life.” Dayane sighed and peeked back at Rachel and Taleth. Dayane was caught off guard as Rachel was staring right at her. Dayane blinked and then she saw Rachel with her attention focused back on Taleth. Dayane shook her head and blinked a few more times, trying to clear her thoughts. She thought the memories where getting the best of her.

 

“How much longer do we have to deal with this?” Dayane asked in a pained voice. Rysabella sighed.

 

“Not too much longer,” Rysabella said. True to the queen’s word, a few days later it ended. Hall was with Rachel this time standing off to the side, slightly behind Rachel. Dayane watched as Taleth reacted to one of Rachel’s strikes by kneeling upright. Taleth held himself up and looked at Rachel and then Hall. He then he started laughing. Rachel stopped and stared down at Taleth.

 

“What the hell are you laughing at?” Rachel said. “ Have you finally lost control of your senses?”

 

“No, you stupid bitch,” Taleth said though his laughs. “You’ve lost control of your pet.” Rachel paused a moment before a blue lance appeared from nowhere and pierced her heart from the back. The cat-o-nine-tails lost its whips and fell from Rachel’s hand. Rachel gripped the part of the lance that stuck out from her chest and turned to Hall. Hall’s hand glowed the same blue as the lance as he held it up before him. Rachel mouthed a “why” to Hall.

 

“Why?” Hall said. “You have a head here that is worth an unbelievable amount of gold, and all you’re doing is sitting here and toying with it day after day. Now I’m not a greedy man, but Taleth the Black is worth more to me then you are, so I’m just taking him. So sorry.” Hall had an evil smile on his face as he lowered his hand and let the blue glow faded away. The lance in Rachel’s chest vanished and she fell to the ground in a heap. Taleth continued his laughing. “Laugh while you can, I’m sure the royal guard have worse planned for you.”

 

 

“The funny thing is,” Taleth laughed. “You forgot that it was her magic that was keeping me here.” Before Hall could react, Taleth pulled his arms down with a roar. The chains ripped the pins right out from the wall and Taleth sent them sailing towards Hall. The chains crossed over in front of Hall’s neck and then Taleth spread his arms wide apart, causing the chains to snap back and wrap themselves around Hall’s neck. In a fluid movement, Taleth pulled hard and Hall came soaring at him. Taleth sprung up at Hall as he came soaring and struck him under the chin with the palms of his hands. The snap was loud and final. Hall fell to the ground and dead.

 

“My god,” Dayane said. Taleth stood and detached the restraints from his wrists. Taleth looked down on the two bodies on the ground now and shook his head. Without sparing another moment Taleth was out the door. The world became gray again as things sped by once more.

 

“Taleth doesn’t trust anyone anymore, especially his clients,” Rysabella said. Dayane could not blame Taleth for that either. Rysabella sighed again. “We’re running out of memories where the Mind Wyrm could be.”

 

“What do you mean? Don’t we have about a hundred fifty more years to go?” Dayane asked.

 

“We do, but the Mind Wyrm needs a certain kind of memory to fester, and Taleth has few to none of those in his later life.” Rysabella looked Dayane in the face once again.

 

“Where now then?” Dayane asked.

 

“A time I know you’re interested in. My death.”

[Orlan]

“Who hired Taleth?” Dayane asked immediately when the memories slowed down and the Holy City of Anlise came into focus. Taleth stood with his back against the wall next to a double door. He wore the armor of the Royal Guard and looked quite striking in it as well. Another guard stood on the other side of the door.

 

“I don’t know. In fact, there’s an entire part of Taleth’s life right before he came to Anlise that I cannot see. Regardless of how many times I tried to go through his memories or go straight to that time, I always am pushed backwards or forwards. It’s as if he had forgotten them all completely. Or he has something there he doesn’t want seen,” Rysabella explained.

 

“So then Taleth forgot who hired him to kill you?” Dayane asked, giving Taleth an appraising look as she thought about this particular turn of events.

 

“Not completely,” Rysabella said, searching for a way to explain. “Taleth is very professional with his assassinations. While he has a perfect memory, he also has a masterful control of it, and he can bury his thoughts deep in his mind so people who try to see anything get blocked. I’ve been through his mind many times and have overcome a lot of those blocks but they were not easy. Maybe it’s because it lead up to something big, or maybe it’s because I’m here but for some reason Taleth has that part locked away so tightly that even I can’t break through.”

 

“So you don’t even know who killed you or why?” Dayane said. Immediately she regretted her words. She realized how insensitive they sounded after they had left her mouth. “I’m sorry, that didn’t sound right.”

 

“Don’t apologize for things you say when you speak what’s on your mind,” Rysabella said with a smile. “No I don’t know who hired Taleth to kill me. Honestly, I don’t even know if Taleth was going to kill me. The memory goes blank as he is about to do anything to me. You can judge for yourself if you like.”

 

“What about the other Taleth, the one in the cabin?” Dayane asked. “Does he know?”

 

“I’m sure he does, but he will never tell. If Taleth locked the memories up so tight that I can’t get at them then I’m not going to find out from the other Taleth.”

 

“I guess you’re right,” Dayane said.

 

“Guards, come in here for a moment please,” came Mellara’s voice from the other side of the door. Taleth and the other guard each took a door and pulled them open. Within was a spectacular bedroom, one many times larger then Dayane had ever used or seen. A large bed was placed in the center of one wall, with the opposite wall leading off to smaller rooms. One of the walls had a single arched window, and next to the window was a table with a handful of chairs. Sitting in one of these chairs was Rysabella, looking as she did standing next to Dayane now. The only difference was that this Rysabella wore a regal gown fit for a queen, not a night dress. The Crown of Life was on her head and seemed to glow on its own.

 

Across from her was Mellara. Dayane realized that both these women looked the same today as they did when this memory took place. Nothing changed about them. The revelation was an eerie one. Mellara looked from Taleth to the other guard.

 

“I need you two to take this chest,” she indicated a large chest that was by the table, “and bring it down to the royal vault. It’s quite heavy so you’ll most likely have to both lift it.”

 

“But we can’t leave the queen unguarded,” the other guard spoke up. Mellara looked at him oddly.

 

“What makes you think she’s unguarded?” Mellara said, her voice holding almost a small threat as if she wanted him to challenge her.

 

“The law is quite specific in her being within voice of a guard, milady,” the guard protested. He kept his eyes forward but Dayane believed that was more out of fear of eye contact with Mellara then of duty.

 

“Well this chest has to be moved, and I doubt either one of you could move it yourselves,” Mellara said. It sounded like a challenge.

 

“Here,” Taleth said as he handed his halberd to the other guard. Everyone looked at him oddly but the guard accepted the weapon. Taleth walked over to the chest and reached down to the latch. He put his fingers on either side of the chest and squeezed. The latch glowed red for a moment, and then the metal pieces that covered the eight corners of the started to glow the same red. Taleth grabbed one of the handles on one end and easily lifted the chest up and set it on his shoulder. He did not look like he was struggling with it at all.

 

“How?” the other guard asked.

 

“The metal is Lode Stone. It’s used on a rare number of chests. It makes the chest light as a feather if you trigger the key lock correctly.” Taleth explained this fact as if it was simple knowledge. Mellara gave Taleth a proud look and then turned to Rysabella.

 

“I told you that your guards are necessary,” Mellara said. “They are hand picked for a reason, Your Majesty. They have limitless knowledge, undying loyalty to the queen and they follow orders to the letter. They are the best, and I am keeping them here.” Dayane look at the Rysabella in the memory and caught her in a less then regal moment. She was literally staring a hole into Taleth with her jaw dropped a little bit. Dayane had to laugh. The other Rysabella sighed from behind her.

 

“I told you that I did about the same thing that you did,” she said. “I stand by my actions at that time, though. Hard to find a man who looks fairly good and is as knowledgeable as Taleth is.”

 

“Your name?” Mellara asked Taleth.

 

“Rhian, Lady Sorceress,” Taleth responded instantly. Dayane watched the flawless lie be accepted at face value.

 

“You can call me Mellara, Rhian,” Mellara said.

 

“Of course, Lady Sorceress,” Taleth replied with a straight face. He turned to the other guard. “I’ll be back momentarily.” Taleth started walking out the door.

 

“Thank you, Sir Rhian,” Rysabella said. The other Rysabella put her head into her hands and groaned. Taleth turned and bowed.

 

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Taleth replied. He walked right out the door. The memories grayed over and sped by.

 

“‘Thank you, Sir Rhian?’” Dayane asked Rysabella. “You sounded like a young girl on her first crush.”

 

“I didn’t expect the guards to be able to solve that so simply. I was caught off guard, alright?” Rysabella said. She was turning a little red from embarrassment, though. The memories stopped moving again and Taleth stood in a hallway. He was not wearing his guard uniform now and instead, wore black clothes and stalked his way everywhere.

 

“So what was Taleth doing as a guard?” Dayane asked Rysabella. The queen composed herself again.

 

“Reconnaissance,” she replied. “I’m sure he knew he wouldn’t be able to just waltz in here and get to me. He spent several months as a guard here, learning the layout and routines. The amusing thing was that he even stopped an assassination attempt on me. He caught someone sneaking into my room one night when I was asleep and killed him quick and clean and disposed of the body. Not a soul knew that it had happened.”

 

“Why would he do that?” Dayane asked.

 

“Taleth’s loyalty to his job is a pillar in his life,” Rysabella said. “Even though acting the part of a guard was just a ploy, Taleth took the job to heart and preformed his duties flawlessly. That included protecting the queen, me.” Taleth leaned against a part of the wall and peaked around a corner quickly. He reached into his boot and took out a stone. He tossed the stone hard around the corner and a moment later it made a fairly loud noise. Taleth sprung around the corner and moved silently down the hallway. Rysabella and Dayane moved him and saw two guards protecting the door that Taleth was guarding earlier. Both guards had their heads turned away from Taleth’s approach. Dayane surmised that they where looking at the source of the sound that Taleth’s stone made.

 

In a flash Taleth sent his knee into the side of one guard’s head, sending him spinning. The other guard reacted fast enough to duck under Taleth’s kick and bring his halberd around in a low sweep at Taleth’s other leg. Taleth let himself be tripped up by the sweep and brought his knee down to the handle of the halberd, breaking it. The guard stumbled forward right into Taleth’s elbow and fell in a heap to the ground. For the ruckus, Dayane was still amazed at how silently Taleth fought.

 

A moment later Taleth was in Rysabella’s room. Moonlight streamed in through the one window, somewhat lighting the room. Taleth’s superior sight made it easier for Dayane to make out more images. Rysabella lay on her bed, sleeping peacefully.

 

“I know that was a quiet fight, but I would have assumed that you would have heard something,” Dayane said.

 

“Taleth slipped a sleeping draught in my wine,” Rysabella explained as Taleth slowly crept across the room. He had latched the door back up so it would not be easily opened. “I could have slept through a thousand battles without even a twitch.”

 

Taleth drew out a dagger from his belt. This time, for some reason, it sounded much more heart-wrenching. Dayane’s heartbeat and breathing both quickened their pace. It occurred to her that she was about to witness one of the most epic events of the past millennia. Part of her wanted to turn away, for she knew that this death would not be a pretty one, but she could not. Taleth took slow methodical steps toward the sleeping queen. When Taleth neared the bed voices became raised in alarm from outside the room. A loud bang sounded and the door jumped for a moment as if something smashed into it hard.

 

Taleth continued walking slowly towards Rysabella. Dayane became curious. Taleth was taking so many precautions right now. There were probably a half dozen guards outside the room right now with more on their way, yet Taleth seemed to refuse to move any faster. Dayane wondered if he was afraid of any traps that were be placed around the queen but that seemed a moot point when Taleth reached the side of the bed unharmed. Taleth slowly raised the dagger up to Rysabella’s neck.

 

“Close your eyes,” Rysabella warned. As Dayane closed her eyes everything became bright. The light was so intense that Dayane could still see it through her closed eyes. Dayane heard a woman’s scream, and then Taleth started to yell out in pain. The slams against the door became louder and louder. The light subsided and Dayane once again opened her eyes.

 

Floating in the air before her were Taleth and Rysabella. Strings of white light went from one to the other creating what looked like a spider web between the two, just like the bard tales had told. Dayane could see the anguish on Taleth’s face as he tried to hold in the pain. Rysabella looked like she was holding in too, yet her high pitched screams echoed through the room. The door suddenly broke down; behind it was a bear of a man with a gruesome axe in his hands. He looked lost in battle frenzy but snapped out of it when he took in his surroundings. The guard stood there awestruck. A pair of women and a trio of men filed in, various weapons in their hands. All wore the armor of the Royal Guard. They all froze and stood, awestruck.

 

“What’s happening?!” Dayane asked of the Rysabella that stood next to her. She found herself yelling to try and overcome the screams. Rysabella gave an honest shrug.

 

“I don’t know exactly,” Rysabella said quietly. Dayane was only able to make out what was said by reading the queen’s lips. Dayane turned back to Taleth in time to see Rysabella fall from where she was and crumple to the floor. The Crown of Life stayed in the air for a moment longer, strings of white still attaching it to Taleth, and then it too fell to the floor. The crown made a loud clang as it hit and then stopped moving immediately.

 

The strings of light all flooded into Taleth’s body and then Taleth also dropped to the ground. Taleth was able to get his feet under him but he did stumble to his knees.

 

“Petila! The Queen!” one of the guards shouted. One of the women immediately went and scooped up the queen’s body and moved to the side of the room opposite Taleth. The huge man who had bashed in the door moved and stood menacingly before her, apparently guarding her. The guard had who spoken gave signals to the four other guards and they formed a semi circle around Taleth yet they held their ground.

 

Taleth rose up from his knees to his feet and stared curiously at his hands. He shook his head out once and then looked around the room. He looked very confused.

 

“Uthngar,” Taleth said to one of the guards. “What are you-” The guard he was speaking to lunged at him, rapier point out. Taleth’s hands went to the sides of his head and he yelled, “GET OUT!” Taleth’s body flashed white for a moment and then Rysabella appeared. It looked to Dayane as if the queen had just fallen right out of Taleth’s body. Dayane watched Taleth dive to the side and roll, avoiding the strike. The guard passed right through Rysabella, not even noticing her. Taleth got to his feet in time to avoid a broadsword swipe. The sword struck the ground and stuck in for a moment. Taleth put his foot on the sword and kicked the woman who held it in the chest with his other foot. She was knocked back into the guard who had barked out the orders earlier.

 

A guard brought his staff around, spinning it over Taleth’s head and then down at the assassin. Taleth ducked enough to dodge the first blow, but the second one caught him on the shoulder and sent him rolling. When Taleth stopped he moved his head to the side to avoid a rapier strike. Taleth reached up his hand and grabbed the guard’s wrist just beyond the rapier hilt. With a grunt of strength he tossed the rapier-wielding guard into the guard with the staff. The staff wielder was able to dodge the body and brought his staff down in an overhand chop. Taleth somersaulted backwards and the got to his feet. The guard raised the staff back overhead and swung in a large arc, aiming for Taleth’s head. Taleth reached out his hands and caught the staff. He then yanked the staff out of the stunned guard’s hands and twirled it around, cracking the guard under the chin and knocking him out.

 

While Taleth was fighting Rysabella was looked around, confused and most visibly frightened.

 

“What is this?!” she demanded, trying to grab a guard. Her hand passed right through the guard. The guard moved away from her to attack Taleth while Rysabella stood there stunned. After a moment she turned back to Taleth. Taleth’s stolen staff had broken in two and he was dodging the woman with the broadsword, moving across the room. Taleth had a little smile on his as he led the woman at the big man who was guarding Rysabella’s body. Dayane watched Rysabella run at Taleth.

 

The woman with the broadsword got a lucky hit on Taleth that tore at his sleeve. In a fluid motion Taleth tore off the sleeve and continued backwards. In a flash the big man was behind Taleth, his axe raised over his head, about to strike. The woman with the broadsword gave a thrust at Taleth’s stomach. Taleth began falling to one side. Dayane watched helplessly as Taleth started dodge both blows so the axe would fall right onto the woman. Rysabella was not as helpless.

 

“No, Alaralen!” Rysabella yelled as she ran right into Taleth. This time she did not pass through Taleth, but he glowed white for a second and Rysabella vanished. An instant later Taleth was rebalanced and reached out one hand to grab hold of the broadsword, stopping the woman in mid thrust. The other arm, his bare one, went over the woman’s head to block the axe. Dayane watched the axe hit skin with enough strength to shatter granite. The axe exploded in a shower of sparks.

 

Nothing moved for a moment save the axe handle which dropped to the floor. Taleth was breathing as hard as the conscious guards were. The woman let go of her broadsword and leapt away from Taleth and the big man took two steps backwards, still staying between Taleth and the queen’s body. Taleth stood still for a moment with a stunned look on his face and then let go of the sword letting it clang to the. Taleth put his hands on the sides of his head.

 

“Get…OUT!” Taleth roared once again. Like the last time, Taleth flashed bright for a moment and then Rysabella stood in place where Taleth was just standing. Taleth stumbled to his knees and looked up at Rysabella. “What the hell is this…?” Taleth said to himself as he slowly got to his feet. He began backing away from Rysabella, who stared at Taleth with her own confused look.

 

“Your Majesty!” Mellara said from the doorway. Dayane turned and saw the sorceress standing there, breathing heavily. Mellara was staring wide-eyed at the body the guards where protecting. Her gaze turned to Taleth and Dayane became frightened by the look she saw. A bolt of blue followed by an innumerable amount more launched from the tip of her staff at Taleth and when Dayane turned back she saw Taleth leap for the window. Dayane and both Rysabella’s where taken along with Taleth. Dayane moved along as Taleth fell out the window and though Dayane was falling with him, she was not freefalling.

 

Taleth hit the ground with a loud thud, yet he was unhurt. He got to his feet and turned to look up at the window he just leapt from. He saw nothing but did not linger long and instead started running. Things began to turn gray and speed by.

 

“You where able to control Taleth’s body?” Dayane asked Rysabella. The queen nodded.

 

“I still can if I want to, but it is infinitely more difficult now since Taleth is again in full control of himself.” Rysabella’s gaze roamed around the gray outlines that popped up now and then. “It was how we spent the first few days.” The gray stopped and Rysabella stood in the middle of the street with Taleth walking circles slowly around her. There was no one else around this late at night.

 

“So we’ve established that you’re dead,” Taleth said to Rysabella, his voice quiet. “But why are you …” Taleth seemed to be struggling for a word, “… attached to me? And why did the guards not do anything even though they were all in the room with you and me?”

 

“I don’t think anyone but you can see me, assassin,” Rysabella replied. It was clear to note that from the tone of Rysabella’s voice she had little care for Taleth right now. “Which makes this very difficult.”

 

“Yeah well you’re dead anyway, what difference does it all make?” Taleth said. Taleth seemed to say this mostly to himself and the other Rysabella did not react to it at all, which made Dayane think she did not hear anything. “What do we do about this then?” Taleth asked of Rysabella.

 

“This is your mess,” Rysabella said. “But I obviously need to take things into my own hands if I want to see this done correctly. We can go see Mellara. She should be able to make some sense of what happened.”

 

“Heh, yeah that’s a brilliant idea,” Taleth said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why don’t I go see the Royal Sorceress about the Queen she thinks I murdered, doesn’t that sounds like a brilliant plan?”

 

“We can always do this the hard way,” Rysabella said walking into Taleth. Taleth glowed white for a moment and then he turned around and started walking towards the center of the city, towards Mellara. Taleth stopped suddenly and he wrapped his arms around himself and grunted in pain.

 

“No…NO, dammit!” Taleth yelled. His body flashed white again as Rysabella stepped out of him. “Dammit woman I’ll go see the sorceress…just stay the hell out of my body. The sooner I am rid of you the better.”

 

“Cross your fingers then,” Rysabella said. “I’ve never heard of anything like this before. We might be stuck like this.”

 

“That’s no way to live a life,” Taleth said. Things grayed out and sped by again.

 

“You seemed calm for what happened to you,” Dayane observed.

 

“I was queen of all the known lands,” Rysabella said. “I had long learned to control my emotions. I can assure you I was on the verge of hysteria the whole time.”

 

“Oh,” Dayane said. She felt very awkward right then.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Dayane,” Rysabella said. “You need to present yourself in a more regal manner if you intend to lead.”

 

“I’m only the leader of a group of about twenty,” Dayane said. “I don’t need to be that regal.”

 

“You never know,” Rysabella said. The memories stopped speeding by before Dayane could ask another question. Taleth was creeping along a ledge to a window that had light pouring out. Dayane noticed that she was standing on nothing. Dayane thought it best not to look down much in case vertigo would attack, yet she was awed watching Taleth keep his balance on the tiny ledge. The assassin’s eyes where shut and he appeared to be concentrating hard. Rysabella’s head poked out through the wall and she turned to Taleth.

 

“Everyone else is gone, get in here and let me do the talking,” She said.

 

“How?” Taleth asked, but Rysabella was already gone by then. Taleth grit his teeth and leaned off of the ledge. As he started falling he reached out his hand to grab the side of the window and he swung himself into the room. The room looked much like Rysabella’s room in the palace; the only difference was that this room was in Mellara’s house. Dayane finally realized that this place was the same place she met Mellara the first time. It looked much better now then it did when she first arrived.

 

“This was my room some times,” Rysabella explained to Dayane. “I would come here when I didn’t want to deal with something at the palace. Mellara would always tell anyone else that I was detained in studies.”

 

“Studies?” Dayane asked.

 

“Mellara taught me magic,” came Rysabella's reply. “Though I never would be as good as she was, I did have some latent talent in me, and with the Crown of Life that magic power was amplified. I was learning to fine tune it all.”

 

“Stand still,” the other Rysabella commanded Taleth. Taleth looked at her oddly and then became wide-eyed.

 

“Oh no you don’t,” Taleth said, backing up a step.

 

“This is the only way to get her to believe you,” Rysabella said. Taleth ground his teeth together once again. “That’s a horrible habit.”

 

“You’re the reason I started doing it,” Taleth spat back. “Fine, but you try anything funny and I’ll…..do something.” The threat sounded hollow since Taleth could not back it up with any specifics but Rysabella seemed to take it to heart.

 

“My word,” she said. Taleth sighed and stood still. Rysabella walked up to him and his body flashed white. Taleth looked at his hands and touched his face.

 

“Gods this is strange,” he said to himself. Dayane hadn’t noticed it before but she could also hear Rysabella’s voice under Taleth’s. Taleth did not give her enough time to dwell on that as he strode through a door. In the other room Mellara sat at a table, crying. Her arms were crossed on the table, and her head was buried in them. Her long hair covered her back completely and jumped with every sob that broke through. “Mellara…” Taleth began. Dayane could hear the pain plainly in Rysabella’s voice. Mellara’s head shot up and she first showed a look of shock on her face which instantly gave way to anger when she recognized Taleth. “Mellara wait, it’s me-“

 

In a flash Mellara stood and her staff was in her hands. A lance of blue light streaked out and took Taleth full in the chest. Taleth was blown back; Rysabella suddenly appeared, standing right where Taleth had been. She had apparently not felt anything. After a second it was apparent that Taleth felt nothing as well. Taleth got to his feet almost immediately after he made an imprint into the stone wall behind him.

 

“I guess I’m immune to magic as well,” Taleth said to himself. He stood up and started to run toward Mellara. “I don’t think your way will work like you wanted it to,” Taleth said as he moved through Rysabella.

 

“The audacity you have…the pure arrogance!” Mellara yelled. “You dare to show you face to me after what you did!?” She leveled her staff at Taleth and a bolt of lightning flared out at him. Taleth raised his arm and the bolt slammed into his arm, burning away the clothing. Aside from that, the bolt did nothing to stop Taleth.

 

Taleth dodged another bolt that was sent at him and was able to get to Mellara and grab her staff with both of his hands. Mellara was not expecting this and she fought to free her staff from Taleth. Power surged from the staff and into Taleth but the assassin seemed not to notice. Mellara looked bewildered but continued to struggle.

 

“If you want to talk now would be the best time,” Taleth said, fighting to hold the staff that was most likely now trying to magically move itself out of Taleth’s hands. Rysabella ran up to Taleth and stepped into his body again. “Mellara listen to me! It’s Rysabella!” Mellara’s face did not change at all as she continued to try and rend her staff from Taleth. “For the love of…Mellara Ioapenal! I, as your queen, command you to STAND DOWN!” While it was Taleth who yelled, Rysabella’s voice clearly rang though the room. Mellara let go of her staff and stumbled backwards. The magic died out suddenly when she let go of the staff.

 

“What trick is this, Taleth the Black?” Mellara said.

 

“No trick, Mellara, Royal Sorceress of Queen Rysabella,” Taleth said. Rysabella’s voice was once again soft in the background. “Though the body you see before you is that of Taleth the Black I assure you that I am Rysabella in spirit. And right now you’re my only hope for some understanding of what is wrong with me.” The last words came out as a plea, which Dayane was amazed to hear in Taleth’s voice. Taleth dropped to his knees and began sobbing. Taleth the stood up, leaving Rysabella on her knees below him sobbing on her own. Taleth wiped his hand over his eyes.

 

“Rysabella?” Mellara asked.

 

“Sobbing at my feet,” Taleth replied, only his voice this time. He wiped his hand across his eyes and got rid of the tears. “I haven’t cried in a long time,” he said softly. Taleth looked down at Rysabella. “Now that she’s not trying to kill me we’ll talk like this.” It did not seem like there was any leeway in that statement. Taleth looked Mellara straight in the eyes.

 

“Why did you kill her?” Mellara asked bluntly.

 

“I didn’t,” Taleth said. “If I did, why would I be here?”

 

“Don’t dodge the real question. Who paid you?” Mellara asked.

 

“Nobody did,” Taleth said, his face straight.

 

“Don’t lie to me, Taleth the Black.”

 

“Or you’ll do what? Kill me? Apparently I’m invulnerable.”

 

“You don’t seem very happy about it.”

 

“If it’s from what I think it is, it came with far too high of a price.” Taleth looked down on Rysabella and Dayane swore she saw pity in his eyes. The pity vanished as he looked back at Mellara. “We both want to know what’s wrong, and we both want to be able to free ourselves from this.” Taleth tossed Mellara’s staff back to her. Mellara looked him over for a moment.

 

“Sit down,” she said. I’ll see what I can do.” Memories began to speed by in gray again.

“She was unable to figure out anything about what happened, other then that it might be tied to the Crown of Life,” Rysabella explained. “After a week of staying down in her study, out of sight from everyone else, Taleth broke out. As you might have guessed, Taleth does not like being confined. I found I was unable to take over his body for a long period anymore, and any time I was able to, he could quickly knock me back out. Taleth learned to tune me out a long time ago. He continued to do what he knew how to do, which was killing. After a decade Taleth began to notice that he failed to age as well as being invulnerable to nearly everything.

 

“Taleth spent most of the first eighty years of immortality looking for information on how to separate us, but he found nothing. As you could imagine, there was not a lot of information on what happened to us, and we ran into a lot of people who refused to help Taleth since he was who he was. After a while I think he just gave up looking. Of course…I think we also became accustomed with each other’s presence. Taleth still gave no sway to my opinions or feelings, but he wasn’t openly hostile to me anymore. I’ve honestly grown to like Taleth; he has a good heart despite his chosen profession.”

 

“Taleth?” Dayane had seen some soft sides of Taleth, but his soft sides always came with a sharp edge right after.

 

“You’ve seen the Taleth that made up the first thirty or so years correct?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then compare that to the Taleth we go to see now.”

[Orlan]

Dayane found it to be slightly unnerving to watch herself. Taleth stood on the top of a building not far from Milsan’s warehouse. His eyes where focused on the Dayane who was right now gearing herself up to make a jump off the side of a building.

 

“At least she’s got some courage,” Taleth noted to Rysabella who stood next to him, watching the same thing. Dayane turned to the other Rysabella who had a small smile on her face as she scanned the rest of the memory.

 

“Does he have little comments about everything? I don’t think he’s done anything beside critique me since he arrived in Anlise,” Dayane complained. Rysabella laughed.

 

“That’s just how he is,” she replied. “You didn’t see how many months of constant nagging I had to go through to get him to agree to come here and help you.”

 

“You agreed to this job, Taleth,” the other Rysabella said. Taleth glanced at her and then turned back to watch Dayane go over the edge.

 

“I know,” Taleth said. From out of nowhere Ippiden appeared on the top of the roof where Dayane had been. The lesser sorcerer walked over to the edge of the roof and looked down. After a moment he vanished once again. “That one is none too bright.” Taleth jumped from the roof and landed hard on the ground below. He looked up and down the street for a moment and then started walking down one way. Taleth stood waiting on the corner of an intersection. After a while Dayane heard shouts and the sound of running. Taleth started walking towards where the warehouse was.

 

“How far in advance does he plan these things?” Dayane asked Rysabella as she watched herself come running around the corner and smash into Taleth. From this angle it looked as bad as it felt when she did it the first time. Guards where right behind Dayane and went straight for Taleth. Dayane heard Taleth sigh and then kill the four guards as amazingly as he had the first time Dayane had seen it happen.

 

“Hey wait!” cried out the other Dayane. Taleth stopped and turned slightly to Dayane. “Um…you know you just killed the town guard?” Taleth looked from the guards to Dayane again.

 

“So?” Taleth replied.

 

“Drama queen,” Rysabella said to Taleth. He ignored her.

 

“So?” Dayane said. “So you better come with me, or else you’ll get tossed into a dungeon!” Taleth laughed.

 

“Now that I hear myself say that,” Dayane said to Rysabella, “That sounds so utterly stupid.” Rysabella let go a pearly laugh.

 

“Don’t worry,” Rysabella said as she watched Taleth walk away. “I’ve heard worse.” The other Rysabella moved beside the Dayane. She leaned down and whispered something into her ear.

 

“I can pay you!” Dayane shouted to Taleth. Taleth stopped and turned around, staring Rysabella straight in the eye.

 

“You still take pleasure in ruining my fun,” he said under his breath. He did not sound like he was upset, or that he was surprised. Rysabella smiled smugly back and held his gaze for a little longer. Taleth growled. “You can’t afford me, little girl.”

 

“What do you know of how much money I have?” Dayane said back to him. Taleth sighed again.

 

“Fine, I can improvise,” Taleth whispered at Rysabella before he turned and started walking away. Dayane shouted after him but he did nothing to respond to her. When he was out of her sight he took off at an amazing speed running though the streets.

 

“I see your relationship improved from what it was,” Dayane commented to Rysabella.

 

“I really didn’t have any choice,” Rysabella said. “It was either learn to live with Taleth or become miserable for all eternity. I chose the better one. When I finally gave up and came to an understanding with myself that this was Taleth’s body and that I had no right to use it as I wanted to we became more tolerable to each other. I’ve helped him out on many occasions, as long as I agreed with what he was doing. I won’t help if he’s doing something I don’t approve of, but I no longer actively try to get him to stop.”

 

“I guess that’s good,” Dayane said. She did not feel like that though.

 

“I know how you feel,” Rysabella said with a smile. “However, I have no choice. I’ve accepted the fact that I no longer exist in this world. I am dead to the world, regardless of how alive I am in Taleth’s head. But I still can get my will done sometimes. Taleth is not easily manipulated but I’ve done it a few times.” Rysabella cast Dayane an evil grin. Taleth arrived at the hearth of the Resistance and slipped past everyone. Orthar sat in a chair, toying with a bowl of stew before him, not eating any. Dayane made a mental note.

 

“Who are…?” Orthar started. Taleth gave him a look that offered nothing but warning. Understanding slowly crossed Orthar’s face and he sat back down and continued toying with his stew. Taleth walked over to the far wall and broke a lightstone with his hand. Dayane waited and, just as before, the others arrived, filtering into the room. As before, Taleth made his dramatic appearance.

 

“She’s Uri-Van,” Rysabella said to Taleth as Silest went after him.

 

“I know,” Taleth replied back quietly. Once again Taleth amazed Dayane by dealing with Silest so effortlessly. “This is ridiculous,” Taleth whispered to himself. “They’re inexperienced children.”

 

“You agreed to this Taleth,” Rysabella told him. Taleth growled in response. Dayane and he bartered over his price like last time.

 

“I told you that you couldn’t afford me, little girl,” Taleth said as he turned and started walking away. Rysabella watched him take a few steps as Dayane continued shouting numbers at him. When he looked as if he was leaving Rysabella moved in front of him and slapped him. This time Dayane clearly heard the slap and saw Taleth flinch. Rysabella immediately grabbed her hand and rubbed it over and over again.

 

“Did that hurt?” Dayane turned to her guide through these memories.

 

“Extremely,” Rysabella responded. “I may be less then real outside of Taleth’s mind but I can still feel things. Though, the only time I can affect Taleth like that is when I’m caught up in a swirl of emotions. All those times have been without thinking, too. I can’t seem to recreate it on my own. This time I was actually afraid Taleth was really leaving.”

 

“Two-fifty,” Taleth said after he turned back around. Things turned gray again and sped by once more. After a moment things stopped and Dayane and Rysabella stood in Taleth’s room. One lightstone illuminated a desk where Taleth was pouring over various sheets of paper. The memory Rysabella stood looking down on the same table with him.

 

“We can hit them here, though the back,” Taleth said to her. He pointed out something to Rysabella.

 

“Can they open the back?” Rysabella said back. Taleth stood up and stretched. Rysabella looked at him with concern. “Go take a walk, stop thinking about this so hard for a while. You may be immortal but everyone needs a break now and then.”

 

“I’m fine, Your Majesty,” Taleth said. Rysabella laughed at him and Taleth gave her a quizzical look. “What?”

 

“You called me ‘Your Majesty’ just now,” Rysabella said still smiling. Taleth looked at her for a moment and then sighed.

 

“I think I will take a walk,” Taleth said. He picked up a small blanket and tossed it at Rysabella. It went right through her. “Put that on, it’s cold out tonight,” Taleth had a slight smirk on his face as he walked out the door. Once again time sped by.

 

“He spent all night working out the details of that plan,” Rysabella explained to Dayane. “He’s put more work into your job then he has for the last twenty combined.”

 

“I…I never knew,” Dayane started.

 

“Very few do,” Rysabella said. The world stopped once again. Taleth slowly paced a path at the end of his bed. Sitting on his bed was Mellara idly fingering her staff. Rysabella stood in a chair opposite Mellara.

 

“There are major faults with that plan,” Taleth said to Mellara.

 

“What faults?” Mellara questioned back.

 

“There are none,” Rysabella told Taleth.

 

“There are,” Taleth insisted. “The Crown is not something to toy with. I should damn well know.”

 

“What do you mean?” Rysabella asked.

 

“I mean that thing is the reason I’m in my current predicament,” Taleth said to her.

 

“That’s not been proved yet,” Rysabella noted.

 

“The crown is NOT to be trusted,” Taleth said.

 

“Is that what you think or is it what she thinks?” Mellara asked.

 

“It’s what I think,” Taleth responded. “I’d rather just kill Vestat outright and go from there.” Mellara let out a short laugh.

 

“Killing him will only throw everything into chaos,” Rysabella admonished the assassin.

 

“You would solve everything by a murder,” Mellara said to Taleth. Dayane suddenly recognized this conversation as the one she eavesdropped on the previous day. At least, she hoped that it was still the previous day, she was not fully aware of how much time had passed outside. Mellara opened her hand and a glass appeared. Mellara took a drink.

 

“Assassination,” Taleth corrected her. “Murder is what it’s called when you kill for the pleasure of it.”

 

“God know the amount of pleasure you take in killing,” Rysabella said. She sounded completely earnest when she said that.

 

“Taleth takes no pleasure in killing,” the other Rysabella said quietly to Dayane. “People assume he does simply because he can do it with caring.” The glass vanished from Mellara’s hand and set itself back down on a table on the other side of the room.

 

“I don’t think people put as much difference between them as you do, Taleth,” Mellara said. Taleth glanced at Mellara and then locked eyes with Rysabella.

 

“I hate being a go-between with you two,” Taleth whispered.

 

“I know your aversion to it, Taleth. You haven’t exactly had the best experience with it, yet that’s not a viable reason to toss out a perfectly workable plan,” Mellara said.

 

“I know, Mel. You have no idea how much I’ve heard about this plan ever since she caught wind of the resistance.” Taleth kept his eyes on Rysabella for a long moment before finally breaking the stare and sighing. “I should have cut that drunk’s throat before he blurted out about the resistance. Ignorance, not knowledge, is more often accompanied by bliss.”

 

“You know I would have found out another way and you’d still end up here,” Rysabella said to him. “I know you better then that.” Taleth turned away from her and paced again, stopping after a few steps and turning to look at the door.

 

“If you would just explain to me why you’re so against it, I’m sure we could figure out how to alleviate your fears.” Mellara said, a waiting expression on her face.

 

“You’ve been trying the past hundred fifty years to whittle information about that night from me, Mel. One would expect you to understand that I won’t tell you who hired me.” Taleth said, not taking his eyes off of the door.

 

“And for the next hundred fifty I will continue to ask you until I find out,” Mellara replied stubbornly. “I have a lot of patience, Taleth. I will find out who it was and they will pay for what they did.” Now it was Taleth’s turn to laugh.

 

“I’d not laugh, she’s serious,” Rysabella said to Taleth. Taleth smiled at the queen.

 

“She’s been rooting around for over one hundred and fifty years and she hasn’t been able to find out who it was, do you think you have any chance?” Taleth said.

 

“Yes, I do,” Mellara said back.

 

“Suit yourself, but by the time I tell you, I can assure you they’ll be dead or dying,” Taleth said. “I do what I’m paid because that’s why I’m paid, Mel. I have no reason to be loyal to anyone beyond the job.” Rysabella let out a short laugh this time. Taleth shot her a glare.

 

“Then why are you doing this now? I’ve know you to ignore her for years on end,” Mellara asked.

 

“Yes, Taleth, tell her,” Rysabella said to Taleth in a sweet voice.

 

“Even evil needs a vacation now and then,” Taleth replied as he turned back to the door again. In a fluid move he drew his dagger and threw it at the door. Mellara’s staff glowed and Rysabella spun to her feet. The door exploded into splinters and the glow on Mellara’s staff brightened a moment. Things went gray again.

 

“I don’t like this,” Rysabella said.

 

“What?” Dayane asked, turning to her.

 

“We’re pretty much out of any more memories,” Rysabella explained. “Yet there has been no sign of the Mind Wyrm.” Memories stopped and suddenly they where in the room with the Crown of Life. Taleth took a step into the room and suddenly it was alive with lightning.

 

“Maybe it’s here?” Dayane suggested. Her eyes caught some kind of shadow appear before her and slam into Taleth. Taleth roared and the other Rysabella screamed and ran into Taleth vanishing when she hit him.

 

“No,” Rysabella said as things went black. Dayane and Rysabella stood alone in a vast amount of nothingness. “The Mind Wyrm would want to stay as far away from its appearance as possible, so it would be hard to track. No, there had to have been something I missed.”

 

“Missed? Like what?” Dayane asked.

 

“The Mind Wyrm might try to fit itself into Taleth’s memories but it would not know how to exactly reenact the memory. I should have seen something out of order. Something strange.” Dayane stood shocked.

 

“Like a creepy feeling?” Dayane asked. Rysabella was thinking to herself and did not fully hear her. “Like someone looked at you?” Rysabella looked up at Dayane.

 

“When?”

 

“The sorceress that caught him….Rechel I think her name was,” Dayane said.

 

“What about it? Tell me! Quickly now!” Dayane stuttered for a moment with her words.

 

“It was…when she was torturing him, I think….maybe, I saw her look at me, but when I looked back it was normal again.” Rysabella waved her hand and instantly memories buzzed by in every direction. After a moment she held up her hand and things stopped. Taleth was on his knees before Rechel and she was administering her daily punishment to him and enjoying it immensely. Rysabella slowly walked up to Rechel but the sorceress gave no indication she noticed. Then, when Rechel’s arm was coming down in a strike, Rysabella reach out and grabbed hold. Dayane was shocked to see that the queen caught the arm.

 

Rechel flicked the whip back around her head and freed her arm from Rysabella. Rysabella ducked in time to avoid a whip to the side. Dayane was not that lucky. The whip struck her solidly and sent her rolling. To her surprise and dismay she found that the wall of the cell was now real. She crashed and then fell in a heap, moaning.

 

“Dayane, quickly! Call Mellara!” Rysabella yelled at her as she dodged another whip strike.

 

“Oh no you don’t,” Rechel said. She waved her hand at Dayane. Dayane felt a dizziness fall over her but she was able to shake it off. She looked up at Rechel.

 

“Al’repilan’la’hiath!” Dayane shouted. Nothing came out of her mouth. Rysabella saw Dayane trying to yell but nothing coming out and quickly ran over to her. Rechel seemed content to let her do as she wanted. She stood there stroking the end of her painful cat-o-nine-tails.

 

“Dayane?” Rysabella said to her. Dayane tried to say something but she was unable to make a sound.

 

“The wizard who set me in that trap said I would find two minds to live in, he never said anything about a third. Though, I think I’ll just kill the girl. She’s too young to enjoy…unlike you,” Rechel said, licking her lips at Rysabella. “And that thing,” she indicated Taleth with the end of her whip.

 

“Stay here,” Rysabella whispered to Dayane. The queen stood up and walked in front of Rechel. “My memories are beyond your reach, you parasite.”

 

“Oh really,” Rechel said. Dayane blinked and Rechel was no longer there. Standing in her place was a large hideous looking insect. It had long claw like arms and a square shaped mouth that was open and dripping blue ooze. The mouth was lined with rows of sharp teeth. The thing truly looked like a nightmare come to life. It lumbered over to Rysabella on its four legs. Rysabella stood firm and regal, like the queen she was. The Mind Wyrm touched the end of one of its arms to Rysabella’s forehead and quickly pulled the thing back.

 

“Bah!” the Mind Wyrm yelled. When the thing spoke it sounded directly into Dayane’s head. She could even begin to feel a horrid touch along her head. Memories she had forgotten peaked up now and then. Dayane felt violated.

 

“You have no power over me, and never will,” Rysabella said. Her voice seemed to boom in Dayane’s head like the Mind Wyrm’s. The difference was that Rysabella’s voice echoed around the walls as well. It was real, and it was amazingly powerful.

 

“Then you can die!” the Mind Wyrm cried out. It raised one of its razor sharp arms up and slammed it down upon Rysabella. It never reached her. The Mind Wyrm was blown back by some force, smashing into a wall on the other side of the two. Rysabella stood, unmoving. “Impossible!” Dayane heard in her head as the rubble shook and she saw the things head again. “You have no power in another’s mind!”

 

“That she does not,” came a voice from behind Dayane. Dayane turned in time to see the first Taleth she met when she entered his mind. He wore the same dirty apron and seemed to be wiping the same flour off of his hands. “Nor does this young woman whose voice you’ve stolen.”

 

“You?” Rysabella said to Taleth. Taleth smiled at her.

 

“You have no power here either, figment,” the Mind Wyrm growled as it slowly got back to its feet. “You could not have possibly done that.” Taleth smiled.

 

“No, I didn’t,” he said. “Like you said, I have no power here, though maybe you should tell him that.” Taleth pointed to the bloodied back of the Taleth who was, until a moment ago, being beaten by Rechel. Dayane could see the open wounds and the blood on his back as he was hunched over on his knees.

 

“Impossible!” the Mind Wyrm roared. The other Taleth slowly got to his feet and then stood up straight, groaning in pain. “You cannot alter your own memories like this!” The Mind Wyrm suddenly sounded like a school child crying foul over a game.

 

“I am not what you think I am,” the wounded Taleth whispered. He turned and looked at the Mind Wyrm. “And you are out of your element, here.” The Mind Wyrm stepped a few feet away from Taleth, only to stop suddenly. Dayane’s head exploded in a roar of pain as the Mind Wyrm howled. Dayane looked behind the Mind Wyrm and standing there with a dagger dug into the monster’s backside was the young lad that Dayane had seen in the first memory.

 

“You do not belong here,” the boy Taleth said to the Mind Wyrm. The Mind Wyrm squealed and trying to reach a long arm around to strike at the boy. Before it even got close it was stopped. Appearing from nowhere was the Taleth that Dayane had hired. Dayane only saw the back of his clock and the side of his face but she knew him instantly.

 

“Impossible!” the Mind Wyrm shouted. “Impossible! Impossible! Impossible!” Taleth reached out and grabbed hold of the Mind Wyrm right under its mouth.

 

“Get out of my mind,” Taleth said without raising his voice. The Mind Wyrm struck at Taleth with it’s free arm to no avail. Things began shaking and then the Mind Wyrm began howling in pain. This time the howls came from its mouth and did not sound in the halls of Dayane’s head. The monster began to glow a white that continued to intensify in brightness. A loud bang was heard and the light vanished.

 

Rechel struck Taleth on his back with her cat-o-nine-tails again as she had been when they first saw the memory. Rysabella stood looking at the Taleth that appeared last, for he still stood with his back to Dayane. Rysabella took a few tentative steps towards him.

 

“You’re aliv-" Dayane began, her voice returned.

 

“GET OUT!” Taleth roared as he turned onto her. Dayane was frozen in fear. She had never seen so much anger in anyone eyes until now. Taleth took two steps and was right before her.

 

“But-" Dayane tried to start.

 

“I SAID GET OUT!” Taleth roared again. He drew his sword in a fluid motion and raised it over his head. An instant later it was coming down at Dayane. She had no time to do anything but watch. She heard Taleth yell, “Al’repilan’la’hiath!”

 

Everything went black.

 

* * *

[Orlan]

“You were a bit harsh with her,” Rysabella said. Taleth stood on the top of a building, staring out into the night. He was in a foul mood and Rysabella, in all her royalness, was not helping it at all.

 

“What did you expect?” he replied in a challenging tone. She wanted the argument, Taleth could plainly sense that. He knew her well enough to be able to pick out the subtleties in her voice and how she stood and acted. If she wanted a fight Taleth would give her one.

 

“She went into your mind to help save you,” Rysabella said. “She risked herself so that you could live. And to show your appreciation you yell at her and probably give her a memory that will scar her for life.” Taleth laughed and turned to look at Rysabella. She stood as she always did. She wore the same clothes she always did. She wore her hair the same way she always did. She had the same queenly expression across her face she always had. She was the same, like a painting: never changing, never faltering, always the same. For over a hundred and fifty years she had been at his side. While Taleth openly wanted her out of his life, he often reminded himself of how lonely that would make him. Taleth did not like that prospect.

 

“Forgive me if I sound ungrateful,” Taleth began, “But I am. You have no idea what it feels like to have other people filtering around in your mind, trying to find what they want. Regardless of her intentions, she was where she was not wanted.” He turned back and looked off into the distance. He really did not want to look at Rysabella’s face.

 

“I’ve offered many times to share my memories with you,” Rysabella responded, walking around in front of him, forcing her into his field of vision. She walked right off the edge of the building and stood standing on nothing a few feet from Taleth. “And every time you’ve turned me down.”

 

“Why would I want your memories for when I have more then enough of my own, Rysabella?”

 

“So then I can better understand what you have to deal with,” Rysabella said with sincerity in her voice. Taleth looked her in the eyes and saw the same pain that he had seen for their entire coexistence. Taleth sighed.

 

“I hate you,” Taleth said softly as he turned his back on her. Taleth could feel her warm smile and then saw her walking back around him to face him again.

 

“I know,” Rysabella said in the same tone Taleth used. Her smile was a radiant as always. Taleth hated that too. Taleth hated her a lot, but mostly because she tended to be a voice of reason, and she pointed out the things Taleth tried desperately to ignore.

 

“Fine, I’ll apologize,” Taleth said. “Stop pestering me about it, alright?” Rysabella nodded slightly. Taleth glanced behind him at the Tower he had fought his way to the top of earlier this night. There were more lights now and Taleth could pick out movement along the wall and the tower. His keen eyes saw the guards trying to sort out what happened and what to do now. “I have a plan that might work, though.”

 

“Oh?” Rysabella responded.

 

“With all the memory joyriding you two did it reminded me of something I had forgotten.” Taleth leapt off the edge of the building, landing easily four stories below. A drunk who sat against the side of the building gawked at Taleth when he landed. Taleth suppressed the automatic hand twitch to his sword hilt. He then wondered why he surpressed that.

 

“What’s the plan then?” Rysabella asked. She stood beside him, in the same field of vision as the drunk. Taleth realized why he suppressed the instinct. This royal pain was a bad influence on him.

 

“I want Mel around so I only have to explain it once,” Taleth said under his breath as he started walking away in the direction of the resistance’s headquarters. The trip back was short and eventless. Taleth walked down one of the hallways that lead to his room where Mellara and Dayane most likely still were. He picked up scattered conversations here and there as he walked by various doors. The mood was one of fear and disappointment at the night’s attack. Taleth wondered how much of that opinion that he agreed with.

 

“…he meant none of it,” Taleth heard Mellara’s voice. “It was most likely out of shock of seeing you there.”

 

“Yes, utter shock,” Rysabella said sarcastically. Taleth turned his head and caught her rolling her eyes. Taleth always hated the fact that whatever his heightened senses where exposed to, Rysabella could sense it as well.

 

“He could have just asked me to leave,” Dayane said, her voice very quiet. Taleth heard Mellara patting the girl’s hands.

 

“There, there,” Mellara said. “You’ll get over his attitude, I know I did.”

 

“When do I get over yours?” Taleth said as he opened the door. Mellara sat in the same chair she sat in when Taleth woke up. Dayane was now sitting upright in a chair across from the sorceress. Dayane looked up at Taleth and he could plainly see the fear in her eyes. Taleth expected no less.

 

“Never,” Mellara said. “I was wondering when you would return.”

 

“I had some things to take care of,” Taleth said. “The guards are still running around without much direction.”

 

“The elemental I summoned should have kept Vestat busy for several hours.” That made sense to Taleth since he was told that only an hour had passed when Dayane was under the spell. “You look better.” Taleth took one more look at Dayane and then turned back to Mellara.

 

“I’ve always been a quick healer,” Taleth said. He took a few steps into the room and could feel that Rysabella did the same. “I need to speak with you in private for a bit; I have some things I need answered.”

 

“Alright, I can manage that,” Mellara said. She turned to say something to Dayane but stopped when she saw her.

 

“Taleth…” Rysabella said from behind him. Taleth turned and looked behind him at the queen. Rysabella was frozen like Mellara and her gaze was leveled at Dayane as well. Taleth turned and looked at Dayane. Dayane was staring right at Rysabella with her mouth agape. Taleth glanced from Dayane to Rysabella and then back again. Dayane reached out a shaking hand and pointed straight at Rysabella. Taleth spun to Mellara.

 

“Is she pointing at who I think she is pointing at?” Mellara asked. Taleth nodded and then look back at Rysabella.

 

“Dayane…can you see me?” Rysabella asked Dayane. Dayane nodded mutely. Rysabella turned to Taleth. “Taleth, what’s going on here?” Taleth wanted to answer, but he had none to give.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Dayane thought she was still dreaming. She thought that maybe she was still in Taleth’s mind, unable to get out. She hoped that was what was wrong. If that was not it, then she must have lost her own mind. She could see Rysabella standing before her as clear as day. Rysabella stared back at her.

 

“Taleth, you are awake, correct?” Rysabella asked without taking her eyes off of Dayane.

 

“I can assure you that I am,” Taleth said. “Mellara, have you any experience with this after effect of the spell?”

 

“No,” Mellara said. “But then again I have only encountered your situation once. This very well could be the spells fault.” Mellara shrugged. Taleth turned and looked back at Dayane, his piercing eyes made her shiver. She had tried to avoid his gaze since he walked in but she had nowhere to run now. She was very scared. She had never seen Taleth react that way he had when she was in his mind, and now that she could see Rysabella she did not know what to expect at all. It shocked her then to heard Taleth start laughing. It was a laugh that Dayane heard from when Taleth was a child. It was a pure and genuine laugh.

 

“What’s so funny?” Rysabella and Mellara said at the same time. Taleth did not respond. He just kept on laughing. Dayane began to feel less tense around Taleth.

 

“Finally!” Taleth said with a sigh that seemed from relief. “You see?” Taleth said to Mellara. “I’m not insane, she really is there.” Mellara stared at him for a moment. Rysabella smiled and laughed to herself. Mellara shook her head and started laughing herself. Dayane felt fine in smiling, which she did, and it felt good. Taleth laughed again for a few moments and then shook off his laughter and smile and looked again at Dayane. “I apologize for the harsh attitude I took towards you earlier. I think that you will agree, though, that seeing another person in my head was not exactly something I wanted.” Dayane, surprisingly enough, kept her smile.

 

“It’s alright, and I understand,” Dayane said. She saw Rysabella’s approving nod at Taleth behind his back. In an instant the old Taleth was back, his face a stone, his demeanor that of granite.

 

“Good, now get out, I need to talk to Mellara,” he said with all the same curtness he normally had. Dayane got herself to her feet with little effort and headed toward the door. Rysabella stepped out of the way but gave a knowing wink as Dayane passed. The door shut on its own accord when Dayane stepped over the threshold. Dayane contemplated listening in, but she decided against that. She would hear this plan soon enough.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Vestat stormed into his divining room, slamming the door hard enough to shake the wall behind him. His clothes where wet water from the elemental he summoned and thus, he was unable to dry them magically. This only added to the foul mood he was in after having to deal with the elemental that witch Mellara summoned. It took several hours to deal with the elemental. Vestat had to grudgingly give in to the idea that the elemental Mellara had summoned was of a higher level that he could summon. When he finally admitted that defeat he felt fine in summoning another two to help him banish Mellara’s. In the end he was still mad.

 

“Ignorant women!” he cried out as he took off his cloak and slammed it into the wall. It hit with a loud and wet slap and then fell to the ground. For some reason Vestat felt that it was mocking him and he gathered some of his power and launched a fireball. It struck the wall first and shook the room to its foundations before disintegrating the cloak. Vestat heard a thump from behind him and spun around in place, looking at the other wall.

 

Sitting in a pile at the base of one of his bookshelves was a leather bound pack tied with several leather straps. Vestat let his eyes shift to the spectrum of magic and gazed again at the pack. It gave off a light red color, not a pure demonic red, but it had some demonic power. Vestat shifted back to the normal spectrum and walked over to the pack. He could not remember what was in the pack, but he had many magical items and remembering each and every one of them was a bother.

 

Vestat called the pack to him and it floated up into his hands. He untied the straps and broke the magical lock. With a careful touch, he unwrapped the leather and stared curiously at the back of a hand held mirror.

 

“What is this…” he asked out loud. He reached out and took the handle of the mirror. As he turned it over he noticed that the mirrored side was locked with a jewel-encrusted cover. Vestat undid the latch and cautiously opened the mirror. When he looked at the mirror he saw nothing, not even a reflection. An instant later it flared with light and Vestat felt power and memories flooding into him. He quickly slammed the mirror shut and took a breath to steady himself.

 

“Of course,” Vestat said to himself. He began laughing out loud. He remembered what this was. More importantly, he realized how he could use it against Mellara. “I can’t believe I forgot about this. Oh yes…this is perfect. She will pay. She will pay over and over again.”

[Orlan]

Taleth stalked silently over the castle wall and landed on the ground below. He moved swiftly over the ground, avoiding a few guards that were out patrolling. Taleth made his way to the tower he was in the previous night. He slipped into the tower and immediately ducked into a set of shadows that hung against the wall where the torches failed to illuminate.

 

“Anyone there?” Taleth whispered to Rysabella. The queen, his ever companion, walked right out into the open and looked up a set of stairs and the put her head right through a door. Taleth had to admit that she was useful.

 

“No, I’ll go up and see what I can find,” Rysabella said. She suddenly vanished. Taleth took the moment of silence and placed his hands and ear against the stone wall. He concentrated as he was taught so many years ago, trying to meld himself into the stone. He heard voices coming to him. He could make out five separate voices but could not make out what they where talking about.

 

“Five guards…” Taleth said to himself. He smiled into the darkness. Rysabella’s voice sounded in the vaults of Taleth’s mind.

 

“It’s clear up to the last few steps, there are five of them around a table on the other side of the room,” she said. Taleth stepped back into the light and was to the stairs in a flash, his boots making no noise on the floor. He moved up the steps silently, slowing down as he reached the top. The voices he heard through the stones now became very clear, and Taleth heard all the conversation.

 

“Those are his orders,” a male voice said. Taleth recognized the voice immediately. This was Severath, the captain of the crown guard. He had a reputation as the strongest of the crown guard. Taleth was slightly disappointed that Severath was not on duty last night when the attack happened. A fight with the guard would be enjoyable.

 

“That’s idiotic, and you know that, Severath,” a deep, booming voice said. Taleth peeked above the stairs and saw an opportunity to move in. Rysabella nodded at him and Taleth slipped up the stairs and over to a trio of kegs near the wall. Taleth froze and held himself completely still.

 

“I know, Vaunad,” Severath replied. “But we follow strict rules, as we have for over a century. We have no choice but to obey the orders.” There were a couple grumbles. “It can’t be helped. Vestat brought the orders from the king; they’re sealed with the royal seal. Orders like this we can not ignore. We are to leave the tower unguarded immediately. We are not to stop any from entering. Those are the orders we were given, and we’re going to execute them flawlessly as we always do.”

 

“What’s wrong, Foewen?” Taleth made out another male voice. There was a moment pause.

 

“What?” said a female voice. Taleth heard the male voice who asked the question laugh.

 

“You’ve been staring at the table for the past hour, is something wrong?” the male voice asked again.

 

“It’s the resistance members who broke in here last night,” Foewen replied. “The one who beat us did not seem like some rag-tag farmer or merchant. He knew Uri-van moves. Everything I attacked him with he stopped, and with one hand, too!”

 

“I heard a rumor that the resistance had hired Taleth the Black,” said the fifth voice that Taleth was waiting to hear. He glanced up at Rysabella who stood out in the open watching the conversation. She turned down to him and nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true.”

 

“And that’s why I said this is idiotic,” Vaunad said. “If that was Taleth the Black, what is going to stop him from coming back here and taking the crown?”

 

“Vaunad,” Severath said. “If that was Taleth the Black, what is going to stop him at all? He defeated half a dozen crown guard, most at the same time. Do you think anything we have can stop him? He’s reputed to be immortal. And Foewen said that her dagger bounced off. I don’t think there’s anything we can do.”

 

“But still…” Vaunad started.

 

“I know, Van,” Severath stopped him. “I want to protect the crown as much as you do, but those are the orders. The king ordered Vestat to guard the crown for a while.”

 

“That doesn’t ease my fears at all,” the fifth voice spoke up again.

 

“That’s true,” Foewen said. “I’d trust Taleth the Black with the crown before I trust the Royal Sorcerer.” Taleth resisted the urge to laugh out loud.

 

“You get hanged for talk like that,” Severath said sternly. “I agree with it, though. But that’s neither here nor there. Right now we are leaving. I know Van, but we have to leave. Remember, though, our loyalty is always, and forever, the Crown of Life and its bearer. Let Vestat guard it for a while. We will keep it safe our own way. Now let’s get out of here.”

 

Taleth looked up at Rysabella and gave her a small smile. Rysabella did not seem to share his ease. She was still tense. Taleth knew she was only like this when she was uncertain of the outcome. After Taleth heard the last feet echo away on the stairs he stood up and walked around the kegs.

 

“Relax,” Taleth told Rysabella. He did not expect her to acknowledge that request. True to form, she completely ignored him. Taleth expected nothing less from her right now. He looked around one last time and then went back down the stairs. He had some planning to finish.

 

* * *

 

Dayane found that she was lingering between fascination and fear with her sudden ability to see and talk with Rysabella. Mellara immediately began to use her as a mediator to talk with Rysabella. While she admitted to herself she learned a lot from serving as Rysabella’s voice, she quickly felt like she was just a spectator. Most of the things that Mellara asked were about where Taleth had been for the past eighty years, and if she had found out anything about their predicament. The only real problem came when Rysabella was pulled away by Taleth for some reason or another. Dayane had reasoned out that Rysabella could not go that far away from where Taleth was. Dayane assumed they had some sort of tether that attached them together. Otherwise she was sure that Rysabella would have long since left Taleth’s side. Dayane would have.

 

The departure of Rysabella left Mellara and Dayane alone. Dayane looked over at the sorceress. The sorceress seemed very content with herself right now. Dayane chalked it up to the fact that she was just able to have nearly a complete conversation with Rysabella without trying to decipher Taleth’s dry wit.

 

“Questions?” Mellara asked, snapping Dayane from her wonderings. Dayane met Mellara’s eyes and saw that the sorceress wore a mischievous smile. Dayane wondered if Mellara had been reading her mind. “I don’t do things like that,” Mellara said. Dayane stared wide-eyed at her. “You were probably just wondering if I was reading your thoughts.”

 

“Y-Yes,” Dayane said. Mellara gave her a wink.

 

“I’ve been alive a long time, Dayane,” she said. “I know when people are wondering if I’m prying through their thoughts. Plus I like to make people think that, it keeps them on their toes and off of mine. Besides, I should say that I can’t instead of don’t do thing like that. It’s a waste of energy when I can just ask.” Mellara gave her a smile.

 

“Well, I do have some questions,” Dayane said, her mind wandering over the fact that they were planning on going after the crown tonight, one day after Taleth was nearly killed. “Why tonight?”

 

“A valid question,” Mellara said. “And it has many valid answers as well. First off, they won’t be expecting this. For all we know Vestat might think that Taleth has indeed died. If that’s the case then we have the element of surprise as well on our side. Besides, Taleth has a plan that I agree will work.”

 

“What’s the plan?” Dayane asked.

 

“He’s going to distract Vestat long enough for one of us to get the crown. Vestat has a bit of power, but he doesn’t have enough to even hope to overcome the Crown of Life. It’s immensely powerful as a magical artifact but it’s impossible to control. Vestat would not know where to begin and would probably kill himself before he was able to begin to use the Crown of Life.”

 

“Is it really that powerful? It’s hard to imagine it as more then an affectation.”

 

“Oh indeed,” Mellara said standing. She began to pace as she talked. “The Crown of Life has been the pillar of the kings and queens for millennia. It was made by the first ruler of the united four kingdoms. As you know the world today is divided into four kingdoms and at the center of the kingdoms is Aline. The four kingdoms where first unified by the sorcerer Kor. He was the most powerful of all the sorcerers at that time, and many say that his power was more then the Mage Lord Ryaxlan. I assume you saw his power when you were in Taleth’s mind.”

 

“How do you know that Taleth had met Ryaxlan?” Dayane interrupted.

 

“Taleth had told me once before when I was considering going to ask the Mage Lord for advice,” Mellara told her. “Anyway, Kor united the fours kingdoms out of no other reason then to give him some peace and quiet. Kor lived between two of the kingdoms that warred with each other constantly. He was irritated that there where always troops marching around his tower and battles were waged right around him. If you’ve ever done magical study you’d know that silence is a major requirement for study.”

 

“I don’t ever remember hearing about that reason,” Dayane admitted.

 

“It’s not that one that’s told. I’m old enough that I can get that knowledge second hand by talking to sorcerers and sorceress that where alive back then.”

 

“How old are you?”

 

“Now, now,” Mellara said with a smile. “A lady never reveals her age. Now then, Kor unified the four kingdoms the only way he knew how: under an iron fist. He blasted his way from kingdom to kingdom, ordering the rulers to follow him or die where they stood. Fortunately none of them were stupid enough to resist Kor and soon they all followed him. Using his magic he started a city in the middle of the four kingdoms, Aline. From there, for ten years, he watched over the lands, making sure peace was maintained. A few fights sprung up here and there, but it was nothing major. Kor had succeeded in unifying the four kingdoms.

 

“The problem came when Kor wanted to go back to his study. He did not want the kingdoms to descend back into war, but the only way to get the rulers to obey was through powerful magic. Kor refused to put another sorcerer or any other sort of magician on the throne. He knew their minds and he knew that their greed or sloth or old age would quickly get in the way of ruling. He knew that a normal mortal would have to rule. That is why he made the Crown of Life. None know what all went into the Crown; all they know is that the Crown of Life was extremely powerful. Then Kor picked some farmer from the outreaches of the kingdoms and appointed him his successor. Kor checked in on the new king but left most of it in his hands. Kind of frightening that the unity we see now is from an angry sorcerer who just wanted some quiet and a country bumpkin.”

 

Dayane sat there, stunned. She had heard a completely different history then what Mellara just laid out before her. As far as she knew, not a soul in the resistance, nor probably the whole city knew this. Even Orthar did not know this, for it was he who told Dayane the stories behind how their unity was first achieved. Dayane felt like her reality was beginning to tear away.

 

“While this may seem like a lot to digest,” Mellara began. “You have to remember that history is always made by one side of the story, and can rarely be trusted as utter truth. You yourself should know that the best. You’ve seen how Taleth the Black, the most heinous of criminals, from the inside. Things that seem to be one thing are quite often another. This goes for the Crown of Life. You see it as an affectation, something a rich person would wear to a summer ball, but in reality it’s a horrid weapon that people cannot even begin to fathom. The Crown of Life can only be passed down from one ruler to another. Whether it be from the last wish of a dying king or from a queen to her daughter, the crown can only be used if given of free will. Few have tried to steal it and they all cease to exist now. This is why the Crown of Life sits in that tower, unused and unclaimed. Only Rysabella can pass it to another, and now that she’s as she is, the Crown of Life is useless.”

 

“Then why are we going after it?” Dayane asked getting confused as to the reasons behind everything they had done up to now.

 

“For the very reason you say, while we can not use its power, we can use what it is instead.”

 

“But-”

 

“No more,” Mellara said. “I’m sure I’ve scared you enough as it is today. For now it is nearing night, and we need to be prepared. Off with you, I need some time to meditate and remember the many spells that I will need tonight. I may talk down Vestat and make fun of him, but he still is a powerful opponent. I think we will need most of my arsenal tonight.” Mellara sighed. “Though, I hope not though.”

 

* * *

[Orlan]

“I don’t see anything,” Rysabella said as she came back down the stairs. Taleth turned to Mellara.

 

“I think we’re expected,” he said. Mellara nodded her agreement. “I’ll take point.” Taleth moved up the steps, moving past Rysabella. Mellara waved her staff after Taleth, indicating that Dayane should follow. Dayane did and Rysabella gave her a nod of support as she passed. Mellara took up the rear, waving a glowing staff over the floor as they went up.

 

“I’ve run into nothing until the top,” Rysabella said. “We should be fine. Tell Mellara I could see no magic traps but she still might want to be cautious.”

 

“Rysabella said she saw nothing magical but you should stay on guard,” Dayane said as Mellara caught up to her. The sorceress nodded. Taleth stood in the middle of the new floor, looking around with a long gaze. Dayane crept up the steps and then moved behind Taleth. Mellara followed. When Mellara’s staff came in contact with the floor it flashed white.

 

“Get back!” Taleth shouted, backing himself into Dayane. Dayane was knocked back and stumbled through Rysabella and to Mellara. The sorceress was quick enough to catch Dayane. When Dayane steadied herself she saw a monstrous ogre bearing down on Taleth. The ogre stood a good eight feet tall, the top of its head a foot from the ceiling. It held a huge stone that was fashioned into a club. It took a swing at Taleth but the assassin proved to be more agile and leapt back in time to avoid being struck.

 

“Vestat has obviously set up traps that respond to me,” Mellara said as she held Dayane steady herself. Taleth ducked under another swing. He rolled over to the side that was opposite the next set of stairs.

 

“Obviously,” Taleth said under his breath yet loud enough to be heard. “Go for the Crown,” Taleth said dodging the ogre’s fist. “I’ll be up in a moment.” Taleth crouched down and drew out his sword. The next strike from the ogre came down hard overhead. Taleth met the strike with his hand and brushed it aside so that it struck the floor beside him. A moment later the ogre had a wound across one of its thighs.

 

“Let’s get going,” Mellara said, urging Dayane forward. Dayane ran cross the floor with Mellara right behind her. The ogre turned once to try to go after the two women but Taleth got its attention with a strike across its knee. Dayane knew that Taleth would win but ogres had extremely thick skin so Taleth had his work cut out for him. Mellara and Dayane made it up to the next level when the tower shook.

 

“He’ll be fine,” Mellara said. She held her staff out in front of her and it began to glow red. “If Vestat has spells set up to trigger off of me, we’ll need a shield. Stand behind me,” Mellara ordered Dayane. Dayane would have done that had she not be ordered to. Mellara began up the stairs once more, Dayane staying close behind her this time.

 

The first time it happened Dayane was surprised. Mellara had put a shield around them both. The shield was apparently a bubble of protection that surrounded them on all sides. Dayane jumped when the first trap snapped off of the shield. The shield flared green for a moment and then vanished from sight once again. Mellara continually tapped her staff on every step before proceeding. This slowed their ascent but Dayane did not argue with the added precaution. At the top of the tower, Dayane once again stood before the doors to the room with the Crown of Life. This time, however, the doors were wide open and Dayane could see everything inside clearly.

 

“I think this is a trap,” Mellara said.

 

“Indeed you are right,” Vestat said, stepping out from nowhere. He stood next to the Crown of Life with his hands behind his back. He wore an overly arrogant look. Dayane thought that Vestat was sure he had already won.

 

“You’re predictable, to say the least,” Mellara said to Vestat. Vestat arched his eyebrows at Mellara’s snide comment.

 

“And you’re more predictable,” Vestat said. His body took on a yellow aura and Dayane felt herself shoved through the doorway. Mellara’s shield flared up brightly, illuminating everything in green. The sorceress moved with Dayane into the room, pushed along like there was a wind at their backs. Mellara swore loudly and spun, raising her staff and pointing it behind her. The moving stopped but by then they where over the threshold of the room. Mellara’s staff erupted in light as she lobbed a fireball through the door. It hit a shield before it got too far from her.

 

“So,” Mellara said, turning back around and positioning herself between Dayane and Vestat. “You do know a bit of High Shielding. I am impressed. That also means that you’re not going to leave here alive, you know that don’t you?” Vestat laughed.

 

“I’m not in the High Shield,” Vestat said. “And you can’t get out of the High Shield to hurt me, so what do I have to worry about?”

 

“Mellara…” Dayane whispered softly. Mellara grabbed hold of her staff at the bottom and swung it at apparently nothing. Dayane jumped when the staff cracked against something in the air and Mellara’s shield came alive with lightning.

 

“He’s trapped us in my own shield,” Mellara said to Dayane. “We’re stuck here until he dies or moves us. I had not expected this.” Dayane caught Rysabella out of the corner of her eye. The queen vanished an instant later. Dayane earnestly hoped that she was going to get Taleth.

 

“And yet you should,” Vestat cried out, suddenly angry. “My whole life as a sorcerer was plagued by you. You were always there, one upping me. Regardless of the fact that I’m older, that I’m more powerful, they always went to you.”

 

“It was your horrible treatment of others,” Mellara said standing her ground. Her voice suddenly took on a serious tone. “And you where never more powerful then me.”

 

“QUIET!” Vestat roared, stretching a hand out at the two of them. The spell he launched slammed into the shield and was absorbed. “I was even passed up by Rysabella to be her Royal Sorcerer. She should have chosen me, but instead she chose a woman,” Vestat said with loathing and disgust. “Thank god that Taleth the Black killed her when he did. He got rid of you in an instant. You could not handle the fact that you had failed as a Royal Sorcerer and so you vanished. That was my most triumphant day.”

 

“I suppose that you where the one to hire Taleth then?” Mellara said in a calm voice. Dayane noticed that her calmness was a façade since the sorceress’s knuckles where white as they gripped her staff.

 

“Of course not,” Vestat said. “Petty killings are the tools of the ‘normal people.’ I was just going to wait you out…to endure longer then you and your little queen. Thanks to the now formerly immortal Taleth the Black,” Dayane’s heart lifted as she realized Vestat thought Taleth dead, “I did not have to wait as long as I thought.” Dayane felt Mellara’s tension flow away and her grip on her staff returned to normal.

 

“You also talk too much,” Mellara said under her breath. Vestat still heard.

 

“ENOUGH!” Vestat roared bringing his other hand around in front of him. In his hand he had what looked like a small hand held mirror. There seemed to be a cover over the actual mirror part. Vestat held it before him, facing it towards Mellara. The sorceress seemed uncaring.

 

“You think a hand mirror will help you?” Mellara said. She stopped and thought a moment, letting a little smile creep across her face. “It might. You do look like a slob.”

 

“Your petty jokes will not save you where you’re going,” Vestat said. With that, he reached up and unlatched the front of the mirror. Dayane watched as blue light was gathered to Vestat’s hands and then into the mirror. When Vestat opened the mirror, a bolt of blue light flew from the mirror right at Mellara, passing right through the shield. Dayane’s breath caught in her throat as it passed effortlessly through the shield. She only started breathing again when she realized that Taleth had stopped the bolt.

 

The assassin stood right before Mellara, so close the sorceress could have kissed his back had she chose. The bolt struck Taleth square in his chest and then Taleth glowed blue for a moment, the glow spreading from where the bolt struck outwards around his body.

 

“Impossible!” Vestat said at Taleth’s sudden appearance. The blue glow that surrounded Taleth peeled off him like the skin of a fruit, and returned to the mirror. The blue glow then dispersed itself throughout Vestat’s body. The sorcerer’s moment of shock and indignation was shook off and replaced by an enormous evil grin. “Even better!” Vestat yelled. A gush of wind originated from Vestat and Dayane was blown back. Taleth stood firm and he blocked Mellara from the wind. Rysabella appeared at Dayane’s side when she finally landed a moment later.

 

“Are you alright?” Rysabella asked, kneeling down beside her. Mellara rushed over to Dayane and kneeled down on her other side. She set the end of her staff into the floor and started chanting in another tongue.

 

“I’m alright,” Dayane said back, managing to sit herself up. She watched Taleth start walking towards Vestat. It appeared that Vestat dispelled the High Shield. The sorcerer looked as if he had no idea Taleth was a few steps away from him with his sword at the ready. A moment later Vestat’s eyes shot open and a spear of ice formed in front of him. It immediately flew through the air and pierced Taleth’s chest.

 

To Dayane it felt like time stopped. Taleth stood there for a moment, the ice spear, clear in color, stuck out of both his front and back. The clear ice soon took on a red coloring as Taleth’s blood began to flow around it. The now-reddened spear shattered and Taleth fell to the ground. This whole scene played over in Dayane’s mind like a bad memory resurfacing. To Dayane it seemed as if Taleth had died, just as he almost had done the night before.

 

“Taleth…” Dayane heard Rysabella whisper. Dayane was too shocked herself to turn and look at the queen, but an instant later Rysabella rushed over to Taleth. She kneeled by his side and tried to place her hands on him. They went straight through. Rysabella began moving her hands all over, trying to grab a hold on anything in Taleth.

 

“I meant to take your powers with the Mirror of Uliane,” Vestat said to Mellara. “But I ended up stealing Taleth’s immortality in the process…This is perfect!” Vestat raised his hands to the ceiling and let out a wave of maniacal laughter. The winds suddenly picked up to an intense gale in the small room. Mellara let out a roar, yelling against the wind and slamming her staff into the ground. Another shield appeared around her and Dayane. Though it stopped a lot of the wind it failed to stop it all, and Dayane soon found herself grabbing hold of Mellara, trying to keep from being blown away. The shield flared now and then as bolts of unseen magical power struck. All the while Vestat’s maniacal laughter filled her ears.

 

Dayane risked opening her eyes and saw Rysabella stumble to her feet. Though Dayane could not see her completely through the magicks that raged between them, somehow, she knew Rysabella was crying. The queen spread her arms out and let out a scream. Dayane felt Mellara flinch when she heard the scream. Dayane gasped.

 

“Can you hear that?” Dayane yelled over the roar of the magic. Mellara gave no response. Dayane looked up at the sorceress and saw her staring wide-eyed at where Rysabella stood. Dayane turned and looked back at where Rysabella was and watched her turn and walk through the torrent of magic, unaffected. Rysabella’s body began to glow with each step she took. Dayane glanced up to watch Mellara’s gaze follow Rysabella. Dayane was sure of it, Mellara could see Rysabella. “What’s going on?!” Dayane yelled out.

 

“No!” Vestat said. Suddenly everything stopped; everything became silent. Dayane watched as Vestat also was staring at Rysabella, abject horror dancing across his face. “You! You’re….What are you?!” Vestat seemed too jumbled to react properly. Rysabella ignored him and walked straight to the Crown of Life. Vestat composed himself too late. A whip of fire launched from his hands and struck out at Rysabella as the queen touched the Crown of Life. When she touched the crown, it vanished, appearing on her head as if it was anxious to be used again. Vestat’s whip of fire was dispersed before it even got close to Rysabella. The queen turned and faced Vestat.

 

“For crimes against the four kingdoms and those who live in them,” Rysabella said, her voice boomed through the small room, magically amplified. “You receive the punishment of death.”

 

“No!” Vestat roared. A thousand whips of flame appeared form his hand. Vestat brought the mirror up and held it in both of his hands, focusing the whips through that. The whips all flew toward Rysabella but they vanished in an instant when the Crown of Life glowed bright. Vestat stumbled backwards, stepping on his robes in the process. The sorcerer continued to throw fire, ice, and lightning at the queen. They all vanished before reaching her.

 

“Your struggling makes your death all the more painful,” Rysabella said with a cold and hard voice. Dayane could see the path Rysabella’s tears had made down her face. Dayane had been right, Rysabella had been crying. Right now, however, Rysabella had no tears. To Dayane, Rysabella seemed like a mountain. Unmoving. Unwavering. Dayane could feel it within her own self: Rysabella was unbeatable.

 

“Then I’ll take us all to the more painful,” Vestat yelled. He crossed his hands before him and placed them over his chest, chanting in a deep and dark language.

 

“Stop him!” Mellara shouted out. “He’ll kill us all!” Rysabella needed no encouragement. With a sigh, she leveled her hand at the chanting sorcerer.

 

“You reap what you sow,” Rysabella said. A wave of white light expanded from her hand and slammed into Vestat. Dayane blinked and then saw nothing. Vestat was gone. The Mirror of Uliane fell from where it had been. It was obliterated before it hit the ground from another wave of Rysabella’s hand.

 

The room, which a moment ago had been alive with magical forces beyond all tell, was dead silent. Rysabella appeared normal again; she had no glow around her. The Crown of Life also stopped glowing; its normal metallic color reflected the dim light. Mellara stood herself up, leaning a little on her staff until she found her feet. Dayane could only stare wide-eyed in wonder at Rysabella. Mellara, however, was able to move. Mellara took one cautious step towards Rysabella.

 

“Your Majesty?” Mellara asked, her voice choked. Rysabella turned to the sorceress and smiled softly, her own eyes beginning to water up.

 

“Always so formal, Royal Sorceress,” Rysabella said, her voice as choked up as Mellara’s. Mellara instantly broke into a run and threw herself into Rysabella’s arm. Dayane’s heart wretched for a moment with the thought that maybe Rysabella was not physically there. Thankfully, Mellara hit the queen square on and the two women wrapped their arms around each other, each letting out cries of joy. Dayane could not make out any of the words the two women were saying to each other, but it still caused her eyes to tear up. As Dayane reached up to wipe away a tear, a horrid reality set in to her.

 

“Taleth,” she whispered. She turned her gaze to the body that lay on the ground a little ways away from her. Dayane tried to rise once but failed and instead resolved to crawl her way over to Taleth. Dayane reached him quickly but she knew instantly there was nothing she could do. Taleth lay there unmoving, his eyes closed. The wound in his chest seemed to still have ice frozen over it so no blood flowed from his body. Dayane searched futilely for a pulse. It was no use, Taleth was gone.

 

* * *

 

Severath was irked by the orders to stop guarding the Crown of Life. He did not like the fact that they left the crown in the hands of Vestat. However, right now, he was infuriated because of Ippiden. Vestat obviously did not trust Severath and his guards to stay away from the tower, and as such sent Ippiden to watch over them. Severath sat with a fair amount of other soldiers in the mess hall, eating the late meal. Foewen sat across from Severath, absorbed in her food, and, Severath guessed, some self-pity.

 

“Cheer up, Fen,” Severath said to her. “Wallowing in pity is not going to help us.” Foewen swallowed and sighed.

 

“I know,” she said. “I’m just so irritated at that sorcerer!”

 

“I know, I know,” Severath said. “But we can’t do anything with his dog Ippiden watching our every move.” Severath glanced over to Ippiden who sat on the opposite side of the hall, sipping from a glowing wine flute. The sorcerer lackey was trying to make it look like he was not watching Severath and Foewen but he was not very good at it.

 

“I talked with Vaunad. He’s suffering from the same…tailing.”

 

“What do we do about it?”

 

“Right now all we can do-” Severath stopped suddenly as he watched Ippiden’s glass shatter. Ippiden nearly swooned but then regained his composure.

 

“Vestat is dead…,” the sorcerer said quite loudly. It was obvious that he was in a state of shock. An instant later the sorcerer vanished form the hall. Severath reacted immediately and touched the ring on his right hand. He spoke an incantation and a loud snap echoed through the hall. Immediately his ring began to glow red. In response, one of Foewen’s earrings began to glow red. Severath knew that the other Crown Guard would also receive more signals like this. Foewen did not need anything more and the two of them jumped from their seats, knocking over the table. They bolted out the doors, running at full speed to the Crown of Life.

 

* * *

 

Rysabella sat with Taleth’s head in her lap. She had her hands on both sides of his head and they glowed a bright yellow color. Sweat was appearing on her forehead and each time the glow subsided, she began to breathe more heavily. Still nothing worked.

 

“This goes beyond the power of the Crown of Life,” Rysabella said in a soft voice. Dayane could tell that she did not want to give up but the queen was obviously in pain, both physical and emotional. Mellara place her hand on the queen’s shoulder in sympathy. Rysabella looked up at her long time friend. “Can I have a few moments alone with him?” The queen was on the edge of tears. Mellara nodded and then started walking to the door. Dayane faltered for a moment, wanting to stay, but she too respected the queen’s request and followed Mellara out.

 

“Is she real?” Dayane asked after a moment of silence. Her curiosity got the better of her. Mellara shook her head.

 

“She’s visible and physically there but she’s not real. Her body is made up of magic right now: magic from me, from Vestat, from the Crown of Life and magic from all around us. She has a limited time here; the only thing that is sustaining her for this long is the Crown of Life. It wants her to stay so it is doing everything it can to keep her by flooding massive amounts of magic into her body. Given time, she will fade.”

 

“What about Taleth,” Dayane asked, her voice choking up again.

 

“I can do nothing for Taleth,” Mellara said, her voice oddly calm. Dayane was going to say something about that when she heard footsteps behind her. Both Mellara and she spun around in time to see a handful of the Crown Guard rush to the top of the stairs, lead by a scarred man who wielded a wicked-looking sword. An arms length from Mellara he stopped suddenly and the four guards behind him followed suit.

 

“What right do you have to enter this place?” he said. Dayane could see he was tensed up and ready to strike. Mellara stood her ground.

 

“More of a right then you could imagine,” Mellara said back, leveling her gaze at the Crown Guard. No one moved for a moment until three more Crown Guard arrived. One of them skidded to a stop when he caught sight of Mellara.

 

“Lady Mellara!” he shouted. He instantly dropped to one knee. The lead Crown Guard looked down on the guard who was kneeling with a surprised look.

 

“Mellara?” he asked. He turned back to Mellara. “The former Royal Sorceress, Mellara?”

 

“And once again current Royal Sorceress!” Rysabella said as she stepped into the hallway. Dayane spun and saw the queen in her full glory. Rysabella wore a gown of impeccable royal blue. It fit her perfect frame snugly. Her long hair was intricately braded around her head. The Crown of Life glowed brightly across her forehead. She once again glowed with a bright aura. At the sight of the Crown of Life, the guards snapped to attention, readying their weapons.

 

“No one can wear the Crown anymore,” the leader of the guard said. “It destroys anyone who tries.”

 

“The Crown of Life recognizes its current bearer,” Rysabella said, touching her fingers to the crown. “Crown Guard! For centuries, you have guarded the crown and its bearers, the rulers of the four kingdoms. For the last few, you have merely been an honor guard for a piece of jewelry. No longer. From this day forth you are the true Royal Guard once more.” Rysabella turned to Dayane.

 

“What?” Dayane asked.

 

“I, Rysabella D’Tarrown, bearer of the Crown of Life, Keeper of the Kingdoms, hereby pass the crown to the new queen, Dayane Chromia!” Dayane’s eyes where filled with an intense light and she raised her hands to try to shield them. An instant later, she felt cold metal across her forehead and then magic began to flow through her. Her vision cleared and she saw everyone before her in a new light. Rysabella stood before her, but she had no crown on her head. She still glowed faintly. Dayane turned to the Crown Guard and Mellara. Mellara gave off a bright aura of white light. The guards each gave off auras of various colors and brightness. Dayane shook out her head and shut her eyes tight. When she opened them again things where back to normal. Everyone appeared as they did normally. She turned to Rysabella who wore a warm smile.

 

“Why?” was all Dayane could seem to ask. Rysabella laughed loudly.

 

“I’m not going to be around forever you know,” Rysabella replied. Dayane turned back to the Crown Guard. They stood hesitantly, all their eyes focused on her. Dayane felt out of place, as if she should not be here. Dayane wanted to say something but she did not know what. Fortunately, a guard in the back spoke up.

 

“Long live the new Queen!” he shouted. The lead guard glanced back and then returned his gaze to Dayane. He stood tall and brought his fist to over his heart.

 

“The Crown Guard…no...Royal Guard, pledge our allegiance to you and the Crown of Life. Long live Queen Dayane!” he shouted. The other guards saluted her much the same. Mellara gave Dayane a big smile. The smile faded as she turned to Rysabella. Dayane looked over and saw the Queen begin to fade, as if she was just an illusion in the morning sun. Rysabella kept her smile and then turned to the guards.

 

“My last command,” Rysabella said. “You all are sworn to secrecy about what just occurred. You will tell no one, ever. You will protect the new queen with you lives.” Rysabella turned to Mellara. “I will be here for a bit longer, but only thanks to the Crown of Life. You need to stay here and watch out for her. She young and impressionable, you know,” Rysabella said with a laugh. Mellara wiped away a tear from her eye and nodded. Rysabella faded away to barely a ghost. Dayane could still make her out but she could also see right through her. Rysabella turned back to Dayane. “You can still see me but no one else can. I want you to go down with Mellara and the Royal Guard and begin your life as Queen. I will be there in a bit. I have some things that need to be finished up.” Dayane nodded solemnly. “Oh and one more thing,” Rysabella said. “Seal up the tower and tell no one of Taleth.” Again, Dayane nodded.

 

“Your Majesty,” Mellara said. Dayane took a moment to realize that she was talking to her and not Rysabella. Dayane inhaled and took strength in the smile that Rysabella offered her. She turned to Mellara and took a step. Her first step as queen.

[Orlan]

It was not until a week later that Dayane was able to let her thoughts stray over Taleth again. Dayane had almost constantly been moving since she received the Crown of Life. She was trying to right what she saw as wrong, trying to make things better for everyone and just trying to learn how to be a queen. She was fortunate enough to be able to have Rysabella almost always by her side, helping her out when she needed it and telling her what she needed to know. Lately, though, she had been not giving Dayane as much advice, and she was leaving Dayane’s side more and more often. Dayane could feel the connection between her and Rysabella begin to wane.

 

Dayane sighed and glanced out the window of her new bedroom, which also happened to be Rysabella’s old room. The sun peaked its way through a few clouds and shone down on the city of Aline. Dayane thought that the city looked beautiful like this. Dayane was going to make a difference with the power she had. She was going to make the entire city shine like this as long as she wore the Crown of Life.

 

“It truly is beautiful,” Rysabella said. Dayane glanced to her side to see Rysabella standing next to her, looking out over the city. Rysabella had faded a little more with each passing day. Today she was barely there, and Dayane feared the former queen had less time then Dayane thought. Rysabella turned to Dayane and gave her a warm smile.

 

“You’re fading,” Dayane said, her voice sad. Rysabella’s face lost her smile and she nodded solemnly.

 

“You’re getting along famously on your own, Dayane,” Rysabella said. “You did amazing things in just a week and have started to turn things around for the four kingdoms. Plus, you’ve surrounded yourselves with some of the best advisors in the entire city.” Dayane let out a laugh.

 

“I surrounded myself with my friends,” Dayane said. “My grandfather is my chief advisor, by the gods.” Rysabella’s smile came back.

 

“And who better to advise you on the right path then your friends and family?”

 

“Speaking of advisors,” Dayane said, her tone dropping. “People have been saying that I ordered the killings of Vestat’s inner circle of sorcerers. What am I going to do about that?”

 

“I’d not worry about that. Vestat had more enemies then just you. I’m sure others see this opportunity as the best to get rid of Vestat’s entire legacy. Besides, would you rather have them behind your back plotting your every demise and trying to assassinate you? Sometimes people like that are easier to watch when they’re no longer moving around.”

 

“Rysabella!” she gasped. Dayane was shocked to hear Rysabella say this. Rysabella waved her off.

 

“Oh, Dayane,” Rysabella said letting go a pearl of a laugh. “Sometimes I wonder if you’ll survive as queen is you continue to act so naïve.” Dayane sighed.

 

“Why did you want to keep Taleth’s name out of what happened?” Dayane asked suddenly. “I am only the queen because of his sacrifice.” Rysabella turned and looked back out the window. She still had a small smile across her face.

 

“Would you agree that Taleth is a legend?” Rysabella asked.

 

“What?” Dayane asked, perplexed at the question.

 

“Would you agree that Taleth is a legend? “ Rysabella repeated. “It’s a simple question. Would you say that Taleth is a legend….like Ryaxlan? And Floriaye? And so many others who’s tales bards regale us with.”

 

“I’d guess so,” Dayane said uncertain.

 

“And if you told all about what happened? That Taleth saved you, saved the entire city, what do you think would happen to his legend?”

 

“It would probably be changed, at least I think it would.”

 

“Now think, would Taleth want that?” Rysabella turned back to Dayane. Dayane thought for a moment. Though Taleth was a murderer, a thief, an assassin, he was not a bad person. However, Taleth always thrived on his status. Dayane was sure that Taleth would have wanted to stay the legend he was.

 

“I guess he wouldn’t,” Dayane said, turning back to look out the window. “I just wish I could have gotten another opportunity to thank him.”

 

“Don’t worry, child,” Rysabella said. Dayane was amazed that she did not take any offense at being called “child” this time. “I’m sure he knows exactly how you feel. And I’m sure he’s proud of you…in his own twisted way,” Rysabella added with a smirk. Dayane could not help but smile at Rysabella. There was a polite knock at the door.

 

“Enter,” Dayane called out, turning her head so she could see the door. The door opened and in stepped Severath, with Orthar and Promeid behind him. Dayane had placed Promeid in charge of the royal treasury as one of her first acts as queen. She knew no one better to deal with the money then Promeid. She had a deep respect for the merchant, plus she knew they would not go broke any time soon if he continually worried about the money.

 

“Your Majesty,” Severath said. “You should not lean out the window like that, in plain view of anyone with a crossbow or a fireball.”

 

“I have the Crown of Life, Severath” Dayane said. “I’m not afraid of a crossbow bolt or a fireball.”

 

“Regardless, your protection is my solemn duty,” Severath said. His voice took on a tone that one might use with an errant daughter. “Get away from the window.”

 

“You’re a bossy guard, Severath,” Dayane said. She still did as she was told. Orthar chuckled. “Did you need to see me to have jokes at my expense or was there a reason behind this?”

 

“Of course, Daya…er Your Majesty,” Promeid spoke up. “It’s about the royal treasury.”

 

“What about the royal treasury?” Dayane asked.

 

“Apparently, there was a theft last night,” Promeid said, he was sweating and was obviously nervous about this.

 

“A theft? But it’s magically sealed and it’s guarded as well.”

 

“That’s true, but last night the guards say they where attacked and knocked out. The thief must have gotten in then.”

 

“Well how bad is it?” Dayane demanded.

 

“Well, considering how much gold we had in there….it’s amazingly not bad. Only a fraction of a fraction was stole. Which is why we’re confused.”

 

“Promeid, I’m losing my patience,” Dayane said, her voice threatening. “How much was it?”

 

“Only two hundred and fifty gold,” Promeid said.

 

“Two fifty?” Dayane said. “Who would go through the trouble of breaking into the royal treasury and only taking two hundred and fifty gold?” Dayane realized it the instant she spoke. She turned her head to where Rysabella should have been. Rysabella was not there. “He’s alive…” Dayane whispered to herself. Orthar the other three in the room heard her words.

 

“Who is, Your Majesty?” Severath asked.

 

“Of course he is,” Rysabella said. Dayane looked beyond Promeid and Orthar and there, standing in her full regal clothing, was Rysabella. She was no longer fading away, nor was she by any means gone. To Dayane, she was as real as anyone else. “He’s immortal, Dayane. No memory stealing mirror is going to kill Taleth the Black.”

 

“Memory stealing mirror?” Dayane said, confused. Severath slid his hand down to the hilt of his sword when Dayane spoke again. Dayane placed her hand over his, holding his hand. “I’m alright,” she said without looking at him. Her gaze was leveled at Rysabella. Orthar and Promeid turned to try and find what she was looking at, but they saw nothing.

 

“To deceive your enemy, you first must deceive you allies,” Rysabella said. She snapped her fingers and the Crown of Life flared with light. Dayane’s vision was lost in the bright light. Suddenly, memories flooded into her. Dayane saw Rysabella holding Taleth’s head in her lap as Dayane and Mellara stepped form the room. The moment they left Taleth sat up and cracked his neck.

 

“Mellara’s magic makes for a dramatic death,” he said to Rysabella with a rare smile. Rysabella’s tears stopped and she returned his smile with her own smirk. Dayane saw a flash and then another memory. Taleth stood at the back of the group of Crown Guard and raised his fist to the ceiling.

 

“Long live the new Queen!” he cried out. Dayane’s vision went black again and then she saw Taleth slipping through the shadows and taking out Vestat’s followers. They all died before they knew what hit them. Everything went black once again and Dayane felt herself getting light headed.

 

“Your Majesty!” she heard Severath cry out and felt herself being caught. She suddenly was back in her own room. Three worried faces looked down on her; Orthar had his hand on her wrist, checking her pulse. Dayane shook them off and sat herself up.

 

“I’m all right,” Dayane said, waving off their hands. I just got a little dizzy. Severath said nothing but helped Dayane to her feet. “Promeid, don’t worry about the theft.”

 

“Are you sure?” Promeid said.

 

“I am,” Dayane said. She smiled to herself. “The money is in good hands.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Taleth walked out the southern gate along side a wagon that was laden down with barrels and crates. The wagon made an obscene amount of noise as it clattered along the cobblestone. The guards at the gate gave the cart driver a nod but completely ignored Taleth. Taleth walked with the cart a little ways from the gate and then took the opposite fork in the road. Taleth walked for a little ways, stepping his way up to the top of a hill.

 

“You take your sweet time,” Mellara said when he reached the top. Taleth looked over at the Royal Sorceress who sat on a large stone boulder on the side of the road. She wore a regal violet dress and had her favorite black cloak draped over her shoulders. She seemed completely unaffected by the heat.

 

“I had to get my pay,” Taleth said. He leveled his gaze at Mellara. “What the hell do you want?” he asked bluntly.

 

“Ever the charmer,” Mellara said. She tossed something to Taleth and the assassin caught it deftly with one hand. It was a platinum ring that had some magical runes etched over it. Taleth looked up at Mellara with a raised eyebrow.

 

“I’m touched but I don’t think a marriage would work between us,” Taleth said in a dry, humorless voice. Mellara snorted.

 

“I’d rather marry Death,” Mellara said. “That will glow if I ever find out something. Though I doubt I’ll have much time to do any research with Dayane to watch over.”

 

“It’s the duty of the Royal Sorceress to attend to their ruler,” Taleth said. He slipped the ring into a pocket.

 

“And I have a feeling I’ll need to do a lot of attending with that little girl,” Mellara said with a sigh. Taleth risked a little smirk.

 

“She says to look out after Dayane. The kid is likely to get herself into trouble fairly quickly,” Taleth said. Mellara nodded with a smirk of her own.

 

“I’ll see you again I’m sure, Taleth,” Mellara said.

 

“I’ll hold my breath anxiously until then,” Taleth said, but Mellara had vanished.

 

“I don’t remember telling you to tell Mellara that,” Rysabella said. Taleth was wondering when she would show back up. He turned and saw her walking up the hill towards him.

 

“Hmm,” Taleth said. “I must have passed off my opinion as yours. What a shame.” Taleth turned and started walking down the road again. He could feel Rysabella following his steps.

 

“Taleth the Black,” Rysabella said in an offhand voice. “Murderer, thief, liar…what can we expect for an encore?” Taleth snorted a laugh.

 

“A walk south,” Taleth said, not looking back.

 

“A vacation?” Rysabella questioned.

 

“A break,” Taleth replied, still not looking back. He could still feel Rysabella’s enormous grin.

 

“I guess that even evil needs a vacation now and then.” Taleth chose not to reply to that.