Iron Blooded

As the swamp trees grew thicker, the trail became harder to see.

The ground was all but marsh now and the way ahead grew treacherous. I cast around us, every ripple in the nearby water making me tense.

The young basilisk had attacked so quickly that I hadn’t even had time to register its level. If hit-and-run tactics were its method of attack, then it could strike at any moment.

Draxus skirted a rock and, on the pretext of adjusting his helmet he leaned forward to whisper.

“Where is her other Darkblade? She said that he would guide our way but I haven’t seen him.”

I glanced to where the Lady Inquisitor led the party, shadowed by her silent protector. Draxus was right, there was no sign of the other man. But that wasn’t what troubled me.

Xandria had claimed that she was hunting something - something even the Inquisition feared.

Her presence here could only mean one thing. Whatever it was she was hunting was close.

“I Don’t know,” I whispered to Draxus. “Stay vigilant.”

I was in the process of scanning the water line for the fifth time when My Hud flashed. I blinked in surprise. A new notification was visible in the corner, beneath the Quests Icon.

It was marked with the word Urgent.

Quest Update available

Quest Updated: Find the Book of Souls before the Inquisition

“Fuck.”

Kato gave me an odd look and I realized I had cursed aloud.

“This damn place,” I said. “Things just keep getting more and more complicated. Nothing is ever straightforward."

"Welcome to the Army," said Kato glumly. "It's a permenant fixture, I'm afraid."

Several paces ahead Xandria slowed to a stop, her gloved hand held out to us.

“Listen,” she said, jerking her head toward a nearby slope.

I gave the signal to halt and listened hard. Sure enough, I could hear the faint sound of men doing battle.

"Lord Dacon's men," I said. "Sounds like they made contact, let's not delay."

The men moved around me but the Lady Inquisitor remained still. Her brows were furrowed as her eyes landed on me.

“Blackbriar," she said hesitantly "The Count’s men can fight their own battle. Right now, the Inquisition has more pressing matters."

Like finding the Book of Souls.

"For now you and your men will accompany me. I have need of you."

She made to turn, as if the matter were settled.

I clenched my jaw, knowing that I now stood on a knife's edge. To refuse her would mean making an enemy of the Inquisition, and it could also mean giving up my chance at being the one to claim the book.

Even without knowing its purpose, I could guess that the item was both powerful and dangerous.

But, If I turned my back on Lord Dacon and forsook my oath as a Knight, it could have dire consequences. I was beginning to understand why Lord Blackthorne hated politics.

I blew out a breath and squared my shoulders, preparing for the inevitable.

“My apologies Lady,” I said, bowing my head. “But as a Knight, I’ve sworn an oath to protect the nobility of the realm."

Xandria's lips turned downward.

"I've given you an order, soldier. I expect it to be followed."

"Forgive me My Lady, but the orders of Lord Dacon trump even your own." I held her gaze. "My men and I will take our leave.”

I turned away.

It happened in an instant. One moment I was striding away, the next I was on my knees as pain lanced through my skull. It felt as if my head was being squeezed in a vice. The pressure made my eyes ache, and I began to grow dizzy.

I was aware vaguely of the coldness of the water now sloshing around my legs. Voices murmured all around me, incoherent. I tried to open my mouth to scream but no sound came out. Spittle dribbled from my mouth and down my chin.

“That’s enough," said Xandria. Her voice seemed to cut the air like a knife. "Release him."

Slowly the pain began to recede like the tide. I was left trembling on my knees in the mud.

The Darkblade had stepped forward, his gloved hand outstretched towards me. Even as I looked it fell back to his side, disappearing beneath his cloak.

Mind Mage, I remembered Lord Blackthorne calling them. Was this their power? With a faint spike of panic, I wondered if the Darkblade could read my thoughts. I glanced up at him, but the silver mask was as impassive as ever.

Draxus stepped between us, fury etched in every line of his body.

“I would suggest,” he said through clenched teeth. “That you leave, Lady Inquisitor.”

I blinked and realized that he wasn’t alone. The men of my squad stood around me in a wall of bristling steel. Their faces were pale but determined as they faced off against her on my behalf. I rose unsteadily to my feet.

“It’s alright,” I said quickly. “Stand down.”

We couldn't afford a standoff with the Inquisition, not now.

Draxus hesitated and for a moment I worried he would argue. But in the end, he nodded, jaw clenched and the men’s spears lifted.

The Inquisitor eyed me appraisingly. She was no longer smiling.

“You have a strong mind, William. It is an admirable thing in this age that favors men of brawn. But I warn you, do not overstep again. My Blades are neither kind nor patient, and they are trained not to accept insult to their master.”

She looked like she wanted to say more but the Darkblade turned its masked head towards her. She glanced at him briefly and I saw something in her eyes.

My gaze lingered on her as she turned and began striding away. I had taken Xandria for a sadist, the type who enjoys causing pain and suffering to others. But the way she had flinched when Draxus questioned her, and the look on her face just now.

It was as if the Blade had been warning her to keep quiet.

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All at once pieces began to click into place. I remembered the way she had spoken to me in the tent when she had told me of the Inquisition’s mission. Her eyes had always strayed to the front where her Blades stood guard outside.

“She’s afraid of them,” I whispered.

“What?” Draxus turned, his brows drawn together. I shook my head and blinked away the lingering pain.

“No time now,” I said. “But we need to talk later. Me, you, and Gills. It’s urgent.”

Draxus hesitated, face troubled. Then he nodded. I picked up my shield from where it had dropped in the mud. A thick coating of grime now lined it, and I wiped it away with a glove.

Then I turned to face the direction of the sounds of battle.

The men of the House of Basset were making a valiant stand. The small Army had split into three formations and now faced off against a monster straight from nightmare.

Basilisk: Level 34

"Holy shit," breathed Kato from beside me.

This creature was no illusion. It was massive, at least the size of a train and its fangs glistened red with blood. Bodies floated in the water around it. Dozens of them.

Lord Dacon shouted orders to his men, pointing with his sword towards the beast.

From the second formation arrows and crossbow bolts rained.

Most bounced off of the creature's dark green scales but a few found their mark in the flesh of its mouth. The snake swung its head back and forth and Lord Dacon shouted something I couldn’t quite catch.

A command? A warning?

Moments later the serpent dove forward, splashing water and mud as it went for the soldiers. It swallowed one whole, metal and bone crunching.

It managed to get its jaws around one another, shaking its head from side to side and snapping the man's neck.

As soon as the soldiers began to rally it retreated, coiling back beneath the surface of the water.

Dark green scales churned the surface of the water.

“What are we waiting for Ser?” said Hade. His face was a bit pale but he looked determined. “The men are ready to follow your lead.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. We couldn’t just rush blindly in and hope to live. Not against a monster of that size.

“We need to lure it out of the water,” I said. "On land, the men may have a fighting chance. Any ideas?"

"You want us to bait a monster like that?" Draxus shook his head. "Blackbriar, you're a madman."

"We can Lure the beast unto land, but how do we plan to keep it there?" Asked Hade. "It simply retreats any time it sees a threat."

"Not if we catch it," I said slowly.

Draxus looked at me as if I'd gone mad.

"You want us to catch a giant fucking snake? And just how do you propose we do that?"

I glanced around at our surrounds.

"We're going to need a tree," I said. "And a whole lot of luck."

***

Minutes later Draxus sprinted across the marsh and into the melee.

I watched his armored form weave between men, tapping shoulders and pushing aside blades.

We had done our part. It was up to him now to convince Lord Dacon to take the chance.

At last, he reached the spot where the Lord stood. The Basset household guards closed ranks at his approach.

When Draxus pointed to where I crouched behind a tree they hesitated and reluctantly parted to make way.

“He could reject the idea,” said Kato. “Though I don’t see much of an alternative.”

“I hope not.” Hade and two of the other men heaved on the rope, grunting as the counterweight trembled and lifted from the ground.

“The squad’s used most of the hemp rope in our inventory, and forgive me saying so Ser William but the shit ain’t cheap.”

I grimaced. He wasn’t wrong. It had taken a sixth full length of hemp ropes tied together to create our little trap, and it was far from perfect. Everything relied on Lord Dacon's willingness to cooperate.

Even then I couldn't help but worry something would go wrong.

“Hold it steady,” grunted Hade. Another man stepped forward and grabbed the end of the rope. The soldier wound the end around a nearby tree with a thick trunk and pulled it tight.

“There!” said Kato, pointing towards Lord Dacon’s forces. “Looks like Draxus was successful. That gives us two minutes tops."

Kato was right. My heart began to pound in my chest as I saw Lord Dacon’s head turn towards us. Then he gave the order. Slowly the rank of soldiers started to move backwards.

Their formation was tight and cautious, their movements slow.

I waved a hand at Jorgen who held an unlit torch clutched in his hand. The young soldier had his visor up and at my signal he shifted his weight, readying himself.

The basilisk coiled on itself, rearing up and out of the water. This was the moment I had been waiting for. I leaned forward, teeth gritted.

“C’mon take the bait.”

The soldiers in formation shifted into columns, flowing backward while the rear ranks kept their shields up. It was an impressive display of military discipline.

For a moment, I thought the ranks might make it clear before the serpent struck. I was mistaken.

The strike was fast and devastating.

One soldier was too slow to throw himself out of the way, and the massive jaws closed on his leg. The snake jerked its head and he was flung up into the air like a doll. It opened its jaws wide and I watched with revulsion as its throat bobbed.

“Throne on high,” said Kato grimly. “This is what we’re up against?”

The soldiers were close now, their retreat more hurried and desperate than before. I could feel the fear in the air as my own pulse began to hammer in my ears.

Everything hinged on this moment.

“Ready,” I called above the clamor of rattling armor and pounding of boots. Jorgen raised the torch, which was now lit, and waited for my command.

Behind me Hade and the others readied themselves, slack rope in hand.

I glared at the basilisk, willing the serpent to take the bait. The creature turned its head, watching through yellow-slitted eyes as the soldiers backpeddled. The water splashed and rippled as its coils moved undulated.

“That’s right,” I hissed. “Take the bait.”

The basilisk threw itself forward. Its speed was terrifying. For a snake the size of a train, it moved with surprising agility. It slithered back and forth, trees swaying and bending as it came.

Its eyes were alight with a wicked glee. A hunter, cornering its prey.

I rose from where I had crouched behind the base of a nearby tree. The serpent was so fixated on the prey before it, that it hadn't seemed to notice anything amiss. Its massive bulk slid through the mud, gathering speed as it hunted.

I darted to where Hade and the others stood. Picking up the slack rope, I prepared myself. I waited for several long moments as the Serpent bore down on Lord Dacon's men. Then, I saw my moment.

“Pull!”

We heaved.

The counterweight, a boulder that we had managed to roll into place, squelched from the mud.

At the sound, the snake whipped its head around. It was already too late. The rope snapped closed around the point just behind its head. As the noose tightened I let out a sound of triumph.

“Yes,” I growled. “We’ve got-“

The rope went taught. One moment I was standing on my feet the next I was being jerked sidewards as the serpent began to thrash.

I hit the mud hard, the impact jarring my shoulder.

“Hold on,” called Hade as the enormous creature thrashed again.

Its giant coils slammed against nearby trees, uprooting them.

Where was Jorgen? I shoved to my feet, trying to wipe thick mud from my visor. When that didn’t work I ripped off my helmet and tossed, it bouncing away.

“Jorgen!” I shouted over the sound of trees shuddering and men shouting. “Light the pyre!”

There was no answer. Hade called to the men, as they struggled from the mud. They braced their feet leaning back as they wrestled to hold the beast in place. The rope strained and creaked.

Lord Dacon’s soldiers had formed a line and were advancing on the trapped beast. It was too soon.

“Jorgen!” I called again but my voice was lost in the confusion.

Then I saw it. The torched arced through the air and landed on the pile of moss behind the creature. It sputtered and went out.

Had I been wrong? Was the moss too damp to catch? Then a trail of smoke went up, and the moss began to burn.

With nowhere to go the basilisk tried to coil in on itself defensively. Its head was stuck fast, held in place by our rope even as it strained.

The soldiers of House Basset were as effective as they were deadly.

The columns spit off into two and advanced. Within minutes they had blooded the beast. I saw Draxus among them, jabbing with his spear.

It was death by a thousand cuts. Black Icor slicked the ground. I stood among my men as the basilisk shuddered and went limp.

When the body finally registered as dead I went to retrieve my helmet from the ground. Draxus got there first, lifting it from the mud.

"I stand by my earlier assertion that you are a madman, Blackbriar."

He handed me my helmet and a grin broke out on his face.

"Lord Dacon says you get first loot."

I strode across the field to where the Lord now stood, surrounded by his guard. When he saw me approach he nodded.

"That was quite the plan, Ser Willian. I didn't take you for much of a tactician but I must admit," he glanced back at the dead snake.

"I am impressed. In thanks, I want to offer you and your men the right to first loot."

I bowed.

"Thank you, My Lord. That is generous."

Kato and the others wasted no time. As the men argued about which part of the monster was the most valuable I scanned it's body, looking for any drops.

The ground was black with Icor but in the mud, I spotted something odd. I stooped, running a hand across the lid of a small black box.

It was smooth to the touch and the silver clasp was open. Carefully I lifted the lid.

Quest completed: Find Book of Souls before the Inquisition.

Heart hammering I shoved the box into an empty spot in my inventory. I looked around, searching for anyone who might have seen but no one appeared to be looking in my direction.

"Will."

The sound of my name made me jump and whirl. Kato arched an eyebrow. His was covered up to the elbow in black icor but he held something in his hands.

It was a long sheet of scales he had cut away from the basilisk.

"The scales at the base of the neck are the strongest," he said. "Use it to make yourself some armor."

He deposited it in my hands, and I grunted at the weight of it.

Item: Heavy Snake Scale, Legendary.

"A Knight in snake-scale armor," said Kato, smirking. "Now that is the stuff of legends."