Bound Evil

The scent of root vegetables cooking over a fire reminded Emily of baked potatoes slathered in butter, and she was only too glad to grab a second helping. Ashe and Emily had been celebrating their breakthrough with the runes by relaxing and eating their fill. Emily even noticed Beth from team four eating on her own, so she invited her to join them. Loch came from working with the wolves and joined their growing party as Ashe settled into the company.

Emily had just come for thirds when she spotted Fox glancing up from the temporary kitchen he’d set up.

“Ah, Emily, perfect. Come here a sec I need your help.”

Emily sighed but moved over to the plump man.

“What’s up, Fox?”

“Can you grab an extra set of hands and take this food to team two? They’re out on guard duty near the fallen post. I’d bring it, but I’m swamped.”

Emily squinted at the man but he snorted.

“Don’t worry, I know you by now. If you do this for me I’ve got a slice of beetle steak that will have you thanking your plate.”

Emily’s vacant eyes turned to crescents.

“Well, if you say it's good then I’ll trust you. Stack everything here, I’ll go gather my victims.”

Fox nodded his thanks before Emily went to fetch the other three, returning shortly and picking up the pot filled with what tasted like braised veal.

As they left, Ashe, Loch, and Beth trailed after her, their own hands laden with crockery and food.

“How’d I get dragged into this?” Beth pouted as she carried a bundle with two large loaves of bread.”

Emily snorted.

“Oh come on, Fox asked us so nicely.”

Beth didn’t say anything but Emily could feel Ashe burning a hole in the back of her skull with her eyes. She might have to share her reward, but only because Ashe didn’t believe for a second that Emily was doing this out of the kindness of her heart.

Loch was already giving her suspicious glares.

“Come on, we just drop it off and leave, it will barely take anything out of your night,” Emily said as they left the outskirts of the camp and the village’s nightlife came into view.

For the most part, the people of Frosthaven were early to bed and early to rise, but the recent attack had left many on edge, staying up late and drinking to drown their sorrows. Emily had heard that many were injured or killed in the short time it took to subdue the queen.

People followed their four-man team with their gazes as they traveled through the street. If a villager was on the road they would step off it as though crossing their path would be the worst sign imaginage.

The people's hate was obvious as they glared daggers at them, causing Beth to lower her head and mutter.

“Damn, they’re ungrateful. They wouldn’t be acting like this if we were some Royal guard or Paladins, they'd be welcoming us.”

Loch shrugged.

“Humans are simple, and just like beasts they’re scared.”

Emily glanced about, Loch may be right, they could be reacting with fear, but that didn’t explain the rage on their faces. It was as though they were some occupying army.

It was not a stretch to say they had the village's entire stores of hate directed at them, but Emily didn’t see how any of that was her problem.

People died, which was a shame, and she truly did think the loss of life was a huge waste, but she held no guilt over what had happened with the queen. Emily had worked out that Kael had warned the Elder that something like this could happen, but they were still employed and sent on their way. The Queen Blightstinger was an unforeseen event but the risk was still theirs to take.

Alex had said in his time the queen must have moved out naturally when the war came because he hadn’t known it was there. However, he remained quiet about what happened to the village after this place became a battlefield.

Seeing as though the time scale was accelerated, things probably weren't looking too good.

As Emily's group of helpers passed a particular open door, where light shone from the room, out into the street, it illuminated their path with shifting shadows.

The streets weren't lit save for the sparse lamps at odd intervals. As they continued, multiple eyes followed their group.

Most were resentful, but all kept their distance not picking a fight.

Emily was certain it was because of their little group and the way they carried themselves. Two of the individuals were highly skilled with the weapons they carried while the other two were clearly magic users.

Emily hadn’t realized it but with the scepter at her side, she was a stereotypical image of a Mage, and very few people wanted to mess with those if they could help it.

After a ten-minute walk, they found themselves arriving near the breach in the perimeter. Emily spotted team two immediately as they had set up a campfire in the space of the gap.

Nearby a larger team of villagers sat stations at the gap, but both parties refused to mix.

It was apparent that something had gone down and they refused to talk to one another now.

Emily nodded for everyone to follow her as she stepped up to team two. Marth looked up from stoking the fire to watch their approach.

The wind was far stronger in this gap as though they were out on the plains again, yet Emily bundled tighter as they arrived near the team.

“Food delivery, get it while it's hot.”

Oscar’s head snapped up the moment he heard Emily's voice, which she didn’t mind even as his gaze narrowed on her scepter.

Most of the others looked at the food with greed in their eyes as Emily plopped it down and Ashe left the stack of bowls nearby.

Marth pressed his lips together and he snorted.

“Why’d they send you?”

Emily smiled and shrugged as Ashe stepped behind her growing at the man.

“I didn’t expect a thank you, but don’t worry, there's no spit in your food, so enjoy!”

Marth’s face twitched but he shook his head as his eyes fell down to her waist then back up to her eyes.

“No, you know, this meeting is perfect. I was going to bring this up with Kael soon anyway, but it's downright unthinkable that he would hand you an artifact before one of my more senior men. What’d you do to turn him against me, you sleeping with him.”

Emily's shoulders drooped.

She should have known he’d be difficult. Was he looking to make an example out of her like out in the yard? Did he think he could get her to give up her prize if he cast dispersions?

The other members of team two were lapping it up, their eyes on Emily shifting with suspicion and intrigue.

But that only made her smile. She’d faced worse rumors before. And staying silent in the face of an open challenge wasn’t her style—it would only make her look weak.

"If only he'd give me a chance, I’d tap that in a heartbeat," she said with a radiant grin, watching as her words landed.

Faces around her, including Ashe’s, turned to shock, but she pressed on, striking while the iron was hot.

"No, Marth, it’s clear you’re turning him against yourself. I don’t need to lift a finger for that. But do you know why he rewarded me? Because I earned it. Can you—or your men—say the same?"

Marth’s expression hardened as he rose from his seat and approached Emily.

“You’re testing my last shred of patience, girl. Hand over the scepter quietly, and I’ll pretend you never came by. Then, we can all move on with our lives.”

His hand settled on his weapon, and a lethal aura radiated from him. At this close range, he held the advantage, but Emily wasn't about to cave.

She tapped her index finger against her lips, a mocking smile spreading across her face.

“I do have a knack for pushing people’s buttons,” she said, her tone teasing. “But I’m curious—how do you plan to handle this? Will you resort to violence, or will you cave under pressure? I just have to see.”

Marth’s face twitched again and he took a step toward her, reaching his hand out for her throat.

He wrapped one of his mits around Emily’s neck, but before he could apply any pressure, Oscar stepped forward and placed a firm hand on Marth's shoulder, shaking his head.

“Boss, don’t! I’ve seen her recover from a direct hit by a Juggernaut.”

Marth's grin widened, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Good," he said, his voice laced with menace.

“That means I can afford to be a little more harsh!”

Emily was so lost in the moment she didn’t recognize when another voice interrupted their little ‘team discussion’.

“Oh my, is this infighting I’m seeing in the wandering fangs?” a melodious voice pried.

Emily turned her head as best she could with a callous palm holding her neck in place.

From the corner of her eye, Emily could make out a man having walked out from the group of villagers. It wasn’t hard to remember who that tall build and sickle belonged to. Jerhia stood nearby with that same smirk he’d held a couple of hours ago.

“Well, it’s not a sex thing, that I can assure you,” Emily said around a hand.

Marth’s face glanced down at the man before then and back to Emily, his grip coming free as his arm fell to the side.

“Nothing that concerns you, friend.”

“Well, you’re right but just wanted to see what our neighbors were doing, maybe exchange some information… And while it doesn’t concern me, what about them? They’ve lost so much while you were away, surely they should get some answers.”

Emily's eyes moved to the people standing behind Jerhia as Marth frowned at them.

As though waiting for their turn the crowd of people nearby closed in.

Most of the villagers here had volunteered to be here and by the looks of things. There was a reason for this, and that was because not a single of of them had not lost close friends or family.

With Jerhia's words, it was as though a signal had gone off and began to grow in volume as their voices joined together, overlapping around them in a cacophony of voices.

“Yeah, we deserve answers! What happened out there-”

“My sister is dead because of you lot! ”

“You let that creature break the walls on purpose, didn’t you?”

“You all should never have returned!”

Marth and his men went on guard as things took a turn for the worse.

Voices continued to grow while Oscar and some of the men tried to shout over the crowd's growing protests. But it was like screaming in the face of a hurricane.

The people didn’t care and while Marth and his people were trained they were currently outnumbered four to one, there would be some injuries even if they won in the end.

Emily glanced back at Ashe and the others. She certainly had come at the wrong time.

She sighed and searched the crowd for Jerhia. He was still there, not having moved from the spot but instead of trying to calm things down he just observed them all.

Emily wanted to walk away, but if Marth retaliated and killed the villagers, they’d be kicked out of the village in the dead of night. She wasn’t sure about the others, but she was exhausted and just wanted to relax tonight.

With a reluctant sigh, she turned her back to the crowd, lowering her hand to the scepter. Taking a deep breath, she threw her gates open, letting her source surge into the weapon. She pulled it off her belt and aimed just above the crowd. The spell inside the scepter activated, the artifact greedily absorbing the energy until it was full. A basketball-sized orb of power formed at the crystal tip before shooting out through the gap in the wall.

The sound was that of ripping air as a grey trail of light shot overhead and landed in the distant field.

This all happened in less than a second, and then the attack landed.

When it hit the snowy plains, a thunderous sound echoed out before a grey wave of air pressure exploded into the night and sent dirt, snow, and grass in all directions.

The boisterous crowd fell silent all at once as they turned to see the destruction Emily's attack had created and then back to the point of origin.

“I hope you all understand that that was the only warning shot you’re going to get. Now, all we want to rest here for the night and we’ll be gone in the morning, you can hang on till then.”

Emily then lowered the scepter down to Jerhia’s level. The crowd having seen what just happened moved away for him. Jerhia’s casual smile was gone and a hardened look had taken over his features.

“And you, that's twice you caused us trouble. Refrain from doing it a third.”

Jerhia cocked his head as he stared into Emily’s eyes.

“Is that a threat?” His body went unnaturally still.”

“It was,” she said without hesitation.

Jerhia’s face remained the same but his hand was openly heading toward his sickle, Emily was just about to fire again when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Without hesitation, she swung the scepter out to her side where she felt the attack coming from and it collided with something hard.

Emily had just enough time to see a red disk of energy before it shattered.

“Well, I’ll be. Gotta say I didn’t expect you to block that.” Jerhia said his sickle already resting on his shoulder.

Emily waited for the follow-up that never came because then her hair bristled again when she heard an angry voice from behind her.

“What exactly are you all thinking?”

Emily glanced back in time to see Kael wearing the breastplate from the tomb as he approached the scene.

And he didn’t look happy.

Blood points: 159