Prologue

A wise man once said, "It is easy for a person to lose themselves in the midst of something exciting. True to his words, the average hunter can easily lose himself, forget why he hunts, in the middle of an exciting hunt, or chase. But I was no average hunter. I killed not the elusive deer or the impressive lion. My quarry was not even animal. To those above me, I was insane; a madman with nothing to lose except my own life. To those below me, I was fearless; a much needed hero who would stop at nothing until every last one of my prey was gone, squabbling over territory in the fiery pits of hell. I am a demon hunter and this is my story.

Chapter 1

"What do we have here?" A guard clad in shiny bronze armor said as I approached the gilded gates of Bartonia, the largest and wealthiest kingdom in all of Ageria. The very thought of entering the city was repelling, but for the sake of my mission, I needed to get through.
“I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with.” I growled, reaching for the hilt of my trusted knife, concealed within my cloak. The man before me laughed, an unnaturally deep, guttural sound. If his goal was to scare me into submission, he didn’t succeed.
“A beggar by looks of you.” He snorted. “What brings you to Bartonia, little rat?” Cheap insults. How pathetic.
“Business and you’d be better off to let me pass. If it’s alright with you, I’d like to get through today with as little bloodshed as possible.” I wasn’t in the mood for foolishness, and the fact that the guard did not know who I was didn’t help my bad temper.
The guard laughed, putting his hand over his belly in a useless attempt to control his madman’s cackle. “Feisty, are we? Tell me your business and I’ll consider letting you pass.”
I scowled at him, but with the hood of my cloak concealing much of my face, the insolent guard was lucky not to have seen my reproachful stare. “I don’t barter with idiots. You’d be best to let me pass or else.” I withdrew my knife from its sheath, letting the wicked, foot long blade gleam in the midday sun.
The guard smiled. “That’s an impressive blade, but a shame it’s in the hands of a mere rat such as yourself.” He scorned. I removed my hood, letting the guard see my face. He gasped and jumped away from me, backing into the gates he guarded. Without a doubt, my foreign, elfin face marred with scars, scrapes, and bruises from countless fights and relentless beatings frightened him. “Good Lord!” He shouted.
“My name is Victoria Anne Justine. I am a demon hunter and a mercenary of Northern Selentia,” I said, “and you’d be best to let me pass or else.” I repeated, putting my knife away. The guard was no longer a threat, and just as I had predicted, the trembling man nodded and proceeded to open the gate. Without bothering to look back, I put my hood back on and walked away.
Inside the city, a plethora of foreign sights, sounds, and smells greeted me. People, ranging anywhere from wealthy aristocrats to the lowliest of slaves roamed the worn, paved streets. Along with the people, came a range of smells. Freshly baked bread, roasted meat, flowers, perfumes, and human body odor, to name a few. Beside me, a group of children dressed in rags were playing a game of tag. A little girl squealed with excitement as she hid behind my back, grabbing hold of my cloak and said, “I’m on base! I’m on base! You can’t get me!” I envied her, so young and innocent, without a care in the world. My own childhood was anything but pleasant.
The little boy pursuing her stomped his foot on the ground and shouted, “Hey! No fair! That’s cheating!”
“Nobody said there couldn’t be a base, could there?” I interrupted.
The little boy stared at my hooded face in shock. “I… I… sorry!” The little girl released her grip on my cloak and followed suit.
“No need to apologize, I’m not angry, if that’s what you’re worried about. But she’s not cheating if you never said there couldn’t be a base. Keep that in mind the next time you play tag, and also, be careful as to whom you use as a base.” The latter was directed to the little girl, who had ran off to stand behind the boy. Standing together, they looked alike. Perhaps they were related, brother and sister. I had not the time to let my mind wander from the task at hand and so I moved on, in search of the man who requested my services, forcing me into this oddly cheerful hell.

Chapter 2

I never much cared for cities; too many people and not enough trees for my taste. In front of me, a woman was trying desperately to calm her crying baby. Deathly sick and thin in the extremes, it was painful to watch her struggle to support both herself and her child. At best, my moral compass was crooked; bent beyond repair; to the point where I sometimes had trouble distinguishing right from wrong, but the sight tugged at my heartstrings and I couldn’t help but reach into my pocket and pull out a small sack of coins. It was all I had until the next time someone paid me, but something in my head told me it was the right, the noble thing to do. After all, I would be paid after I found the man who requested my services here. This woman would not.
I walked over to the woman and said, “Here, take this. You need far more than I.” I reached for her hand and rested the small bag on her palm. Her bony fingers clasped tight around the bag, feeling its contents. The coins inside clinked against each other and I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I didn’t know what hurt more. The fact that I was now broke, or the fact the woman had never seen this much money before.
She looked up from her screaming child with eyes filled with wonder. “Thank you stranger,”
“Don’t thank me,” I interrupted, “it was the least I could do.” She nodded and looked at her baby with newfound hope. The baby, a little boy swaddled in rags, saw the hope in his mother’s eyes and quieted immediately. For a wealthy city, there are far too many peasants, I thought.
The woman coughed and said to me, “Who are you, stranger? It isn’t common to give away money. Especially to strangers.” Behind us, I heard the clinking of a guard’s armor against the stone pavement. I had a bad feeling about the man behind us; if he was anything like the man guarding the gate, I needed to get the woman and her baby away from him, somewhere safe.
“Who I am isn’t of importance. What is important however, is that you get both yourself and your baby the care you need, and soon. Now go!” I shooed her away with my hands. She peered around my shoulder, saw the guard heading our way, and took off in the other direction.
There went my money. I sighed and turned around, only to bump head first into the breastplate of the guard’s armor. My head left a dent in the cheap bronze. Had I been an average human, I would’ve fallen onto the ground, unconscious. I only shuddered at the impact. The guard, however, fell to his knees and clutched his chest in agony.
I took off in the other direction, afraid to draw any more attention to myself, but the guard caught up to me faster than I had expected. When he reached me, he clasped a beefy hand on my right shoulder. “Remove your hood, now.” He barked. Hesitant, I removed my hood, but reached for the hilt of my knife, just in case the situation got out of hand. Unlike the last guard, he did not gasp, or jerk away from me at the sight of my face. His reaction was that of a strong man, a man who knew how to control his emotions. “I knew it,” He whispered. “What were you doing, handing that woman your money? Was it even your money or did you steal it?” When I refused to answer, he tightened his grip on my shoulder. My head might’ve been strong enough to warp metal, but my shoulders were weak. Too weak.
I winced in pain and said, “It isn’t your concern. It was my money and I could do with it as I pleased. I chose to give it away. Is generosity a crime?”
He lightened his grip on my shoulder. “That was a good amount of money, elf. How did you get it? If you don’t tell me, I won’t hesitate to break your shoulder. Now talk.” He growled.
“I am a mercenary and a demon hunter of Northern Selentia. Inside the sack were my earnings from my last mission in Siria. A man requested my services here in Bartonia. I was said to meet him somewhere inside the city. While looking for him, I saw the woman struggling to support her child. I gave her my money so she could care for her baby. Whether she chooses to use it wisely or not isn’t my or your concern. It’s her money now.” I said. Around us, a crowd was beginning to form.
The guard paid no mind to the throng of people and continued interrogating me. “Good. Now tell me, who has hired you and what for?”
“I don’t know. He’s paying me well and he knows well enough that I can easily choose to decline the mission, whatever it may be.” I said.
“Siria is a long ways away. Considering you’ve just given away all your money, I highly doubt you’ll decline the offer, especially if this man plans on paying you well.”
I bit my lip and looked at the crowd of people surrounding us. Hesitantly, I said to the guard, “I’ve answered your questions, now let me go. I’ve committed no crime, and therefore see no reason for you to continue to hold me against my will. I’ve got much to do and little time to do it. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to get through today with as little bloodshed as possible.”
The guard released his grip on my shoulder, gave a quick nod, and walked off. I put my hood back on and continued on my way, now desperate to find the man who needed my services. Villagers shot me dirty looks and snide remarks as I passed by, but I ignored them in my haste to find my client. As I walked through the crowds, I said to myself, “New rule. I won’t accept any request unless I get the name, or a description of my client before he or she makes me travel halfway across the Ageria to meet them.” It sounded fair enough, especially considering what I had gone through today. Bankruptcy, a near death experience with a guard, harassed by villagers… Today was not my day.

Chapter 3

Inside the pocket of my cloak, I reached for the note written by my client. I had already read it ten times now, but I still couldn’t understand the puzzle within the note. It read:

Read this note carefully. You have but five days to travel to Bartonia and learn my identity. If you fail, I will not require your services, as you will have proven yourself not up to the challenge I am ready to bestow upon you.
Dearest Victoria, I trust all is well in Selentia

. Send my regards to the king and queen when you get the chance. It’s been a

long time since I’ve seen you. I’ve heard you’ve become a mercenary

. Congratulations. Having that been said, I require your services in Bartonia. I understand

you rules and you will be well rewarded for your services. If you cannot solve this puzzle, I will look elsewhere

for a mercenary to hire, though I trust in your abilities. When you find me, we will discuss your mission and your payment at my house over a dinner of roast lamb

and wine. I wish you the best of luck!

I didn’t understand why some words were written in red. Were they the clues? Was I supposed to rearrange the words to make a sentence? Rearrange the letters to make a name? I hated puzzles, riddles, quizzes… Hell, I hated anything that made me think. I preferred to hunt, to fight, to kill. Like breathing, hunting came natural to me. It was one of the reasons I became a mercenary.
I read over the note one last time. Whoever wrote it knows me from somewhere, though I can’t say I remember him, I thought. I traced my fingers over the note, taking in every detail from the grainy texture of the paper to the slight depressions formed by the ink used to write it. The words didn’t add up. ‘Selentia’ had nothing to do with ‘a’. ‘Understand’ had nothing to do with ‘lamb’ and ‘elsewhere’ had nothing to do with ‘mercenary.’ Then it hit me. Like a candle in the dark, the idea shone bright, calling out to me like a beacon.
The first letter of every word written in red spelled a name. I grinned ear to ear at my discovery and didn’t hesitate to write down the name on the blank space of the paper. In my bag, there was a griffin’s quill and a bottle of ink given to me by my mother before she died. I wrote down the name: Samuel. Why did that name sound so familiar? My train of thought was interrupted when a boy, about twelve years old came up to me and reached into my bag. I turned around, knife in hand, ready to slice off the thief’s hand. Dumbstruck, the boy said to me, “It isn’t what it looks like! I’m sorry! I wasn’t going to take anything! Please, don’t hurt me!”
I put the knife away, and said to the thief, “What were you doing reaching into my bag?” People around us stopped and stared and I could hear the boy’s heart beating frantically in his chest as he mouthed the words of a sacred Agerian prayer to a god who may or may not exist. I knew how he felt; I felt the same way during my confrontation with the guard after giving a dying woman all my money. At best, my moral compass was crooked, but I knew how the boy felt and I certainly didn’t like the feeling myself. “Come with me, now.” I said, taking his grimy hand.
“Please! I didn’t take anything!” He shouted, struggling to break free of my iron grasp. “Let go of me!”
“Not yet.” I took him to an alleyway, which was shaded on both sides by buildings. A tall wooden fence blocked off the back exit. The alley smelled faintly of death, strong wine, and rotten meat. There were no people, no onlookers, and for that, I was grateful. “I won’t hurt you. I won’t lay a finger on you, but only if you tell me what you were doing reaching into my bag.” I said to the boy.
“Y-you won’t hurt me?”
“No. Nevertheless, if you’re lying, I won’t hesitate to kill you. I don’t like liars. Now talk.” The boy hesitated for a moment, looked at his feet, looked at me, and looked back at his feet. “Head up. I want to see your face when you talk to me.”
He flinched. “I need money and food. I haven’t eaten in days and I’m starving. I’ve got three little brothers and I’ve got no money to care for them. I’ve gone around, pick pocketing unsuspecting people for food or money. Your bag looked full… I thought you’d have food… I’m sorry.”
“Have you no family?”
He shook his head no. “My mother died giving birth to her fifth child. The baby died, too. I’ve never met my father. My mother told me that he lives in Siria, but I’ve never met him and haven’t the courage to leave Bartonia. Please, let me go!”
His story tugged at my heartstrings. He was like me; a bastard. “Not just yet. You’re doing good, boy. I’ve got one more question for you and you’re free to go. Do you know of a man named Samuel? I was told to meet him somewhere inside the city.”
The boy nodded. “Samuel? The whole city knows him. He’s crazy as a loon. If you’re looking for him, you’ll most likely find him in a brothel on the outskirts of the city. I doubt he’ll remember sending for you though.” Great. My client was a madman.
I reached into my bag and pulled out a couple of fruits. “Take these. You need them more than I. Unfortunately, I have no money to give. This is all I have. Be careful out there. Not everyone will understand.”
“Thank you, stranger. Thank you!” The boy ran off into the crowd of people just outside the alley. Like when I gave the dying woman all my money, I felt a sharp pain in my chest as I thought, there goes all my food. Damn, what was happening to me? I was never this sympathetic; the last person to steal from me lost a hand, yet, I had given this boy, this thief, the rest of my food. And for what? For telling me, he was sorry. The last thief got down on his hands and knees, kissed my feet, and cried for mercy, but that did not stop me from cutting off his hand.
“Time alone in the forest has made you weak,” I said to myself. “Made you forget that humans are good for nothing beggars who don’t know how to return a favor.” The last time I gave a man money to feed his family, I heard he spent every penny on pleasure at a brothel. His wife died. The next time I saw him, I killed the man for lying. The last time I gave a man food to give to his sick children, he sold it and spent the money on himself. I killed him, too. They got what they deserved. With my newfound information still fresh on my mind, I set out to find the nearest brothel. With any luck, I thought, I woul run into any more people until I find Samuel. “I should be so lucky.” I snorted.

Chapter 4

A

s the boy had said, and with the help of a slightly overweight bartender, I found Samuel in a brothel, staring at women with lusty eyes and hooting with excitement when they revealed their privates. The very thought of revealing myself to strangers made me sick to my stomach. How could human women be so... shameless? Had they no morals or values? Arguably, being a mercenary, I lacked a few important virtues, but I would never go so far as to reveal myself for money.
Carefully and quietly, I walked over to the table where Samuel was sitting. He was a slender, yet well built man; easily capable of getting himself out of trouble, should the need arise. However, as of now, he needed my help. He pounded his fists against the table when the woman on stage blew a kiss to her audience before retreating behind the curtains for a much-needed break. I used the opportunity to speak with him about my mission. “Samuel, I received your letter and solved the puzzle.” He turned away from the stage and looked at me skeptically, as though he never wrote a letter. I pulled the note from my pocket, handed it to him, and said, “This is your writing, is it not?” His slate gray eyes appeared bruised and dark in the dim light.
“Victoria?” He asked. I removed my hood, letting him; along with every other man in the brothel see my face. A wave of my dark brown hair fell over the right side of my face, covering most of the scar that rendered my right eye almost useless. A demon did that to me years ago. I had killed the sorry beast before it had time to boast about what it had done. Years later, I still regretted killing that demon. I should have waited, I knew, waited until he nearly forgot about what he’d done to destroy my face, but in a blind rage, I picked up one of the bones of his victims that he’d picked clean and jabbed it through his black, merciless heart. If he could feel pain, I had hoped it was a slow and agonizing death, because the scar had caused me more than the loss of just an eye.
Setting my flashback aside, I said to Samuel, “I’ve solved the puzzle. The first letter of every word written in red spelled your name, did it not? Now, what is my mission? You said you were in need of my services, and here I am. Now talk. ”
“Yes. Yes, you did solve the puzzle, and yes, I am in need of your services. Come; let us talk in a place more private. I do not like speaking in public places.” He took one last sip of his wine before leaving the table. “Hurry; we haven’t much time,” Samuel said, motioning for me to follow.
As I walked through the brothel, a drunken man grabbed hold of my cloak and said lazily, “Come on babe, you just got here! Don’t waste your time with that loon. Have a seat and I show you what a real man can do,” His teeth were crooked and rotten and his breath smelled of whiskey. I bit back the urge to vomit and swallowed the bile the threatened to rise from my stomach. It burned my throat and left an unpleasant taste in my mouth. A couple shots of wine and the taste will go away, I reminded myself.
“Keep your hands off me,” I growled, ripping his hand off me and snapping his wrist in one swift motion. He clutched his hand in agony, cursed my name and all others who bore it, and fell to the ground, writhing in pain like an impaled snake. The men around him stared with confused, bloodshot eyes and in the chaos; I slipped out of the brothel, unnoticed. Once outside, I directed my attention to Samuel. “You may be my client, but I won’t hesitate to break every bone in your body if you can’t keep your hands off me. I’m a demon hunter and a mercenary, not a prostitute.”
“Surely,” He laughed, “you haven’t stooped so low to think of me as a madman who thinks of nothing but sexual gratification, have you?” Outside, in the day’s dying light; Samuel appeared much younger. The bruises like shadows underneath his eyes were gone and his skin, I noticed, was a creamy shade of brown, almost like sweet, gooey caramel.
I shrugged. “It’s what I’ve heard. And from what I saw in the brothel, you’ve a healthy appetite for sex. Now let’s go. You wish to talk to me in private, correct?”
He laughed which was a deep, yet good-natured sound and said, “Yes. Have you a place to stay for tonight?” I bit my lip and looked down at my feet in embarrassment. “I take that as a no. Come along. We’ve much to discuss.”

Chapter 5

“T

his, Victoria, is a map of Ageria.” Samuel said as he laid out a large, colorful map of Ageria across his table.
“I’ve already got a map and it works just fine.” It was a nice map, I had to admit. Much better than the torn, battered up piece of paper I had crumbled up somewhere in my bag, but I wouldn’t admit it.
“Yes, I’m sure, but I think you’ll find this to be much more useful.” He handed me a glass of wine. As I took a sip, he added, “I do believe that if you wish to complete your task, this map will aid you greatly.”
“How so?” I took another sip of wine.
Samuel ran his hands through his raven hair and said, “Magic.”
Immediately, I spit out the wine, but I turned my head the other way so that none of the drink would ruin the map. “Where did you get this?” I gasped. There were only five magic maps left in all of Ageria; the others had been destroyed in the wars that plagued Ageria two hundred years ago when the maps were first created. Now, a noble figure, king queen, or chieftain or each race held one of the maps. Even after two hundred years, they still caused a good bit of trouble.
Samuel hid a slight smile. “That, Victoria, is a conversation for another time. Perhaps once you have completed your mission. For now, all you need to know is that I am placing it in your care. I’ve grown too old for it to be of any use to me and I trust that you will put it to good use.” He rolled up the map, tied it together with a red silk ribbon, and put it in my hand, just as I had given my money to the dying woman just hours ago. How old was he? Surely, I thought, Samuel didn’t look more than thirty- and that pushing it. It was fairly easy to tell how old a human was; they died fast and aged even faster. It struck me odd that he’d find himself too old to find a map, magical or not, of any use.
My eyes narrowed. “I won’t take this unless you tell me where you got it first. It’s bad enough you haven’t told me my mission, but now you’re giving me a magic map, one that I’m positive neither of us are supposed to have. If you won’t tell me where you got this, I’ll assume the worst- and you don’t want me to assume the worst.” I threatened. At most, all I could do was think that he’d stolen it somewhere, was tired of hiding it, and wanted to get rid of it. Of course, if I went to the authorities with the map in my possession, I’d start a war. That, or have the map stolen from me, find myself locked away in the nearest dungeon, and ultimately die a slow and painful death. Either way, in the end, I’d die.
Samuel shook his head and lifted his hands up in an open gesture of peace. “It’s not what you think, I promise. When you complete your mission, I will tell you everything about the map; how I got it, who gave it to me,” If anyone had given it to him, “- everything. Now, let’s talk about your mission. I’m sure you’re dying to know.”
I had a good number of smart-ass comments bubbling around in my head, but in the end, I finished lamely, “It’s about time.”
“I’m sure you’re familiar with the Isle of Dawn. Something tells me you’ve traveled there before.” I nodded; I’d been to the Isle of Dawn before. There was nothing peaceful or sunny about it. Home to the high elves, the least populous race of my people, the Isle of Dawn was a dangerous place to any outsider, elfin or not. Elves might not have killed their own people- unless they’d done something against the law, but ogres, dragons, and wolves were not above killing any outsider stupid enough to step foot on their territory.
The last time I had ventured there, I was on a self-appointed mission to destroy a demon that had made a game of capturing elfin children and hanging them by their own clothes. The sight was still etched forever in my mind. Little elfin boys and girls, hanging limply from tree branches by their own tunics, left to rot and sway in the breeze. Some of them, I remembered, bore bruises, no doubt from where the demon had mercilessly beaten them into compliance. I shuddered at the thought. It took me a while, but I tracked him down and killed him. He wasn’t the demon who took my eye, no, that was sometime before, but he had given me another unwanted gift. Just before killing him, the demon turned around and threw a rock against my leg, shattering the bone almost beyond repair. Too blinded by rage and fueled with hate to truly notice the injury, I drove my knife into his heart, repeatedly; once for every child he hung. I lost count after thirty stabs, but after a good twenty, the demon was dead with his chest in bloodied ribbons.
I remembered waking up in a warm bed, wearing new and unfamiliar clothes, with a young man by my side. He’d explained that he found me unconscious in the demon’s cave while he was out, hunting a wolf that had proven troublesome to his goats. He took me back to his house, carrying my limp body over his shoulders for nearly five miles. The shepherd nursed me back to health as well as he could, but it seemed my leg would never heal completely. To this day, I still had trouble with it; I couldn’t run without breaking into an awkward limp after a few strides. My disability seriously hindered my ability to chase down anything fast, but I seemed to manage. I was as fast as any human was, perhaps a tiny bit slower, and a good bit weaker than most elves, but I was still strong enough to kick ass, even on a bad day.
Samuel snapped his fingers in front of my face, bringing me out of my reverie, and said, “Victoria. I need you to focus. What I am about to say I very important and you must listen very carefully.” He spoke to me as though I were a mentally incompetent child. Even though I tended to zone out like one, it made me mad, seeing how little he thought of me.
“Go on,”
“Your mission, I won’t lie, is dangerous. I don’t think I can stress that enough. You will travel to the Isle of Dawn, where you must find Angelica, a healer and a soothsayer. She will heal you of all your previous wounds, scars, traumas- anything that will threaten to hinder you on your journey. She’ll read your fortune, and tell the odds of your survival, before and after your treatment. From there, you’ll travel even further North into the Bane Mountains. I’m not sure if you’ve been there before, but I warn you, once you set foot on the path, the Dark Magic will prevent you from leaving until you’ve completed your mission.” Samuel said. “Not only that,” He added, “but the magic will play tricks on your eyes. That is why I have given you my map. It will safely guide you to Lord Bane’s Citadel, where you will face the ultimate challenge.” I didn’t understand much of what he was saying. I was pretty good until he told me I’d have to travel across the Bane Mountains. I’d heard about them before, mostly in stories when I was a little kid. It was where bad people went when they died. But Lord Bane’s Citadel? Who was Lord Bane?
“Hold on a second,” I said, rubbing my temples as I tried to take in every bit of information he threw at me, “Tell me more about the Bane Mountains, and Lord Bane’s Citadel.”
Samuel cocked his head and raised his eyebrows in confusion. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of Lord Bane. No matter; you’ll find out soon enough.” He picked up his nearly untouched glass of wine and took a long, deliberate drink.
I glared at him. “No. I don’t want soon enough. I want now.” I growled through clenched teeth. “You either tell me more about this Lord Bane and what’s so important about the mountains, or I won’t accept this mission. If you wish to hire me, you’ll play by my rules.” I was stretching them enough as it was.

Chapter 6

“

L

ord Bane,” Samuel began in a voice so low I could scarcely hear him, “is the master of all evil. A living devil, so to speak. Thousands of years ago, when Ageria was still a virgin land, untouched by men and the path of destruction they left in their wake, there were two brothers; one of good, Albion, and one of evil, Bane. Depending on where you go, the brothers are of different races. Humans say they were the fathers of man, Bane the father of evil; Albion the father of good. Elves, those acquainted with the story, believed the brothers were a combination of the different types of elves.”
I did not like interrupting a person when they were telling a story, but I wanted to make sure I was getting everything correctly. “Hybrids? What you mean, their mother was A High Elf, and their father was a Dark Elf?”
“Precisely. I believe you know where this is going; Bane inherited more Dark Elf blood, making him evil and corrupt; whereas, Albion inherited High Elf blood, making him good and pure.” Samuel said. He spoke louder now, but his voice was hardly above a whisper.
“Hold on; you said, depending on where you went, they were of different races. Tell me the human version as well.” I liked to believe I was smart, and that I didn’t much apply myself, but the sad truth was, I was about as dumb as a bag of rocks and needed to take things such as history lessons slowly for all the ‘equipment’ in my head to function properly.
Samuel gave a quick nod and continued, “Very well. As I was saying, Bane inherited more Dark Elf blood, making him evil and corrupt, while Albion, in stark contrast, was good and pure. Like all brothers, they argued and bickered amongst themselves like children. And despite Bane’s evil nature, Albion thought he could turn him around, and teach him to be good. No matter how willing Bane was to change his ways, Albion could not purify his black heart. Despite their differences, the two were inseparable… Until another race came into Ageria. As you know, humans are by far the youngest race living in Ageria. They arrived some seven hundred years ago, just when the dwarves sealed themselves inside the mountains of Kor to protect themselves and their riches.
“Having that been said, the brothers were inseparable until another race, the dwarves, came to Ageria. They were funny creatures, no doubt in my mind, only four feet tall, but wide as barrels! Riding in on their miniature ponies, which were just as muscle-bound as they were. Both of them, eager to prove their worth in conquering another race, went head to head; to see who would turn out the winner.
“Bane, with his dark magic, was certain he would first conquer the dwarves and devised a plan to further insure Albion never interfered with him again; if ever another race came to Ageria. He said to Albion, ‘Let’s make this fun. Whoever first conquers these nomads shall live in a glorious palace and rule Ageria. The loser must retreat north, to the mountains where he can train himself for when another race arrives. How about it, brother? A friendly competition?’” Samuel lowered his voice when he spoke as Bane and I bit back the urge to laugh at his failed attempts at acting.
Samuel paid no mind to my stifled laughter and continued, “‘Feeling cocky are you? Fine I accept your challenge. But let’s make this more interesting; neither of us can use magic of any kind. Magic infused weapons, yes, but no wards or spells. What about it, brother?’”
Samuel had my undivided attention, and like a small child, I called out, “What happened? Did Bane accept the challenge and loose?”
“Calm yourself, Victoria, calm yourself. I’ll get to that.” Samuel chuckled, “As I was saying, Albion wished to make things more difficult on Bane. Reluctantly, Bane agreed to Albion’s challenge. The two failed miserably in trying to conquer the dwarves and as a result, they sealed themselves away in the mountains of present day Kor. Humans were just starting to settle in Ageria at that time, but the two paid no mind to them. They were busy trying to declare the winner.
“Ultimately, it was Bane who retreated to the Mountains, hence the name, Bane Mountains. While there, he built a massive citadel, held together and protected by Dark Magic. Anyone stupid enough to venture out into the mountains unprotected never came back and those who lived, well… they weren’t much better off...” Samuel ended his story abruptly as it had begun.
“So you want me to travel to the Bane Mountains where I’ll be mutilated more so than I already am, only to be mercilessly killed by hands of a dark overlord?” I didn’t like to sugarcoat anything.
Samuel snorted. “If you wish to be a blunt pessimist, then yes. I prefer to look at things in a more positive manner. Not to mention when you find Angelica, she will heal you of all your previous wounds. I am not so foul to send you into the Bane Mountains in your crippled state. I like to think of myself as having some heart. Your mission is to travel to the Bane Mountains, find his Citadel, and destroy him. Do you accept?”

Chapter 7

“

Y

ou are just as crazy as they say! You need an army, not a mercenary! I’m hardly the person for the job. Look at me, are you blind? I’m deformed, crippled, hobbled!” I pointed to the scar that ran across my face. “I have one eye. A demon took my other.” I pointed to my left leg. “My leg is deformed. A demon threw a rock at it the last time I visited the Isle of Dawn. I can’t run without breaking into a limp. Even if she manages to heal me of my wounds, how do you expect me, a cripple, to travel into the Isle of Dawn to even find this Angelica? And for what? So that Ageria will no longer face war? Man brought that on himself. There is nothing I can do to stop a war, if that’s what you’re hoping to gain.” I spat. “You can keep your map and all your money. I’m not risking my life for a sack of gold coins and a map I don’t need. Find someone else to take on your suicide mission.”
Samuel placed his tanned hand on my shoulder. “Please, Victoria. Please. I can’t tell you why. I just can’t. Believe me, I’d love to stop war, but I do agree; man brought war apon himself. This is a more personal matter, one that, I will tell you. Eventually. Besides, there’s more in it for you than a sack of gold coins and a magic map. Don’t you wish to know where you came from? Who your father was? Why your mother died?” That bastard, a little devil caged in the very back of my mind snarled.
“Don’t you dare bring my family into this!” I growled. I became a demon hunter because of my family. When I was little, demons took my mother away from me. They left me to die on the streets of Selentia. It wasn’t long before a woman came to my rescue and offered me a place to stay, a job to make a living, and food to eat. At first I was grateful, for her so called ‘generosity’, and as the years went by, I grew to hate the woman that made me call her “Master.” When I was old enough to leave that nest of Hell, I made a vow to avenge my mother’s death by seeking out and killing every demon I saw. I became a mercenary along the way. A girl has to make a living somehow and what better way than to kill those that threatened to stop me in my quest for justice? And though my career was based on a decision that revolved around my family, I didn’t like it when my clients brought them up. My family was my business; not theirs.
Samuel hid a slight smile. “Yes, I see. I know you’re curious. The very mentioning of your family makes your blood boil, doesn’t it?”
“How do you know my family?” I hissed. “Dammit, tell me or I won’t hesitate to kill you where you stand!” My knife was out and pointed at Samuel’s chest before he could do so much as blink.
Samuel nodded. “Fine. I’ll tell you, but if only you accept the mission. Feel free to decline… if you wish to forever live your life in the dark as little girl who knows nothing of her family. It’s your choice.” He sat down at the table and motioned for me to do the same. “Have a seat if you accept the mission. If not, take your things to the spare room, where you may stay for the night. I expect you gone in the morning.”
Dammit, I thought I was good at bartering. “What about the mission then? It’s obviously important to you. A blind man could see that.” I growled.
Samuel chuckled. “Observant, aren’t you? You needn’t worry about that; it’s none of your concern. I’ll simply find someone else to take on this mission, though I will be rather disappointed; you are the best there is.”
“I’m going to kick myself in the ass for this, but, what the hell. I’ve nothing to lose. If I die, I die. If I win, I get a sack of gold coins, a magic map, some life threatening injuries, and information that’s just going to bring me heartache.” I sat down in the nearest chair.
“Thank you.” Samuel said.
“Don’t thank me yet. Now tell me about my family before I change my mind.”
This was going to be a long night.

Chapter 8

“

L

isten to me Victoria,” My mother said, holding my chin in her strong, yet delicate fingers, “Very soon, too soon, I’m afraid, I must leave you. There are bad people after you- because you are a very strong, very special person- but I’d rather die than give you away. I’d rather Ageria crumble to pieces than give you away to bad people. Promise me, Victoria, that you will never be a bad person. Promise that you’ll always do the right thing- even if means going against other people.” I nodded as best as I could, and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall down my face.
“Please mommy, please! Don’t leave me!” No matter how hard I tried, my body betrayed me and the tears I had been holding in for so long cascaded down my cheeks like miniature waterfalls. But my mother wiped them away and held me close to her breast, just as she did when I was a baby. Despite her kind and loving words, I refused to accept the truth and denied the inevitable.
“There, there, don’t cry. If it were my choice, I’d rather burn at the stake than leave you to fend for yourself. The world, I’m afraid, is a dangerous place. But you are strong- you are special. You will find salvation. You’ll find others, just like you, who will love and protect you. This is my promise to you.”
“Mommy, why do you have to go?” I sobbed into her shoulder.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you, Victoria. But when the time is right, you will know. If ever we meet again- and I’m positive we will, one day when the world is safe- I will tell you everything.”
“Where will I go?”
She stroked my hair, patted my back, and said calmly, “I don’t know. That’s what I’m scared of. But I believe in you. You’ll find salvation; I promise. Someone, somewhere will take you in and they’ll love and protect you with their lives. Everything will be alright, Victoria.” We stayed like that for the rest of the night, crying, sniffling, and making false promises that neither of us could keep.

She failed to keep her promises and at the same time, I failed to keep mine. I’ve killed, stole, coveted, lied… I did a good number of things I, nor my mother, would ever be proud of. Setting my flashback aside, I directed my attention to Samuel. “I accept your mission. Now tell me more about my family before I change my mind.”
Samuel grinned, exposing straight, white teeth- a trait unheard of in any human. “Yes. Where do I begin? Your family tree is complicated, I’m afraid.”
“Tell me about my father. Who was he? Is he dead? Why have I never met him?” I asked.
“A respectable question. A dark and twisted man, if man at all he was. Your father was what you would call a Necromancer. He held power among the Skell Marshes in the South. He ruled with an iron fist and struck fear in the hearts of his people. Those who threatened to oppose him, he killed. Well, killed wouldn’t be an appropriate word… let me rephrase that: those who threatened to oppose him, he tortured to death. Slowly and painfully, prolonging their agony for years before he saw fit to kill them.”
“How did you know my father?”
Samuel hesitated for a moment. “He… he… he was my brother. I pleaded with your mother, begged her to stay way from Cyrus, but, she wouldn’t listen to me. She was so stubborn… she insisted that there was a soft spot in his heart and that she could find it.” He rested his head in his hands in a universal symbol of defeat. Realization, like a demon hell-bent on destroying everything he could get his hands on, hit me. At first, there was nothing. After getting over the initial shock, I felt a very sharp pain in my chest that gradually descended to my stomach until I felt as though I would throw up. I held the bile and my tears, back. I didn’t like crying- but I could yell.
“That means… you’re my uncle… and you knew my mother…” I paused for a long time, composing myself, holding back the tears and loud choking sobs that would engulf my body and leave me crying on the floor, a crumpled mess, and hollow shell of my former self. When I was positive I wouldn’t cry, I continued, “Dammit! Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when those demons took my mother? I could’ve used your help! I was seven years old when they took her away from me. They left me to fend for myself on the streets. Dammit, they took more than my mother; they took my childhood, they took my chance a normal life! If you knew me where were you?”
Samuel shook his head no. “You don’t understand; Victoria, I didn’t know anything until it was too late! I was in Gallia when I received news that Cyrus’s lover- your mother- was pregnant. I did not know if you were a boy or girl. I did not know if Cyrus was pleased or outraged. I did not know anything.”
“Then what happened? Why did they take my mother?” I growled. I felt more like a child- weak, helpless, and naïve- then than I had in years; at first, I thought I could take everything in and still stay cool and composed. Now, I was having doubts, not just about my twisted life, but also about myself. Was I as badass as I liked to think? Was I as tough as I wanted to portray myself? Did other people see me as a strong fighter, or did they see me as an insecure little girl? Samuel, it seemed, saw through my bravado and I didn’t know if I respected or hated him for it; I didn’t like feeling weak, but at the same time, I kind of respected him, acknowledged him as my elder, my superior. But I wouldn’t let him, or anyone else know it.
“Calm yourself Victoria. If you kill me now, you’ll still be in the dark. They took your mother, because as I later learned, Cyrus was scared she’d have a son who would overthrow him. Victoria that is why your mother fled. She left when she was pregnant with you so that if you were a boy, your father would not kill you. When you turned out to be a girl, she felt so ashamed she couldn’t face Cyrus to tell him why she left. She stayed with you for as long as she could before Cyrus eventually summoned a pack of demons to track down and bring back your mother. She kept you hidden so that Cyrus would not kill you as punishment for leaving him.”
I was still angry, but no longer fuming. I thought myself composed enough to continue interrogating Samuel. “How do you know?”
He paused, took a deep breath, and said, “When I received word that a pack of demons successfully found Cyrus’s lover, I went straight to his citadel, because I knew it was he that summoned the demons in the first place. He imprisoned your mother, and allowed no one to see her. During the days of her captivity, I visited her in secret; spoke to her, asked questions about you… I asked her, ‘What happened to you?’ and she told me: ‘I told Cyrus the baby died as I gave birth to her and that I could not face him again after what happened. I lied- she is somewhere safe, where Cyrus will never find her. Please, Samuel, please, do not tell Cyrus! Please, please, whatever you do, do not tell him! I don’t want that monster near my child…’ I promised your mother that I would not tell Cyrus about you and that I would take care of you if only she’d tell me where you were, but she would not tell me.
“No matter how many times I asked, she would not tell me where she hid you. Eventually, I gave up, and eventually, after six torturous months spent wasting away in a cell, Cyrus killed your mother. I kept my promise, but searched everywhere for you. It wasn’t until I met Angelica that I found you. I met her while looking for you in the Isle of Dawn. After all, where does one go when looking for support? They go home. Your mother was originally from the Isle of Dawn, home of the elves, and I thought that perhaps she hid you amongst the elves, where, to the human eye, you would blend in. While there, I met Angelica. She offered me a place to stay while I searched for you. After months of relentless and almost pointless searching, Angelica stepped in and asked me who I was looking for. She brought out a crystal ball and within an hour, the face of a ten-year-old child- your face- appeared. That was the first time I saw you. She informed me your mother hid you in Selentia and a woman by the name of Marian Hokinson took you in after your mother died.”
I closed my eyes and stopped listening then. I couldn’t take any more information. My head was pounding and my heart felt as though it had been impaled on a pike and left there for the world to see. I rested my head on the table, buried my face so that Samuel could not see me, and started to cry. I learned it a long time ago, life wasn’t fair, but now, as I cried my heart out for the first time in years, I shouted out, “Life isn’t fair!” It wasn’t my fault my mother fell in love with a wretched human; yet, I paid the price for her foolishness. It wasn’t my fault demons came after her; yet, I too, paid the price for her actions. It wasn’t my fault that my mother wouldn’t tell Samuel where to find me; yet I suffered the loss of my childhood. It wasn’t my fault Samuel didn’t think to take me away from that wretched woman- Hokinson- yet I suffered for it. Life wasn’t fair and whoever watched over us from above was making extra sure I knew it.
Samuel came up to me, rested his hand on me, and patted my back, just as my mother had done when I cried as a child. “It’s alright Victoria,” He crooned softly, “It’s okay. Let it all out…” And I did. I cried more that night than I had in my whole life. All the walls I had spent over the years, carefully building so that no one could see me as I was now were broken beyond repair. Only time would tell if I’d ever be able to reconstruct them to their former glory.

Chapter 9

I did not sleep well that night. In between the endless stream of crying and cursing, I had strange dreams; dreams of my mother lying in a cell, broken and starving to death while a man sat outside, taunting her with freedom she would never again have. I would wake up and silently call her name, yet there would be no answer. There would be no warm reply that everything was alright. There would be no soft laughter or worried cries. Save Samuel, sleeping calmly, in the other room, I was alone.
Well into the early morn, just before the sun began to rise, I fell asleep. I was no longer in the warm bed Samuel had generously offered me; rather, I lied on the floor, in fetal position, swaddled in a cocoon of various blankets. Old habits, I suppose, are hard to break; it had been well over three years, maybe more, since I had last slept in a warm bed. I wasn’t used to feeling so… pampered. On a good night, I would sleep under the watchful eyes of the moon and stars and hope like hell nothing was hungry or stupid enough to pick a fight with me during the night. On a bad night, I would walk around looking for a dry place to rest my eyes, if only for a few precious seconds. Now, the thought of sleeping in a warm bed, as welcoming as it was, was an alien custom, almost unknown to me.

I awoke to find Samuel, nibbling on a slice of cheese, and staring at me with curious eyes. “Any reason,” he said, “you’re on the floor?”
I yawned, stretched my arms for a moment, and replied calmly, “I have not slept in a bed for over three years now. As welcoming as the idea is, I’m not used to such a civilized way of living. I’d rather sleep on the floor, to retain a small sense of normality.” It sounded weird, even to my own ears, which had grown accustomed to my backwards sayings and often-failed speech patterns.
“Suit yourself. Now, are you hungry?” I nodded and Samuel replied, “I’ve got fresh eggs cooking over a fire in the other room. I ate the last of the cheese unfortunately. It will be a while before I dig up the coins to go to the market for anymore. Speaking of money, have I spoken to you of your payment yet?”
“No. From the way you spoke in your letter, however, you make it seem as though you’ve stored away the king’s treasury. Tell me, what is it you do to earn so much money? Most shops hardly pay a few bronze coins for a year’s worth of labor, and I know farms are doing poorly this season. What is it you’ve done that’s entitles you to so much extra?”
Samuel shook his head. “I do not like to speak much of my wealth, nor do you of your past, I assume, but as you are now my niece,” I held back the urge to cringe, hearing that word, “I will tell you. When Cyrus killed your mother, blinded by rage, I gathered the help of the people of the Skell Marshes, and I overthrew Cyrus. I became the ruler of the Skell Marshes, but when things turned too ugly for my taste, I bailed out and began looking for you. I took as much gold with me as I could pack, stuffing some in my horse’s saddle bags, some in my pockets; I even hid a few pieces in the rim of an old hat Cyrus had stolen from me years ago. I found it in his bedchamber, next to a portrait of the two of us when we were younger. I have stored most of the gold away, somewhere will no one but I will ever find it. I keep what I need here at the house. It is not a lot, but I get by just as well as any common villager.
“Now, give me but a moment and I shall return with your payment. I only hope that you are not disappointed. I may have been a king of the Skell Marshes, but I was a poor king; one that could net keep track of money very well. I took the rest of what I could before leaving the Skell Marshes forever.” He left the room for a moment, leaving me on the floor, slightly groggy, and thoroughly aroused with curiosity. He came back quickly with a small, royal purple sack in his left hand. Coins and other various riches bulged from the sack, and I wondered how many other sacks he had filled with similar treasures.
“In this bag, is your payment, Victoria. There are twenty gold coins inside, along with other highly valued objects. When you find yourself low on money, simply reach in, and when you can, exchange one of the rings at the bottom for more gold. The rings are worth more than everything I own today combined, and one ring should provide enough money to last a few months.”
I nodded. “Thank you Samuel. By no means, am I disappointed; this is more than all of my previous earning combined. In fact, it saddens me to think that I may not live long enough to put all of it to use, but either way, I thank you. You have been most generous with both information and hospitality. It’s been a while since someone has been brave enough to invite me into their home. As you can see, I’m not the best guest in Ageria, but I do know how to return a favor, and I promise, even if it kills me, I will take on your mission. It seems the least I can do to repay you for all you’ve given me in this short period of time.” I got up, stretching my arms and legs as I did so, and started putting my nest of blankets back on the bed where they belonged.
Samuel smiled. “You’re very welcome. It’s been a long time since I’ve had company, and it pleases me to no end, that I’ve been a good host. Now, will you stay for breakfast before you go, or would you rather get going? The Isle of Dawn is a long ways away, and I know better than anyone that procrastination is Bane’s own handiwork.”
I shook my head no and said apologetically, “I best be on my way. I, too, understand the ghastly effects of procrastination, and I fear that if I don’t get going now, I’ll never find the courage to leave later on. Once again, thank you for all you’ve given me.”
“Farewell, Victoria. Remember, go to the Isle of Dawn, find Angelica, and once you’ve prepared yourself, venture to the Bane Mountains, find Lord Bane’s Citadel, and destroy him. I wish you nothing but luck on your journey. Albion knows you’ll need it.” Samuel replied gravely. Then, he did something strange; he wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed me. Not tight, the way a snake does an unsuspecting mouse, but, firmly, lovingly. I hadn’t been hugged this way ever since my mother had died, and it struck me odd that Samuel loved me.
We exchanged another series of farewells and goodbyes before I finally stepped foot outside the house, into the outside world, where countless dangers awaited. With Samuel’s map in one hand, and the strap of my satchel in the other, I began the treacherous journey that changed my life forever.

Impressum

Texte: Confesion time: I didn;t come up with the names of the cities, or tha main antagonist. I borrowed them from a video game called Puzzle Quest
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 15.01.2012

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