laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Sulphury, dark tan smoke roiled and danced within the dark chamber, vaguely lit by tall candles uniformly spaced around his private chamber. Times had been growing desperate as of late and with the incompetence that surrounded him the campaign was not going well. Musing as he rested within the thickly padded couch, he closed his dark eyes and took in the sweet ambient scents of Tia's perfume. She had been with him on many occasions, as often as he wished and why not, he was her lord. Chuckling to himself; people were so easily manipulated.

A gentle knock on the distant, heavy door interrupted his fantasy. "My lord," Dardel, his one of many servants called. "I have some great news."

Without being informed, he delved into the demon's mind and sifted to find the news: Kailee had been captured. He laughed darkly which soon rumbled through the chamber and down the marble lined hallways. Jumping up, crackling energy emanated from his hands and eyes as he walked to the doors which opened at his approach. Reeling back from him, the heavily dressed, bald servant bowed deeply. "Where is she?"

"Idanac has her in his stronghold, my lord. Along with several other vampires that she had been protecting."

Perhaps his years of planning hadn't become fruitless after all.

* * *

Adgertesse' turned as Brittany followed her through the gate that Bernard provided and watched him step through and drop it. Blue pins of light showered the night, falling into the thick grass.

"You're on your own from here. Good luck," he informed.

"I can't take on a demon lord by myself," Tess stated.

"I understand. Then don't."

Confused, the nightblade squared on the mage silhouetted against the dappled boughs beyond and above. "How are we to rescue her then?"

He quietly stood, shifting his weight momentarily. "I can't help you with that is what I'm saying."

"I thought you were tasked with helping us attain whatever goal they had for her. Unless I've missed my guess, that's your whole purpose for being in this kingdom," frustration was building.

"It was and I have. But, I've been informed that since she's declined her appointment that I'm no longer bound to that mission. It's up to you to do whatever you deem necessary from here on out."

She chuckled in disgust. "So that's it then. We couldn't be manipulated to fulfill whatever you wanted and now we're on our own to fight the evils of the world. Is that it?"

"Adgertesse', that was not my personal goal. Whatever the fates have decided is beyond my control, everyone is in charge of their own destiny. She chose hers now it's time for you to do the same. Return home if you wish."

Tears of anger began to cloud her vision as she balled her fists. "I have no home, you bastard. My home was with her and our friends, but it seems that you and your bosses figure that once they wished to fight this war by their own terms, you bail out. Then to hell with you! We made it this far without you, **** off!"

"Tess," Brittany softly called, laying her hands gently on the nightblade's shoulders. "Come on."

"Get out of my sight!" Adgertesse' yelled. "GO!!"

Quietly, the archmage retreated and soon disappeared as orange eyes glowed hotly. She wanted to kill him but, held back. Simmering, she turned and continued west through the forest as her vampire ally followed, keeping their senses reaching out to warn them of danger. The town of Inellan was not far away, a place they would have to bypass before morning as the templar compound north of there would not welcome either of them. Still unable to register the change of events, she couldn't fathom what the purpose was to keep them on a leash, then cut them loose all of a sudden. The Ring had no purpose with her anymore and Bernard definitely lost points with this last display. Biting hard, she wanted to gut the coward and may the next time she saw him as they moved quickly through the thick forest until soon reaching the Dovey River. As she glanced up river, she noticed the distant firelight from the fortress which the Order of the Grey Eagle inhabited, protecting the stone bridge which had been built the same time Kailee was freed by her friends.

"I know a good place for us to rest today," Tess informed as Brittany's body morphed into a watery form and sank to the sandy shoreline.

'Where?,' the mental reply.

"Follow me."

Once they crossed the river and headed southward, they soon found the ruined chapel whose stone pillars rose out of the unevenly piled floor of refuse and grass like bleached ribs. As they made their way to the rear of the main sanctuary, she found the hidden door, nearly covered by rotted beams and pieces of statues, lifting it up partially so she could squeeze through. After her misty companion drifted within the dark stariway, she let it fall and headed downward towards the open chasm. Keeping to the right, they soon found the illusory doorway and walked down the long hall to a musty living room and turned left to finally notice the great hall. Dust covered, her nightvision guided her to a doorway on the right and into another corridor. Hearing the story of Kailee's rescue, she began to recognize the opening to the left leading into the templar dormitory and two doors on the right, one to the alchemist's lab and second to his private bedroom. At the end of the hallway stood the lone door which had barred the half-vampire from the world.

"How did you know about this place," Brittany inquired as she gazed into the small bedroom.

"Kailee was held here for the first seventeen years of her life," Tess informed, tapping on the door as she eyed it. "Never been here actually, just went by the other's accounts. But," she turned to eye the brunette. "It should be safe enough for a rest tonight. Choose a spot and I'll do what I can to make sure no one wakes us up." She watched as the vampire moved into the room, passed the bed which lined the wall on their left and crouched to eye underneath. Adgertesse' closed the door to the small room and took out her lockpicking tools and leaned over. Listening to the tumblers, she locked the door and then moved a chair in front of it as Brittany laid out the dirt under the bed and soon claimed her resting spot.

"See you tonight," the muffled voice stated as Tess walked to the bed and laid down.

"Goodnight."