Vex peeked around the corner of the building she was hiding behind. Brick exploded into a spray of gravel and dust in her face as she barely missed yet another Flame Javelin. She recoiled with a start before peering down the alley she lurked within. The space was a mess of discarded trash and the corpse of a homeless man who’d caught a stray shot from the Fury, who was even then assaulting her. The whole Gilded Rose lance was bearing down on her with a wrath closer to an avenging demigod than three pissed women.
Trouble had been taking potshots from the rooftops to act as a distraction. Yet, no matter where Vex ran, those slither-spined bitches tracked her. Vex never thought she would miss that irritating Immortal, but there she was, working herself into a corner like a caged rat.
That thought brought to mind the Alchemyst, and she wondered where the hells he and the metal freak were. She needed support, and sooner rather than later.
Vex set down the lantern on the pavement before cataloging her gear in rapid order. Fee Fee had broken her Null Cuffs back on the caravan, and Vex had yet to make a new set. She dearly wished she’d made a spare, but there was no time for wishing for the impossible.
The Hexxen Bane opened the cylinder of her hex-gun to find only three Hollow Rounds remaining. She didn’t have any more, and if anything was likely to get her out of this situation, it was those. If just one of them struck home and got past a target’s armor, it would weaken their body and mind, as well as interfere with nerve response and myst use. But she had only three. One for each Rose lance-member, and she needed to hit all three if she had any chance of escaping.
More of the brick siding beside Vex erupted, forcing her back several steps. After a momentary glance back at the street where the Rose lance harassed her, Vex collected the lantern and sprinted down the alley, turning right, passing several more buildings, her gun gripped firmly in one hand and held low as she kept her breathing level. She turned right down a separate alley that led to the same street.
Vex peered around the corner from her new position to find Mesarra, the Martyr, blindly pointing to her exact location. The Hexxen Bane quickly tracked her sight up and down the street for the other two, just in time to find Willow just around the same corner she peeked from, a ward-reinforced sword swinging for her face.
Vex fell onto her back, scuttling backward as the blade carved through the building’s side as if it were foam. Willow, the Warden, pulled her weapon from the synth-crete siding with casual ease as she strolled into the alley to loom over Vex.
Vex raised her gun, but found it batted from her hand by the flat of Willow’s blade. The firearm skittered away from Vex’s grasp. Willow held Vex at sword point, a satisfied smirk on her lips. Vex snarled like a feral beast as she did the only thing she could think of.
Vex pointed the lantern at the looming woman and irised open the bullseye aperture. Light flooded through the port to shine across the Warden. Her shadow stretched long as it revealed her secrets. Willow had brutally beaten young Gilded Rose recruits and even beaten three to death.
Willow’s legs went weak, quivering before completely giving beneath her weight. Vex closed the aperture before rising to her feet and quickly collecting her hex-gun. Vex stepped up to the fallen Warden. This time, Vex was the one looming.
Willow raised a weak head to glare at Vex with slightly unfocused eyes. “You going to kill me now?” Willow asked in a hazy voice.
“No,” Vex replied. “At least, not yet.” Without another word, Vex pistol-whipped Willow across the temple, knocking her unconscious.
Another explosion rocked the earth beneath Vex’s feet. She looked up just in time to find Trouble leaping from one roof to the next, directly above her. Hot on her brother’s tail was the Fury, Fee Fee, using those flaming wings again to keep up with Trouble.
Vex moved from her hiding spot to stand in clear view of Mesarra. With Fee Fee playing cat and mouse with Tro, and Willow out of the picture for the moment, the Martyr was defenseless. Mesarra knew it the moment Vex stepped around the corner.
Vex aimed her hex-gun at the Martyr with a steady hand and cracked off a carefully aimed shot. The Hollow Round struck Mesarra in the abdomen. The woman fell to the street, her body seizing and twitching. Vex slowly walked toward the Martyr, weaving between psychic stains as she had for the entire battle. The psychic landmines had added an extra level of struggle for the Hexxen Bane.
Vex stood over Mesarra, glaring down at the woman before raising her gun to the woman’s head. While Vex had spared Willow from death, Mesarra had been crueler than most to Vex and merciless in her hunting and tracking of the Witch. Vex had no qualms about putting this woman down.
That was when new players entered the game. A squad of guards rounded the street corner, each dressed in heavy defensive armor and carrying melee and ranged weapons as well as a slew of devices at their belts or bandoleers. A team of Warrior-class guards.
At the same time, Vex caught sight of Archi lurking in an alley across the street, rummaging through his coat for something. The Alchemyst looked panicked, as if something he was looking for was missing.
In tandem with the guards rounding the corner, a familiar pair of Knyghts came around a corner from the opposite direction as the guards.
Vex was flanked. The Knyghts spotted the lantern in Vex’s free hand and broke into a sprint for her. Just as they moved, the guards approached, shouting commands to drop the weapon. This was a bad position. She needed to evacuate as soon as possible.
Vex lowered her sidearm and took three steps away from the Martyr. Of course, the guards would arrive when Vex looked the most guilty. They didn’t see the Fury start the fight by almost pulping Trouble.
As the pair of opposing Knyghts closed the distance, they both extended massive punch daggers from their wrists. It was clear that they were not playing around. The Knyghts were going for the kill.
If Vex agreed to submit to the guards’ authority, they might be able to protect her from the two enemy lancers. But she wouldn’t bet on it. Standard settlement guards were only trained to capture and subdue normal folk and low-ranking adventurers. If the guards were an anti-siege team or a threat termination team, that would’ve been a different story. But no, Vex wasn’t that lucky. She couldn’t help but wonder if Sin’s luck was wearing off on her.
Since the guards would only interfere and make things more difficult, Vex slowly backed toward the alley she had emerged from. However, the Knyghts were closing the distance fast. Just as she was about to spin on the ball of her foot and break into a sprint, Trouble came to the rescue, and in an unconventional manner.
Trouble launched himself from an adjacent rooftop, arms and legs splayed like a feline aiming to jump from one tree to another. He landed directly atop the silver and blue Knyght, latching onto it like a parasite. The Knyght tried to shake Trouble off as he covered the shell’s visual scanners with his body. As the Knyght reached up to yank Trouble free, Fee Fee came flying from the same roof Trouble had left.
Fee Fee was using that Star Fall Impact ability again, fist pulled back, ready to deliver a devastating punch as she fell from the sky. Trouble leaped from the first Knyght to the second just as the Fury struck the first. The silver Knyght was struck in the shoulder, sending the combatant staggering into their companion even as Trouble leapt from the second.
Trouble landed lightly on his feet as the two Knyghts started untangling themselves from each other. Fee Fee circled around the mess of metal limbs to chase Tro. Trouble ducked a swing from the Fury, straightened, and slapped her with an open palm. The blow didn’t cause any damage, but was clearly an insult.
Fee Fee’s face flared with anger and indignation. She lashed out at Tro, but he skipped away. The Fury made to chase, but Trouble shot a foot out from under her as she took her second step. The bearing struck the ground beneath the foot and ricocheted straight up, throwing the step off course. Fee Fee fell to the ground in a sprawl beside the Knyghts.
Trouble skipped back several paces to stand beside Vex. She caught her brother noticing Archi before giving the Alchemyst a signal of some kind. The Alchemyst gave Tro a confused look, and Trouble made the pointing signal again with a subtly lowered hand. Vex recognized the signal and sent Archi a short text message with an explanation of what Tro was saying. ‘He’s saying trap them.’
‘Them who?’ was Archi’s reply. Vex gave an irritated grunt before openly pointing at the Fury and Knyghts, then to the approaching guards. Vex rolled her tongue piercing along her teeth before taking another step backward toward the alley.
“Stop right there!” shouted the lead guard, with an accusing finger pointed at Vex and her brother.
Vex flicked her gaze back to Archi, just in time to see him pull two vials from within his coat. Both glass beakers were filled with black fluid. One reflected the light in a rainbow of yellows, greens, and blues, and the substance was free-flowing, thinner than water. The other was a thick, almost gelatinous material of a black closer to the matt of coal.
The Alchemyst flung the thin and glossy one towards the Knyghts, and the other toward the guards. Both erupted upon shattering, one then the other. The glossy one sprayed into a wide puddle of the compound element of Zero-Oil that covered the enemy Adventurers. The thick one exploded into a just as wide puddle of thick, black Trapp Tar that restrained and coated the guards.
Architallis fled from his hiding spot to meet the other two as they backed into their own alley. With all three out of sight of the opposing forces, they turned to bolt down the alley, Vex leading a circuitous route back to their base of operations.
“Why are, we running from, the guards?” Vex asked between huffing breaths as she holstered her hex-gun and attached the Last Light Lantern to her belt.
“Because, they would, detain us, as well as our opponents,” Architallis explained between his own heaving breaths. “Once they, learned we stole, the target device, we would, be the ones, held accountable.”
“Makes, sense.” Vex huffed out as the three slowed to round a corner. Vex was looking over her shoulder as she spoke to the Alchemyst, so she didn’t see the dumpster she ran chest-first into. The Hexxen Bane hit the metal siding with a loud ‘Bang!’ that resounded as she fell onto her back.
The lantern flew free from Vex’s hip to strike the wall of one building. As the lantern clattered to the pavement, the device irised open to put Vex in the spotlight like some all-seeing eye. Her shadow climbed the wall behind her, its edges flaring and lashing. The image showed Vex looming over an older woman tied to a chair, struggling and thrashing in terror. Vex screamed at the chaired woman, but no sound came through the image. Suddenly, Vex was ripping the woman’s nails out with blade-edged pliers. The woman screamed in agony, desperately trying to pull her hands free from the magical manacles that latched her to the seat. Then Vex moved on to the woman’s teeth, wrenching them out with terrible ferocity. Tears, snot, and blood ran down the woman’s face to puddle in her lap.
Halfway through the woman’s teeth, Vex flung down the pliers to embed them in the woman’s thigh before storming back several paces. Vex said something with a much calmer expression. The expression was resigned and full of pain. Vex’s eyes flared with hate and rage before she spun around, drawing her hex-gun. She planted a single shot in the woman’s gut. The seated victim burst into a pyre of flames. She screamed and thrashed harder than ever. Vex put five more rounds into the woman’s chest.
Suddenly, the shadow and image were gone. Vex turned back toward the lantern to find her brother holding the device. While he had closed the aperture, the Neoform wore an expression of shock and disturbed pain that carried through his eyes. Vex tried to pull herself to her feet, but she felt weak. Even using the dumpster to brace herself, Vex’s knees buckled halfway up.
Trouble hurried over to offer her a helpful hand and supportive shoulder. Vex gratefully took the proffered hand before bracing herself on her brother’s shoulder. “What have you done?” Trouble muttered without meeting her eyes. He latched the lantern to his belt. Vex stared at her brother for a long moment, shocked at the complete sentence he just spoke. She was about to comment on the fact when her attention was brought back to Archi. “I think you owe us an explanation.”
Vex gave the Vhenari a defiant glare even as Trouble led the way at as fast a pace as he dared with Vex in her present state. “I had my reasons. I won’t say any more than that.”
Archi visibly gritted his teeth as he wore a bitter expression. He trailed behind the pair, but Vex saw him eyeing the lantern. Vex did not like that look in his eyes.
The three hurried through several alleys before stepping onto a street not far from the Wayward’s Inn. By this time, night had set, and the streets teemed more with rough types of people and the drug-addled. The trio crossed the street and entered the Inn, doing their best to look inconspicuous.
As they passed the reception desk, the human man working the desk spoke up. “She drink too much already?”
“Yes,” Archi said distractedly with a casual wave of his hand before leading the way up the stairs. “I think Alex and myself have acquired something the two of you will want to see.” He said as he walked straight for Alex’s room.
“Oh yeah?” Vex asked sceptically. “What? You find some juicy info for us?”
Archi flashed Vex a knowing and amused grin before opening Alex’s door and passing through without another word. Vex and Tro traded a confused look with each other before following through the still-open door. As the pair entered the Soulforged’s room, Trouble half-turned back to close and lock the door.
While Trouble was locking the door, Vex inspected the room to find a recognizable man sitting, strapped to a metal chair. His hands were tied down to the arms of the seat, his own legs cinched tight to those of the chair. He was gagged with a stained rag shoved deep enough that he couldn’t spit it out.
Trouble set Vex on the side of the bed before stalking over to the corner beside the door to squat down on the balls of his feet, wrists resting on his knees. Tro’s eyes were locked on Drake like a predator who spotted a juicy but dangerous piece of prey.
“Oh! Hey!” Ex started, peeling himself from the wall he leaned against, a holo-display projector in one hand. “I think I’ve found something you’ll all find pretty useful.”
“You started the interrogation without us?” Archi accused as he inspected the captor's bonds with a careful eye, his chin pinched between thumb and forefinger.
“What?” Alex asked. “No. I’ve been watching AdRecs while waiting for ya’ll.” He tossed the palm-sized projector into the air before catching it with a swipe of his hand. “I think I might have some sweet and juicy info on those Rose bitches.”
Vex’s eyes snapped to the Soulforged at his words. “What do you have?” Vex asked as much as demanded.
“Welllll,” Ex drew out the word as if in thought. “That Martyr lady that seems to have a bone to crack with you, Vex. She didn’t carry any weapons with a vial of blood, right?”
“Yeah?” Vex verified, confused where this was going.
“And she doesn’t carry a spooky lantern, right?”
“The only lantern I know about is that one,” Vex said, pointing to the Last Light Lantern at Trouble’s hip.
“Cool!” Ex said, his words showing a grin. “That means she’s a Martyr of Bone. You seen her spell focus? Does it look like it’s made of bone?”
Vex rubbed her brow in thought. Her brain was muddled and racing from the rest of the day. “Yeah. I think. I’m pretty sure her spell focus is a ring on her left hand. It could definitely be made from bone. It’s pale enough and set with some magical gemstone of some kind.”
“Rockin’.” Vex could hear the smirk and Ex’s voice. He clearly thought he was on to something. “So with a bit of digging, I found plenty on Martyrs. Apparently, they can be a real pain in arena challenges. Martyrs of Blood and Martyrs of Soul can be pretty dangerous, but Martyrs of Bone are a charging hell beast when it comes to support.”
“Yeah,” Vex said with irritation as she tried to stand, only to fall back onto the bed. “We already knew that much. Mesarra has been the bane of my existence since she caught my trail.”
Ex gave an amused snort. “The bane of the Hexxen Bane. That’s funny.”
Vex glared at the Knyght. “Get to the damned point.”
“Okay, okay,” Ex said with a calming motion of his hands. “Well, it turns out that that bone focus is made from her own bone. If we can figure out where it came from in her body, and heal it, she loses her juju.”
Vex raised a brow at Ex. “Shouldn’t it already be healed? If I ripped a bone from my body to turn to a focus, I’d get it replaced or regrown right damn quick.”
Ex shook his head. “As it happens, the bone can’t be magically healed or regrown, or they lose their power. It’s got some dreck to do with symbolic sacrifice.”
“Got it,” Vex said before chewing on her lip in thought. She slapped the bed with both hands before pushing herself up from it. She wobbled a bit but held her feet. “Now, let's get to interrogating our Drake friend.”
“Hold a moment,” Architallis said as he pushed off from the wall he had rested against since entering. “His mouth must be dry from that rag. Let me fetch him a glass of water.”
Architallis saw the moment for his plan to take effect. As he pushed off from the wall, the Alchemyst hid his shaking hands in his pockets. The appearance of the guards during that brawl had set the Vhenari to quaking with flashbacks of when he was captured and sentenced. None of those guards had listened to what he had to say, and he doubted the guards from the street would have been much better. Anyone who worked in the policing force had their own clearly drawn lines of good and ill, and they would all see him on the far side from them.
Architallis absent-mindedly mentioned getting a glass of water for the captive and quickly hurried to the restroom. Sure enough, resting beside the sink was a dingy, brown-tinted glass. He snatched up the glass, almost dropping it twice, thanks to his shaky grip. Once he calmed his hands enough, Architallis filled the glass half full of water before pulling free the truth potion from his coat and filled the rest of the glass with the fluid.
Architallis stepped from the restroom with glass in hand. He walked up to Drake with a false calmness before ripping the rag free of the man’s mouth. Before Drake could scream for help, Architallis shoved the glass against the man’s mouth and forced him to take a swig.
As Drake swallowed the forced mouthful of drugged water, Architallis reached into one pocket of his coat to pull free a coin-sized device and latched it to the side of Drake’s neck. The device latched onto the human’s skin, drawing four small beads of blood but no more. A vermillion light blinked dimly on the small device, indicating it would disrupt any sound above a set volume from the man.
“What’s that?” Alex asked, walking up to eye the device on Drake’s neck. As the Soulforged leaned in to get a closer look, Drake leaned away from the skull with a nervous look.
“A Vocal Disruptor,” Architallis answered simply.
“How is he supposed to answer us if he can’t talk?” Vex accused, glaring at the Vhenari.
“He will still be able to speak. Just not scream.”
“Oh,” Vex said in a calmer tone. “Then go ahead.”
Architallis turned back to Drake, raising the glass in offer. “Do you need more?”
“That dreck tastes awful.” Drake spat on the carpet.
“It is only tap water. Apologies for not being able to provide better.” Architallis said with a mask of sympathy. He knew he would need to play good guard, because Vex would likely choose to play bad guard, if not an outright dangerous guard.
Drake eyed Architallis and the glass suspiciously before nodding to the beverage. “I’ll take some more.”
Architallis nodded back and tipped the glass to Drake’s lips. Drake took several more swigs before pulling his head back to breathe. After he took several deep breaths, he glared at each person in the room before proclaiming, “I’m not telling you bastards anything. My lips are sealed.”
Vex interlaced her fingers and cracked them in a threatening and confident manner. “Looks like torture it is.”
Architallis held out a hand to stop the Hexxen Bane. “No need,” he said.
“Why?” Vex asked.
“Just wait,” Architallis replied, not taking his eyes off Drake.
Vex shot him an irritated look, but folded her arms and waited. After a few more moments, Drake’s eyes grew unfocused, and his head bobbed and weaved from side to side.
“What did you do to him?” Vex asked, one brow raised in confusion.
“Truth potion,” Architallis said simply. “Now, Mister Drake. Who do you work for?”
