Ch 30: Eminent Betrayal

A Chapter by KeithKVH

Everyone preparing for the excursion to Underworld, Alexander makes his own preparations to leave someone behind to defend Ace, convinced of Xanth's hand in a devious plot.

As night fell over Daemonholm, Xanth made his way to the sales district. Arriving at the appointed alleyway, he looked around cautiously. When Xanth was sure he had not been followed, he quickly turned down the alleyway where Giselle awaited him. Approaching her, he said, “All goes as planned. Well, except for one small problem…” Quickly, Giselle said, “Lord Alastor has little tolerance for failure Xanth. Just what is this ‘small’ problem?” Hesitantly, Xanth said, “Nothing that cannot easily be resolved. Seven years ago Loki’s younger half brother, Caine, who was the first in line for the throne because he was of pure blood, disappeared. Everyone thought he was dead, but suddenly, at now of all times, he has returned. Even if we get rid of Loki, Caine would still be the one in line to take the throne…” Seeming to contemplate this a moment, Giselle said, “I see. It appears I will have to fix this small problem. You go on ahead with the plan. Accompany Loki and Angelorum Lux when they leave for Underworld. Once they are away, I will deal with Caine…” Xanth looked around nervously, fearful they might be overheard, but finally said, “Consider it done. Caine’s room is in the top floor of the east wing. I have guards loyal to our cause keeping him there under lock and key.” Nodding, Giselle said, “Well done. That will be enough for now. When we next meet, you shall be known as the Revenant of the Black Mist…” Both turned away from each other and walked away. Reaching the street again, Xanth looked up at the citadel and muttered, “Forgive me Loki, I wanted to stand beside you, but I cannot relinquish this anger…”

Gathered in the library, Grey and the others sat at the table in the middle of the room waiting to hear why Alexander had called them there. Crossing his hands on the table, Alexander looked around at them all and said, “Well, now that we’re all here, we’re going to decide who is staying behind on our little trip to Underworld.” Everyone looking surprised, Mythra exclaimed, “What?! Why is anyone staying behind?! This isn’t some amusement park ride with limited seating! We’ll be up against some serious firepower if they’ve raised that ancient demonfolk!” Raising a hand and gesturing for her to wait, Alexander said, “I will explain if you would have the decency to control yourself Mythra. It’s a rather good thing you really don’t have a blood pressure problem, your head would pop like a balloo-” Quickly Alexander ducked and a book went sailing over his head. Raising his head again, Alexander cleared his throat and said, “Well, moving on… There may very well be an attempt to assassinate Ace once we leave for Underworld.” Quite surprised by the curveball Alexander had just thrown them all, Amy said, “Assassinate? Why?” Slamming a fist on the table, Grey said, “D****t, you’re telling me Loki’s going that far just to stay Lord?!”

Seeing through to the truth of the matter, Richter said, “It’s actually Xanth, isn’t it?” Everyone went silent. With a brief nod, Alexander said, “Yes. If you think about it a little, it’s not too hard to see something’s amiss here. The first tip off was the fact that all the victims of this latest attack were prison guards. Tell me, just who do we know who requested to be taken to a cell shortly after being defeated in the Coliseum? Who remained there during the very night the guards were killed?” With a look of realization, Grey muttered, “That dirty…!” As Grey fumed, Amy said, “So it was Xanth who killed the prison guards?” Adjusting his shades as he contemplated his answer, Alexander said, “No, I don’t believe so, not personally anyways. He was, after all, locked in a cell. However, the fact that he did not notice anything during the guards’ disappearance is troubling. Then he just shows up with an answer as to what could have been causing all the unexplained deaths, one that would be rather farfetched by normal standards. There was nothing in that report that said it was the crypt keepers’ conclusion. No, he supposedly happened to hear it from them despite the fact that he did not even go investigate the scene. Topping it all off, he immediately had Ace forcefully confined in his room the moment he learned of his return. Loki would not have taken such measures so quickly, and despite his composure I could tell he must have been convinced to keep Ace there despite his own misgivings. In short, the whole situation seems rather odd to me.”

Leaning back in her chair, Mythra said, “So you believe he’s gone over to Altera Veritas’ side? I suppose he does seem the type…” Furrowing his brow, Alexander said, “We can’t be certain yet that Altera Veritas is behind any of this. It’s a possibility, but judging from the current evidence, it’s also possible Xanth has orchestrated everything in a plot to take the position of Lord, which would fall to the Captain of the Guard should Ace and Loki be killed.” Going silent a moment, Alexander tapped a finger on the table as the wheels in his head turned. Finally, he continued, “Even if I’m wrong and Altera Veritas is involved, it’s certain that they’d desire a Lord like Xanth, who they can control with promises of power and glory. Whatever the case, if either possibility is true, Ace will be in danger if left alone.”

Obsidian Citadel. Sunday July 8, 520NA. Stepping through the front doors of the citadel, Grey, Richter, and Alexander approached the two hover carriages parked outside the citadel, one of which Alexander assumed was for military transport, as it was larger than the other. Awaiting them by the hover carriages were Xanth and Loki, along with six of Daemonholm’s finest soldiers in black battle armor, armed with jagged pikes and ranged EDE weapons. Waving at them, Loki called out, “Greetings everyone! I assume the young sage and the Spellweaver shall be along soon?” Faking an apologetic smile, Alexander said, “I’m afraid Amy has fallen ill, and Mythra insists upon looking after her. It will be just us for this trip.” Looking up at the east wing where the guest rooms were, Loki said, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear such news. Hopefully once we return she will be feeling better. Well, let’s begin our little adventure then.” Facing Xanth and the soldiers, Loki said, “Xanth, you and your men will take up the rear in the guard carriage. We’ll be on foot once we reach the entrance to Shadow’s Reach. I don’t think the carriages will be able to make it through the cave. Let’s get this done and all come home safely!”

Xanth and the soldiers saluted as Xanth said, “As you say my Lord.” Turning back to Alexander, Loki gestured to the regular sized carriage and said, “Shall we?” Everyone boarded the carriages, and they set off down the path out of the citadel into the sales district. Sitting across from Loki with Grey, as the carriages were reaching the gates of the Bone Wall, Alexander said, “Loki, before we arrive at Shadow’s Reach, there’s something important I must tell you…” Having been staring out the windows of the carriage, Loki looked over at Alexander and said, “Very well, but I believe I already know what you intend to say. It’s about Xanth isn’t it?” Grey and Richter were both surprised, but Alexander simply said, “So you’ve already considered the possibility?” Turning back to the window, Loki replied, “In my mind there is no possibility. As I’ve said before, he’s been like an older brother to me, perhaps even more like a father. Though we disagree on many things, through good times and bad times I know in my heart he would never betray me…” With a sad smile, Alexander said, “I hope from the bottom of my heart it is so Loki. I know the pain of a brother’s betrayal all too well…”

Not long after leaving Daemonholm and following a trail leading up into the mountain, the hover carriages stopped near a tunnel in the side of the mountain and everyone began to disembark. With a commanding tone Xanth addressed his soldiers, saying, “Everyone on your guard! I want two to cover our flank, the rest form up around our Lord. Angelorum Lux and I will take the lead.” Looking over at Alexander coldly, Xanth added, “If there are no objections…” Alexander merely replied, “None at all…” A sour look crossed Grey’s face as he thought, “Why do we have to work with that guy? Even if he weren’t actually behind all this, I just can’t stand him!” Grouping up, Xanth led the way into the tunnel. Following behind him with the others, as Grey entered the tunnel he saw it was a rather short tunnel, and beyond the end of it he could see a snowy landscape.

Stepping out of the tunnel, Grey found himself in a large crater in the side of the mountain, steep cliffs surrounding the entire area. Growing along the steep cliffs and throughout the area was what looked like plant vines made of ice. Seeing the vines, Richter exclaimed, “What are these plants growing around here? I’ve never seen anything like them!” Coming out the tunnel behind him, Loki said, “They’re commonly called chillvine, notorious for being a rather resilient weed, though I’ve always considered them to be gorgeous. They grow in many places in the mountains here.” Starting down a path that appeared to have been cut through the chillvine, Xanth said, “This way, the catacombs are on the other side.” As everyone followed him, Alexander said, “Where are the crypt keepers? I assumed you had informed them we would be arriving.” Nodding, Loki replied, “They’re likely awaiting us at the entrance to the catacombs. So far they’ve sent no reports of intruders since we last heard from them.” Walking onward up the path, after several minutes they broke out of the garden of chillvine and into a clearing. Against the side of the cliff, there was what appeared to be a deep hole in he ground with stone steps leading down into it. Heading towards it, they noticed something lying on the ground, and Xanth stopped and said, “I think this is the reason we’ve received no reports of intruders…”

Lying dead on the ground near the catacomb entrance in a pool of blood were the crypt keepers. Seeing the horrific mutilation of their bodies, specifically the removal of their eyes, Alexander muttered, “It’s the same as the reports. There’s no question now, whatever is doing this is devouring the essence of its victims…” Loki and the soldiers stared in horror at the scene, but Grey noticed Xanth did not even seem to be paying any attention. Suddenly Xanth formed his trident, and Grey formed his twin swords, certain that he intended to turn on them right then and there. Then Grey sensed a strange fluctuation of EDE as one of Altera Veritas’ humanoid anomalies burst from a dark vortex before them. As it leaped at Grey, Xanth stepped between him and the anomaly and stabbed his trident into its chest. A purple Deathbeam shot out of its back, and quickly the anomaly’s corpse fell to the ground, disintegrating from the hole through its chest. Xanth turned to Grey and said, “Are you unharmed?”

Unable to believe what just happened, it took a moment for Grey to say, “Yeah…” Looking away from him quickly, Xanth said, “Try to stay on your guard. We can’t have something happen to the great He of the Infinite after all…” Glaring after Xanth as he walked towards the entrance to the catacombs, Grey thought, “Not like I wasn’t able to handle it myself! Still, did he just protect me?! Could Alexander actually be wrong?” As Xanth continued on ahead, Loki called out, “Xanth, wait! Are we just going to leave them lying here like this?” Following after Xanth, Alexander said, “They can be given a proper burial later. This confirms that Altera Veritas is at work here. We must move quickly. I know it’s horrible, but there’s nothing anyone can do for them now…”

As they descended cautiously into the depths of the catacombs, Grey and Alexander used small concentrations of shining EDE to help illuminate the way through the countless torch lit passages. As Alexander checked around the corner of the next turn, Grey said, “Do you see anything?” Shaking his head, Alexander said, “It’s too dark, the torch must have gone out…” With a sigh, Richter commented, “Alexander, I honestly wonder how you can see anything. Don’t you think you should take off the sunglasses?” Adjusting his shades with a mischievous grin, Alexander said, “Ah, but these are very special sunglasses!” Raising an eyebrow questioningly, Grey said, “Really? Special how?” Interested as well, Richter eagerly said, “I see! I had wondered why you always wear them! Just what properties do they possess?” Grinning ear to ear, Alexander replied, “They possess the unique power of being a fashion necessity! Without them, my look just wouldn’t be the same!” Both Grey and Richter hung their heads with a sigh, and Grey muttered, “I can’t believe I fell for that…” Laughing nervously, Loki said, “You have, uh, quite the sense of humor Gabriel…” Moving past them into the darkened passage, Xanth muttered, “Honestly, quit fooling around.” The passage proven safe, they continued deeper into the catacombs, passing many a tomb and sweeping aside innumerable cobwebs, until at last they came to a dead end. Looking around, Grey said, “Uh… We take a wrong turn or what?” Moving closer to the stone wall before them, as Loki seemed to feel around for something, he said, “Actually, it’s quite the opposite…” Pushing a secret switch, the wall shook and then slid aside. Stepping back and motioning them inside, Loki said, “We have arrived.”

Walking casually through the halls of the Obsidian Citadel’s east wing, Giselle at last caught sight of a room with a pair of armored guards standing watch outside. As she approached, one of them turned to her and said, “I’m sorry miss, the occupant of this room is not to be disturbed…” Commandingly, Giselle said, “I am Giselle Rui of Altera Veritas. If you are loyal to our cause as Xanth claims, you shall stand aside… Now.” The guards looked at each other hesitantly. Raising her hand, Giselle aimed at the door and channeled EDE into it, and the guards leaped aside just as a massive blast of lightning shot out from her hand. The entire wall was blown away and clouds of dust and smoke filled the hallway. Lowering her hand, Giselle said to herself, “Mission accomplished.” Then Mythra’s voice called out from within Ace’s room, “Not quite!” Out of the clouds of dust that filled the room, energy beams of each of the seven elements shot out at Giselle. Eyes wide, Giselle raised her arms to shield herself just as the beams struck and exploded in a massive blast that sent her flying through the glass of the tall windows behind her.

Having quickly taken on her half demonfolk form, Giselle spread her wings and stabilized herself in the air. Staring through the broken window, she watched as the dust settled and saw Mythra with the crystals of her Elementum Orbis lined up before her, Amy and Ace behind her. Realizing that Amy must have used her barrier to shield them all, Giselle muttered under her breath, “Accursed sage!” Walking up to the broken window, a smirk on her face, Mythra called out, “We’ve been waiting for you! Went through quite a bit of trouble breaking down the wall of the room next door without getting caught too! Still, I knew Altera Veritas was involved in all this! I sensed a trace of your Corrupted EDE at the Coliseum! You’re pretty good at suppressing it! I can’t even sense it now!” Channeling EDE into her demonic arm, Giselle shouted back, “You’re quite mistaken, not that it matters. All you need to do Spellweaver…” Summoning her broom, Mythra glanced back at Amy and shouted, “Amy, barrier!” Amy raised her barrier just as Giselle shouted, “IS DIE!” With that Giselle fired an incredibly powerful beam of lightning from her demonic arm. Mythra leaped out the window on her broom, narrowly escaping the blast from Giselle’s attack, which sounded through the city. As Mythra looked back, she could see that almost the entire top floor of the east wing was now destroyed, and she thought, “This b***h is crazy!”

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