Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 

 

Circumstantial evidence...

 

“Great.” Cameron sighed heavily. Once again he was in the courtyard of the keep, night had fallen. Cameron stepped out of the way of a soldier running for the steps leading to the wall.

As far as Cam could tell every soldier in the keep was on that wall looking out beyond. He wondered what was coming that would make so many hardened soldiers shake in their boots. A command rang out into the silent night air and the trebuchet on the right launched a flaming boulder high over the wall.

Cameron stumbled slightly as the missile slammed into the earth beyond the wall lighting the night with an orange hue. As the silence settled again a distant sound caused the hair on the back of Cameron’s neck to rise.

Cameron started backing further away from the wall, his survival instincts screaming to flee. His heart pounding in his throat, forehead beading with sweat, Cameron’s breathing quickened.

The voice from before called for the men to stand their ground as the noise grew louder and louder, just as it reached ear splitting level something massive hit the outside of the wall. As Cameron watched in horror, Beasts crested the top of the wall, spilling onto the battlements, a black flood of fangs and claws.

Men screamed all around the battlements, some in horror, others cries of anger, most those of the dying. The wave of Beasts spilled into the courtyard heading straight for Cameron. Cameron could only stare in horror, his limbs frozen, as the wall of teeth snarled its way closer to him.

"Kai..." Cameron closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

As the inevitable took its sweet time, Cameron slowly cracked an eyelid. The Beasts ignored him as they ran past and sometimes through him with a slight sizzling sound.

"Ok," Cam mused sighing in relief, "that's odd."

The passage of the Beasts through his body didn't hurt, but it definitely was creeping Cameron out. Slowly he made his way towards the steps of the keep and hunkered down in an alcove. From his hiding place he watched the carnage unfold and fade quickly.

The Beasts made quick work of the keep defenders. As Cameron watched, survivors fled in all directions with Beasts following close behind. As the screams faded into the night Cameron slowly stepped out of his alcove. The carnage before him made his stomach churn into knots. Just as he was emptying his gut a small group of soldiers rode into the courtyard.

Cam straightened, wiping his mouth, watching the small group. Their uniforms were not the same as the soldiers who lay scattered around them. Cam watched in confusion as the Beasts still within the courtyard ignored the small group. As far as he knew Beasts ate anything that had a pulse.

His curiosity piqued he started to move toward the group. The leader slowly shook his helmeted head then turned to listen to a report from a runner. Cam was too far away to make out the runner's report. The runner ran off through a pack of Beasts that paid him no mind.

Movement caught Cam's befuddled attention. Turning around he saw a robed figure slink off into the depths of the keep. Glancing back over his shoulder at the group of soldiers he set off after the quickly fading figure.

The figure seemed to be carrying something but it was wrapped in some sort of cloth. All Cameron could tell was that it was rectangular, a book perhaps. The figure glanced back to reveal the ragged, wizened face of a man. Once the man was well into the depths of the keep his pace picked up. Cameron had to sprint to keep up with him. He was hopelessly lost by the time the old man stopped deep beneath the halls of the keep. The man stopped long enough to glance back up the stairs nervously then unlock the massive oak door before him.

Cameron scooted past barely making contact with the man. A sharp sizzle crackled around the small chamber. Cameron rubbed his elbow where it had gone through the man's arm. The man seemed unaffected as he hurriedly shut the door, bolting it secure. The room was small, maybe twelve foot square, with a small raised dais in the middle. In the middle of the dais sat a stone alter with two prongs set a foot apart.

As Cameron was pondering the curiosity before him he heard the man sigh in relief. The man turned around unwrapping his small treasure. As the man gazed almost lovingly at the tablet in his hands, Cameron craned his neck trying to see it clearly.

Reverently the man placed the tablet on the alter. The writing looked like a child's scribble scratch to Cameron. A tear rolled down the man's cheek as he sniffled turning from the tablet. Confused, Cameron followed the man out of the vault back up the stairs and to the keep's massive hall. The enemy soldiers slew the old man as soon as they saw him. As the man's blood pooled around him the soldiers searched his body.

One of them cursed when he found the empty cloth that had been covering the tablet. He viciously kicked the old man's body then spat orders to his men. They raced off into the keep, Cam guessed to search for the tablet.

Cameron shrugged his shoulders then headed out the front doors. He stopped dead in his tracks his eyes going wide. Cameron's hand instinctively went to his hip for his sword. The leader of the horsemen had removed his helmet. Skrim's face stared in Camron's direction.

His mind rebelling at the evidence his eyes saw, Cam shook his head in disbelief. This man couldn't be Skrim, maybe it was a distant relative, Cam's mind tried to rationalize. Just as he was beginning to see differences of the man's appearance that supported his theory a woman on an identical black horse joined the small group.

Cam forgot how to breathe as a younger version of Mistress flipped long black hair over her shoulder and glared at the Skrim look-alike. The young Skrim kicked his horse into motion racing off toward the east. As they passed Cam's skin began to tingle and the world shifted. Once again he was back in the present, the keep, Beasts, and look-alikes gone.

"Cameron!"

Turning toward Kailah's voice she was suddenly in his arms. He held her tightly trying to calm his nerves.

Finally she pulled back from him, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok." Cameron nodded his head slowly, "You wouldn't believe what I just saw."

Kailah listened in silence while Cam recounted what he saw in the past. When he was finished she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"It’s fairly possible that they were just ancestors." Kailah ventured, "The keep did fall in the Era of War which was however many hundreds of years ago."

Cameron nodded slowly, "Yeah, I guess you're right, just the resemblance was so vivid."

"Family is odd that way." Kailah shrugged.

"Yeah." Cameron sighed, "Oh, I think I know where your tablet is Turrel."

Turrel hadn't moved from the position he'd been in before Cam's little time trip. He raised his eyebrows at this news but other than that seemed unimpressed.

"Alrighty," He drawled, "where bouts is it then?"

Cameron looked toward the east and tried to judge his position. After a few moments he turned and pointed about twenty feet to Turrel's right.

"I think that's it." Cam pursed his lips in thought, "Yeah, pretty sure that's it."

Turrel shrugged as he started walking to where Cam had indicated. Kailah tilted her head to the left in thought.

"How far down is it?" She finally asked turning to Cam.

Cam thought for a moment, "About four levels."

"Oh forget that." Kailah scoffed walking toward Turrel, "Move out the way."

She brushed past Turrel, stopping a few feet away from the location. She took a deep breath, bent her knees, pulled her arms to her chest and closed her eyes.

Cameron grabbed Turrel and ran to the packs. Just before they got there the ground started rumbling. The ground was shaking so bad Cameron could barely maintain his feet let alone walk. Kailah seemed unaffected by the earthquake, her eyes slowly opened glowing a bright yellow. Slowly she slid her right foot across the ground, as she did so the ground screamed in protest. Just as the noise became intolerable she shot her hands out, the ground followed her movements and split wide open before her.

Dirt and debris rained around them. As the dust settled Camrron stood up from the ground coughing. He slowly approached Kailah, stepping around chunks of dirt and stone. When the dust finally settled they were able to see into the depths of the earth Kailah had ripped open.

"Well that was impressive." Turrel coughed, "Looks like you were right, Cameron."

Cam nodded, "Yeah, guess so."

Before them at the bottom of the crater was a rotting oak door. Slowly Turrel made his way down followed by Cameron and Kailah. The trio came to a sliding halt in front of the door. Turrel motioned for them to step back a little then took a swing at the door with his shovel. The door shattered into little splinters. Turrel shrugged then stepped through. There in the middle of the small room sat the tablet, untouched by time.

Turrel carefully picked it up from its resting place and placed it in the satchel on his waist. He nodded to himself satisfactorily then motioned for them to follow him out of the crater. Once they were all back on the surface they headed to where the packs still lay at the edge of the barren field.

"So, what now?" Cameron asked, "Is that what Xerkieda's after?"

Turrel nodded, "Yes."

"Do you know what it says?" Kailah asked shouldering her pack.

Turrel shook his head, "No."

"But she does." Cameron ventured as they started walking back.

Turrel nodded again, "Yes."

"And she's going to share?" Kialah asked, hope fringing her voice slightly.

Turrel shook his head, "No."

"Didn't think so." Cameron sighed as the sun picked up its pace once again across the sky, the three of them headed toward the horizon, toward Central City and Councilwoman Xerkieda.

 

 

“Your assistance with this matter is greatly appreciated.” Xerkieda smirked over her interlaced fingers.

Cameron rolled his eyes, “You’re welcome, Councilwoman. Now can we go home?”

Xerkieda stood up from behind her desk, her fingers lightly resting on the tablet before her, “Not just yet, Ganvez.”

The three of them had arrived back in Central City a few days after they had found the tablet. Turrel had been silent the whole way back and now as Kailah and Cameron were standing in Xerkieda’s office he was nowhere to be seen. Cameron wouldn’t put it past the Councilwoman to have off’d the big man.

Just as he finished this thought there was a knock on the door. Xerkieda called for the person to enter. Cameron was pleasantly relieved to see Turrel’s big form frame the doorway. He felt Kailah let out a small breath of relief at the sight of the big man as well.

“Turrel,” Xerkieda spoke softly, “please bring me those documents.”

Nodding he walked across the room and handed her some papers. Xerkieda glanced over them then laid them facing Cameron and Kailah on the desk. Cameron raised an eyebrow then picked up the paper.

“What’s this?”  As he examined it the more confused he became, “A silence agreement?”

“Nothing of the sort, Ganvez.” Xerkieda narrowed her eyes, “It is Maltoris’s price for my borrowing you two.”

Kailah looked up from the document with surprise, “This is legal representation of your support.”

“Yes,” Xerkieda folded her arms, “I know not what play Maltoris is planning, but he’s gathering support within the council. All I know is it has something to do with Surkaust.”

At the mention of the councilman Kailah stiffened. Cameron narrowed his eyes, he wondered what Maltoris was up to. The old Sword had mentioned needing all the allies he could get, but for what he never said.

"Take those documents to Maltoris with my promise of one favor." Xerkieda demanded looking down her nose at Cameron, "Tell the old goat to choose it well."

Cameron nodded as he accepted the paper from Kailah, "Anything else?"

"Why?" Xerkieda smirked, "You in a hurry to leave?"

"No offense, Councilwoman," Cameron said flately, "but I'm tired and I would really like to go home and sleep in my own bed. Chaos Zones are not your ideal camping grounds."

Xerkieda snorted, "Not even going to ask about the tablet?"

"Would you tell us anything if we did?" Kailah crossed her arms, "When you so pointedly refused at the start of this mission."

"No," Xerkieda replied slowly, her eyes narrowed, "I wouldn't."

"There ya go then." Cameron sighed, "Now can we go?"

Xerkieda glanced from one to the other and back. Turrel said nothing and appeared to not care either way. Gently, Xerkieda brushed the tablet with her fingers, pursing her lips in thought.

She sighed in decision, "All I do know about the tablet so far is that Surkaust had been searching for it."

"For what, I don't know." She cut off Cameron's question, "My sources tell me that he's trying to find the answer to the war between the Chaos and Order."

"And you think this tablet has the answer?" Kailah raised her eyebrows.

Xerkieda shrugged her slender shoulders, "I believe he believes it does."

"On the chance of sounding rude," Cameron ventured, "but why would you care? Wouldn't an answer be a good thing?"

Xerkieda smiled her voice velvety soft, "None of your business Sword."

Kailah sighed, "Well then, good luck with that. We're going to leave now."

Xerkieda smirked as the two of them left followed by Turrel. Once the door was closed she let out the breath she had been holding and sat down in her chair. She rubbed her forehead gently with her right hand trying to quell the headache coming on.

From under her fingers she looked at the tablet resting innocently before her. Xerkieda drummed the fingers of her left hand on the desk as she stared at the tablet. The markings resembled the scrawling of a child to her except for one small grouping. A grouping that spelled out the word "Paradigm".

Reviews

[Wolven]

Xerkieda is just one of those characters that you don't mess with, yet one of the ones you just want to strangle so badly. Like Loki a bit... only not quite as badass. We got more plot development going on here, which i think is brilliant, and I love that little snippet at the end. "Paradigm" (I had incidents with words like that when reading Harry Potter once, it was only until i was told otherwise that Phlegm is not pronounced "Fleg-mm.") I also like how you staged the whole dream-like sequence for Cameron. I find it quite hard to do stuff like that... or i would, rather, if i ever try.
I would however amend a few bits. Xerkieda seems a little too informal in her speech. If she's a council member, she ought to really be a bit more... sharp you could say. The last little bit was irksome. 'Gibberish' in that context doesn't seem to fit in with the dark tone you have developed there. I'd replace it with something like " The markings were alien to her..." it seems to fit better I reckon.
That said, its a brilliant chapter Dreamer. I look forward to the next one. :)

[Dreamer]

thanks WOlven :)
I would agree with you on the speech of the council except the fact that they're not typical council people, they're from all walks of life. they're part of the council because of their power not their civil status i guess would be the word. I haven't put it in but Xerkieda clawed her way to her position of power from the streets using her magic and deviousness :P makes sense? but i do get what you're saying, i was thinkging the other day that i don't have much diversity in the speech patterns of my characters : something i need to work on.
thanks again Wolven! its always good to have your feedback :D