IV. Sacrifice (Chapter Two)

“I will crush your bones and use them to pave the way for vengeance, old whisker,” Andromadus sneers as he ascends into the cold air to dodge Allard’s attack. “The road will stretch far and wide all the way to Windrose City.”

Allard controls his breathing and with a gathering of magic he moves at lightning speed toward Andromadus who is still aloft. They clash midair with Andromadus using a red translucent shield to parry the attack. Both fall to the ground, toe-to-toe with each other.

“You underestimate my tenacity, Andromadus. The ethos of the Adventurer’s Guild remains resolute. We will extinguish your flame. We will hold the peace of The Great Pond,” Allard shouts with confidence even with his skeletonized hand.

Andromadus steps back and raises a palm to the sky, his other to the ground readying another spell. Allard charges with his sword ready to pierce when a whirl of dust encapsulates him. Blinded, Allard swings randomly at the shadows that appear within the chaos until it settles, only to find Andromadus standing behind you and Burt.

“Adventurer! Burt! Behind you!” Allard yells.

You and Burt both become snared like there is invisible rope tied around your feet. You fall to the ground with Burt’s journal in your hand.

“One more step and they will die, Allard,” Andromadus says with a smirk.

“After all this time, did you think I would disappear? The injustice. Wisteria, Windrose City, Amalhasu, all the whiskers think they know what’s best for them. How dare you all cast judgment on me. I’m to be the savior of The Great Pond. Whiskers will know true freedom with the power of the Old God,” Andromadus says with his arms wide open to the sky.

“Old God?” Allard whispers to himself, confused. He looks down at you and Burt. “Now would be a good time.”

After scribbling a note into the journal you fling it to Allard. He catches it deftly and flips it open.

“Nice hands, Allard. I mean, hand. Sorry,” Burt says apologetically.

“Andromadus,” Allard says as he tosses the journal aside and takes a resolute step towards you and Burt. “You know not who you serve. They’re but a selfish god. One thing you must know is that your power is only matched by your arrogance. Tell me, what do you know of the Mark of the Phoenix?”

Allard approaches a confused Burt then suddenly slashes his sword across Burt’s hand, causing a shallow but bloody cut.

“Is this because I made the hand comment? Allard! Jeez!” Burt cries out.

“I know that the Phoenix is all but extinct, like you will be along with your crippled hand,” Andromadus says, readying to cast another spell.

“We will see about that,” Allard says as he plunges toward Andromadus once more, leading with his sword. “The blood of the one, spilled for the spell!”

Andromadus unleashes another red bubble to defend himself, but his face changes to that of shock when Allard’s blade pierces his aura of protection and The Mark of Phoenix appears at the rip of the shield. Andromadus falls backwards in disbelief, and the golden claymore meets the tip of his brow, slicing down his eye to the top of his cheek. A single drop of blood runs down Andromadus’ face and with it, his eye falls to the snow below. The snow sizzles as if the eye is red-hot, changing the snow to a mysterious gold.

“Prismolite,” Burt whispers in wonder, staring at the shining mineral.

The prismolite glitters for a moment more before changing back to snow.

There is the dead silence. You stare at Andromadus as he turns his head away from Allard. Unsure of what is to happen, you and Burt stand and crane your necks to see if it was a deathblow. Burt completely ignores his bleeding hand as he stands there confused.

“I see we are the same, Allard. Perhaps you’re just as arrogant,” Andromadus says, sneering as he lies in the snow.

You and Burt run up to Allard but he doesn’t turn around, instead he falls to his knees then collapses. Suddenly a beastly roar sweeps the valley. You and Burt look to the sky in a panic. Turning back to Allard, you notice Andromadus has disappeared.

“Allard?” Allard!” Burt shouts as he rolls Allard onto his back.

You discover a small amount of blood originating from Allard’s helm. You carefully slide it off his head only to find the same grievous wound that he had dealt to Andromadus. You look at Burt, confused.

“I’m not sure, Adventurer. Did my blood cause this? I should have just stayed at the tavern,” Burt says with his head down.

You grab Burt’s shoulders and shake him.

“You’re right, Adventurer. I am special, I almost forgot.”

You place your hand on your head in embarrassment for Burt.

“We need to get Allard out of here. That might have been a dragon in the distance. I don’t want to wait to find out. Problem is,” Burt stands and looks around, “I’m not sure how we’re going to get Allard out of here.”

You pull the blanket from around Burt and lay it next to Allard on the ground.

“So, we’re going to drag him? You realize there’s days of traveling?” Burt says, throwing his arms in the air.

You become frustrated and walk around the site to clear your mind when suddenly you notice a raft at the edge of the water. You hadn’t seen that before. Where did it come from? You run to it without hesitation.

“Allard, how dare you drag us out here then leave us to die?” Burt wails in the distance behind you.

As you draw near the raft you see a parchment nailed to a neighboring tree, reading:

“Looks like you could use some help. Please take this raft.”

- S.M.

Just below the letter is a hand-drawn orb. You can tell it isn’t a circle by the shading and the little sparkle at the top right of the orb.

You rip the parchment from the tree and run over to Burt who’s still blaming Allard for not carrying you both back to the tavern. You wave the parchment in front of Burt’s face and point towards the raft.

Burt’s eyes light up like he’s been saved. “Bless the Old Wizard! What are we waiting for?”

Burt immediately jumps up, runs to the raft, and begins to push it off shore, waving for you to join him. You throw your hands in the air then point to Allard. Burt knocks himself in the head.

“Oh yeah! Duh! Allard!”

He runs back and helps you to drag Allard onto the raft. You push the boat off shore and it floats gently down south.

You and Burt stay busy, using the paddles to gain speed down the Northern Creek. This is proving to be a much more efficient way of travel as the creek carries you along its currents. At this rate, you all could be back in Windrose City much sooner than hiking.

Switching back and forth, you and Burt help keep Allard warm with blankets and spells. The injuries to his hand and eye are beyond either of your healing abilities. He needs urgent medical attention but you’re still far from Windrose City.

The day passes quickly and the frosty night takes over. While you have made a drastic change in elevation, the night time still brings freezing temperatures. You and Burt become too tired to paddle, so one stays on guard duty while the other sleeps. Allard still hasn’t woken but is still breathing. There’s hope. Andromadus had fled when his protection was compromised, and you hope with all your heart that you won’t see him again on this journey south.

You look at the parchment for any clues as to who left the raft for your party, then lay it back down.

“I don’t know who S.M. is but I can’t thank them enough,” Burt says, lying on his back with his eyes closed.

You lean your head to the side, unaware that Burt had been awake.

“Always sleep with one eye open, Adventurer,” Burt says as he sits up. “I guess, I hadn’t really said this but, I’m really thankful for your help back there.”

You look surprised that Burt is acknowledging your efforts.

“Oh, come on! I’m not good with words. Look, I didn’t know what those dreams, err, nightmares were about. If I knew The Mark of the Phoenix was my hidden gift, I would have been sleeping the whole time!” Burt rolls back and laughs for a bit.

You, Burt, and Allard continue to float down the creek until the sun finally peaks over the tips of the mountains. You see that the snow has given way to grasses and ferns. The air is warmer and the morning sun rays warm your weary bones. Sleeping on the raft was difficult but not impossible. Days of hiking through the Northern Mountains has made the solid wood feel like a feather bed.

As you and Burt rise, you hear a mumbling of words from below. Allard!

“Allard, stay put. We’re close to Windrose City. You’re safe. I… We saved you,” Burt says.

Whispering Creek brings you directly to the road near the North Gate of Windrose City, where travelers and merchants frequently pass. It is but a shade or two until you manage to wave at some civilians for help. Once they see Allard and his state of health, they offer without hesitancy.

You make it back to Windrose City, but the sight of Allard’s mangled head as he is carried through causes rumors to rapidly spread across the City.

“The leader of the Adventurer’s Guild has been attacked by an evil force?”

“Allard isn’t as powerful as he once was.”

“Windrosians are again facing a threat of safety.”

You and Burt stay hidden within the Guild’s Embers of the Phoenix quarters, waiting for Allard to heal. The Guild has summoned the best healers in The Great Pond to come forth and bring the mighty Allard back to health. After days of care and countless elixirs, Allard is up on his feet. Unfortunately, there’s no potion that can bring his arm back or heal his eye.

“Adventurer, your bravery is the only reason I’m here with you today,” Allard says, sitting at a low table in the quarters.

Burt waves his hand.

“I’m here too!”

“Yes, Burt, you as well. Thank you,” Allard says laughing with you. “Andromadus is powerful. We must remain vigilant. He has acquired abilities no other whisker has managed to grasp. I feel there’s more at work here than we understand. We now know that the threat is right at our doorstep.”

*knock knock*

You walk to the door and open it, expecting a cleric, only to find a parchment attached to the door.

It reads:

“Drinks?”

The same orb from the previous letter is drawn on the bottom of the parchment.