Between the distant whispers, Lanala could see several men throwing dirt into a hole that was very clearly a grave. She didn’t know where this cemetery was but the people filling in the grave bore the sigil of Dosette, a jagged bolt of lightning.
They seemed to be burying someone of note as the headstone above the grave was a tall statue of a man holding a sword to the sky. From the looks as well, the people with the shovels were from the ancient past of her kingdom. She read the name of the man buried there, an ancient king of Dosette named Ordin the Great. But she saw something under the fresh soil they were throwing into the grave. It was an ancient treasure trove of gems and gold but, most importantly, the king’s sceptre. Lanala was drawn to the obvious power of the thing.
Something in the back of her mind told her that treasure hunters and grave robbers had been after this treasure for centuries but it seemed nobody remembered the name of the ancient king. Lanala had never heard of this treasure, the ancient king, or even the royal cemetery in which he was buried, but now this dream, this vision, was showing it to her.
Power the voice spoke in her mind. More power. Go and get it, Lanala. Seek out the ancient sceptre.
Lanala refused to listen to the voice, instead focussing her energy on any other reason to retrieve this treasure.
“This belongs to the people of Dosette,” she told herself. “And people would steal it and use it for nefarious purposes. I must get this treasure for my people.”
The only problem was Lanala didn’t know the name of the cemetery. But perhaps the name of the king would be enough. Surely the Royal Scholars of Dosette could help her.
At the same time of her dream another woman was asleep at a campsite in Central Esterlin, having a similar dream. Fa’rah, the rogue warrior as she was known, saw ancient iron gates adorned with gold trim leading to what was obviously a cemetery. She could see the myriad headstones stretched out in front of her and, by the exorbitant and large headstones, it was clear that only very important people were buried here.
Then something told her about a grand treasure, and an ancient powerful sceptre, that was buried somewhere under the graves. The dream told her that the treasure belonged to an ancient king of Dosette buried in the cemetery, where the gates labelled it as “Zweiler Royal Sanctuary of the Dead.”
Fa’rah awoke with a start but realized the dream had been so real and so vivid... it must have been a vision. And that sceptre could help her finally get even with Aurora. And Jhana. And the Guild! The only problem was that Fa’rah did not know the right headstone to dig beneath. But she knew the name of the ancient cemetery and that it was in Dosette. She would have no trouble finding the place.
A wry grin curled Fa’rah’s lips when she had a thought. “I know who will know the name of the king,” she said to herself. “No doubt Dosette’s princess knows all sorts of things... I’ll have to pay her a ‘visit.’ Two birds, one stone. Oh, revenge is gonna be sweet...”
...
Lanala had no idea how Fa’rah had slipped past all her guards but it was too late to speculate now. Now slung over the back of a moving horse, Lanala struggled away and grunted angrily trying to get herself free.
The stronger Fa’rah had made quick work of Lanala, managing to pin her wrists behind her back in an instant and wind a strong coil of rope around them. She fought the voice in her head, the power, telling her to destroy Fa’rah and instead tried battling back on her own. But that failed against the large, muscular warrior and more ropes had been added to her body. A ridiculously long coil had been wrapped around her arms and torso, tightly pinning her arms to her sides and completely restricting her movement. Now effectively subdued, Fa’rah had little trouble wrapping up Lanala’s legs at the ankles, calves and thighs. Before she could say anything or call for help, Fa’rah had wadded up a large cloth and stuffed Lanala’s mouth full, bulging out her cheeks, and sealing that in with a tight cloth over her mouth and nose tied on tight behind her head.
With every knot tied out of reach, and Fa’rah tightening the ropes when they were out of sight of the palace, Lanala had no hope of escape on her own. Unless she gave in, let the power in, and lost her mind. But she still refused to do that.
Struggling hard behind Fa’rah’s saddle, Lanala couldn’t even slide off the horse as her wrists and ankles had been tied to metal loops on the saddle of the dark brown horse. Lanala let her head slump forward and hang down, shaking her head and sighing. No doubt Fa’rah had stolen this horse from the stables in town.
“So, Princess,” Fa’rah began, sounding smug as ever.
Oh, I hate her voice so much! Lanala thought. That Griffin Knight should have left her tied and gagged in that damn cell!
‘Then you know what you have to do’ another voice said in her mind.
Shut up! I won’t do it!
“Hey, are you listening or what?” Fa’rah asked, noticing that Lanala did not seem to react to her words.
“Mmmph....” Lanala grunted.
“I said, I bet you’re wondering why you’re out here with me.”
“Nmmt rmmllmmm...” Lanala said, rolling her eyes. “Jmmpht lmmt mm gmm! Ymm wmmt gmmt mmwmm wmmph thmmph!”
“Jeez, even with a gag on you Guild girls don’t know when to shut up. I’m trying to explain your situation here!”
“Mmmph....” Lanala groaned.
“You’ve got something I need. A name, I reckon. And you’re going to give it to me!”
“Mmr wmmt?” Lanala asked, rolling her eyes again.
Fa’rah seemed to understand. All her time wearing gags had made her become adept at understanding gagged speech.
“Or you’ll never be free and you’ll be my prisoner for the rest of your damn life. How’s that sound?”
Lanala chuckled, bemused. “Thmmlll fmmd ymmm... Jmmpht ymm wmmmt.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever. I’ll get that name out of you one way or another.”
Lanala growled and tried to sit up on the horse. “Wmmt nmmm?”
“You know damn well. The name on the grave where the treasure is. That’s where we’re headed! Can’t you figure anything out for yourself?”
“Wmmt!?” Lanala thought back. It was her dream. The name on the headstone. The ancient king. Fa’rah was after the sceptre! No way am I letting her have it she thought.
‘That’s right. That power is yours, Lanala. All of it. More. More!”
“Mmmmmpphhh!” Lanala screeched, writhing in her bonds.
“What’s your problem?” Fa’rah asked.
“Mmph! Gmmt mmt mmf mmm hmmmd!”
“What? What’s gotten into you?”
Lanala still struggled furiously, battling the voice until it finally subsided and she collapsed from exhaustion, her body now covered in sweat.
“It’s just up ahead here,” Fa’rah said, bringing her horse to a stop. She hitched it to an old, weathered wooden post and cut the ropes attaching Lanala to the saddle, letting her drop to the ground on her back.
“Mmmf! Hmm!”
Fa’rah dragged Lanala to another hitching post beside the horse and used another coil of rope to tie her to the post sitting up.
“Mmph! Mmmrrgghh!” Lanala said, struggling against her unyielding bonds.
“Stop fighting,” Fa’rah said. “I’m taking the gag off and you’re going to tell me that name. If I hear anything else, it’s going right back on. Understand?”
Lanala simply nodded, allowing Fa’rah to reach forward and untie the cloth covering her mouth and nose. She helped Lanala spit out the cloth stuffing her mouth and she glared into her captor’s eyes.
“What’s the king’s name? It’s all I need to know. I’ll let you go as soon as you tell me. I promise.”
“A promise is nothing coming from yo-gghhmmmmph!”
Fa’rah stuffed the wet rag back into Lanala’s mouth and managed to tie the cloth back on over her mouth and nose while Lanala shook her head furiously and struggled with her restraints.
“That wasn’t a name. You give me the name and you go free. How much simpler could it be? That gag is not coming off until you give me the name. In the meantime...”
Fa’rah walked to her horse and pulled a shovel from the pack on the side of the saddle. She also took a belt with two holsters on it with a flintlock pistol in each.
“I’m heading in there and I’m going to dig around for a bit. If I don’t find anything, I’m coming back here.” Fa’rah pulled one pistol part of the way out of the holster. “You don’t want me to use this, Lanala. Sit tight!”
“Nmm! Mmmph! Gmmt bmmk hmmr mmd mmtmmm mmm! MMMMPPHHH!”
Fa’rah ignored her captive’s gagged pleas and pushed on further into the cemetery, shovel in hand, ready to dig whether she had the name or not. Lanala struggled away, trying anything she could to get the ropes loose but there was nothing she could do. No knots in reach, everything pulled extra tight by a strong woman, and no room to move or squrim, Lanala was stuck to the hitching post beside a stolen horse.
“Hllmmmp! Hllmmmp mmm! Thmmph crmmzmm wmmmn kmmmdnmmpd mmm! HHHLLMMMPP!”
Unfortunately for Lanala, the area surrounding the ancient cemetery was completely abandoned. It was lost and forgotten to most of Dosette. Only Fa’rah, with the mysterious power of her dream, seemed to know how to find the place.
Thinking back on her dream, it did seem rather odd. The timing of it, coinciding almost two weeks after Fa’rah was set free by the Griffin Knight, was just too strange. Why would she have that dream right then, when Fa’rah seemed to have found out about the exact same treasure at the exact same time? It was almost like someone wanted them both to be here at the same time.
Shifting focus, Lanala would not give up fighting against her bonds. Though it was useless, she still struggled anyway, hoping maybe some passerby might see her predicament and help her. She continued calling for help into her gag but she was so muffled her voice didn’t carry. It didn’t help that no one was around to hear her anyway.
“Hhllmmmp! Hllmmp! Mm tmmd mmp mmvr hmmr! Smmbdmm hlmmmp mmm!”
“Shut it,” a voice said, approaching from behind. Lanala struggled to look around and saw Fa’rah returning, drenched in sweat, carrying a dirt-covered shovel over one shoulder. She tossed it to one side and stepped in front of Lanala, kneeling down to meet her eyes.
“Couldn’t find it...” Fa’rah said, breathing heavy. “So I need you to give me that damn name. The king with the sceptre! Tell me!”
“Nmmm!” Lanala said, struggling with the ropes again.
“All right...” Fa’rah drew the pistol on her right hip, drawing back the hammer. “This thing is loaded full of black powder. And a heavy steel ball that will rip your pretty little skull to shreds!”
Fa’rah levelled the barrel with Lanala’s eyes so she could see the steel ball inside it. Lanala struggled against her bonds still, turning her head away. Fa’rah grabbed her chin and forced her to stare down the barrel.
“Don’t you look away! Stare death in the face, Lanala! You like how that looks? Give. Me. The name!”
Lanala fought against Fa’rah’s tight grip but the rogue warrior held her chin firmly. She battled her bonds but she was still totally helpless. There was nothing she could do.
“Nmmm! Mm wmmmnt!”
“Tell me!” Fa’rah snarled, pressing the barrel right up against Lanala’s forehead. In her anger, she didn’t notice that her second pistol was loose in the holster and dropped to the ground and Lanala’s feet. Lanala didn’t notice it yet, either, as she shut her eyes and mewled into her gag.
“Nmmm!”
“What’s his name? The name of that damn king! Tell me! Now!”
“NNMMMMMM!!”
An arrogant voice, chuckling away, broke through the air from behind Fa’rah. The warrior stood up and whirled around, facing the woman she knew all to well.
“Jhana! How did you-”
“Oh stop with your useless questions, Fa’rah,” Jhana said. “Poor Lanala isn’t going to crack so easily. Not for you, anyway. And certainly not like that.”
“What are you doing here?”
Jhana smirked, taking one step forward. “Stay where you are or I’m putting you in the ground!” Fa’rah said.
Jhana stopped in her tracks and raised both hands up on either side of her head. “Temper temper, Fa’rah. We’ll have to do something about that when you’re back in my dungeon.”
“I’m never going back in there! I will kill you if you try anything to capture me again!”
“Really? What if I did... this?” Jhana snapped her fingers and a flintlock pistol, fully loaded, appeared in her right hand. “Oh, look at that! I’ve got one too!”
Fa’rah stepped back but she kept her gun trained on the witch. But now with odds even again, Jhana’s smirk turned to a smile.
“Now isn’t this interesting,” Jhana said, keeping her gun on Fa’rah as she started circling her. “Who fires first? It only takes one of us. But you’re scared to do it, aren’t you?”
“You don’t know what-”
“Shut up, Fa’rah. You know I’m right.”
Lanala watched this standoff, wide-eyed, still trying to work free of her ropes. But it was clear she just couldn’t escape. She wouldn’t under her own power, anyway...
Jhana stopped moving and locked eyed with Lanala.
“It was me,” Jhana said.
“Mmmph!?”
“Yes, Lanala. The dream. It was me. For both of you.”
“What!?” Fa’rah said. “You... set this up?”
“Of course I did! My favourite prisoner and a dear friend, battling the power inside. Why wouldn’t I set this up?”
“Damn it... I should have known this was a trap...”
Jhana chuckled. “Yes. You really should have. You’ve really learned nothing, haven’t you?”
Still smiling wide, Jhana turned to Lanala again. Let it out Jhana’s voice said in her mind. The power. I know its there.
‘Get out, witch. She’s not yours to command!’
Oh my Jhana’s voice said. Is that your voice, Lanala? I like this side of you. You really should let it in. Go on. Do it.
‘Yes, Lanala. Do it. Destroy this witch and the warrior who kidnapped you. Destroy them all! Claim your power!’
“Mmmmpphh! STMMMMPP!” Lanala screamed, battling her restraints. But the voice wouldn’t go away. It still spoke to her, tempting her, promising everything in the world.
“While she deals with that...” Jhana said, turning her attention back to Fa’rah. “What do we do about you?”
“You leave. That treasure is mine. And I’m taking you down once I’ve got it in my hands!” Fa’rah said.
“Oh, precious Fa’rah. You really believe you can win! It’s positively adorable. But you and I both know you’ll just wind up trussed up at my feet like Lanala here and...” Jhana stopped speaking. She had looked down for a moment and saw something unexpected. She and Fa’rah both turned their eyes to the hitching post where a pile of rope lay, scattered and useless, along with a pair of cloths.
“Um... what?”
“I don’t know...” Jhana said.
They both heard a click from their left and Fa’rah turned to train her gun on a new target. Jhana kept hers on Fa’rah. She realized then that her second gun had fallen out as she checked her holster and couldn’t feel it there.
Lanala’s smirk oozed confidence as she stared at both other women with deep black eyes. “Now this is a proper standoff,” Lanala said.
“What... what happened to your eyes?” Fa’rah asked.
“Yes...” Jhana said. “She’s let it in! The power! You can feel it!”
Lanala said nothing and shut her eyes, wiping the smirk from her face. She swallowed hard, took in a deep breath through her nose, and opened her eyes again. The orange irises peered out at them once more.
“What? No! How do you keep fighting it off?” Jhana asked.
Still saying nothing, Lanala levelled her gun at Jhana’s head, holding it steady in her left hand. Lanala pointing at Jhana, Jhana pointing at Fa’rah, and Fa’rah pointing at Lanala... She had been right. It was a proper standoff.
“Now we ask it,” Lanala said. “Who pulls first?”
The three women were silent, looking back and forth between two opponents each, none of them wanting to move for fear of setting off anyone.
Jhana couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her lips. “I’ll admit, this is fun,” she said. “Last one standing gets the prize. Won’t it be fun to find out?”
A deathly silence overcame them in that moment with none of the women wanting to move. Guns pointed at each other, ready to fire, each planning out how to come out on top. The plans had to be careful. The first to fire would surely be the second to fall... so none wanted to be the first.
Lanala took in another deep breath and the voice whispered in her mind again. It was calm, almost soothing, a strange change of pace. It was almost... tame. Normal. Like her.
The sceptre can control it the voice said. Keep it at bay. But give you its strength just the same. And Artema will be there to unlock it. Dear Artema... Sweet Artema...
With thoughts of her wife flashing through her mind, a tremendous and comforting warmth overtook Lanala’s body. Her mind was hers and yet... she was strong. The power was there. But the voice was still there, too. She didn’t have long.
With a single twitch of her right hand, her free hand, Lanala knew she would force Fa’rah to fire. But she raised her right hand and the steel ball stopped in place, spinning in mid-air. Its deadly path had been halted.
“What? How....”
With a flick of her wrist, the steel ball was flung to one side and fell to the ground.
“A mistake, Lanala,” Jhana said from her left. “Because now I can do this...”
Jhana fired her pistol at Fa’rah, hoping only to injure her and take her alive, but the ball stopped in mid-air as well. Lanala simply had her right hand raised toward Jhana now.
“Where... where did you get this power?” Jhana asked.
“From within....” Lanala said.
She flicked her wrist again and the steel ball fell to one side.
“I win,” Lanala said.
“Fat chance,” Fa’rah said, charging toward her. Lanala closed her eyes and kept both women in the front of her mind. Time slowed down for her and she heard a single word echo from the back of her mind.
“Sleep.”
Both of the women there fell to the ground, unconscious, and Lanala opened her eyes. She gently set the gun on the ground and walked to the ropes that had once held her captive. From there, she quickly got to work.
...
“MMMMPPHH! MMM MMMM! THMMTPH MMM TRMMPHMMMR!! GMMT MMMWMM FRMMM MMMT! MMMMRRRGHHHH!”
Fa’rah had come to first and was less than pleased with her situation. Lanala had crossed and tied her wrists behind her back and framed her breasts with a tight rope harness, also pinning her arms to her sides. Completing that was rope bound around her thighs and ankles and a thick cloth jammed in her mouth, held in by another tied on behind her head and over her mouth.
“This treasure belongs to the people of Dosette,” Lanala said. “And it will be returned to them. The sceptre, however...” Lanala stared at the beautiful thing. It was about three feet long, made of solid gold, and the shaft was inlaid with ornate carvings of ancient, snake-like dragons. The top of the sceptre widened into a round shape where the gold was encrusted with countless tiny amethysts, glittering in the sunlight. And she could feel the object’s power... it was immense. But she couldn’t unlock it alone. The voice had told her Artema could. They would just have to figure out how and she could control the power inside. That’s what the voice, her true voice, had said to her. She had to try.
“The sceptre belongs to the Esterlin Princess Guild.”
“NMMM! MMTPH MMMNNN! GMMMPH MMMT TMM MMM! MMMMMPPHH!”
Fa’rah raged into her gag and thrashed against her bonds, completely helpless and unable to escape. Standing over her, Lanala also had hold of the reins of the horse Fa’rah had stolen. She thought about carrying a hogtied and cleave gagged Jhana on the horse’s back but decided against it when the voice said not yet. She will escape and only bring trouble. Leave her.
The voice was right. Jhana would be prepared for this and she was. Though unconscious, her own power was prepared for when she would awaken. She might not escape her bonds right away but Jhana’s power would take her away to her tower again. Not until Jhana was truly weak and Lanala was truly strong could she deal with the witch once and for all. But she could take this small victory for now. It was certainly more than nothing.
Fa’rah still raged at Lanala’s feet, unable to escape, and struggled hard against her ropes. Her forehead beading with sweat, the warrior glared at her former captive as she climbed into the horse’s saddle with bags of gold and treasure on its back.
“NMMM! THMMMTPH MMM TRMMPPHRRR! MMMMMPPPPHHH! MMTMMM MM! LMMT MM GMMM! LMMNLLMMMM!”
“No room for you, I’m afraid,” Lanala said. “Though I’m sure someone will come along and free you. Maybe Jhana will wake up and you two can catch up.”
Fa’rah’s eyes widened and suddenly filled with fear. “Wmmt!? Nmmm! Lmmnllmmm, wmmt! Plmmmph! Dmmt lmmph mm hmmmr! Dmmmt lmmmph mm wmmph hmmmr! PLLLMMMPH!”
“You should have thought of that before you kidnapped me and dragged me all the way out here. The treasure goes to the people and the sceptre stays with us. And you will remain here until... well, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
“NNMMMM!! DMMMT! PLLMMMPH MMTMMM MMM! MMM DMMNT MMPHN WMMT THMM TRMMPHMMR! PLLMMMMMPPPHHH!!”
Lanala said nothing more and spurred the horse on gently. “Come on. Back to the palace.”
The horse trotted back the way it had come, with one less passenger, and took off at a faster pace. Fa’rah struggled and mewled into her gag, still pleading with Lanala.
“NNMMMM! CMMM BMMMK! PLMMMPH!” Fa’rah said, sobbing into her gag.
She gazed fearfully toward a bound and gagged Jhana, still unable to free herself, and watched Lanala disappear into the distance. She grunted and mewled as she struggled, trying to get her feet under her. Fa’rah finally managed it and slowly got to her feet. Still tightly bound and gagged, she began hopping away, hoping against all hope that Jhana would not wake up.
Luckily, Jhana was in a deep sleep. Still hogtied and cleave gagged, the witch was having a dream. In it she saw her mother... the ancient city of Langiit... and Lanala. At the centre of it all was always Lanala. She knew why... but the truth would come later. They would have to meet one final time. Then everything would become clear.
While Jhana slept, Fa’rah desperately hopped away, hoping never to see the inside of Jhana’s cell ever again. She didn’t relax or even slow her pace until the witch was well out of sight. Though she was still tied up and gagged, Fa’rah calmed herself and watched the sun set into the horizon.
In the dark, Fa’rah tried her best to navigate and find out where her campsite was... realizing she was miles from it.
“Mmmph! DMMMN MMMT!” She said, stamping her bound feet on the ground. The act caused her to stumble and fall over again, and she squirmed and writhed in her tight bonds. Knowing she wouldn’t escape without the help of her extra knife back at camp, Fa’rah struggled to sit up again. She growled into her gag as she tried to get herself standing.
Finally, after great effort, Fa’rah was on her feet again. Getting her bearings once again, she hopped once to point in the right direction toward Central Esterlin... only to topple over once again.
“MMMRRRGHHH! DMMM THMMMPH RMMMMPPH! MMMMMPPPPPHHHH!” Fa’rah raged into her gag for awhile, struggling hard to free herself and failing yet again. She knew she would have to stand up again but, for the moment, she was just too tired and frustrated. She would have to rest. Regaining her energy, Fa’rah decided what she would do when she finally freed herself from these ropes. Going after Jhana was out of the question now that she didn’t have the sceptre... but maybe she stood a chance against Aurora. They still had an old score to settle after all.
Catching her breath, Fa’rah struggled back to a sitting position and got her feet under her once more. With another great effort, she was standing once again. Hoping not too fall over too many times on the way back to camp, Fa’rah began the long hop to Central Esterlin. On the way, however, she had plenty of time to come up with a plan...