“Information…I was told you know where I might find a powerful artifact,” Voyse explained.
“What sort of artifact? I know many,” the fortune teller said.
“One that can disrupt magic…possibly even that of the Adept’s Stone,” Voyse clarified.
The old woman’s eyes widened upon realization and she slowly began to nod her head. “Yes, yes I know what you seek. The Deadzone Necklace. It can do what you ask for,” the woman said, still nodding, “It can be found in the long abandoned temple northeast of here. Just follow the road until you reach a dead end, but in fact, it isn’t! Slide down the ravine and you’ll find another path...this one will lead you to the temple.”
Voyse absorbed this information to every last detail. “I see…thank you miss,” the assassin said, turning to walk away.
“Wait a minute!” the woman exclaimed.
Voyse spun around, an impatient look in his eyes. “What is it, old woman?”
“I am usually paid for my services of knowledge,” the fortune teller explained wryly.
“You have been paid more than enough. Look around you; two men are dead, and you can still breath. That’s more than most who see me can say,” the assassin snapped, slipping out of the shop.
“Oh…well it was a nice try…” the woman said with a sigh.
Voyse fell into the shadows once more, making his way through the village. He picked up some supplies, not taking the time to pay for them. Once he felt he was ready, he slipped over the northern walls and out onto the road that the old woman said would lead to the ravine.
**********
“W-what in the world happened here…?” Omurai gasped, kneeling down to examine the gore pile that was all that remained of what once was a human.
Asher paced around nervously on the bridge, constantly looking at Aggwool ahead. “Come on! We don’t have time for mystery solving. Obviously someone got angry at another person and blew them up,” the blunt fire adept tried to explain.
“Voyse did this…no doubt,” Omurai said, examining the crackles of dark energy that still sparked in the corpse pile. That caught Asher’s attention.
“Are you sure about it?” he asked.
“Either it was him or someone who controls extremely powerful dark magic,” the wind adept said grimly.
“Not too many of those, that’s for sure,” Asher confirmed, “So he’s obviously been through here…and not long ago.”
“Indeed…let us hurry,” Omurai agreed.
Both hurried towards the gates, hardly paying attention to the dark clad soldiers guarding it. They were stopped by blade point as they reached the gates, five soldiers glaring at them.
“Hmm…I don’t suppose we could make a deal with you?” Omurai asked.
“These two got some fancy weapons here…take them to the pit. I’m sure miss Julia would enjoy some unique fighters for a change,” one soldier barked.
“Yeah…I like that idea!” another one agreed, a wicked grin forming on his face.
“Don’t try anything funny, you hear?!” a third said, poking his sword in Omurai’s face.
“Please, sir, if you don’t get that sad excuse of a blade out of my face, I’ll be forced to blow you away,” the wind adept said calmly.
Just as all seven of them readied their weapons against each other, a dark figure climbed out of the nearby shadows. The figure had an obvious feminine form despite the heavy robes she wore. A single lock of silvery hair fell from her hooded face.
“Now now, boys…there is always a nicer way to do things than with a sharp object,” the woman mused, walking between the soldiers and the two travelers.
“M-miss Julia! What honor do we owe your presence?” one soldier asked, all of them stiffening like boards.
“I overheard you all talking about ‘the pit’, and I decided to get a better look at the possible contestants,” Julia explained. She raised a hand to stroke Asher’s cheek. The fire adept’s eyes flared angrily, but he calmed immediately as he felt dark energy coursing through his entire body. “Yes, these two look quite powerful. Let us take them to ‘the pit’ and see what they are made of,” she said with a grin.
“I refuse to enter any tournament of slaying!” Omurai shouted. He soon found himself lying on the ground, dark energy flowing over his body.
“Reluctant are we? How about this: if one of you manages to win in ‘the pit’ then I’ll set you free,” Julia said as she grabbed Omurai by the end of his scarf and heaved him to his feet.
“Wait, if we’re both in this ‘pit’ thing…then how can one of us win and both of us get out free?” Asher asked.
“Why, you don’t,” Julia said matter-of-factly, “One of you must die so the other may live.”
“I don’t like the sounds of that…” Omurai said stiffly, his jaw still shaking with dark energy.
“You’ll just have to get over then, won’t you?” Julia teased as she walked back to the shadows. “Take them to ‘the pit’ and make sure you take their weapons away from them until the fighting commences.”
“You heard the lady! Hand em’ over!” one of the soldiers demanded.
Both adventurers looked at each other and then the dark woman staring at them coldly. Reluctantly, they handed over their weapons. Asher couldn’t help but snicker even though he was being chained as it took two soldiers just to carry his magical full blade. Just to be a nuisance, he sent a command to the blade to increase its weight. Sure enough, the two men fell to the ground, cursing and demanding more help.
As the two sat in a cell together, chained to the walls, Omurai began to laugh.
“You know, this situation reminds me of something…” He said with a smile.
“Don’t start…I’m not in the mood for arguing about who’s fault this is,” Asher grumbled.
“No no, I don’t want to argue, but please, think back on that situation; what did we do then?” Omurai asked.
“Brea-oh I see where you’re getting,” Asher said, a wry grin crossing his face.
“All we’ll have to do is watch out for that Julia lady…she’s insanely powerful,” Omurai said grimly.
“Ah well. Shall I start to work?” Asher asked.
“Yes, please.”
Asher pointed his finger at Omurai’s left wrist shackle and sent a tiny concentrated beam of heat at it. Slowly, the lock on it melted and the wind adept’s left arm was free. Asher repeated this process on the other shackles until Omurai was completely free. Then he started work on himself. In no time, they were shackle free and ready to make their grand escape.