Amor Vincit Omnia
(Love Conquers All)
Part I: Sun and Shadow
"I'm feeling the voodoo in my brain
I ain't my usual self tonight
Walk in the beautiful rain
The world rotates around me."
- Soul'd Out
Voodoo Kingdom
Chapter Nine: Uneasy Truce
"Brilliant!" said Caesar. "May I have my wand back now?"
Baal glanced down at the weapon in his hand as if he'd forgotten it was there. Flipping it around, he offered it to the wizard handle first. It was a strange-looking instrument: at first glance just a gnarled twig with a few small offshoots, about a foot in length, but on closer inspection a dark red aura was faintly visible, surrounding the nearly black wood.
Caesar took his wand, and for one terrible moment Saiya thought he was going to hex them, just as he had threatened. But he did not, merely tucked the wand into his belt and went back inside the smithy. Baal and Saiya followed him.
The Hunter still radiated displeasure, but Saiya was ready to let bygones be bygones. She wouldn't go so far as to say she liked the uppity wizard, but she was willing to give him a chance, now that she'd gotten most of her anger at him out of her system.
At the forge, Haedrig was putting the final touches on the crown. He was using an absurd hammer with a long, thin handle and a head the size of a human thumb. It made high plinking noises as he tapped away, refining the point of the crown's central spire. In his huge hands, it looked like a child's toy.
"I trust you all have settled your differences," said the smith gruffly.
"Indeed we have," Caesar replied. Turning, he spread out his arms in a gesture of magnanimity and said, "It occurs to me that we have not yet been formally introduced. I am Caesar la Volpes, formerly of the Thaumaturgy Guild in Xiansai."
"King of the Foxes, eh?" said Baal. "That seems fitting." He did not volunteer his own identity.
"My name is Saiya," said Saiya, "I'm from the Temple of the High Sun in Ivgorod."
"I am Ghor," said a deep, slow voice from the shadows. Saiya looked around to see Caesar's female companion. Her thick accent made her words hard to understand. Saiya had never seen one like her before, but she had heard of the umbaru peoples of Tengaze, in the far south of Sanctuary, where the sun was so hot that it would scorch the skin of anyone foolish enough to venture out into its rays uncovered.
"They call me Baalzibal," said the Hunter at last. "Baal for short."
Caesar and Ghor exchanged a meaningful glance and Saiya wondered what they made of the unusual moniker. She herself had often wondered what her friend's real name was – surely his parents had not named him after one of the Great Evils of the world! – but that topic belonged to the forbidden categories of The Past and Family both, and Saiya knew that, should she dare to ask, she would not receive an answer.
The background noise of Haedrig's hammer work twinkled to a halt, and the smith announced, "Finished at last. Leoric's Crown, just as it was the day they set it on the Black King's head. Take it, all of you, and get it out of my smithy."
Caesar reached out to pick up the finished crown, but Baal, quick as a wink, blocked his path. "I'll hold onto it," he said.
"You don't trust me?" asked the wizard, a faint smile hovering on his lips.
"Not a bit."
"I'm hurt," he said. "I thought we had a truce."
Saiya stepped in to mediate before the tense exchange could degenerate into another fistfight. "It would be better if we kept it anyway," she said. "You don't know what sort of demonic influence is hanging around the thing. Baal and I have ways of dealing with that so no one gets hurt."
Caesar bowed to her, saying, "I defer to my lady's wishes." At least he had some manners, she thought, and allowed herself to hope that Baal might take a lesson from him.
"When do we head out?" asked Ghor. She already seemed to know without being told that they were working together.
Baal opened his mouth, but Saiya interrupted before he could say a word. "Actually, we have a few things we need to do here in town first. Could we meet, say, by the main gate tomorrow morning at dawn?"
"Why can't we leave now, if they're ready?" Baal complained. "I don't have anything to do here."
"But I do," said Saiya. Seeing that he was in an argumentative state of mind, she put on her most persuasive smile and said, "Please? One day isn't going to make a difference."
"If we must," Baal sighed.
"Well," said Caesar, "I'm off to see Brother Malachi." He pointed to his nose with a rueful smile. "Until tomorrow morning, then!" He left and Ghor accompanied him without a word or backward glance.
"So," said Baal, regarding Saiya with eyes that were not entirely friendly. "Since you seem to be in charge here, what errand did you have that was so important it could not wait?"
"Can't tell you," she replied. "It's a secret."
He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Well then. See you in a little while." She spun around and was halfway out the door when his hand fell on her shoulder.
"Where are you going?" he said, leaning over to speak right in her ear. His cheek, rough with a few days' stubble, grazed hers, and his voice was a quiet rumble – not quite a growl, not quite a purr, but somewhere in between. A shiver ran up Saiya's spine at the sound of it. At first she thought that her reaction was out of fear, but when her heartbeat accelerated she knew it was excitement instead.
"Like I said, it's a secret," she said, striving to keep her voice steady.
Baal released her, and she hurried off without looking back, feeling frustrated with herself. She had conquered her awkward impulse to kiss him the other night, had thought it banished for good, so why was she now feeling weak-kneed at the recollection of his hoarse whisper, and the solid weight of his hand on her shoulder?
She went first to Deckard's cottage, and found Leah sweeping the front porch. It seemed that the girl did all the chores of the household, and the cooking as well. Saiya wondered what sort of bond would keep her in servitude to a man she was not even related to. But she appeared happy, whistling as she worked, and occasionally singing snatches of songs in languages both familiar and foreign. As Saiya approached the doorstep, she was humming, "Say you'll return to me, when the flowers bloom in spring, swear you'll stay true to me, when the winter winds howl, for my love, my love, my only love, I can't live without you–"
Spotting Saiya, she stopped abruptly and stood at ease, looking down at her from the topmost step, neither welcoming nor hostile.
"You sing very nicely," Saiya said.
"Thank you," Leah replied coolly.
Saiya began again. "I was wondering if … could I maybe … have your help with something?"
"What is it?"
"Well, you see, the other day – the day before yesterday, that is – was Baal's birthday. He turned twenty-four. I thought that we could celebrate. If you're alright with it, that is. You're such a good cook, I thought you could bake a cake, and …" She trailed off, feeling uncharacteristically flustered. Was it too much of an imposition? She hadn't realized until now how much she wanted to make her friend's birthday a special occasion.
"That's a wonderful idea!" exclaimed Leah, to her great relief. "I'd be happy to help."
"Thank you."
"Of course! What kind of cake should I make?"
"He likes chocolate," Saiya said, absurdly proud to know that small yet somehow intimate detail.
"Right. Chocolate it is. I'll start right now." She set down her broom and went back inside the house, leaving the front door open. Saiya wondered if the girl expected her to follow and perhaps offer to help, but she had other business which took her down to the market place. She kept an eye out for Baal, but didn't see him.
For a while she browsed through the stands, unsure of what she was looking for. She considered one of any number of little figurines of wood or stone, cleverly carved in the shape of knights and dragons, birds and beasts, but they seemed too childish. A fine collection of jewelry she dismissed as pretty but impractical, in addition to being more the sort of gift that a woman would enjoy getting from a man, rather than the other way around. There were lots of books, but she didn't know Baal well enough to know his taste in literature, or even if he could read.
But at last she struck gold, in a stand of scarves and robes: a black shoulder cloak, made of thin wool and cut in such a way that it protected the wearer from the elements but left their arms free for combat. She bought it immediately and wrapped it in brown paper with a simple inscription: To Baal, from your friend.
Back at Deckard's house, enticing smells were wafting from the kitchen. Baal sat in the living room conversing with the old man, apparently unaware of the celebration planned in his honor. Saiya dropped the cloak off in their room and went to find Captain Rumford, figuring that he might enjoy an invitation to the festivities. She thought of asking Caesar and Ghor, but decided against it on the assumption that Baal would not be pleased to see them. She then went to meditate until Leah called them for dinner promptly at six.
Rumford, per her instructions, arrived at seven, when they were just finishing up a resplendent meal of grilled salmon, millet, and a green salad augmented by tomatoes, cheese, and olives. The captain had a bottle of wine in hand, a sweet, dark distillation dated from fifty years before. He put it on the table, looking very pleased with himself.
"You're a bit late to get any dinner, Captain," Baal said. "We've eaten it all."
Leah winked at Saiya and said, "Would you mind helping me wash up?"
"I'll do it," Baal offered, standing. Saiya pushed him back in his chair.
"That's women's work," she said. "You just relax."
He gave her a puzzled look but didn't argue the point.
In the kitchen, the two girls put a circle of candles around the edge of the cake, which was a truly magnificent affair. Leah had outdone herself. Raspberry jam was sandwiched between two thick layers of dark moist cake, and fresh raspberries ringed the top, interspersed with dollops of whipped cream and covered liberally with chocolate crumbles.
Leah lit the candles and carried the cake out into the living room, while Saiya followed behind with a stack of plates. The expression on Baal face when they entered the room was well worth all the effort. He looked astonished, disbelieving, appreciative, and excited all in one. Leah plunked the cake down in front of him and said, "Happy birthday!"
He opened his mouth, closed it again, then stared at Saiya and said, "Did you do this?"
"It was my idea," she admitted. "I did tell you that I'd throw you a party if we made it back alive."
"Yeah, but I didn't really expect … you didn't have to, you know."
"I wanted to," she said firmly.
"Make your wish," Leah prodded. "But don't tell, otherwise it won't come true."
Baal thought for a moment, then grinned and blew out all the candles with one long breath.
"Uncle Deckard and I wanted to give you something," Leah continued, "to show our gratitude for everything you've done for us. Here." She put a tiny box on the table. Inside was a golden ring made of three thin bands braided together. It looked small but slid smoothly onto Baal's index finger when he tried it.
"We found it during one of our explorations in a far-off land," Deckard explained. "It has magical properties, all of which not even I am sure of. But I do know that it will never break or bend, and it seems to attract good fortune."
"I'm humbled by your generosity," said Baal.
"I couldn't decide on what to gift you," Rumford said, "but come on down to the armory whenever you like and pick out anything you think would do you service on your travels. That goes for Lady Saiya as well, of course."
Baal's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Captain, I will certainly take advantage of that!"
Saiya, meanwhile, had gone down to fetch the cloak. She presented it to him, half eager, half nervous. His face was inscrutable as he read the inscription and unwrapped it, and he sat for a moment gazing at the woolen garment without a word.
"I thought you might like a new cloak, since your old one got ripped up while we were fighting that behemoth," Saiya said quickly, babbling a little. "This one's got a special design, and it should keep you quite warm and dry."
Still he said nothing, and Saiya began to feel as if she'd made a mistake. Perhaps his old cloak had some special meaning to him, and she had offended him by offering another. Perhaps he now felt obligated to wear it, and was irritated. Perhaps …
Baal finally spoke. "Thanks," he said, his voice coming out choked. Standing up, he unclipped the tattered rag that still hung from his shoulders and put the new one in place. He executed a few sharp turns, making it swish elegantly behind him.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"Very dashing," said Leah. Saiya nodded in agreement.
"Well," said Rumford. "How about that cake?"
The five of them returned the table, where Leah cut thick slices of the chocolate masterpiece, and Deckard popped the cork on the wine Rumford had brought. The vintage was quite potent, and Saiya felt lightheaded after only a small glass. Baal had two, and seemed to laugh a lot more frequently afterwards.
The conversation turned to past exploits: ruins that had been explored and battles that had been fought. Rumford had some entertaining tales to tell, and Baal even opened up a bit about the order of demon hunters who had trained him. His education had been brutal and rigorous, but highly effective.
Deckard was the first to retire, pleading old age as an excuse, and Rumford departed soon after. Leah vanished into the kitchen to clean up, refusing all offers of help, leaving Saiya and Baal alone.
"Walk with me," the Hunter requested.
They stepped out into the cool night air and strolled together through the empty streets. Saiya did not instigate a conversation, being content with the cozy silence that they shared.
"Saiya," Baal said eventually, "I wanted to apologize to you for earlier today. I was acting like a jackass and I regret it now."
She had to think back over the events of the whole day before she realized he was talking about his resistance to joining forces with Caesar and Ghor.
"That's all right," she said. "Maybe I shouldn't have pressed the point. I just figured-"
"No, you were right," he said. "Working with them is the smart thing to do. I dislike them – well, the wizard anyway … the woman's fine as far as I can tell – but that doesn't give me the right to treat you poorly. So, I'm sorry."
"I forgive you," said Saiya, perplexed by his newfound humility but enjoying it all the same. "Really, forget about it. But could you try to behave yourself tomorrow?"
"I'll do my best," he said, "but every time I see that bastard's smug face I want to break his nose."
"I already did that," she replied, and he laughed.
After a few more minutes of casual meandering, Saiya asked, "Did you really like the cloak? I don't want you to feel like you have to wear it just because I gave it to you."
He stopped and turned to look at her, eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. "It's the nicest thing that anyone's ever done for me," he said. "If I didn't express my gratitude properly at the time, it's because I was overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness. I'm truly lucky to have you as a friend, Saiya."
"I'm lucky to have you too, Baal," she said, giving him a brief hug. This time, he returned the embrace.
Saiya was the first one up the next morning, to her immense surprise. Baal's habits must be rubbing off on her, she thought as she washed her face in cold water and packed her belongings. She chose not to eat any breakfast, knowing that they were going to be teleporting later. As ready as she was ever going to be, she then settled down on her cot to meditate while she waited for Baal.
Leah and Deckard escorted them to the town square, where a group had already gathered to see them off. There was no sign of Caesar or his companion, and Baal hissed under his breath, "They'd better not hold us up. Dawn, I said! Not, 'sometime in the morning, whenever'."
"Are you looking for us?" asked a man among the crowd whose face was shaded by a tall, pointed white hat with a wide brim. Saiya did a double-take and recognized Caesar. The wizard was garbed for battle, with a soft leather surcoat girdled with a thin silver band, high-top white leather boots, and armored gloves. Ghor stood behind him, although her face was concealed behind a rather disturbing wooden mask adorned with feathers and painted in a terrifying parody of a human face.
Seeing that Baal's face was set in a scowl, Saiya elbowed him none-too-gently in the side. He quickly changed his expression to one intended to be amiable, but which closer resembled the pained grimace of a man about to voluntarily break his own fingers. Saiya realized that she was going to have to take the lead in this instance.
"Good morning," she said pleasantly. "You must forgive us for not spotting you right away."
The wizard waved off her apology. "Are you both ready to go?" he asked. "I've done some calculations, and the closest I can bring us with a warp is a mile or so out from the cathedral doors. The magic-draining properties of the fallen star will prevent me from safely landing us any nearer."
"That's perfectly fine," Saiya said, "and we're ready now, if you are."
"Right," said Caesar. "Ladies, take my hands if you please, and you, sir, may hold onto Saiya."
They all stood in a row, Saiya third in line with Caesar on one side and Baal on the other. She curled her fingers around his and pressed gently, and he squeezed in return.
"Ever warped before?" Caesar asked her.
She nodded.
"Nervous?"
She nodded again. It had not been an experience she ever cared to repeat.
"Don't worry," he said, "I'm an expert. Just close your eyes and you won't feel a thing. I'll tell you when we've arrived."
Saiya let her eyelids drop down and concentrated on the feel of her hand in Baal's larger one, how her skin tingled as if he was made of static electricity, how warm and callused his palm was. She wondered how that palm would feel brushing against the smoothness of her cheek, or stroking along her back.
"We're here," Caesar said.
Baal released her hand, leaving her grasping at emptiness. A chill breeze ruffle her hair, bringing the heavy smell of rain-soaked soil and blooming heather to her nose. She opened her eyes to behold dark thunderclouds and an open stretch of moorland, with a grand cathedral rising in the distance, on a wooded hill.
"Looks like rain," Ghor observed, eyeing the clouds.
"Yes, it does," agreed Saiya. "Hope we don't get caught out in it."
"If we make haste, we could probably reach the cathedral within an hour," Baal said. "I've been this way before."
They struck out, walking at first in a tight knot, but then gradually drifting apart. Baal, who had the longest stride, took the lead and set the pace, while Ghor lingered in the background as was her wont. Caesar fell in beside Saiya, and soon they were talking animatedly. The wizard was a good conversationalist, and Saiya found herself laughing loud and often at his amusing anecdotes of life in the Thaumaturgy Guild. The time passed quickly, and before long they were standing at the wrought iron gates that blocked the road to the cathedral.
The gates were bound together by a thick chain, and firmly locked, but Baal guided them to a place where the bars of the fence had been bent outwards, creating an opening. They slipped through and stood together, sizing up their destination. This close, Saiya could see that the walls were crumbling in places, windows smashed out, grass and tree roots breaking up the foundation. The ceramic tiles of the roof were patchy, like the skin of a dog infected with mange, and there was a colossal hole where the falling star had smashed through. It was a sad and somewhat pitiful sight: a terrible reminder that the march of time was inexorable, and that all things would eventually fall prey to its devastation. Saiya thought of the people who once came to worship here. Where had they gone? Had they died during the ruinous reign of the Black King? Did their ghosts still wander the old halls where they had poured out their secrets to a listening God, wondering why their pleas had not been heard and answered?
"The walls are thin here," said Ghor. "The Unformed Lands are very close."
"What are the Unformed Lands?" Saiya asked curiously.
"They are the worlds where spirits of the dead dwell in servitude to the Old Ones. We of the umbaru know of the Old Ones and pay them honor with sacrifices."
"Well," said Caesar, looking around, "shall we go in?"
"Actually," said Baal, "I was thinking that we could have lunch first. Saiya and I have not yet eaten."
Saiya blinked. She had expected Baal to try and hurry them along as much as possible, not suggest a social meal. But her stomach was tight with hunger, and their companions seemed amenable to the idea, so they chose a grassy spot off to the side and sat down. Baal opened his pack and brought out carrots, apples, cheese, and sausages. The crowning glory was the remainder of the chocolate cake, neatly wrapped in wax-covered paper to keep it fresh, and a bottle of spiced wine from Deckard's cellar.
"Would anyone like a drink?" he asked, setting out four small cups.
"I must say, this is a pleasant surprise," Caesar said, accepting the wine. "Yesterday when we talked, I did not think you would be so receptive to the notion of teaming up."
"Saiya made me see reason," Baal said. He was still smiling, an enigmatic sort of grin that the young monk had never seen on his face before.
"Well, that's good," the wizard said, and raised his glass. "Cheers!" He downed the amber liquid in one gulp, nodding appreciatively. "This is a fine beverage. My thanks, Baal."
"Have another glass," said the demon hunter, and filled it up. Ghor drank hers as well, but refused a second serving and showed no indication of enjoying it.
Saiya put her lips to the rim of her cup, but as she was about to take a drink, Baal exclaimed, "Look there! An eagle!" and his hand shot out, pointing upwards, and bumped against her wrist. The jolt knocked the cup from her grasp. Wine splattered onto Saiya's knee.
"Whoops, sorry about that!" he said, picking it up again. "Are you alright, Saiya?"
"Yes, I'm … fine," she replied, puzzled by his unusual clumsiness. As she was studying his face, trying to determine if he was feeling ill (he had not yet imbibed any wine, so he couldn't be drunk), she heard two thumps from behind her, more or less simultaneous. Turning her head, she saw their two companions sprawled flat out on the grass.
"What on earth?" she cried, jumping up and looking around for an enemy. There was none in sight. Then she put two and two together and glared accusingly at Baal.
"What have you done?" she yelled at him. "You poisoned our new friends!"
He chuckled and dumped the remainder of the tainted wine onto a nearby rosebush. "They're fine," he said. "It's just a potent sleeping potion. They'll be out for a few hours, just long enough to give us a head start."
"Baal!"
"What?" he said innocently.
"You promised you would behave!"
"And I did. I was a perfect gentleman."
"I can't believe you," she growled. Bending over, she verified that Caesar and Ghor were still amongst the living. That at least had been true; they were deeply unconscious, but otherwise in perfect health.
"Come on, Saiya," Baal cajoled. "We'll be better off without them. They'd have gotten in the way. Now we have the crown, and we didn't have to fight for it."
She glanced helplessly from the limp bodies of their very temporary companions to her gleeful friend and back again. "What are we supposed to do, just leave them out here, defenseless? What if a demon comes along and finds them?"
Baal shrugged. "I'm sure they'll be fine. I cleared this area out pretty well when I came through."
Saiya shook her head and refused to answer him. While he packed up the uneaten portion of their lunch, she laid a protective mantra over the spot where the wizard and the umbaru lay, not wanting to leave anything to chance. She made sure to include the words for peaceful sleep.
"Let's go," said Baal, putting his hand on her shoulder. She scowled at him, wanting him to know that he was not off the hook for his disgraceful conduct. But he merely grinned, showing his canines, and said, "Around the side, in the garden. There's a hidden passage that will lead us to a deeper level of the cathedral."
She followed after him as he picked his way through the overgrown grass and wild brambles of the garden. It had once been a beautiful and well-kept place, full of color and life, but now the flowers and bushes were half-dead and the wild plants had intruded, conquering and subverting their tamer cousins.
The door that Baal had mentioned was difficult to spot, seeming to blend right into the brick of the wall, but it opened noiselessly when he pressed a slightly protruding stone. He stepped inside, descending a steep flight of stairs. Taking a long breath of the outside air – the last fresh air she was likely to breathe for quite some time – Saiya plunged after him into the darkness.
Now fully edited and updated with new content! If you find any typos or other errors, please notify me so I can fix them! :)
