PATH OF ASCENSION
by Ulquiorra9000
Chapter 9
Fortunately for Jaina and her companions, none of the grays gave chase, since the grays had suffered casualties and didn't have a leader to coordinate them. Sophia's quote had proven right: cut off a snake's head and the body will follow. Jero was now powerless and alone, not to mention unable to use his mana whip. His favor from Erebos had been focused in his right hand, after all, so he was now just a man.
Even better, the people of Therass were grateful for Jaina's action to cripple the local Shadow League cell; so grateful, that their healers tended to everyone in Jaina's party, free of charge. "Ridding us of those wicked people is payment enough," the healer had said upon seeing Jero as a prisoner. This even led to a free dinner and a night at the inn.
But there was still one more issue.
"Okay, I'm going to be asking the questions here," Cadoc said forcefully the next morning. Jaina's carriage was parked by the road outside Therass, and Jero sat cross-legged by the wagon's wheel with ropes of white mana binding him together. Sophia was happy to help Cadoc get some information out of Jero, but she refused to use any torture methods on him. By her own admission, she didn't have the stomach for it. But Cadoc did.
"Or what?" Jero spat. He glared up at Cadoc, who towered over him and blocked out the sun. "Going to kill me? Go ahead. I'll meet my master. Death is my ally."
"Then I won't send you to him just yet," Cadoc retorted. He knelt before Jero and drew a knife from his belt, a long blade with a wicked edge. "But I can soak the earth with your blood. I'll break your fingers. You'll scream out your deepest secrets just to make it stop!"
Jero didn't look entirely convinced, but he did glance at the knife with apprehension. "Think you're a tough guy?" he said, stalling for time. He tried to squirm in Sophia's magic binding but couldn't. "So you've hunted the League for the past few years. Doesn't mean you can break me."
Jaina watched the spectacle silently with the others. Like Sophia, she balked at the idea of using pain to wrench information from someone. She liked the battlefield better, an even battleground of power versus power. But this was different. And Cadoc seemed to like it a bit too much.
"What about your pinky?" Cadoc seized Jero's left pinkie finger and wrenched it aside with an organic crunch. Jero winced and went red, but he didn't say a word. His chest heaved.
Cadoc now took Jero's right wrist and poised his knife at the bandaged stump. "Still quiet? Maybe I should twist the knife in the wound. Literally, you know. Find out why people made up that expression in the first place."
"Pack masters are trusted with Erebos' secrets," Jero snarled, still red in the face. "Not as much as a trusted one, mind you. But I carry his favor with pride."
"Carried. Past tense," Cadoc corrected him. His eyes were hard. "Speaking of trusted ones... I know there's one nearby, or maybe even several. I found a golem in your likeness earlier and there's no pack master alive who could have created it. Care to fill me in?"
"I don't know anything about that," Jero growled. "Do what you want, but I can't – uuuurgh!"
For Cadoc had indeed driven his knife into Jero's stump, carefully and slowly. Not deep, but enough to elicit a response.
Jero's bandages soaked with fresh blood, but the pack master didn't say a word. He scrunched up his face as sweat ran down his brow.
"Tell me everything," Cadoc demanded.
"The Shadow League has a secure system," Jero spat. "Trusted ones use memory magic when giving assignments to pack masters. After orders are given, he or she wipes the pack master's memory of his or her identity. It's always been this way. I can't give any names even if you torture me to death!"
Cadoc tilted his head as he considered this. "Sounds fair," he conceded. "I suppose I'd use a system like that too. But how are you to meet them, then? Intermediaries? How do you get your orders?"
"We... have our ways," Jero said evasively. "Ouch!"
Again Cadoc had stuck his knife in Jero's stump, and this time he twisted a bit to make his point. Jero panted and shut his eyes, sweat running down his face.
"How exactly does this system work?" Cadoc pressed on. "What mission were you undertaking earlier, when you were riding away from Coatia on horseback? What is the Shadow League planning to do around here?"
This time Jero stayed silent, so Cadoc twisted the knife as promised, getting blood everywhere. He carefully watched Jero's face for a response, but as the seconds dragged by, the pack master kept his silence. So Cadoc retorted with more pain, will against will.
Jaina felt herself tensing as she watched the silent, bloody battle. Her heart raced and she clenched her fists to distract herself. We have to do this, she reminded herself. Jero's a danger to everyone. He'll break soon. He has to!
Deeper into the stump Cadoc went, and Jero was soon gasping for breath and baring his teeth. A minute had passed, with Cadoc's knife twisting and digging in Jero's flesh the entire time.
Then two.
Then three.
Finally, Jero exploded: "I was sent a message telling when and where to meet! At Coatia's docks!"
"Really." Cadoc withdrew his knife and put pressure on Jero's stump. The bandages were soaked through.
Jero was clearly regretting spilling this info, but he went on. "I was told to meet an intermediary. I don't know where the trusted one will be until I have that meeting."
"And what about your golem? The one that the trusted one created to throw Katrina off your trail? Do you remember anything about that?"
"Not much. A trusted one helped me out, but I can't remember his or her identity," Jero responded. "Or anything else at all." Now he looked triumphant. "So there you go, asshole. Not even I can say more than that. You're stuck. I can't do anything else for you."
Jero was clearly ready to die, but Cadoc had other ideas. "I think you can," Cadoc said.
"Huh?"
"Resume your mission. Get to Coatia and wait for that intermediary to meet you. I think they will understand if you're late. It's a dangerous lifestyle, after all."
"Wh-what?" Jero looked shocked.
"My companions and I want to find that trusted one and kill him or her," Cadoc said. "That's why we banded together: to deal the Shadow League a heavy blow. Killing a trusted one should do that."
Jero stared, then burst out laughing. "I don't believe it! You want to use me as a lure to fight my boss? He or she will kill you all! I'm a decent fighter, yes, but a trusted one is entirely different! Each trusted one is gifted with Erebos' deepest, most powerful secrets and power. That's why they're called trusted ones!"
"I'll deal with that," Cadoc plowed on. "I need to find your boss."
A look of bloodlust crossed Jero's face. "You really want me to help you find my boss? You'll follow my lead?"
Cadoc glanced back at Sophia, who nodded. Jaina could hardly believe it; she was going to let a pack master bring her party right to the trusted one! But what if Jero tried something? Jaina prayed that Cadoc knew what he was doing.
"I need you to do this," Cadoc firmly told Jero.
"Then I'll do it," he grinned wickedly. "Coatia's not far from here. I'll meet my contact there and find the trusted one. Then you can charge in to your doom!"
Jaina saw what Jero meant. He was convinced that fighting the trusted one was a suicide mission, and he figured that he'd destroy several of the Shadow League's enemies with one fell swoop. Jaina gripped her swords' handles tightly. She would prove this pack master wrong! She had to!
"We'll see," Cadoc said grimly. He turned. "Sophia, unbind him. We're taking a little trip."
*o*o*o*o*
The trip to Coatia took only an hour or so, but things slowed down once Jaina's party arrived at the town. It was a lot like Therass, but bigger: the docks hosted several large ocean liners, vessels with many sails and probably dozens of crewmen. The largest of these ships was a behemoth, probably roomy enough to carry a village's worth of people. That ship had a wide boarding ramp that connected its hull to the docks. Crewmen carried crates up and into the ship, one at a time. Perhaps the ship was preparing to set sail soon.
Meanwhile, Cadoc's party lurked at the edge of town with Jero in tow. "So, where first?" Cadoc asked his prisoner.
Jero massages his freshly bandaged stump. "At warehouse three."
Cadoc checked that the coast was clear, then gave Jero a little shove. "Then get going. My fellows and I will be close by. Behave yourself."
Throwing his hood over his head, Jero stalked off to the appointed warehouse like a shadow in his black cloak. He made sure to hide his severed stump in his sleeves, the better not to alarm his contact.
Quietly, Jaina and the others followed Cadoc and hid behind a tavern's back wall, watching Jero the entire time. For some time, the lonely pack master stood in the warehouse's shadow as he waited for the contact to arrive. Midday passed to early afternoon and carriages full of wealthy-looking people started pulling into town, but little else happened.
Finally, a portly man in a gray vest and white shirt snuck out of the town's crowds and stole toward warehouse three. He looked pretty ordinary: balding, with a short beard and gentleman's boots on his feet. The man approached Jero and said, "No one followed me here. Made sure of that."
"Good," Jero responded curtly. "Make it quick."
The man cleared his throat. "The trusted one is pleased with the success of your last mission. He, or she, wants you to board the Dawnsail and attend Madam Apolla's charity ball as an honored guest. She will make sure that you're on the guest register." The man made no mention of how late Jero was; apparently, delays and mishaps were to be expected in this job.
And that name... Madam Apolla. Even Jaina had heard of it. Madam Apolla was retired now, but she had been a wealthy shipping tycoon and stood among Theros' wealthiest. She lived on a mansion on a small island out at sea, where she often hosted charity events and other humanitarian efforts. So this was why Jaina saw so many rich-looking people coming into town: the massive Dawnsail was going to take them to Madam Apolla's charity ball.
But what did that have to do with the Shadow League?
"Understood," Jero said. "The trusted one will be there?"
"Yes. You are to be rewarded for your efforts," the intermediary said. "In addition, you are to act as a bodyguard for the trusted one while he or she carries out an important task. I was not told what kind, but no doubt the trusted one will tell you when you get there."
"So the trusted one's task will take place during the charity ball," Jero repeated. "I see."
"Madam Apolla must not be alerted, nor any of her guards," the intermediary warned. "We need utmost subtly and efficiency."
"As usual," Jero said dismissively. "I'll be on that ship. I'll get to the party. And I'll meet the trusted one right on time. Better hope this plan goes smoothly. I've had enough mishaps recently. Nearly got cornered by a bounty hunter."
The intermediary looked concerned. "Should I call for reinforcements?"
"No." Jero shook his head. "I am fine as is."
"Very well. That is all." The intermediary turned and walked off.
Jaina and Cadoc waited until the man left, then they confronted Jero. "We need a way on board, too," Cadoc told Jero. "You'd better find a good excuse to get us there."
"I suppose you all could pose as volunteer protection," Jero said slowly. "A trusted one made sure that I'm a friend of Madam Apolla, so I can tell the guards to let you on board. No guarantee that it'll work."
Cadoc pointed at the Dawnsail. "Just do it."
So, fifteen minutes later, Jaina and the others followed Jero to the Dawnsail's dock. By now Jero had abandoned his Shadow League cloak and simply wore the normal clothing that he had worn underneath.
"Welcome," said an armored guard. "Madam Apolla will be happy to see you at her ball, Jero. Who are the extras?"
Gesturing at Jaina and the others, Jero said, "Volunteer security. They'll make sure that things stay civil during the ball."
"Goodness knows we could use more help," the guard said. "Even more people showed up than any of us expected!"
"We're here to help," Sophia said kindly.
The guard stood aside. "All of you are clear to board. Enjoy the trip."
Hardly believing her luck, Jaina walked up the boarding ramp with the others and into the Dawnsail's interior.
