A/N: Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed! XD. Urgh, it is so damn hot. Not even a breeze. –brain melts-
Disclaimer: The world and characters you recognise all belong to TP.
Chapter 11: The Cunning One
People turned skyward, as a shadow detached itself from the night and hurtled towards them. The chanting faltered and stopped, as massive wings brushed over the heads of mages and other black cloaked fanatics alike knocking them to the ground. They scrambled to their feet as with another spine tingling cry the creature swooped after the fleeing horde. Hooves lashed out, catching fanatics and tossing them metres before they fell to the ground and lay unmoving. One mage regained his feet in time to cast a spell. It made the air crackle as it hurtled towards the creature, only to bounce of it as though it were covered by some sort of shield. It split and rebounded back at its caster, also hitting several other fleeing mages. They burst into flame and disappeared.
Sudden silence, filled the night, and the people clustered in the centre gingerly raised their heads looking at the destruction around them. Looking around for the creature, they froze as one, as a dark shadow glided over their heads to land in the square before them. Golden light bloomed around it, revealing the form of a massive black kudarung. It looked at them steadily with intelligent eyes, the last flames of rage dying in its eyes. It bowed its head, then was swallowed completely by the golden light, and simply ceased to be.
……………………
The woman on the bed groan then half yelled something, all but silenced the quiet conversation of those who sat waiting patiently for her to wake.
"Why don't you…fight?! Can't you see…no! They'll kill yo-NO! Bastards! I won't let you do this…"
Lykas raised an eyebrow, as she tossed on the pallet, limbs flailing. Suddenly her teeth were bared in a purely animal snarl, and the ghost of a keening cry filled the air, an echo of the one that sounded some where in the city not too far away. Some to the door, but at a barked order from Lykas, returned. The all jumped, as the sound of a door slamming echoed throughout the building. As one Zaos, Tara and Lykas turned and headed for the door the other people with them following. Waiting outside in the hallway, Lykas turned and handed the last person to exit –a part raka woman- a key. "Call if she wakes." She simply nodded, and turned and locked the door, standing to one side as a guard.
Continuing up the passage, the small group emerged in a room in the house above. A middle aged luarin woman, gasped for breath on the floor of the place, as the sounds of yelling and fighting found their way past the closed door that lead to the street outside.
"Lungkata's…people…found the safe house…temple district…Massive creature…chased or killed them all…"
Lykas' lips became a thin white line as others in the room, gripped whatever was closest with white knuckled hands. Only Tara appeared indifferent, but her voice was terse as she spoke,
"Our people too?"
"Some of our people are hurt…"
Lykas turned to the people present, "Timon, get your group and gather the worst hurt. Bring them back here, to Tara, but make sure you're not seen." The man nodded and hurried to the door, running into the house, yelling commands. A few minutes later, another seven people following, they left. Zaos nodded to Lykas and as he continued to bark orders, turned to an unusually tall luarin woman. "Keira, get your people to start dismantling this place. We need to be ready to leave, straight away." The woman nodded, and turned and she too began to bark orders, and then turned and hurried through the house, the sound of her bellowing waking those who slept and ordering them into action.
Lykas looked around, and his eyes fell on Miki. "Get out there kid. We need to find out what happened. Yuri, you go with him. Make sure you're back here in an hour." Miki nodded and scampered, a luarin boy in a similarly ragged looking state, following close behind. Lykas settled onto a chair, and tried to relax. For the moment there was nothing more he could do.
Aly's eyelids flickered open, as she took in her surroundings through slitted eyes. She was alone, in a small stone chamber, with one door and no windows. A couple of candles cast a flickering light around the room. Sitting up, she eased herself off the pallet she'd been lying on, and cat-quiet inspected the room. There was no way to get in or out apart from the door, and as far as she could see no spells. 'Great,' she thought. 'Looks like Kyprioth was right and Miki did move me…at least I hope he did.' All her knives were gone, along with her lock picks, and she cursed silently as she saw shadow flicker under the door. Either it was locked and there was some sort of guard outside or…she put her hand on the door, and pushed lightly. It didn't budge. With a sigh, she looked it over for any weaknesses. The hinges were on the other side, and it had been locked with a key. It was thick and heavy, and by herself there was no way she could break it open. Bending to peer through the keyhole she grinned. They'd left the key in the lock. With minimal splinters she managed to pry an iron nail from the chair beside her pallet. Cursing, as the wood left splinters in her hand, she pushed the chair over next to the door. When it came to weapons it wasn't her favourite choice…but beggars couldn't be choosers. Slipping the nail into a pocket she flopped back onto the pallet with a groan, to wait. They had to leave sometime. There was a louder movement outside, and she snapped upright. A small section high in the door slid open. It wasn't large enough to put a hand through, but as a peephole it was serviceable. A pair of dark eyes looked in then the hole closed again. The shadows under the door flickered again, followed by the sound of footsteps retreating from the door.
Jumping to her feet, Aly raced to the door. Well, either she would get out now or someone would come and see her. Either way, she didn't have much time. Shoving the nail into the lock, she moved it around until she heard a satisfying 'chink' sound, as the metal key hit the floor. Shoving her hand as far as it would go under the door, she strained to touch the key, just out of reach. Biting her lip, and ignoring the fact that the wood was scraping away at her skin, she managed to draw the key towards her, gingerly rubbing the back and palm of her hand. That was going to hurt later. Shoving the key into the lock, she turned it easily, and carefully opened the door. Stepping forward a couple of paces, she met the point of a sword and sighed dejectedly. Well, that had been short lived.
"Back in there, you go," drawled a voice.
"Nice to meet you too," she grumbled sourly
-
Julia stumbled back from Lilith, eyes wide, as the other woman sat down. "What the hell was that!?" Lilith grinned,
"So you saw it too? Interesting-,"
"Lilith what was it!"
"Oh right- Woah! That statue looks even bigger from down here!"
Julia tapped her foot impatiently. "Is this some twisted sort of revenge?"
"Now where on earth would you get an idea like that?" Julia glared, nearly growling as Lilith laughed, "Really, you should see the expression on your face! Where's the camera when I need it?"
"LILITH!!!"
"Alright, alright, I'm telling, I'm telling."
"Hmph."
Lilith ignored her, "That-what you saw- was something that's only started happening to me…well, I guess you could say recently. Aly, is this Cunning One, we're supposed to 'find', but the more I see of these 'visions' the more I think there's more to it. There has to be."
"Hold up," interrupted Julia. "That was real?"
"Real in the sense it happened centuries ago."
"What so somewhere in the past," she paused, "that was actually happening?"
"Yes, Julia," Lilith replied slowly as though talking to someone exceptionally thick, earning the death glare that was shot at her. "You know, I you saw that I wonder if someone else can when they're near me? It would help my trying to figure out these bloody things."
"How do you know they're real?"
Lilith shrugged, "One, I got one when Tau was ambushed. Two, -as you might have noticed- Aly had the same scar-thing that I do and it can do the same things to me that it does to her, and three, the least reliable, Kyprioth told me so."
"Really Lilith, I'm offended you have so little trust in me." The woman in question groaned and asked the ceiling,
"Why the hell did I have to say his name!?!?!"
"I was going to get you out of here, but if you're going to be like that…"
"Since when do you ever hel-," her retort was cut short as Julia slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Kyprioth, please get us out of here."
"No," said the Trickster giving the perfect impression of a mulish 2 year old. "She was mean."
Lilith glared, at the god and broke away from Julia. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she schooled her face to blankness. "I'm sorry, Kyprioth. Now will you get us out of here…before we die of old age?"
"Say please."
"Please, Kyprioth."
"With sugar and cherries on top."
"… You have got to be joking."
"Well, then. I'll be going…" the god turned.
"Kyprioth! Wait!" Cried Julia. "She'll say it," she paused to glare, "won't you Lilith?"
Lilith ignored the warning glare and looked away, "Dream on-OW! That hurt!"
Zapping her with her gift again, Julia growled, "I said, she'll say it."
Rubbing her side, Lilith glared at them both. Warily eyeing the growing spark on Julia's finger, she ground out,
"Please, Kyprioth…With sugar and cherries on top."
Light flared around the three as the god remarked cheerfully, "Ah, dreams are such wondrous things."
"Allow me to help you wake up," growled Lilith.
……………………
Lilith felt herself tumble to the ground, and looked up at Kyprioth's and Julia's grinning faces.
"You did that on purpose," she growled at the god, face flushing.
"I never!" The god grinned again, and then joined Julia in laughter.
Lilith looked up from her position on her back, on the floor. They were back in her flat, and she winced inwardly as Tau's face appeared above hers to join the other two in laughter. Deciding there was no other response to such utter idiocy; Lilith got up with a groan and flopped down on her couch, pointedly ignoring them.
She jumped, as Takeshi's voice remarked that if they couldn't be quiet and let him read, they could leave.
"Hey," said Lilith. "This is my flat. That's my job."
"You enjoy them laughing at your expense?"
"…No."
"Then you've got nothing to complain about."
"Why is everyone against me?" She asked the ceiling again and felt, the familiar feeling of a vision taking her mind. The laughter stopped abruptly, and she vaguely felt someone grab her arm.
……………………
The former spymaster fidgeted, eyeing the sword and it's bearer as they 'forced' her to sit on the ground, hands on her head. Kyprioth's voice echoed in her mind,
…Trust me Aly. You need to meet these people. Just stay here for a bit…
'Trust the Trickster, why not,' she thought. "Why is everyone suddenly against me?" Aly asked wryly from her position on the floor. The middle aged part-raka standing before her looked at her impassively. "Can I at least take my hands off my head? No? Fine, then."
"I would've thought you'd had enough excitement for a week, but you really must be bored, to try talking to a guard who obviously isn't going to reply. Next time try the wall, you'll have better luck."
Aly looked up at the part-raka who entered, with a luarin around the same age and an old raka woman. She affected a large yawn, leaning back against the wall, apparently completely at ease with a sword aimed at her throat. "Why bother, when I can talk to you and listen to your dulcet tones reply." The part-raka man simply gestured for the guard to leave, ignoring Aly's comment.
"So, to whom do I owe the dubious honour, of for no apparent reason, finding myself locked in this cellar?"
"Him and him," the old lady jerked her finger at the two men with her earning a double glare which she ignored.
"Thank-you, Grandmother. I'd offer you a seat but as you can see…" she trailed off, and the old woman chuckled,
"Well at least you have better manners, than them when you care to use them."
"Enough Tara!" snapped the luarin. Aly raised an eyebrow at the usage of her name, and the part-raka replied to her unspoken question,
"If you are leaving here it will not be with the slightest chance you are going to betray us."
"So in other words the chances of you killing me are high? Lovely." As though to illustrate that point the luarin drew his blade and pressed it lightly against her throat. Aly's eyes flickered, slightly. Did she teach these people a lesson, or put up with the sword and listen for a bit? She sighed, as a voice that reminded her strongly of her Da's floated through her head. Knowledge is power. "Well are you going to talk to me or not? Really, I'm quite happy just to sit her-," She shutup as she was expected to do when the tip of the blade pricked her skin.
"I believe we should be asking the questions or making the demands." Aly lowered her eyes meekly, oh how she wanted to wipe the smirk off the luarin's face...
The old raka pulled a clear crystal, which glowed with magic, from a pouch at her waist. Some sort of truth device. She held it out before her, and then nodded to the two men. They began,
"It's simple enough; if you lie, you die. Do you serve Lungkata?"
"No. I tend to prefer not to serve murderous bastards." Both men turned to the old woman, the stone she held remained dull. The two before her relaxed, very slightly.
"Where are you from?"
"Tortall." The less people who knew she was the former spymaster of the Isles the better…plus it let her test the power of this stone. Unfortunately, she had to give them some information to gain it.
"Partly true," the woman's voice declared. Aly blinked in surprise, she'd never seen a truth spell work quite like this before. Aly winced as the blade pressed a little more firmly against her neck, she blood well around it.
The question was repeated, "Where are you from?"
"I was originally from Tortall. I've lived in the Isles for years now."
"True," the woman declared. Aly scowled inwardly. Better they had thought her a foreigner, with a questionable background, but in no way involved with the Isles current state of affairs. Cursed stone.
The part raka studied her face closely, noting the newly tanned skin. "You have travelled recently, and for all you were dressed in rags, your weapons were of high quality, as were your boots. Why did you travel and where to?" By this point Aly was silently cursing Kyprioth and the part raka before her, who picked up too many small details.
Grudgingly, she replied, "I travelled to Tortall to…find answers and information I could only access there."
"This information was…?"
"Something of the state of affairs here."
"Incomplete truth," declared the lady as the stone shone a faint bluish colour. The one who didn't hold the blade, crouched bringing his face close to hers,
"You do not seem to comprehend the meaning of 'truth'. You have been warned. The next time you tell even a half truth, you're going to find breathing painful. Understood?"
Aly nodded reluctantly. She was tiring of this very rapidly, and although she knew Kyprioth would not let her be killed… Mind you, as long as you could provoke them into answering, a truth spell could work both ways… "What information were you looking for?"
"I-I," she paused thinking furiously, "I wanted to know," she hesitated, "the reason the god I serve, seemed to have disappeared."
Their eyes sparked with curiosity, "And this god would be?"
"…I really don't want to answer that." The sword pressed harder again and this time its holder leaned forward. To threaten her again, Aly assumed. She'd had enough, letting him lean forward she relaxed completely gaining a little space between the blade and her throat. Twisting she swept his legs from under him, grabbing the blade as she flipped easily to her feet, blade now at the luarin's throat. "Let us get something clear. I'm still here, because I want to be, not because I have no choice. Nice as you people seem, I do not have time for this. I stayed only so I could figure out what is going on, and because the god I serve required it. You are, quite obviously, a rebel group. I do congratulate you on your efforts, but you have no chance against Lungkata. You're in way over your head, especially with no mages. As much as I would love to aid you, I have a score to settle. Now if you would excuse me…" They blinked and she was by the door, the key Lykas had had in his pocket in her hand. She smiled impishly, giving a small bow. Even as Lykas started forward, the door slammed, the lock clicking into place. Her voice echoed through strangely distorted, "I don't expect that will hold you long, and I am sorry. Your key will be on the steps."
……………………
Lykas swore, then turned and sat leaning against the wall. "Dammit. That could have been interesting. And now once we get out of here we have to find her. Whether she's against Lungkata or not, she's too clever…and she knows about us."
Zaos nodded, then sneered, "You should've let me kill her when Miki brought her in."
Lykas glared, "We could've gained something from that she was just-,"
"Could've, was the key word. But she didn't let us and instead of us gaining the information, she did-,"
"Oh stop it both of ye. What else would ye expect from her? You won't find her unless she wills it." The two turned to Tara, confusion written all over their faces. She sighed, "Honestly, were ye both dropped on ye heads when ye were born? Ye are certainly acting like it."
"Enough, Tara!" Ordered Lykas. Zaos sneered,
"You don't have any better idea-,"
"I rest my case. Ye are both stupid." Zaos growled, eyes flashing. About to retort, he stopped short when Lykas shook his head slightly.
"What is it, Tara? What have you seen that we haven't?"
"Hmph, with you're manners, I shouldn't tell ye," she relented slightly, "but with the two of ye as thick as ye are, I 'spose I have no choice." Lykas watched as Zaos' tensed, nearly snarling at the old healer,
"Thank-you Tara, please continue," he said quickly, before Zaos' could say anything else.
"Well, I thought it was plainly obvious. She's the Cunning One-,"
"Have you finally gone crazy old woman?! The spymaster died in the Grey Palace along with everyone else from the old government!"
Tara shrugged, "If I'm crazy at least I'm not blind. It is obvious. Miki said she was referred to as the former spymaster. The Cunning One was also known to have the Sight, and was a foreigner." She looked pointedly at Zaos, "A luarin. Her patron was the Trickster himself, and the Government would do anything to gain her, hence the reward Miki spoke of. Evidently, Lungkata is after her as well, though probably for different reasons to his lackeys."
Zaos snorted, "Whatever you say."
"She has a point, Zaos."
"You're both being stupid. She's obviously a spy, and when I find her, I'm going to kill her. You'll thank me later." He turned and walked towards the locked door. Pulling out a pair of lock picks he left it open and continued up the stairs. Lykas looked to Tara,
"He didn't mean it. Just give him a bit to calm down, and he'll come round." The old healer didn't answer, her eyes still fixed on the doorway.
……………………
Lilith blinked, coming out of her trance like state only to find herself surrounded by similarly dazed faces. Takeshi frowned,
"What the hell was that?"
"Yeah, what the hell happened?" Tau shuddered, "It was like scrying…only more real. I could feel the wind, smell…and it was so clear…" Lilith sighed, and shared a look with Julia.
"It's complicated…but it seems there were-still are, a lot of people after the Cunning One..."
…………………
A/N: Wow…I thought this chapter was going to be short so I just kept on writing…that and I didn't really want to stop…-grumbles- What!? I was bored…Review! Please?-grins- with sugar on top? (AH! Anyone else tried typing, with a cat that is somehow convinced it and it alone owns the keyboard?)
