Chapter Fourteen - Lunacy's Ascension

The day began as any other. It rained. Valendia was the kind of place that was besieged by rain most of the year round. Generally the days were dry but the nights were a torrent of water, drumming down upon roofs. Today was his last chance. He had to do it today or he would never have his chance for revenge. Regnak stood and looked down upon the table before him. He took the grip, sliding the track into place atop it until it clicked into position. Taking the stock, he inched it along until he was satisfied with the sight and clicked that into place as well. Fastening it, he restrung the bow and hung it from his belt. He opened the small quiver, taking a count of the bolts inside. Twenty should be more than enough for his task today. Hanging that from his hip, he surveyed the knives he kept tucked into the baldric. All sharp enough to do the job; he pulled the baldric over his head. Finally his eyes fell on the sword, the sword of his brother. The simple pommel and hilt running into the lethal blade; he slipped it into its equally simple scabbard and hung it from his left hip.

He walked to the window, looking out over Valein. It seemed peaceful enough, the dull mist and rain covering it like a blanket. While the city slept, he prepared for death. Not his but that of the damned VKP bitch who had ruined his life. Today was his day. Vengeance would be his...


But not the entire city slept. No, he was awake. He didn't trust himself to sleep through another night like the last. He would get this task done and in a week's time he would be able to rest eternally. Despite what his dreams told him, he had to do this. It was his destiny, his reason for life. It was his duty. Ashley stood alone in his room, sunlight creeping slowly in to shine upon his form. He held the sword up straight, resting his forehead against the central blade as he mentally prepared himself. Today another innocent soul would depart this world because of him. He would murder again, but out of necessity not lust. It had to be this way despite hating the way it made him feel. No, Callo Merlose would die today...


She woke, the dream fluttering away on the breeze that came in through the open window. Already her memory of it was fading but she still understood the gist of it. Today she would die. Thursday, the day of thunder. Named after Thor, the thunder god. What was the point of fighting it though? She would die and that would be it. An escape from her current plague.

She turned onto her side, looking at the peaceful face beside her. She reached out and gently caressed Sondra's cheek; a smile growing on the latter's face as she mumbled something. Slowly Callo leant over, leaving a soft kiss upon Sondra's lips.

"I wish I could stay but I've got to go away..." she whispered. Rising from the bed, Callo looked upon her naked form in a mirror. Her ribs showed clearly, food having not been her primary concern the last few weeks, but her figure still retained its simple, elegant grace. Shaking her head, she reached for her clothes, slipping into the tight-fitting yet still comfortable leather.

Finally dressed, she gave one last kiss to Sondra before walking through the door towards her inevitable fate...


He woke, the dream fluttering away on the breeze that came in through the open window. Today she was coming again. They'd play some more games, maybe talk a little. He needed her, the simple escape from having to be sensible and responsible. Such things were hard on adults, let alone a young boy like him. Joshua looked out the window and saw a Bluejay alight upon a tree branch outside. He watched as it looked back at him, cocking its head to the side as if curious to whom this child was. Joshua ran to the window but the bird flew away. Joshua's head fell. The bird had left him just as his everyone else had. His mother and father had died, Hardin had died... the only one left was Callo. Well, there was that Ashley person, but he didn't see all that much of him. Once in the manor and that was it. Maybe he would see him again some day?

Joshua got dressed, preparing himself for seeing the VKP Inquisitor again, not knowing that this would be the last day they would meet in this world...


Callo walked into her office and carefully arranged the paper on her desk. She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out the certificate that lay in there. She looked at it, the award she received for finishing top of her class. That day she had graduated from trainee to VKP Inquisitor, from victim to arbiter of justice. She had slipped away from the party afterwards and had tracked him down. He had begged for his life but she didn't care. She ran him through with his own sword, leaving the bastard to slowly bleed to death. He had deserved what he got, no-one could have argued against that. That day she executed him for the crime of rape. That day she got justice. That day all women were made just that bit safer. No-one else would be raped by the monster she had left to drown in his own blood.

She sighed, shaking her head before tearing the certificate in half. She looked around the room but could see no sign of Inquisitor Kalijan anywhere. It wasn't all that odd, but she hadn't seen him yesterday either. Not that it mattered, she wouldn't see him tomorrow either. Taking the halves of the certificate with her, she left for the Bardorba residence.


Again his hand had been stayed. For some reason he didn't fire even though she was in his sights. On one hand he wanted her dead so badly, yet on the other he was curious as to what was going on. Why would this day be his last chance to kill her? What had happened the few days ago? He knew that his mysterious benefactor certainly knew more than they'd been letting on, but just how important was that information? Regnak rose from his position, slowly following Callo from across the rooftops. Shit! She's headed for the Duke's manor. Killing her there will be a lot harder... Changing his mind, he decided upon a different plan. A far more cunning one that would work just as well. All he needed was a bit more time...


Sondra stood over him, scorn in her eyes as she looked down upon the 'legend' before her. He was still asleep but that wouldn't last long. She kicked him in the side, making him cry in pain as he awoke.

"Good morning Inquisitor Kalijan. I do so hope you had a pleasant nights sleep?"

"Who the fuck are you?" he asked, wincing in pain as the pain in his side continued. He wanted to touch it but he couldn't from where he was, chained to the floor, his naked form spread supine.

"Oh, I do beg your forgiveness for my rudeness. I'm Observer Sondra Felsham, pleased to meet you."

"Likewise, I'm sure," he muttered, not liking the look on her face or her manner one bit. "Why the hell am I here?"

"Ah, well I must commend you on getting straight to the point. You're here because you made a serious mistake. A very serious one indeed. You shouldn't have told the Grand Stewart about the Pretenders. Considering he ordered their use, that was a big mistake. You see, Grand Stewart Le Sait ordered our use in the matter of Inquisitor Merlose to keep an eye on her and... well, no need for me to tell you everything..."

"'Our'? You're a Pretender!"

"Exactly. And well, we can't go letting people wander around who know about our existence. This also gives me a delightful opportunity as well."

"And that would be?"

"To find out just what it was that Callo told you that made her cry all those days ago. That's been puzzling me for the last nine days... and now you're going to tell me."

"Why the hell should I if you're going to kill me anyway?"

"That was a stupid question Dejamir. It all depends on how I kill you. Quickly or slowly, the choice is yours. Personally, I'm hoping for slowly. You see, I don't like you being close to Callo, not one iota. She's told you things she won't tell me, and that makes me mad. I should know everything about her. I mean, that's what you do with your lover, isn't it?" Sondra continued as the prisoner's eyes bulged, realising just who it was before him. "You tell them everything, even your inner-most secrets. But since she seems so reluctant to do so, you'll tell me for her."

"Fuck you bitch! I won't betray her!"

"Betray? I think not. She already knows who I am and we're still together as we will be forever. It's only reasonable for you to help me since you care for her as well. You should want to see her happy, and who else can make her happy but me?"

"No way. It's her secret to tell when she's ready. Maybe you should ask yourself why she hasn't told you. Maybe she doesn't love you as much as you think Sondra."

Her eyes narrowed but the smile remained on her face. "I'm so glad you're going to fight this. It'll make it far more fun for me." She removed a knife from her belt and crouched down beside him. His eyes followed her hand as she made two small incisions running parallel to each other on his chest. She joined them at the bottom, making a small flap of skin. She took hold of it between her fingers and turned to look Dejamir in the eyes. "I do so hope you'll enjoy this as much as I know I will." With that, she pulled upwards, tearing a strip of skin from his body, a scream of agony erupting from the Inquisitor...


They had been playing hopscotch in the hallway for nearly an hour when one of the guards at the gate came in, a vaguely familiar stranger behind him.

"Inquisitor Merlose I presume?" asked the stranger.

The guard turned round, surprise on his face. "You mean you don't know her? But you said you were from the VK--"

The guard looked even more surprised when he felt the blade enter his stomach, before it ripped upwards viciously, splitting his chest, coating the floor in his blood.

Pushing the guard from the blade, Regnak stepped forwards as Callo pushed Joshua behind her.

"You're not getting him, d'ya hear me you bastard?" she cried defiantly.

"Him? Why would I... ahh, you think I'm here to assassinate the child like the Duke? Well, I've got news for you bitch. I didn't kill the Duke and I'm not after the brat either. I came here to kill you VKP Inquisitor Callo Merlose."

"Wha... what? Why would you..." It was then that she realised whom it was he reminded her of. Alex Drummond. They looked so similar; he even had the same prominent nose and his eyes... they screamed pain at her. A visage of Regnak appeared besides him and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't will it away.

"You ruined my life when you murdered my brother. I'd looked up to him for so long and you took him away from me, so now I'm going to execute you for it. The child can go for all I care, but not until after your corpse is lying at my feet."

"KILL..." the grey form screamed, hands curled into fists by its side.

"Your brother was not a good man. He deserved to die for what he did to me."

"Oh, and what was that?" he said, not really caring as he drew a sword from the scabbard at his hips. Callo swallowed nervously as she recognised it; the very same blade that had been used to strip her and the weapon she had used to kill the bastard who had done that to her.

"KILL..."

"He raped me."

Regnak Drummond's eyes narrowed as the hand that held the sword started to tremble. "You're lying, bitch. My brother would never do anything like that. He was a good man!"

"KILL..."

"He raped me because I refused him. He tied me to the floor and stripped me of my clothes with that sword you're holding right now. He raped me because he couldn't take me with my consent. Your brother was a bastard and deserved to die!"

"YOU'RE LYING!" Regnak bellowed as he charged at her. Pulling Joshua with her, Callo dived into an open doorway to her left just as he staggered past, the tip of his sword catching her side.

"KILL..."

Hitting the floor, she executed a tumbler's roll, landing on her shoulder and spinning round onto her feet. She grabbed Joshua and started to run as the doorway was filled with the figure of Regnak.

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY FROM ME THAT EASILY BITCH!" He chased her, the sword smashing through a chair that she threw at him, the halves going either side of him.

Down the stairs they ran into the gloom of the basement, Callo grabbing the brazier that was by the entrance and throwing it to the floor, removing all light from the room except that spilled forth from the stairwell.

As stealthily as they could, Callo and Joshua made their way through the darkness, his hand clasped tightly in hers as they moved around crates and barrels when they found them in their path.

"I'LL FIND YOU BITCH, MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT!"

They froze for a moment before plunging on further into the darkness.

"Callo, I'm scared," the young boy whispered.

"Don't worry, I won't let him hurt you Joshua," she replied, but somehow it didn't fill him full of confidence. She was unarmed while the scary man had a big sword and a knife, not to mention anything else he might have brought with him.

A screeching sound reached Callo's ears, the sound of Regnak's sword scraping across the stone floor as he walked. It sounded close, very close. Turning to Joshua, she whispered as loudly as she dared. "Stay right here. When he's gone, you run for the stairs alright?" When he nodded solemnly, she ran from him, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Instantly, the screeching sound stopped and Regnak's heavy footsteps could be heard chasing after the source of the scream. Joshua ran as fast as his legs could carry him, running towards the light. But he never made it, instead running into something, knocking him backwards off of his feet. Hands reached for him, one covering his mouth to cut off the scream. Looking up at the face of the person holding him, his heart fluttered.

"Where's Callo?" Ashley asked, removing the hand from the young child's mouth.

"She ran off screaming so I could get away. The scary man was after her with a sword!"

"Thank you for being honest Joshua. Now, be a good boy and go upstairs. You'll be safer there than down here, alright?"

Joshua nodded and ran, but not before noticing the huge sword strapped to Ashley's back. It looked just like the painting on the ceiling of the cathedral...

Ashley ran into the darkness, his eyes and ears as alert as possible. He found them facing each other warily, the man with a sword in his hand and Callo a few meters away, holding a thick piece of wood, almost a meter long.

Quickly he swung his leg, kicking the sword from the man's hand. As he whirled around to face Ashley, he saw the punch coming but couldn't do anything about it. He staggered backwards, hitting a barrel, which he knocked over while falling to the floor himself.

"I can't let you kill her Regnak." Callo was shocked that Ashley knew his name. Did they know each other?

Spitting up blood, Regnak tried to stand but slumped back down. "It's been a long time Ashley... what is it, three years since we last met?"

"Yes, that was an exceptional situation, two missions crossing over like that. We almost killed each other, not believing that the other was really a Riskbreaker."

"How were we supposed to know? Riskbreakers work alone, everyone knows that... so what brings you here to stop me from killing this bitch?"

"Well, I can't let you kill her since I'm going to. Sound familiar? But there is another reason Regnak. She was telling the truth."

Both Callo and Regnak's thoughts were the same: How did he know?

"Callo, come here for a moment."

Silently she responded, the piece of wood hanging from her hand as it dangled by her side. With one hand, Ashley reached out to her, seizing her wrist, clasping his other hand to Regnak's.

Visions flashed in Regnak's head, fear, panic, hatred, disgust and loathing careening through his mind. He saw his brother through her eyes. He saw Alex force his way between his legs. He saw it all and he wept. Was this really the man that he had looked up to all his life, the big brother that had commanded so much of his respect and adoration? His body sagged as the tears overwhelmed him.

Callo didn't have a clue what was going on but continued to watch in silence as the man who attempted to kill her bawled his eyes out, while another man who wanted to kill her held her wrist.

Ashley took Regnak by the shoulders, forcing him to look deep into the ex-Riskbreakers eyes. "What I just showed you was real Regnak. Your brother was a rapist and not the good man you thought he was. What Callo did to him was justice. I'm sorry you had to find out this way but you need to know the truth. Just leave her be... go and don't look back Regnak. Never look back..."

He helped the fallen man to his feet before bidding him farewell. Regnak Drummond stumbled away, his head still reeling at what he had discovered.

Sighing, Ashley turned to face Callo, but she had gone. Closing his eyes, he sensed her nearby; she still hadn't got out of the basement...

Drawing the Sword of Blood, Ashley stalked through the darkness. Sensing movement to his right, but able to see Regnak about ten meters in front of him, Ashley threw the massive sword overhand, its blades carving the darkness up until it met its target with a sickening crunch. Walking over to it, Ashley was shocked to see whom he had killed. Not Callo as he had thought, but a small boy. Joshua. One blade had pierced his stomach, a second smashed through the young child's skull. He didn't see Callo stumble upon the scene. He didn't hear the curse muttered under her breath. All he could see was this child dead before him, just as he had seen his son dead before him so many years ago. They looked so alike...

Falling to his knees, Ashley arched his back as his guttural scream resounded through the basement, forcing Callo and Regnak, who was nearly at the stairs, to cover their ears. A white glow surrounded him, growing in intensity until he could no longer be seen. When the light finally receded, Ashley was gone...

Regnak's footsteps pounding on the floor brought Callo to her senses. There was no doubt the young duke was dead. As Regnak took in the scene that lay before him, Callo started to walk away, her soul dead. Turning, Regnak followed, the both of them silent as they left, both unable to believe what they had seen, leaving the corpse where it lay.


Joshua opened his eyes to discover himself in the cathedral of Leá Monde again... Light poured in from the stained glass windows all around him, painting intricate patterns on the floor in front of him. His study of them was disrupted by a screeching sound. Looking up, he saw the doors start to open, a blinding white light coming from behind them. Joshua smiled and started to run down the aisle. As the doors opened wider and more light spilt forth, Joshua's grin widened and his pace became faster, pushing himself onto the figure that was starting to appear. After what seemed an age, Joshua reached him, throwing his arms around the man's waist. Beside them a kinda scary looking man with metal arms stood, but Joshua wasn't scared. He took one metal hand and one hand of flesh and walked with the two into the light, towards the sound of a woman laughing. A family reunited once more...


Callo walked home and while physically silent, her mind was screaming at her. If I hadn't run from Ashley, Joshua wouldn't be dead... it's my fault, all my fault...

A young couple bumped into her, breaking her from her reverie. Her eye met the mans and instantly a grey version of him appeared to his side.

"She's kinda hot..."

Snatching her gaze away, she looked to the floor and continued on past them. Passing a small stall in the street, a middle-aged rotund man approached her.

"Want to buy some fresh apples luv'? Four for a pound?"

Their eyes met and she saw his grey form. "Please say yes, I need the money to support my wife and kids..."

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she screamed, before turning and walking on, her pace was somewhat faster now. Everywhere she looked, people turned around to stare at her, disturbed by her cry. And besides them appeared grey forms, all of them talking to her at once.

"What's up with her?" "Is that young woman alright?" "Woah, she's cute!" "What's with her, screaming at the poor guy?"

Their voices bombarded her sense until she could take no more. Covering her ears, she ran, ran through the streets as fast as she could, ran from the voices in her head, ran from the harsh realities of life...

She threw open the door to her apartment, running inside to the bathroom where she threw up into the sink. She didn't even dare look up into the mirror for fear of what she would see. Entering the bedroom, she sat down on the edge of the bed, holding her head in her hands, crying to herself. Why is this happening to me? Why won't they just leave me be?

She looked up, through the window. She watched the birds fly through the sky. She watched the hands of the gigantic clock on the church slowly go round. But slowly her focus fixed on something else. Her reflection. Her eyes.

"Do it..."

Behind her sat a grey form of herself.

"Stop the voices..."

The grey form's left hand reached out, to gently rest on her shoulder, the other reaching across Callo's belly. It seemed so real that she could actually feel her touch...

"Do it. Stop the voices..."

"But how do I do that?" she heard herself ask.

"You know how to do it. Stop the voices..."

Slowly, Callo rose from the bed and walked into the kitchen. She drew a large kitchen knife before returning to the bed. Again the grey form appeared, this time kneeling before her.

"Do it. Stop the voices..."

Slowly Callo raised the knife.

"That's it. Stop the voices... Do it now. Stop them for eternity..."

Callo trembled as she sunk the blade into herself, blood spraying everywhere...


She was on a high, remembering the thrill of watching him screaming and begging for her to end it quickly. She had refused, enjoying every moment that caused pain to the bastard who'd tried to steal Callo from her. Eventually he had told her what Callo had said. That pained her in a way, but she was happy to know about Callo's dark secret. She whistled as she walked, eventually arriving at Callo's place.

When she knocked on the door, it idly swung inwards, clattering against a wall. Resting a hand on the hilt of the dagger at her belt, she carefully stepped in, a floorboard creaking loudly; echoing throughout the desolate abode. Wincing, she lifted her other foot and placed it down as softly as she could, repeating the procedure as she made her way from room to room. Eyes alert, she slowly drew the small blade, her palm slick against the grip. Satisfied all the rooms but one were clear, she steadied herself behind the door, trying to shake all sense of nerves from her body. Hefting the dagger, she held it by the blade in preparation to throw it. She leant against the door, her free hand reaching for the handle. As she pushed the door open, she rolled through it sideways, coming up into a crouch; knife at the ready but she didn't throw it. She saw only one person in the room; silhouetted against the moonlit window, Inquisitor Merlose sat before it on the edge of the bed.

Silence.

With a sigh, she rose up, her muscles easing from their tense state. "Your door was unlocked... I thought... he was here."

Silence.
Shaking.

"W... what's wrong Callo?" Sondra asked, tension creeping into her voice. As her eyes adjusted to the new intake of light, she noticed the stains on the bed. Red stains. Bloodstains.

Silence.
Shaking.
Shivering.

As she started to walk around the bed, she saw that Callo also held a dagger in her hands, this one covered in blood.

Silence.
Shaking.
Shivering.
Shattering.

Grabbing Callo, by her shoulder, Sondra Felsham span her around and stared into the mutilated cavities that had once housed Callo's eyes. Blood and pus oozed from ragged gashes where she had repeatedly plunged the dagger in.

Silence. Shaking. Shivering. Shattering. Sacrifice...

"They shan't hear my secrets anymore, nor I theirs... I'm free of them at last; the voices have stopped..." With a small giggle, Inquisitor Callo Merlose passed out, falling backwards onto the bloodstained sheets, the dagger rolling from her slackened grip...