Chapter 1

AVEYOND

200 years later...

It all began when I was a street urchin, dwelling in the alleys of Harburg, a forest city in the eastern province.

I was a thief back then, an escapee from an orphanage – the place I lived after my parents died.

I remember the night that I encountered true evil for the first time in my life.

If only I hadn't agreed to steel the orb...

~O~O~O~

"You have a job for me?" It's midnight – or near it. I'm not the person to ask, being watch-less and all. Though not a lot of people would ask me what the time is; I don't have any shoes either.

Anyway, Boden sent for me. A job, I was told, with a big cash prize at the end...

"A client has requested that you return an object of importance to his family. Your services were specially requested. It appears that your reputation is growing."

"What's the reward?"

"One hundred gold coins for the job." My mouth falls open."Ninety after you give me my split."

"One hundred gold coins? That's an insane amount of money!" I gape at him. All those things I could buy. I never so much as look at the shopping district... Well, not for myself, if you know what I mean.

But... I frown. No person in their right mind would offer a hundred gold for simple a theft. "This can't be right. What's the catch?"

"No catch." Boden grins, and I can see the longing in his eyes. Even ten gold is a lot – enough to buy at least a weeks worth of alcohol and drugs. "The client greatly desires the object, and wants the job done right."

Yeah, you're telling me. This guy must be desperate. One hundred bloody gold.

Something still seems off, though. This object must be really valuable, really urgent, or really dangerous.

Ha. Like that's ever stopped me before.

"Fine, I'll take it."

Boden holds up a scrap of paper which I can just see the squiggle of writing on. "The client is waiting at clockwork mansion."

"The fancy house on the hill?" If he lives there he can afford a measly one hundred any day of the week.

"Yes. On the balcony specifically."

I nod and turn to leave.

"Mel?" Boden stops me. "Be careful."

"Careful is my middle name. You worry too much, Boden. I'll be back before dawn."

I leave his house which leads right onto an empty courtyard, but I know that's another story on the other side of the surrounding walls. Thief's, pimps and prostitutes all inhabit this area. Oh, and Phil, the escaped convict.

The streets are also deserted, strewn with broken glass that I tip toe around. Empty barrels lie everywhere, which I check out of habit in case anything has been left inside. No luck tonight.

A narrow bridge leads across the river, separating my crowd from the middle class. A gang across it are all standing around a fire. They flip me off when they see me looking.

From here I can just see clockwork mansion up on the hill. On that balcony is a sack full of gold just waiting for me.

You can tell when you get to the posh area. Barrels and glass are replaced with trees and potted plants. They have street lights, the houses look newer – and, of course, bigger. It even smells nice here.

Up a long flight of steps and across a wide lawn lies clockwork mansion. The door's unlocked – handy – so I let myself into the house. All is quiet, save some snoring and the crackling of a fire next to a flight of stairs. A clock on the wall confirms that it's midnight.

They're on the balcony, upstairs. I go up, creeping as softly as I can on the stairs. This house is old, so they loudly creak anyway. Would probably be quieter to run up.

The first floor balcony is empty, so I try the second floor. An old couple lye fast asleep in separate beds. Is it them who hired me? They said meet at the balcony. I'll wait there for them.

The second floor balcony isn't empty. A person draped in a red cloak, flanked by two others in purple, steps up to great me.

"You are the thief we requested? Mel?"

"The one and only." Not the old couple, then.

"I need you to retrieve a stolen family heirloom – an orb – from the basement of Darkthrop Keep."

I feel goose bumps break out on my arms, a feeling connected with many tales and dares from my childhood. And that name.

Why must people always bring it up?

"You want me to go inside that old magicians cursed tower? Are you insane?" Obviously not from around here, this one. Everybody knows that place is to be left alone. Only a complete moron would mess with it after hearing the tower's history.

"I assure you, the legends are false; Darkthrop Keep isn't cursed."

"Then why don't you get your precious heirloom? Why send me?"

"I didn't say it wasn't safe..."

I laugh in his face, then turn to leave. "Sorry, gentlemen, the risk isn't worth the reward. I value my life."

"I'll double the reward. Two hundred gold coins. One hundred now, one hundred when you return."

That sure as hell stopped me in my tracks. Two hundred gold coins? This...this guy is insane.

"…You must really want this heirloom..." Two hundred gold coins? I don't know – that tower sure is creepy. I was told some seriously wacky stuff about it when I was little. Scared the bejesus out of me at night.

But two hundred gold...

"Fine, I'll do it."

"You made a profitable choice."

Yeah, your telling me, I think as he hands me over a fat purse. The gold insight clinks with the promise of an enjoyable few weeks spending.

"Return before dawn. I'll wait for you here."

"And if I'm not back in time?" I ask as I shove the pouch into my bag.

"That isn't an option."

This artefact is definitely urgent then, and if these faceless men are anything to go by, I would guess it's also dangerous.

"You better be prepared to pay the rest of my reward when I return. Otherwise, I'll keep the heirloom for myself." I say as I head back to the door, a warning I throw over my shoulder at him.

"Don't press your luck."

I leave quickly, in case he changes his mind.

Two hundred gold coins, here I come.

~O~O~O~

Darkthrop Keep is in the middle of a forest to the east of Harburg. Sitting on a small hill, it towers over the forest like one of those giant chess castles.

It's old, abandoned for nearly two centuries, I think. Not a single soul has entered it since.

Annoyingly, the last to leave remembered to lock the door behind them.

I look up at the tower. No broken windows, no big holes in the wall. Hmm, there must be another way in. I should look around the area. These old places always have secret entrances and exits.

I climb back down to the bottom and skirt around the hill.

I examine the surrounding area by crawling through the undergrowth, peering in every rabbit hole and pushing aside shrubs.

Under a clump of grass and other mossy type things, I spot a darker patch of ground.

Yes! I bet this will lead me into Darkthrop Keep.

It's a hole in the ground, covered by a metal grate which comes off easily.

Jackpot! It looks like the sewer for the tower is down there. Hmm, do I hear rats? Dinner, here I come!

~O~O~O~

I jump the last few rungs of the ladder leading down, and land with a squelch on the soggy ground. Something small scurries around the corner. The air feels thick and as slimy as the walls, which have magically lit torches casting just enough light over the narrow corridor so I can see where I'm going. It's weird that they're still lit, as if someone – or something – else is here.

I pull out my dagger. Sure, it might not protect me against a ghost, but it feels a lot better in my hand than in my boot.

Swatting moths away, I manage to corner a rat. Before it can escape between my legs I dive at it, knife first. Seconds after, it's in my bag, ready for cooking later. When I get home with my two hundred gold coins.

Next to a torch on the wall is a lever, but I move past it. If magic is present here, pulling that lever – and I mean anything, if the stories I've heard are anything to go by.

The corridors are long, leading me to empty rooms and dead ends, until I come to a ladder. I climb down and come to two doors. One is barred, the other has spikes which vary in height – from waist high to ankle high - blocking the way. I reckon the spikes are not to be messed with, which leaves me the barred door. Hopeful, I grip the bars and pull. They won't budge.

There must be a way to unlock this...

I just remember the way back to the lever, which, I figure, will need to be pulled if I want to get any further. Using my hole weight, I manage to pull it down with an ear splitting screech. Ears ringing, I walk back to the two doors...

Perfection! I've opened one of the doors – the bars blocking the first one have gone. That's one for me and none for you, Darkthrop!

The next area is pretty much the same. Magically lit halls, slime hanging on all sides. I nab a couple more rats, a sure luxury. Rats are in high competition in Harburg.

Gently, I walk the corridors until I reach another locked door, with no keyhole.

What's this? Another puzzle? Lame!

Nearby is a lever which I pull down. Something moves – something definitely moves. A loud creak gives it away. But the door still won't shift.

I bang my fist against the door and let a breath of frustration out. Darkthrop really didn't want people entering his tower. Or didn't think his front door was interesting enough.

There's nothing I can do now but leave the door and keep moving, so I head back and up a different corridor.

Somewhere there is a way to open that door, if I can find it.

There are no wall lights here, nothing to guide me but a faint white glow up ahead. What is it?

I find out when I turn the corner. The hall opens into a small room. A star in a circle glows on the floor, softly flashing.

Now that is definitely magic.

Something bangs behind me and I whip around. Large spikes bar my way back.

Great, I've blocked myself in!

I scan the little room. My only other exit has a boulder blocking it.

Hmm, maybe if I move the boulder down and into that little alcove, I can get out of here.

I turn back to the strange star. I wonder what it's for? There's a note beside that reads 'Emergency Exit', I think. No thanks. I don't trust magic.

Another lever is in here which I pull down - it's as noisy as the first. Nothing happens, except a faint scraping in the distance. That has to be the door.

Boulder moving time. It's too slippery to climb, so bracing myself against it, I begin to push. At first, the boulder does nothing but scrape my arms as I heave against it. Then, slowly, it rocks forward and begins to roll.

I can get past it now, but it's still blocking the corridor ahead. I try turning it into the alcove, gasping and scrabbling against it. A few more minutes of sweating like a pig and it's out of my way, fitting perfectly into the small nook.

Hah! Another brilliant move on my part. Mordred Darkthrop, I beat you again. Even if I do need to take a time out.

Now where did you hide that old heirloom, old, dead man.

I find my way back to the door. The lever was the right one – the door swings open. Huzzah!

I can hear trickling water as I move down the next corridor, which means I've arrived in the heart of the unused sewers. It's a huge lake of water, with stone paths and bridges running through it.

The first path takes me to a dead end, so I head back along another. The walkways are narrow and the wooden bridge mouldering. I cross them carefully, wishing I could swim.

Weirdly enough water still seems to be running in and out of here, keeping it clean – not that there's anything to make it dirty, other than the odd rat swimming around.

There's still no sign of a door, but I find a switch at another dead end. I'm guessing somewhere in here is a locked door, and this switch will open it. Well, I might as well save myself the trip back.

I pull it down with the usual deafening sound that echoes against the stone walls. There's a splash as all the rats dive under water.

As I uncover my ears I notice a pair of leather boots. They're old and a bit soggy, but I don't care. These will be my first pair of shoes in years.

I dip my feet in the water to give them a quick clean, them pull the boots on. I wonder who they once belonged to?

It isn't long before I see another white star, with the same note next to it. After that is another dead end, full of moths and, even better, a copper dagger, which I swap for my old rusty one.

The door is in the very bottom corner and unlocked, thanks to the early finding of the lever.

The little room I enter is filled with an eerie blue light, another sure sign of magic. I shiver.

There's a long staircase going down. At the bottom something shines. I trip down the staircase, eager to finish this job and get out of here. I can just see the source of the purple light – a small, round object resting on a pedestal.

Ha! It's the heirloom! This is the easiest two hundred gold coins I've ever made!

All those stupid two gold jobs were like mountains to a mole hill. Sending me into shops and homes to steal things, getting chased by guards and mad cooks with huge meat knifes. A little scrapping of the arms, a few puzzles and boom – I bag myself two hundred gold, some new shoes and a weapon.

It's almost too good to be true.

The stairs are left behind as I race to the bottom.

I win, Darkthrop!

I place my hand on the orb...

It turns from purple to bright gold.

What the...