Chapter 12: A king's ransom
Elize walked through the crowded streets of Marksburg looking for the name of a particular merchant stand. She had gone to Elympios on a tip from Luke that a former Labari test subject had opened up a shop by the name of 'Goodwyn's Emporium' on the Bridge of Unity.
Stopping by a food stand, she noticed the headline of the Trigleph Post on the counter: Terrorist Threat Amid Trial for EXODUS. Eight members of a key terrorist cell were being transported to Rieze Maxia to stand trial in accordance with the peace accord. They had bombed a shipment of spirit fossils used to construct spyrite from Leronde en route to Helioborg Fortress. She bought a copy and sat down to eat her egg omelet on rice - not quite as good as Ludger's, but passable.
She turned the page to see also that Rowen and the King were attending the opening ceremony of the Union Army Headquarters in Marksburg tomorrow.
Her hand intuitively touched the pocket where she kept his gift. Elize could feel the warmth in her heart unceasingly growing. Gaius gave her a new, immeasurable source of energy. This created a lighter, more peaceful resilience to face her fate as opposed to her hatred for Labari and the darkness that fueled her need to finish this quest.
His actions suggested that even if she was not one of the strong, Elize could borrow his strength to give her courage to continue.
Though she traveled alone her friends and family were constantly following up. Leia called to tell her that the article on Labari was going to print. Elize hoped it would allow others she could not find to come forward for treatment. Jude was constantly texting her updates on the prototype. She had also received a text from Luna last night, asking after her health and about Rieze Maxian teas. She received near daily texts from her family. Driselle and then Rowen that morning had asked her how she was faring and warned her to be careful on the road.
Elize never felt uncomfortable while alone on her journey until she came to Marksburg. Not long after she passed through to the end of the Bridge did she feel she was being watched.
Elize ducked into an alley and observed carefully. A pair of cloaked men, confused by her sudden disappearance, agreed to split up and search.
"Damnit," said one of them. "If she's really the Prime Minister's relative we need to catch her before tomorrow's ceremony. Otherwise Jerry is going to initiate the other plan."
"My source tells me that's her," said the other. "Unlike the king, the prime minister is open with his relationships. He has connections to the House Sharil in Rashugal. The girl is Elize Sharil, and he practically raised her. Many see her as his protégé. We'll use her to free the others."
"Then there'd be no need to follow through with Jerry's crazy plan," finished the other. "This is the last thing I do for him to repay my debt, then I'll just take my little sister and leave.
Elize watched them depart in different directions. She contemplated which one she would take on first but wanted to avoid involving bystanders. One was heading to the harbor and the other back to the bridge so she silently followed the first to the less populated area. Jumping onto shipping crates to avoid detection she made a dash to the edge and leapt over her would-be captor. Casting a ground spell in mid-air, she brought the man to his hands and knees.
"What the hell?!" he cursed. She then conjured a giant Teepo to sit on him until he was unconscious. Elize alerted the habor master to inform the Union office that he was a suspected train pervert and that he should be detained for questioning.
She then hurried back in the other direction and located the accomplice. When she found him she confronted him directly, mage staff drawn.
"Turn yourself in, Exodus," she ordered.
"Damnit, how the hell-?" the man cursed, looking for his partner.
"He's not coming," she answered. "You're not going to interfere with Rowen or His Highness. Where is your leader?"
"As if I'd tell you," he spat.
"You can't possibly believe they'd negotiate with you even if you caught me, do you?" she asked.
"What do you know about it?" he said between gritted teeth.
"If you care about your sister you should just run away," she replied. "I also...have someone I care about. I'd do whatever I could to spare him from being hurt."
"If I don't capture you for ransom, we'll never be free of him," he said quietly. The truth in his expression gave Elize pause, and contemplated her next step carefully.
"There's no need for you to do this. I can help you run away. Take me to the one in charge."
Remmy didn't know what to make of her. Not believing his good fortune, he bound her hands and took Elize towards the shipping containers on the Elympios side. Walking in the shadows to avoid the Union guards that were patrolling everywhere in anticipation of tomorrow's event, they came upon a small shed, where inside, she saw a man with an eye patch drinking liquor and eating a meal. She presumed this was Jerry.
"Remmy, my boy! I can't believe you pulled it off," the man laughed. "She's supposed to know them artes or some such, I'm surprised you were able to catch her." He forced Elize's chin up and leered at her. "Pretty little thing aren't you?" She jerked her face away from his grasp. "Feisty too. You're worth a king's ransom."
"I'm going to write the ransom note and send it to the Union HQ," said Remmy. "Where's Pamela?" he asked anxiously.
"Just runnin' errands. She'll catch up with us later. Where's Saul?"
"I-I don't think he's coming back," answered Remmy.
"Tch, coward."
Elize spent an unpleasant evening tied to a post in an upright position at Jerry's insistence. When he finally fell asleep in the loft above, she spent her time conversing with her other captor, Remmy, who loosened the rope to let her lean against the wall. She discovered that Jerry was a distant relation who took both Remmy and Pamela in when their parents passed away. Unknown to the siblings at the time, he was a member of Exodus. Over the years he made them run errands for his terrorist cell in exchange for free room and board. Remmy was a touch younger than Elize and his sister was only ten. He was relieved that Elize did not tell the harbor master that his friend, Saul, was a member of Exodus.
"Being a terrorist in Elympios means certain death," said Elize sadly as she remembered events of the past. "I couldn't help but feel your desperation to leave all this behind. Your friend was doing it to help you. Jerry on the other hand is…non-reformable."
"Heh," her captor said, giving her water from a canteen. "You're a nice lady, and you're sharp. No wonder you're related to the prime minister."
"Actually I'm an orphan, like you," Elize confessed. "Rowan took care of me and became my mentor, so I guess it's no wonder people mistake me for his real granddaughter."
"No kiddin'," said Remmy. "It's good that you found someone like that to take care of you."
"He's been very protective," smiled Elize. "He paid for my schooling then I was adopted by the lady of House Sharil and I served them both to repay my debt. I never forgot who I am though, and since they take such good care of me I donate my wages to the local orphanage. Maybe you and your sister can go to Sharilton and stay there for a while?" she suggested. "You only have each other, Remmy. If you get caught you'll be executed and then where will she be?" encouraged Elize. "Family is precious."
Her captor looked at her for a moment and sunk his head low. "You're right. I'm going to find a way to take care of her, without Jerry." He looked at her and smiled. "I'm going to find a way to get you back safely, Lady Elize."
"I can take care of myself," she smiled. "Just watch out for your sister."
-000-
When morning came, the whole town was abuzz with the arrival of Elympion and Rieze Maxian esteemed guests. With the podium and microphones set up the crowd started to gather and reporters milled around. The Chancellor was first to arrive and then the Prime Minister and finally the king. They gathered on one side of the stage as the master of ceremonies, the mayor of Marksburg, was warming up the crowd.
"Is there any word on where Elize might be?" Chancellor Marcia asked them quietly.
"No," said Rowen with a contemplative sigh. "There was a report from the harbor master describing a golden-haired young lady who turned in a suspicious person. Union officers detained him and he was eventually released. He probably caught on he was being followed and has quit the Marksburg region entirely.
"I wonder," said the Chancellor thoughtfully. "Elize may have been protecting him by not naming him a terrorist."
"Yes, I suspect that she did for her own reasons," said Rowen. "Yet it was quite reckless of her to take this upon herself."
"Elympios does not negotiate with terrorists," said Marcia steadily.
"Nor does Rieze Maxia," said Rowen. "But everything is being done to retrieve her safely."
The king, who had been silent until then, gripped the side rail of the stage and bent it with his bare hand. "It is unfortunate that we are still dealing with Exodus," he said, his voice low and menacing. He had already sent his contingency guard to assist the Union officers in search of Elize. In his coat pocket he could feel the presence of the small keychain of a handmade Teepo doll, reminding him of what was at stake.
"Are you…all right, Your Highness?" asked the chancellor. He seemed to be keeping an abundance of tumultuous emotions in check behind his hard, dark expression.
"I am fine," he growled. Rowen and Marcia exchanged uneasy glances.
-000-
When Elize arrived at the Union Headquarters' opening ceremony where the Chancellor had started speaking, her eyes immediately searched for Gaius and was relieved to see he was fine, though looking a bit strained.
He's probably worried.
She would have to end this quickly. Her hands still bound, loosely with Remmy's help, she walked in-between her captors and approached the crowd.
"I can't believe it," snarled Jerry. "They're carrying on as if nothing is wrong."
"Neither Rieze Maxia nor Elympios negotiates with terrorists," said Elize unfeelingly.
"He's your family!" hissed Jerry. "I wouldn't have taken him for a heartless bastard like the king."
"Don't you dare badmouth either of them," Elize snapped back.
"It's time for Plan B, then," he said with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.
"What? No!" said Remmy in anguish, frantically looking for his sister in the crowd. Elize wrenched herself out of Jerry's grasp, and when he drew a knife and slashed at her, she held up her restraints so that he cut her bonds.
"Damnit!" he cursed and drew a pistol this time. Remmy tossed her staff to her and she immediately cast a shield spell as the firearm went off and the bullet ricocheted away into the air. The crowd panicked at the sudden sound of gunfire and the Union guards ushered the Chancellor to safety in one way, and the Prime Minister and King in the opposite direction.
"You little-" he cursed. "Stay still, damned arte user!"
"Too slow!" she taunted. "Teepo chomp!" Elize conjured a version of Teepo that swallowed her attacker's head and he stumbled backward. "Catch me, if you can." Elize then took off in a sprint, as quickly as her soft soled, fine leather boots could take her, with Remmy in tow.
"Where is she?" Elize demanded as they wove their way through the panicked crowd.
"There!" pointed Remmy. Elize followed his line of vision to see a girl, likely no older than ten, carrying a flower basket and approaching the Chancellor. Her eyes went wide as she realized what the alternate plan was.
"Who has the detonator?" she demanded as they continued to push through the crowd running in the opposite direction.
"Jerry does!" shouted Remmy.
"Get your sister, throw the basket into the ocean and get away from here! Leave Jerry to me."
"Lady Elize," said Remmy gratefully, clasping her arm. "Thank you."
She manifested an altered version of the Teepo copter to elevate herself from the crowd and look for her target. When she found him, she jumped down, twirling her staff and slamming the tip into the floor, crushing the stone beneath it.
"You," she growled at him, steel gray eyes glowing in pure anger. A dark aura started to emanate from her body and a shadow of dark purple tendrils formed all around her. "How dare you use a child!" she screamed at him. All of her abhorrence for the Labari Institute once again came bubbling to the surface and she had no desire to stop it even if she could. Jerry drew his dagger and slashed at her again but Elize crouched low to the ground, touching it gently with her fingertips, avoiding the attack.
She lashed an array of artes after that, each more powerful than the next, first to disarm him, then to wound him. Last, she would make him bleed.
"Strength of darkness," she chanted, casting the spell instantly as a dark aura enveloped him and pinned him in place, "punish the wicked." A dark shadow of death rose from the ground clutching a scythe.
"Dark visitor!" Elize called out, and the reaper swung around in graceful, rapid arcs. Jerry screamed as he was caught up in the slashing whirlwind, landing in a battered and bloody heap on the ground.
"Ugh," he sputtered, lifting his head to glare at her. She approached him and struck him across the face with the end of her staff. Though he was now unconscious she would have kicked him for good measure but the soldiers were approaching.
"Lady Elize Sharil," said the captain, saluting her. "The King and Prime Minister have been looking for you. If you'll come this way, please." The other guards dragged Jerry away in the opposite direction. Elize's chest tightened, and she started coughing violently. Elize waved away any assistance from the guards as there was nothing they could do for her. Taking more than the usual dosage of medication, her symptoms finally abated.
Perhaps I went a little over board, Elize thought to herself as she used the back of her hand to wipe the blood from her lips. She looked back and hoped Remmy and his sister were safe.