Chapter 10

Valkron rode into the gates of St. Abbey first. Iruna followed a second later, with Samaroh trying not to look at the carnage around him. Emeth's jaw was set and he did not respond to the masses of decomposing flesh strewn around the paving stones of the once-clean monastery. The others stayed outside, clearly not wishing to enter.

Valkron's peco snorted and tossed its head. The knight leaned forward and stroked the side of its head, making shushing noises. 'Keep your head, boy. I know it stinks but we're all putting up with it.'

They rode into the courtyard that was the heart of the monastery. Iruna held her hand to her nose, while Samaroh kept his eyes closed. Valkron felt sickened, but the rampage was nothing compared to the Top Ten Worse Battle Scenes he'd ever witnessed, and he was a knight. He had honour to keep.

'Stop here,' said Emeth.

'What?'

'I said stop here.'

Valkron pulled on the reins. The peco halted with a nervous grunt and pawed the ground as the wizard slid off onto a paving stone that was at least cleaner than most of its neighbours. He surveyed the silent, blood-splattered buildings before he said quietly, 'I wish we had a sage.'

'Why?' said Iruna, who sounded like she was having a bad head cold.

'He could cast Deluge for us and clean this mess up so that we can clear up the bodies.' Emeth held his gloved hand to his nose. 'Eurgh. It stinks of blood and old magic. Something very powerful ripped through this place regardless of the people here.'

'Mind if I dismount?' said Valkron.

'Nope. Just look where you're going to stand.'

The knight got off carefully and joined Emeth. The mess was no better from this point of view. Bodies lay strewn everywhere, alongside broken maces and knuckles of all kinds. The priests, acolytes and monks who had been here had been powerless to stop whatever mad thing that had raged through.

Emeth bent down momentarily and picked up a charred, indistinct card. He sniffed it before examining it. 'That's odd.'

'What is?'

'This is a wizard's spell.' He caught Valkron's suddenly blank look. 'Every wizard has a distinct way of casting their own spells. Some wizards may need very little magic to cast a massive spell, while others may need a great amount before their spell is ready. This one doesn't seem to need much, but his spell seems to indicate maliciousness.' Emeth looked at both sides of the card and then let it flutter down to the stained floor. 'And it reeks.'

'What doesn't, in this bloodbath?' said Valkron, looking around. 'Iruna, are you all right? I do know your sense of smell is better than ours. You don't have to stay here if you don't feel too good.'

'Thanks for your concern, but no, I'm not going.' Iruna dismounted as well and joined them, walking around the corpses.

Emeth sighed. 'You don't understand, do you? No magic reeks.'

It took quite a while for Valkron to realise this. While the wizard glared at him, he thought carefully.

'So that means it's not any kind of magic?' he said tentatively.

'He means that there is another kind of magic in this world,' said Samaroh from the Might peco. 'It's dark magic, am I right?'

Emeth made an annoyed 'tch!' and gave the knight one last glare before he said, 'Yep.'

Valkron turned back to Emeth. 'And what does that mean, exactly? No, don't give me that look, I haven't had a magical education and you know it.'

'The portal - or whoever created it - is offering power to many people.' Emeth sounded disgruntled - at what, Valkron was not sure. 'Some reject it, some accept it. It's all done on a subconscious level, so they don't know they're actually doing it. It has something to with...the desire for power. I think.'

'Hang on, I thought we were the only ones who could feel the portal.'

'Feel, yes. Hear, no.'

For some time Valkron stared at the wizard. Finally he said, 'Okay, let me get this straight. Are you saying that the creator of the portal has a voice?'

'Yes.'

'So it speaks to people who have a strong desire for power at a subconscious level, yes? Those with a strong will say no but they don't know they said no, right? And those who really do want power will automatically accept it, right?'

'You know, for someone without a magical education you can figure out magic-related matters pretty well,' said Emeth.

'It's called having brains,' said the knight dismissively. 'So you've been hearing the voice, haven't you?'

'Pretty much, yeah.'

Valkron looked around the monastery again. 'I'll be damned if people are going around doing this just because they have extra power. Correct me if I'm wrong, but we're naturally...vulnerable to dark magic. Are we?'

'Well, the reason for the pain is because of the sudden fluctuations in the wavelength of the magical field,' said Emeth, his eyes glazing over as if reading an internal script. 'We're used to the normal one but we aren't adapted to old, dark or large amounts of magic. Somehow it seems that the reason why we are the ones who feel it is because we're naturally opposed to the magic that doesn't fit us, in terms of magical vulnerability.'

Valkron gave him a look. 'You study too much. Let's get going. Our only choice is to go to Al de Baran.'

'What? And follow whatever's left that horrible bloody trail?' said Samaroh in a panicking voice from the Might peco.

'We don't have a choice in that, do we?' said Valkron.

Iruna placed a hand on her cheek. 'No, I don't think so.'

'Then we'll go. Come on, Emeth. Why are you giving me that odd look for?'

You could be a little more grateful to someone who knows a lot here,' grumbled the wizard, as he mounted the peco.

Everyone else was glad to get out of the monastery gates and be quite far by nightfall. Valkron too was secretly glad, but he didn't show it. Somehow something had been niggling at his brain and he was getting too preoccupied with it to think about anything else.

They set up camp in a small clearing and arranged themselves in a circle. Eni stayed away from the men, but Iruna was contented to stay with them, even helping out over the food Amaru had in his cart. She had taken off her blindfold again.

Valkron sat and watched, as Khan discussed with Nocturne on how to make meat taste better. This was going to be his first night with people he didn't know, out in the forest.

'So we pour honey over the meat? Isn't that a little wasteful?'

'No, it isn't. Amaru, hand me that pot of honey you got from--'

'If you think I'm going to hand it over you're wrong,' said the blacksmith. He had been silent for so long that Valkron couldn't place his voice at first. 'Here. Try this instead.'

Several objects flew through the air. The hunter and the assassin were caught unawares, but Nocturne reacted fast. He quickly caught about five. Khan was nearly hit, but quick timing and a little shifting was all it needed.

'Apples?' said Nocturne wonderingly.

Amaru calmly got up and wrapped a piece of meat around an apple. He pushed a sharp stick through it and held it out. Khan took it from him and held it over the fire. In a few minutes it was giving off an appetizing smell.

Valkron watched the blacksmith as he sat down by his cart again. Something wasn't right about him, he decided. Amaru kept silent all the time, unless he was spoken to. His blue eyes seemed to hold contempt for everything around him, yet he showed neither anger nor fear. Either he was that way, or he was hiding something.

The knight yawned. The roasting meat was making him hungry. He'd have to eat before he turned in for the night.

The party sat around the fire and ate quietly. Eni sat some way away in her brother's flickering shadow, while Iruna relaxed beside Valkron. Emeth was watching the surroundings, his tall figure silhouetted by the fire. There was nothing to talk about - nothing worth talking about at this stage, anyway.

Eventually Valkron made his way to a nearby tree and made himself comfortable in between its roots. Everyone else cleared up and moved to some place else to sleep, although Nocturne had chosen to lie by the fire. Emeth would be watching over for now. There was nothing anybody could do. Was there? He didn't think so.

Valkron wasn't even aware he had drifted off, so it was quite rude when Emeth shook him awake. The knight glared at the wizard and opened his mouth, but to his shock Emeth clapped a hand over his mouth and put a finger to his lips. He then lifted his hand and pulled Valkron to his feet.

'What's going on?' said Valkron in a low voice.

'Sh.' Emeth led him over to a gap in the bushes around the clearing and knelt down, motioning Valkron to do the same. The knight did it, albeit a little puzzledly.

'Look beyond those trees.'

Valkron squinted, and then realised he was looking at a dark clump of figures running around. Some of them were carrying torches; others, from the shapes of their shadows, were wielding weapons of all sorts. They seemed to be moving towards the south.

'Monsters?' whispered Valkron.

'No. People under the influence of the portal.' Emeth adjusted himself a little. 'They probably don't know what they're doing, the poor fellows. Tomorrow they'll be back in their beds without a single clue as to what happened in the night. And then they find out there's been a massacre somewhere, and the problem is that someone saw them.'

'Then we should stop them,' said Valkron, getting up, but Emeth shoved him back down.

'Are you an idiot? They're probably twice as strong as we are, what with the portal's magic influencing them,' said the wizard.

'Would the same thing have happened in the monastery?'

'Can't rule it out.'

Valkron looked around. 'We'd better get up early tomorrow so that no one coming around here happens to see us and then immediately thinks we're the perpetrators or something. I'm going back to sleep. Emeth, if you think you've had enough go and get someone else to watch. Khan, maybe, or Nocturne.'

'He sleeps like a kid,' said Emeth, but let Valkron return to his spot.

As the knight settled back down he couldn't help wondering if any of his party would become like those people.

While they headed for the wilder regions of the north, two things happened. The first occurred when a runner sprinted past the Raulus party at such a speed that he did not see where he was going. Iruna and Valkron were, as usual, leading the party. Although Emeth saw what was about to happen, the others did not. There was general collision and then everyone halted in their tracks to stare at the newcomer, who was a supernovice.

Valkron leaned down and grabbed him by the collar before setting him to his feet. 'Hello there,' he said calmly. 'What's your hurry?'

The supernovice dusted himself distractedly. 'What? Oh, just some bad news we've just received.'

'Of what nature are they?'

'Seems that a small village has been completely razed to the ground.' The boy seemed to be checking if he was in one piece. No one was surprised. Colliding with a trained Pronteran Chivalry peco was like hitting a sack of potatoes with your bare hand. 'Not sure who the culprits are, but we've received witnesses' accounts of the villagers from the closest village. Which is odd, really.'

'Why so?' asked Nocturne, pushing Samaroh's staff out of his face.

'Because both villages were on good terms.' The supernovice looked up at them. 'Very good terms, mind you. It looks more like an unprovoked attack. Now, can I go? I've got to deliver the news to the Prontera Court by midday.'

Valkron absentmindedly waved him off. As he disappeared the knight turned back and gave Emeth a meaningful look.

'I hope none of you become like that,' he said.

'What do you mean?' said Eni in indignation. 'You mean killing innocents for absolutely no reason?'

'I mean turning on others because you desire for power,' said Valkron, resuming his position in front of the line. The alchemist turned her glare onto Emeth, who hastily shrugged and backed off wordlessly. The others, seeing that they were not going to get any further explanations about the situation, resumed walking.

By midday everyone was hungry. Amaru, who seemed to have a bottomless cart, gave out food silently. They ate with little conversation, and then quickly moved on.

After a while, Nocturne casually strode up to Valkron's Peco and walked side by side for a while.

'What is it?' said the knight.

'We're being followed. Not people.'

Valkron muttered a bad word under his breath. 'Tell Emeth.'

The hunter fell behind. Iruna seemed to turn her head towards Valkron, but he gave no sign of any activity and gazed steadily at the forest ahead of him. The only thing that hinted he could feel the impending danger was his fingers tightening their grip on the hilt of his sword.

It was only a matter of time before there was a bloodcurdling shriek from behind them. They turned to see a wraith heading vengefully towards them, the gaping mouth on its stomach hanging open with strings of saliva dangling from the yellowed teeth in anticipation. Valkron rolled his eyes and turned his peco around.

Iruna got off and ran forward, drawing her massive sword. When she was barely three feet away from it she slammed the blade of the sword into the ground. A massive white cross materialised in the air above her and dropped like a stone. The wraith screamed in pain as the holy magic hit it. At the same time she winced, but she held her ground.

Samaroh charged forward and aimed his staff at the monster. Light flashed, before the creature was flung backwards onto a tree. Emeth sent fire bolts at it, while Eni, not wanting to be left out, threw a potion that exploded on it.

All this while, Valkron had been dismounting from the peco. He strode towards the creature, ignoring the attacking around him. The wraith sensed him coming for it and threw itself forward, angry and injured. The knight continued to stride forward calmly, expressionless and purposeful. Khan shouted his name, but he did not turn back.

Monster and man finally reached each other. The wraith stretched out its rotting arms and charged. Valkron drew his sword. As the thing pounced on him he swiftly stepped to one side and plunged the sword right up to the hilt into the gaping mouth.

The wraith struggled, but it was too late. The sword burst into fire. At the same time Valkron shoved the sword deeper in. There was a strangled death rattle and a last shriek, before the wraith exploded into nothing.

The knight lifted his sword and looked at the glowing blade momentarily, before he turned on his heel and strode back to his patiently waiting Peco. Everyone else was staring at him, some with their mouths open.

He mounted the bird and looked back. 'What are you all looking at me for?'

That night Emeth confronted him.

'What was the meaning of that?' the wizard demanded.

'Of what?' said Valkron, wiping his sword with an oiled rag.

'Don't play silly buggers with me. No one would ever dare walk up to a wraith and plunge a sword into its mouth.'

'That's the vulnerable spot, Emeth. Catch it there and you're done. No further trouble.' Valkron rolled up the rag and stuffed it back in the bag hanging at the peco's side. 'I learned it while I was in Glast Heim.'

'Soloing?' asked Emeth suspiciously.

The knight looked up at him. 'Now how'd you know that?'

'After a while I think I know how you think.'

Valkron chuckled to himself, much to the wizard's surprise. 'I was soloing Jakk then.'

Emeth stared at the knight. 'So you actually do know a lot, don't you?'

'Been there, done that, came back, done that twice...but never bought the shirt. Never, mind you.' Valkron sheathed his sword and turned to face Emeth. 'So? What's wrong with it? Doesn't every experienced warrior know that trick?'

'Uh...no?' said Emeth. 'Do keep in mind I'm just as old as you.'

Valkron shrugged and turned to walk off. Emeth watched him, and then as the knight was about to reach where the others had set up camp, said softly, 'You know more than I thought you knew. You're stronger than you let on, aren't you? Why, Valkron? Why do you hide it?'

Valkron halted in his tracks and half-turned. In the light of the rising moon, the shadows on his face were crisp and mysterious. His deep green eyes gave Emeth a look that the wizard knew he would never forget.

'Because that's who I am, Emeth,' he said. 'It pays to advertise.'