Hello there, again!
Chapter 6 - A journey to the past
Hanthey's stride suddenly came to a halt.
"You are quite late today," the guard pointed out. He was a tall, burly man of not so eye-catching features, but still he stood in front of the door Hanthey needed to cross. His face did not look familiar to Hanthey, but it would have. "You should take your job more seriously. If you don't want to lose it, that's it."
"And you should keep yourself out of those business you do not understand," Hanthey hissed back. Yes, he was a notable pureblood, heir to a wealthy House; he'd never allow a simple guard from the Area of Mysteries to call him out.
As expected, the guard just shrugged and allowed him entry. Not even a frown, eh? Impressive. A good fellow who was quite used to dealing with arrogant purebloods, it seemed. When Hanthey crossed the door, his eyes took a bit to get used to the sudden darkness. A long, dark corridor welcomed him, with lights of a fickle blue shade which could barely brighten it. Much to his surprise, they seemed to follow him with each step, therefore, most of the corridor remained as dark as coal itself.
So much for the secrecy, eh? After all, this was the Area of Mysteries, the place where MACUSA had all their researchers working in many and different magical experiments of every nature. I can't believe this was so easy! However, how could it not? Nicholas Hanthey worked here, of course he'd be granted access with so little trouble.
Even so, there was a subtle difference in his routine, for today he'd been summoned to lord Elend's office, one of the top dogs here. In fact, everyone seemed to know such information, much to his dismay. The few guards Hanthey found in his way just nodded at him when he walked past them, no words necessary.
A few times, Hanthey tried to eye some of the doors he found in his way, but then the guards did stand in his way. Not as if he could see a damn thing with such a deep darkness, but still they took their duty to heart. I wonder what kind of shit is done here… They even try so hard to conceal it from a fellow worker. Again, didn't he do the same? He had a reputation for being quite an irascible wizard.
Finally he reached his destination, and this time no guard was there to stand in front of the door. This one, unlike the others, was well illuminated, and although it also was of dark wood, there was a single detail which differentiates it from others. Carved in the centre of it, there was a blazon of a golden phoenix with two black swords crossed at his back.
"And I'm supposed to be the self-centred bastard," Hanthey mused with a grimace. Still, he shook that thought away. He needed to feel annoyed at such a display; that was how he really was. And so, he put on the best frown he could accomplish, which was no short thing, and knocked on the door.
It opened by itself, and just like that, Hanthey was welcomed to a large, oval office. With a soft noise, the door closed itself at his back as soon as he stepped inside. From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of the many books which filled the large shelves; far too many to count them. The floor was rather simple, of grey wood and with no carpet to cover it. However, what really caught his attention was the man sitting at the other end of the room.
Tales did justice to him, for Elend Shawn was just as bit of an imposing wizard as people said. At this moment, the blond wizard seemed to stare through Hanthey's soul with those cold, blue eyes of his.
"I apologise for being late," Hanthey said with a faint bow of his head. "I, unfortunately, ran into some late notice trouble back at home. You know how inopportune wives can be, right?" There it was, a poor excuse a wizard like Hanthey would use to justify his lack of respect for a wizard of a more notable House.
Shawn, however, just stared at him.
"Drop the act," he finally said. "This room is completely secure, there is no need to keep this farce. Besides, I like to see the faces of my allies when I talk to them. More so if I have yet to know whether they are of trust or not."
"What farce are you talking about?" Hanthey asked back, rather dumbfounded. Then she remembered. "Oh, I got carried once again, did I not?"
With a deep sigh, Shana just shattered the Illusion around her body and discarded the mask she had worn for the past hours. She wasn't that ambitious yet weak man by the name of Nicholas Hanthey. No, she was Shana the Fifth, a proud Master from the Order of Merlin. She didn't work here, now she remembered. No, the reason for her visit was to meet with lord Shawn in order to discuss a possible alliance.
"Sorry about that," the witch said with a grimace, a bit embarrassed. "Oftenly, when I put all I have into an impersonation, I get lost in it."
This was her most precious skill, and the one which made her special; enough to be recruited for the Order. Since she had memory, Shana had excelled at creating Illusions of every kind. To her, it didn't matter which kind of reality she needed to alter, if that of the nature of that of someone else. However, it was not as cool as it sounded.
After all, to impersonate someone, Shana needed to discard her true self and embrace the new persona. Once, Master Lawrence, as a joke, referred to it as if putting on a mask; only that the masks she wore turned her into another person. For the past weeks, she'd studied all there was to know about Nicholas Hanthey at length; his character, his fixations, the way he spoke and how his relationships worked… She'd forced her vocal cords to their limits, making her voice much deeper than it really was. She'd spent countless hours mastering those new facial expressions she needed to make.
How on earth could she not get lost into her new persona?
"I've heard about your skills and how they could affect you," lord Shanw went on, unaware of her distress. "Even so, never ever would I have imagined for them to be this excellent. I could, perhaps, have expected an incredibly precise spectre of magic. Yet yours were the best I have ever seen, to a point in which, were I to compare with those of mine, it would be an insult to your talents."
"As they say, practice makes perfection," Shana replied with a shrug.
"Perhaps," the pureblood lord went on, "but there's more to it, right? I can accept the fact your technique is way above mine, but when you came into this room, it wasn't your appearance that did the trick. No, it was your magical aura—it was that of Nicholas Hanthey. How is that even possible?"
"I did not come here to discuss my skills," Shana cut in with a frown. "Like some others, I was born with a Talent. It allows me to do what you have just witnessed, and that's all you need to know."
The lord just raised a brow at those words. "You still got carried away, did you not?"
"Yes, a little bit," Shana agreed reluctantly. "But it was way worse back then, when I was at the school. As of today, I can control it, so it does not feel as if I was living a hundred lives."
"I thought we agreed to stop this farce," lord Elend stated. "You lied to me yet again, Master Shana. I did my research too, you know? For much I looked, there was no record of you in the books of any of the Eight Schools. In fact, for much I asked, no one but Isaac the First seems to know where you came from. So, I will ask again—shall we end the farce and begin our reunion? I believe we have much to discuss."
"He's dangerous!" a voice growled in her mind. "We need to be extremely careful with him." However, Shana just paid them no second thought. This wasn't the time for her to take control of their body. No, there weren't any dangers here, no enemies to kill. This task was one only Shana herself could carry out.
"You have certainly done your research," Shana smiled at the wizard, not faced at all by his subtle try of intimidation. "I see that you really live up to your reputation. That's something not many pureblood lords can say as of today. But I too did my research, you know?"
Elend Shawn sent her a sharp look, but it didn't stop Shana. "Subtle threats seem to be a favourite of yours. Like that one time when you made a stellar return to the Duelling League after many years of inactivity, and just when rumours about your supposed lack of spine started to spread around the American sphere. What a lucky timing! I bet not so many lords were ready to show such blatant animosity after that. However, I implore you to drop that hostility. We are natural allies, given the nature of our necessities. If we do not join our forces, we will be destroyed."
Finally, he gave her the hint of a smile, though it was a very cold one. "You are not a woman to beat around the bush, eh? Take a seat, then. Let's get this done as swiftly as possible."
Shana did as told, then allowed herself a moment to study him.
She'd heard many tales about lord Elend, a man who took part in the Great War at a very young age and yet managed to become the bane of many Death Eaters. He still had that aura of danger around him, of course, but shy from that of a mythical figure. No, to her, the man who sat across the table was just a very exhausted wizard whose hair had started to ashen.
"Just as you suspected, there is a group of Unspeakables working for Isaac the First," lord Elend started. "Among them, there is one figure who stands out, that of Raven. He's a strange wizard, solitary and silent like no other, yet he still has a cult of fools who follow his orders like a bunch of obedient puppies."
He sure doesn't like to play around, eh? His straightforwardness helped Shana to remember what made her contact him for the first time. There were a bunch of MACUSA officials working closely with Isaac the First.
"What can you tell me about him?" she asked. Very few people were even aware of the Order's existence, and this bunch not only were close confidants of the First Master, but they also, if Shana's suppositions turned out to be true, worked in Isaac's secret project.
"Not much," Elend admitted with a grimace. "Here, most people do not reveal their identity. This is a dangerous profession, Master Shana. We work on very confidential projects, we keep many precious secrets from the public; information valuable enough for a target to be put in our heads. Here, the first rule is to not trust a single soul, for most of the time it's the friendly hand that becomes the most lethal one. There's people like myself who don't care about that, but there are also plenty of Unspeakables who lack the power to defend themselves. However, I believe Raven doesn't belong to any of the said groups. No, in his case, he just likes to have as much freedom as possible."
That indeed was a curious piece of information, but not one that shed any light on the matter. "So, there's nothing about him, right?"
"Nothing outside the things he does here," the pureblood lord confirmed with a nod, "and just about some of them."
This wasn't really a surprise to her—Isaac the First would never associate himself with rookies, more so if it was his secret project, the one at stake. "What a weird bunch they are, don't you think so?" she sighed. "The leader of an ancient Order, the most infamous mercenary from the Underworld and some Unspeakable whose ambitions remain a mystery."
A weird bunch they were, indeed, but also dangerous like no other. The main objective of her partnership with Elend Shawn had been to gather as much information as she could from the most unknown piece of the board. Despite that, as per usual, luck was not on her side.
"From what little I know," Elend went on, "Raven came to work here a few years before the Great War ended. He quickly ascended through the Unspeakables's ranks, making a name for himself, and not a good one. Soon enough, many started to follow him. Like I said, he has some sort of cult under his service. Lesser and weak men, but what they lack in power and influence, they win it in numbers."
"It's been two years since I started this investigation, and silly details is all I've got so far," the witch said sourly. "The odds aren't in my favour, that's for sure."
"Perhaps," Elend nodded, "but you are far from the starting point. For the past two years, I have worked with some of your entourage, but that changes today. I might have my reasons to work against Isaac the First, but to go all out on him I needed proof of your commitment. Now that I've talked to you face to face, I can proceed."
Maybe, she wouldn't be so unfortunate for once.
"I have one more question for you, lord Elend," Shana said instead, hiding her giddy smile under a cold facade. "What are your true reasons? I myself have worked in the Order for some years, and I know the kind of man Isaac is, and most importantly, how much he is ready to sacrifice in the name of his ambition. But you? Why would you risk your life in such a dangerous venture? You have a family, a son to take care of and a House to represent. For as long as I try, I just cannot figure out your reasons."
He took a while to answer, but when he did, Shana saw no trace of lies in his words.
"I have already lived through a war which almost destroyed the world," Elend sighed. "When it ended, I made myself a promise—from that day and until my last one, I would be watchful of every threat that might arise. To be honest, both Isaac and Xaladir scare me. They are very powerful and knowledgeable wizards, but still, what truly makes them a threat in my eyes, is the fact I ignore the true nature of their ambitions. That's what makes them two of the most dangerous wizards in the world to me."
There they are—finally some truths! This is the perfect time to get as many answers from him as I can. "You know?" Shana started. "There is this old rumour within the Tower, and it says that if I became the Fifth Master, that was because you refused it yourself…"
Once again, he gave her the hint of a smile, though it wasn't a cold one this time. "I almost accepted it," Elend admitted. "To be recruited by one of the most powerful organisations in the world? It was nothing but an honour to me. However, it was long ago when I learned to trust my instinct, for they have saved my lives countless times. That day, when Isaac himself paid me a visit, they begged me to get as far from that man as possible."
He paused for a moment, in which his ice blue eyes fell over Shana. "You do not know with whom you are messing with, girl. Even so, I swear in front of you that I won't let them achieve whatever it is that they seek. There will not be another dark lord under my watch."
He'd been honest with her, Shana could tell, and now it was her turn to repay such faith. It was time to reveal the information that could end their lives.
"Let me tell you a long story," Shana started, leaning back onto the chair. "But first, allow me to ask you a question. What do you know about Herpo the Foul and the Seven Precursors?"
Six months ago...
Every piece of information she'd gathered in the last year, supported by some historical events, had led Shana to a secret cave just under Mount Vesuvius. Thirteen months; that's all the time she'd needed to create a hypothesis about Isaac's project.
The First Master was a very discreet man, and yet, everyone in the Order knew that his one and only purpose was to write his name in the history books. To be considered as one of the greatest minds to ever live, but also, to bring glory for the Order of Merlin; his greatest pride.
To accomplish such a feat, there were very few deeds one could make. However, all the dots pointed that, whatever it was, it was related to this secret cave. Proof of that was the fact Isaac had sent a great garrison of men here. Even so, for the first time in forever, he'd been slower than Shana.
True enough, all those unfriendly faces still roamed around the Mount, but the odds weren't in their favour. In order to hide the cave from them, Shana had casted a very powerful Illusion at its entrance. If someone were to look from the outside, a wall of solid rock was all they would find. Only a wizard of great skill would be able to read her magical signature, and from what she knew, there was none among her enemies.
Not all was good, though, for such a display had greatly exhausted her.
"Be wary of traps from now on!" a voice ordered firmly. It belonged to Captain Jordan, the leader of a mercenary company whose services she'd bought for this venture. "We must secure the place as lady Shana rests!"
Jordan was a tall, serious man of short, blond hair. A long scar ran from his lips to his forehead, jumping through his blind eye; even with partial vision, he was as sharp as they came. He also was a very cautious wizard, of course. Shana had looked into his past, yet she'd barely found any information at all. No one knew a thing about him, just the fact he'd found a company from scratch, the Wings of Liberty, and that he'd managed to make it one of the best in the Underworld; a place where only a few thrived while most were devoured by those stronger.
A dangerous piece, indeed, but just what Shana needed—to fight a bunch of monsters, she needed a few of her own.
"Remember that today we will work on unknown territory!" Jordan barked some more. "This cave is some old settlement used by the Ancient Wizards. You better expect anything and even more!"
His soldiers were quick to obey, and so, they advanced through the many galleries as Shana recovered from her efforts. As the Master observed them, she could do nothing but to agree to the captain's words. Here, the risk of finding traps was rather high, and it was their duty to clear the path. Shana awaited their return, even if she felt well enough after a few minutes of recovery.
Seated atop of a large rock, the witch stretched her legs. Her robes, a yellowish dress of oriental style, with some comfy trousers underneath, allowed her enough mobility to do such a thing. It would also allow her way more, such as moving freely in case of danger or just to venture into rocky paths. Also, it served to show her status as a woman of importance, which was quite important when dealing with the kind of men who would serve her today.
That last thought brought a smile to her face—some of these mercenaries had already eyed, quite greedily, the two short swords which were attached to her hips. Not as if she could blame them, though. It wasn't everyday when one could lay his eyes on two weapons made of Goblin Steel.
Or so she hoped, at least—otherwise, it would be her buttocks the one to cause those keen glances.
Just then, Jordan came to her. "We've found a safe route, my lady," the captain announced with a serious voice. "Takuya and Marco, two of my scouts, lost their lives in the process. Thanks to their sacrifice, we have discarded all the galleries which reached a dead end."
Shana finally stood up. "I am sorry to hear that," she said with a sigh. "Be sure to retrieve their bodies before we move on. No one deserves to be left forgotten here."
Jordan nodded, then started to bark some more orders.
On her behalf, Shana eyed all those around him. This company sure was efficient. They acted like one. When Jordan ordered something, his soldiers carried it out with no hint of hesitation, much less with any question. "Seems like you were right about the traps," she said suddenly.
Jordan didn't even look at her. "Trust me, my lady, this is just the beginning. What lies in the depths of this cave is a mystery to me as much as it is to you. However, I doubt that just two is the number of casualties we will experience today."
As soon as all the scouts gathered, the company started the way down. The corridor they walked down was a slippery one, thanks to the amount of gravel and rock dust it had. Her thick boots adjusted just fine, and so did her eyesight, although many soldiers seemed to have trouble even after their wands were brightened by a Lumos.
"How's the war going, Captain?" Shana asked to fill the void. She'd never liked long silences unless necessary, and this was one she could prevent. "Last I've heard from the Wings of Liberty is that they kidnapped some notable lords from Thailand, thus they got a huge amount of gold in return. To me, the games many pureblood lords play are utter rubbish, perhaps just as much as they are primitive, but I guess it also is where gold flows most."
"We do what we are paid for, no matter what it is," the captain replied solemnly. "Once we accept a contract, only death shall stop us from fulfilling our word. But you already know that, am I right?"
"You are such a boring man," Shana rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know that, for you were pretty clear when we first met. Even so, although your loyalty towards my gold and your commitment towards this mission is undoubtable, your reasons to back me up truly are. True enough, the amount of gold I'm spending on you is no short amount, but there's already plenty of it in your vaults, just as there is more in the pockets of those Thay lords you've recently worked for."
The mercenary's face remained emotionless, and so she continued. "You know very well who I am, just as you know very well who are my enemies. Why on earth would you risk your life and that of your men for such little reward? I walk through a thin, slippery robe, but so have you since you signed our contract…"
"If we survive this ancient cave, I might tell you my reasons one day," Jordan replied with the hint of a smile. "More so, I might feel the need to expand our partnership if what lies at the end of these galleries is of interest to me." She sent him a sharp look, which he ignored with ease. "You need protection and men to do the dirty work, whereas I want to discover all the wonders and secrets this world has to offer."
You are a mystery to me, Captain Jordan, and there are very few things that I enjoy more than figuring them out. Just then, the corridor came to an end, welcoming them to an immense chamber.
There was a little fall in front of them, of about six metres or so, but still Jordan stopped her with a gesture of his hand. "If you are okay with it, my men will go first," he said, to which Shana nodded reluctantly. "Steve, gather your squad and get down there to search for any dangers!"
Steve, a bald, tall man was quick to follow the order. In no time at all, he and five more soldiers jumped down to explore the chamber. Meanwhile, Shana paced through the little cliff, eyes wary of every threat and mind sieged by a sombre hunch. There's something wrong with this chamber, I can feel it… Her thoughts came to an end as they were interrupted by the faint sound of a mechanism.
Around her, no one else seemed to have heard it. "Come back now!" Shana exclaimed atop of his lungs.
Her warning was met with many dumbfounded faces, and even with some mocking ones. And so, those soldiers below her paid no second thought to it. About to move in their aid, Shana was stopped by a loud sound, that of the chamber's walls exploding. Large chunks of rock flew towards the five soldiers, who couldn't even react, thus they were left buried under a pile of debris.
Their magical auras suddenly faded, and so she understood nothing but a bunch of corpses would be found under the rubble.
However, it had all yet to end.
Out of the new hole, a furious creature emerged—a Minotaur. Its body was large and thick, a mass of muscle like no other she'd ever seen which could even be spotted through the metal armour it wore from the hips and above. In its hands, the creature carried a long axe of double edge; one very sharp and of beautiful manufacture.
"The hell is that thing!?" a mercenary cursed at her back. "I thought these kinds of beasts were wiped out long ago! Captain, do we have permission to rain hell and fire upon that thing!?"
Before anyone could move an inch, a panicked soldier casted a powerful spell. Its purple light brightened the chamber, and so did its sparks once it broke against the Minotaur's armour. It seemed that it wasn't just of notable craft, but also of extreme utility.
It seems we've woken some ancient creature from its slumber. This time, it was Shana who stopped Jordan with a gesture of her hand. "I will deal with it," she just said. "I believe far too many lives have been lost today. I'm no damsel in distress, Captain."
A part of her sure took delight in those words. "Let me take control, Shana," the voice in her mind said. "Let's show these third rate wizards how things are done!" For once, Shana agreed with Valkyrie. It was time for her to take control.
Shana felt many eyes on her back as she stepped forward, yet the witch ignored them as she drew out her wand. With a flick of her free hand, a dozen Illusions were created around the Minotaur, whose eyes opened in surprise for a fickle instant.
It didn't confuse the creature for long, of course, and so he started to cut through the fake soldiers with ease, showing its mastery with the axe. Fake spells came from their wands, but to blind the Minatour for an instant was all the damage they would accomplish.
"Give me the control, now!" Valkyrie hissed once again. This time, however, Shana allowed her to come out.
Her fiery-red hair became dark as night itself, just as a confident smile replaced her serious features. Although Shana was a very competent witch, battles were Valkyrie's domain. It was something impossible to explain with words, to a point in which most would brand her as a loon, but her other self had a better control of their powers, just as she had a better instinct to survive in extreme situations.
As she jumped down, Valkyrie finally unsheathed one of her short swords—to slay this creature, special measures needed to be taken. By the time she landed, the Minotaur was done taking out Shana's Illusions.
Valkyrie just raised her sword and pointed it at the creature. "I came here to slay you, beast from past ages," she said with a smirk. "And for that, I'm gonna show off a little. After all, there are a bunch of men here who don't seem to have much faith in a weak, fragile woman like me."
Shana had been blessed with her Illusions, whereas Valkyrie had been blessed with Allomancy, the ancient art to use specific metals as a source of magic. In total, one could use eight of them, each one granting an unique skill, and she was lucky to control half of them. Those known as the Physical Metals—pewter and tin, then also steel and iron.
Using them was no different from using ordinary magic, or so it was to her. Allomancy was a little yet complex game of Pulls and Pushes, and the ability to use them came from an allomantic core rather than the magical one.
To start the battle, Valkyrie burned the pewter she'd previously ingested, which granted her enhanced physical capacities. Her sword danced in her hand, already excited, as her other hand made its way towards her belt. There she pulled out some metal coins from a little bag attached to it.
It was time to make use of her two favourite metals, steel and iron.
The mechanic was quite simple when mastered after countless hours of practice. Whenever an Allomancer burned steel, they would be able to Push against every source of metal nearby. Then, when burning iron, they would be able to Pull from any source of metal nearby. Just like Shana and Valkyrie, the metals each got their own counterpart. Here, this little game would grant her great mobility even in close quarters.
Valkyrie then ran towards the enraged creature. It seemed to surprise the Minoutaur, just as it surprised the mercenaries at her back, who let out loud gasps as proof. Let's see what an ancient beast like you can offer! She stepped into the axe's reach, and it fell over her with incredible speed. However, thanks to the pewter, Valkyrie was faster, and so she dodged the blow with a simple sidestep.
"Minotaurs are said to rely too much on their vision," Shana advised her counterpart, "blind him."
The axe fell with a loud thud, and it cracked the ground as it was embedded into it. It took the Minotaur less than a second to pull it out, time enough for Valkyrie to jump back. When she reached a safe distance, she taunted the Minotaur. In response, the creature, fumes pouring out from its snot, did exactly as she wanted and rushed at the witch axe upfront.
Then, Valkyrie burned steel and Pushed against the coins held in her left hand. They flew across the chamber like arrows, and they sank into the Minotaur's eyes in the blink of an eye. The creature roared so loud it seemed to shake the very chamber, furious but also blind. Time to deal the final blow!
Valkyrie pulled another coin out of her bag as she jumped high into the air. She rose several metres, and as she fell, the witch turned around and Pushed against the coin. It rocketed backwards, and it only stopped once the wall got on its way.
Now, in most situations, magic was something very hard to explain; a sea of endless possibilities. And so it happened to Allomancy, but not when using steel and iron. For these two metals there were very specific rules about their use and limitations; it was science rather than magic. If an Allomancer were to Push against something heavier than them, then they would be rocketed towards the opposite direction, but if the metal source turned out to be lighter, then it would be the one to fly away from them.
Because of that, the moment the coin hit the wall, getting embedded into it, Valkyrie was sent flying towards the Minotaur. She crossed the chamber fast and precisely, like a shooting star, and there was nothing the poor creature, blind as it was, could have done.
Valkyrie landed on its back, and there she rolled down. Before her feet could even touch the ground, her sword cut both of its achilles tendons in one swift cut. The beast fell to his knees with an even louder roar, however, this time it wasn't a furious one. No, instead it sounded like a deep lament.
The warrior didn't allow the creature to recover, for she unsheathed her other sword, then she thrusted both of them into its armpits. Its armour might have been mighty and useful, but it shared the same weak spots they all had. Its skin was as tough as stone, and only thanks to her augmented strength she was able to pierce through it.
"Be merciful and give him a quick death," Shana mused. "We are the ones who invaded his ancestral home."
For once, Valkyrie agreed with her. She retrieved the two short swords and stored them back into their sheaths. At last, the witch finally pulled her wand out. "Farewell, mighty and proud creature from the Ancient Times," she said, the tip of her wand glowing in bright white. "You shall meet your ancestors yet again."
The Minotaur bent down its neck, and so, the thin beam of light which came from Valkyrie's wand had no trouble severing its spinal cord. Its body felt down with a loud thud. At least, she'd granted him the most painless she could offer.
Only then, as she took a long, deep breath, did Valkyrie start to feel the exhaustion. She'd consumed a lot of pewter in a very short amount of time, she'd relied on the strength and sense of invincibility it granted, and now it was time to suffer the consequences. "Well, job's done here," she mused with a smirk.
And once again, Shana did take the control back.
Her hair became fiery-red once more, the Illusion which had painted it black shattered; some locks had escaped from her polished bun, and she was quick to fix it. "I swear this damned woman has no regard for anything but battles," Shana sighed.
Meanwhile, Captain Jordan walked towards her as his men retrieved the bodies of those fallen comrades from under the rubble. "You are indeed a witch with many secrets," the man pointed out, unfaced. "Turns out you also are an Allomancer, and, if my guests are on point, you can at least control four metals…"
Shana remained silent as she fixed her bun, and only then she did talk. "So, you know about Allomancy, huh?"
"First, you burned pewter to enhance your physical conditions," the man explained, flat out ignoring her enquiry. "Then, down here, you made a spectacle of Pushing against those coins and moving through the chamber. Of course, there's also tin here. I bet that, like it happened to Levitt himself, you have become an addict to the wonders it offers—who on earth would refuse the blessing of having enhanced senses?" He nodded at his own words. "Now, back to your question, yes, I do know about Allomancy. My best soldier, a Thay by the name of Levitt whom I just mentioned, can also make use of the four Physical Metals, just like you do."
"That's rather interesting," Shana said, hiding her surprise under a mask of indifference. "I've only met another Allomancer in my entire life, and trust me when I say that I've met a great deal of individuals. Still, that's none of my concern as of this moment."
This being said, Shana just walked past the captain and made her way towards the chamber's hole. I can feel something here. Perhaps, a weak echo of magic. She placed her hand on the wall, then moved it all across the rough surface, feeling as much as it had to offer. Wait, can this be a blood ward? She shook her head, disappointed. Come on, Herpo the Foul, I expected more from you.
"Give me your knife, Captain," she then ordered.
Jordan sent her a curious look, yet did as told with no hint of hesitation.
Shana's fingers travelled through its edge. "This is a knife of great craft," she said before making a deep cut across the palm of her hand. A decent amount of blood poured from it in no time at all, perhaps just as fast as it painted in red the wall in front of her when she dragged it across its surface.
Still, nothing happened.
"Seems like this will not be enough," Shana pointed out. "If so…" She turned back, her eyes in search of the ancient creature Valkyrie had just slaughtered. There were a bunch of men taking a look at it; long gone was the fear from his eyes, replaced by sheer amazement. "I see! So this is the chamber's puzzle, huh."
Jordan followed her gaze, and he too understood what needed to be done. "Get off the Minotaur," he barked. As per usual, his men were quick to obey. "Xang, take three of your men and go watch the entry of the cave. We don't wanna get ambushed here."
The men were about to take their leave, but Shana stopped them with a gesture of her hand. "Wait a moment, Captain," she said. "You, the short wizard; your name is Xang, right? Well, do me a favour and bring this Minotaur right here."
Xang, damned be him, asked his captain for permission first; a detail which really infuriated Shana. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he chanted at last. With effort, he finally completed Shana's task.
The creature's body landed right where she wanted, in front of the wall.
"I apologise for what I'm about to do," Shana said as she unsheathed one of Valkyrie's shot swords. With a touch of pewter to make it easier, she sliced open its femoral artery.
The blood came out plentiful but without pressure, and so, it poured down like a calm river. Shana, however, put an end to that. With a gesture of her hand, she gathered a good amount of blood in a large, solid sphere. It flew above her head, bigger and bigger with each second. Once she was satisfied with the amount gathered, she sent it to the wall.
The blood coated a large part of the wall, soaking and nurturing it. Seconds passed and nothing happened, yet she stood there as confident as she could be. Finally, after a few seconds in which whispers had echoed her actions, the chamber rumbled and the wall in front of her disappeared like mist carried by the wind.
It led to a large, downwards corridor; one as dark as void itself, which not even her augmented sight could see through. Shana stepped into the gallery, and to the sound of her steps the lights were born in the form of countless torches of ghostly, blue fire. In there, it smelled rancid, a scent so foul and deep that not even creatures of the likes such as rats, spiders or snakes seemed to be able to withstand it.
"Soldiers, guard the chamber and aid Xang in case of need!" Jordan barked at her back. "Kouji, my friend, you'll come with us."
In the blink of an eye, Shana was overtaken by the shadow of a short man. Kouji, it turned out, was a Japanese wizard whose hair was styled in a man-bun, and it seemed that Jordan truly trusted him.
Their descent seemed endless, perhaps because of the faint light which guided them, or maybe because of the ominous silence which surrounded the group. Either way, it felt like ages until they reached the end of it. At last, they were welcomed into a way smaller chamber, and there, at its entrance, the putrid smell did die as if guarded away by an invisible barrier.
With no further preamble, Shana stepped into the chamber. "Lumos," she chanted, and so it all turned visible.
The chamber was smaller, true enough, but of much more interest. There were many empty cages all over the place; some had old bones in them, while others were full of egg's shells and some things she couldn't identify. However, what really caught her attention lied at the end of the chamber. There, carved on the wall, was a huge heptagon made of metal.
"Shouldn't we look for traps, Captain?" Kouji asked as he frowned at Shana's recklessness. "This has been far too easy since she defeated the Minotaur. I don't like it."
Jordan just followed the Fifth Master. "I don't think there will be any traps here," he said. "Whoever created this place, he didn't want to exterminate the intruders. No, he just wanted to test them, to see if they were worthy of reaching the end of it. That's my guest, at least."
Shana didn't look at him, although Valkyrie certainly wanted to do that. "He's far too clever for his own good," she hissed in their mind. "I will be watchful of him. Just in case, of course." Shana rolled her eyes at her other self's antics. No matter who or what, Valkyrie always saw enemy after enemy.
Now that she'd taken a closer look, Shana noticed there was a circle carved into each of the seven points of the heptagon. "Those are some strange glyphs," she mused to herself. "But I know that I've seen them before, somewhere." She then burned a bit of steel, and so, her hunch became a reality.
The heptagon was indeed made of metal, for many blue, ethereal lights came from it; as it happened with every source of metal when burning steel or iron. It was the way Allomancers were able to identify those metal sources with no trouble. "Still, it doesn't make sense…"
She then turned around, and there she observed a huge column of solid rock, right at the middle of the chamber. A smirk appeared on her face. Oh, this is much better, Herpo the Foul! Finally a more complex puzzle to solve! Valkyrie, you know what to do!
With a sigh, Valkyrie took control of their body once more, hair darkening just their posture became way more confident. "Captain Jordan," she said, "you and your men need to step back. Now. It wasn't a suggestion."
The warrior didn't wait for their response. No, she just pressed her back against the column, eyes set on the large heptagon. Here it comes! Valkyrie drank a vial of strange composition—which was a simple mix of water, pulverised steel and just a little tad of vodka for the sake of adding some flavour. Her steel reserves were replenished, and so it all began. With a very powerful Push, the heptagon moved forward, into the wall.
Kouji's gasps reached her ears, yet she ignored them with ease.
Bit by bit, the heptagon went further into the wall—bit by bit, the exhaustion grew within her. Even so, that wasn't the worst. Man, I hate this bullshit of action-reaction! It was a stalemate between the heptagon and the witch, and so, even if the damned thing was pushed forward, she was also pushed in the opposite direction. It came to a point in which she needed to also burn pewter to fight the pain away.
Suddenly, the heptagon hit something, and it was split into two identical halves. Look at that! Just as Shana thought, the heptagon was much lighter than it looked! Valkyrie Pushed against it some more, until it was finally sucked into the walls and a hidden room was revealed underneath it.
Her metal reserves came to an end just then, and so did her focus.
Fortunately, Jordan was able to catch the warrior before she could kiss the ground. "That was an excellent display of skill and wits, Master Shana," he said.
"Shut the fuck up and help me to get back on my feet," Valkyrie growled back. He did as bid, and only then did she take a deep, relieved breath. "Also, Shana is the one with the red hair. My name is Valkyrie, got it? She's the brains, I'm the muscle."
"I see," the Captain hummed as if it made all the sense in the world. "I won't repeat that mistake, my lady."
You take back the control, Valkyrie thought. I can't deal with this man and his nerves of steel! With a sigh, Shana returned.
"That consumed all the reserves of steel I had," she just said, hands fondling the now empty bags of her belt. "And most of the pewter, too. Even so, it was worth it." She turned around to face those wizards from the Wings of Liberty, whose perplexed faces told her they had yet to understand how her complex nature worked. "Thank you for grabbing me, Captain. Valkyrie is also grateful, although she isn't one to show such emotions."
The stoic man gave her a nod of his head as a response, and so, Shana was free to finish the venture.
The secret room she'd unveiled was a very small one, large enough to host a single altar made of white wood in the middle of it. Atop of it rested a large, yellowish parchment; damaged by the passing of time yet still complete.
Shana walked towards it, barely able to restrain the excitement which shook her body. At last, after all this time, I finally found something of use. With trembling hands she grabbed the parchment; she almost caressed it, fearful of tearing it apart with even such a delicate grip. It is written in Ancient Greek… Blessed be you, Lawrence, for making me study this dead language for all those years…
It said:
They want to destroy my legacy. They are coming for me. They want to kill me.
Such is the reason why I had to write this letter for you, Konstantinos, my last true friend.
I have something to confess.
Today, on this fateful day, I killed my wife, my own brother and two of my dearest friends.
I am saddened because their deaths could have been avoided, yet I was obliged to do it. There was no other way.
Gerdnyaram found out what I was going to do because of her damned powers.
Her powers were the ones to sentence her. I just happened to be the executing hand.
Your cousin must be done gathering her friends from the Alazthi Elite as I write this, Konstantinos, my dearest friend.
It is just a matter of time for them to find me. Alas, I am not going down without fighting, for I have the very same right to live in this world as they do.
I have already given the order to all my followers and allies to bring hell itself upon those proud Alazthi and what little is left of our great Order.
Konstantinos, I really hope it is you who reads this letter. I really hope they do not kill you because of the mistakes I committed today. However, if someone else were to read this, I hope you, whoever you are, to be one of my heirs.
Heed my words and spread them far and wide:
I, Herpo the Foul, am the greatest wizard to ever walk this planet. My legacy shall last generation after generation.
This might be what was fated to me—to fall here miserably, to never accomplish my dreams.
Still, whatever my fate turns out to be, I do not fear it.
I shall Ascend to Immortality.
It was a deep silence, the one to envelop them after Shana finished her tale, just as thoughtful were the words Elend Shawn used to break it.
"Isaac the First is after something Herpo the Foul created, then," he mused. "Something he considered to be part of his legacy."
"No," Shana replied, "he isn't after something. I suspect he's after Herpo's most legendary creation: his infamous Horcrux."
Elend finally opened his eyes. "That's one of the greatest mysteries in the history of our world. In fact, although many great researchers tried, even some colleagues of mine, no one could prove it even came to exist."
"I shall Ascend to Immortality," Shana recited. "I am sure it existed, lord Shawn, and what nobody could ever prove is whether it was destroyed or not."
"Let's assume you are right and the Horcrux truly exists," he went on. "What would Isaac do with it? What would he obtain from it?"
"Well, for starters, he would gain historical recognition," Shana said. "Isaac would print his name in every history book, in those which have already been written and in those which are yet to be made. However, what really troubles my mind isn't Isaac himself, even if that surprises you. No, what keeps me wide awake every night is the fact the Horcrux could, somehow, interact with Isaac's fervent mind. As we don't know anything at all about such aberrations of nature, it is my duty to always think of the worst that might happen. Say, can you imagine the horrors such a combination could inflict upon the world?"
Elend stared deeply at her for a few seconds, then he finally stood up. Around his hand, which was extended forward, towards Shana, a thick mist appeared. It started to condense, shaping into the silhouette of a very large sword.
He'd summoned Legatum, his famous sword; a wonder of past ages made of Alazthi Steel.
"You have convinced me, Shana the Fifth," Elend said with a nod. "We cannot allow Isaac the First to obtain the Horcrux—I will not allow it."
Relieved beyond measure, Shana unsheathed one of Valkyrie's short swords. "I can tell there is more to it than what you are letting me see," the witch mused. "I can feel it, lord Shawn. I believe you fear that, if Isaac fails, he will try the same with Voldemort's Horcrux. And that, my new ally, is the nightmare that keeps you wide awake each night, is it not?"
"Perhaps it is," Elend nodded with a hint of hesitation. "I talked to Isaac when the Great War was at its peak, and I know for a fact that he feared Voldemort like any sane man should. Besides, there is way less knowledge about Voldemort's hypothetical Horcrux than there is about Herpo's. The very few people who know about the existence of such aberrations have always turned a blind eye to it—the Dark Lord being somehow alive just cannot be possible, or so they have told themselves again and again. However, I know it is. Albus Dumbeldore knows it is. Isaac the First knows it is…"
"If so, let's seal our alliance the ancient way," Shana said, then she made a cut across the palm of her hand, from which blood started to pour out like a calm river.
Elend did the same, and just like that, they both grabbed each other's forearms; the sacred blood of their pact oozed onto the floor. Finally, I will be able to fight. I will put an end to your ambitions before the world suffers the consequences, Master Isaac…