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Shadowchasers

Blue Blood

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Epilogue

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Three days later…

"So, Red," started Maddie. "Were you serious about ditching the whole heroic vow of chastity thing?"

Again, the two were at the Shadowchasers' meeting table at the Coy Nixie, halfway through platters of potato wedges and stuffed mushrooms with iced sarsaparilla tea.

"I don't know," started Red. "I will say that it has not been as… rewarding as I had hoped. I get letters all the time from people I don't even know, asking for dates, asking if I ever considered acting, and even marriage proposals. From what I've heard, the garbage on the internet is even worse."

"Men do seem to be drawn to purity. They see it as some sort of… forbidden fruit. Heh, maybe you could follow Red Sonja's example?"

"I should date Sonya?"

"No, no, Red Sonja… she… Oh."

Of course, Maddie remembered Red wasn't much for old fantasy movies or comic books, so she gave a short version:

"Red Sonja was a very beautiful, very buff warrior girl, who pledged allegiance to a goddess, who gave her unparalleled martial prowess and skill. On the condition that she would never couple with a man who had not bested her in combat."

Red Feather raised an eyebrow. "So, she could only love a man who had tried to kill her?" Her voice seemed to have at least some snark in it.

"Yeah, that's what a guy in a movie asked her… Guess it is a little… dumb when you think about it… HEY! Francis, Hank! Over here!"

She was so glad the others had just walked in, that conversation was getting awkward.

A few glasses of beer later, Nichole and Sonya had joined the group too. Nichole seemed rather withdrawn, and was wearing sunglasses, despite it being early evening. She hadn't been sleeping well, the whole deal with Xokiek having given her insomnia. Still, from the little sleep she had gotten, it did seem like the nightmares had gone away.

For now.

"How's Elizabeth holding up?" asked Maddie.

"Jenya isn't taking chances," said Hank, "using some sort of magic elixir to make her sleep. The times she's awake, she's at least able to eat, and is talking a little. She's still very scared, but she should recover. Even if Xokiek somehow escapes, I doubt Elizabeth would be a target. Speaking of which, what did Jenya do with him?" After about twenty seconds of silence, he added, "Nichole?"

Nichole snapped back to attention, having been deep in though. "Oh, uh, uhm, don't worry, we put it in the vault under the cathedral. Only Jenya and Gregory are allowed in there, so he's not leaving."

"Not sure if we can take that jar anywhere else," added Sonya. "Don't think it's safe to bring that on the train."

"I'll call the chief later, maybe he'll have an idea."

Strangely, however, Nichole wasn't as happy as she thought she'd be. She hoped the nightmares would stop, but what Xokiek had said about "a friend in common" ... What did that mean?

She remembered a few years ago how Karl had talked her into going to some film festival, where they purposely selected the cheesiest horror movies they could find, one of them being Society…

She laughed a little, no, she doubted it was that bad, but the general theme did seem to fit.

The plan Xokiek described… he certainly couldn't do it alone. The blue blood of Cauldron is where the problem lies, and it certainly won't bode well for the hoi polloi.

"Here we go everyone!" Gabby's energetic voice and the smell of delicious food interrupted Nichole's morose contemplation. The lilend waitress smiled happily as she placed the orders on the table, steak with mushrooms for Nichole, chicken cutlets and mashed potatoes for Francis, spicy shellfish bouillabaisse for Hank, drow style fried portobello mushrooms for Sonya, and cheesy seafood risotto for Maddie.

"I love you, Gabby," said Francis.

"If you're trying to ask me out, Sugar, you'll have to wait in line. Oh, and speaking of which, Red Feather -" She placed a large bowl of soup in front of Red, a steaming, delicious-smelling bowl of what looked like chowder. "- this is on the house, a patron who came in earlier today gave us the recipe and insisted you be the first one to sample it. Vegan style vegetable-mushroom chowder."

Red was, ironically for her name, beet red in the face with embarrassment. She had a pretty good idea who had sent it and why, seeing as the chef had included a sliced radish in the shape of a heart.

To be honest, she had intended the comment about "ditching the whole heroic vow of chastity thing" as a joke, but… maybe she would look Alonso up. Having more of a social life would be a welcome change of pace…

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That night.

Cammy was nervous. More nervous than she had ever been in her life. A natural feeling to have when you were in front of an entity who could crush you to a bloody pulp and devour your soul.

She had only been in this room once before; right after the ceremony where she had become Xokiek's apprentice, he had shown it to her. Now, she was here alone. None of her allies were nearby to give support.

She was kneeling in front of an altar that seemed innocent enough - a golden statue of a handsome, slightly muscular young man with feathered wings, sitting in the lotus position.

Of course, while none of the other Cagewrights were allowed to give support, they were watching from a balcony above the cavern. Ten of the true Cagewrights - of the eleven total members of the cabal - and their apprentices, along with Lord Coll, watched carefully.

Biana was likely the one in the most cheerful mood right now and had every reason to be. Her hated rival was gone, and with Cammy promoted to fill the seat, Xokiek would be replaced by someone much more approachable. However, Triel - her apprentice - was furious at this sudden turn of events. While all the lesser members were upset - Cammy had the least seniority in the cabal, literally - Triel hated the idea that her rival was given the promotion so soon.

"This is not fair," she said softly.

"Life isn't fair, Triel," said Biana. "I didn't make the rule, Cammy was Xokiek's apprentice, so she gets priority here. Now hush."

"Behold," said a soft voice from the altar. Cammy opened her eyes, looking the statue in the face…

…and it changed, its own eyes - including a third on its forehead - opening to reveal they had evil, slitted pupils like a snake's. Its handsome face turned feral and ferocious, baring fangs as it reached towards her with one claw…

Cammy was terrified, but she knew she could not look away…

Then, it stopped. She closed her eyes, relieved, as it affectionately stroked her head.

"The deeper darkness accepts you. Stand."

Cammy did what she was told, standing and then turned towards the balcony.

"The position of true Cagewright is bestowed upon you, Cammy Grains, you are now an agent to the true destiny of the Shackled City."

Cammy's eye was focused on Triel now, her former partner among the Ebon Triad, making her intent obvious.

"Oh, I am so out of here." Triel turned and left from the exit behind her.

"Triel wait -" started Rivaldi, but the only reply was the sound of a door slamming.

"Ugh, kids."

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"Seriously, I don't know why you put up with that spoiled brat."

An hour later, Biana and Rivaldi were in a rather comfortable-looking den, with a fireplace, expensive looking furniture, and artwork. Two other Cagewrights were there, Alurad, a huge, hulking… person in blackened plate armor (they had no idea what he - or she to be totally fair - was under the armor), and the one who had just spoken, Bitch Queen Thearynn.

That was not an insult. She insisted on the title.

Simply looking at Thearynn gave the impression of overdone decadence, and the way she looked back at you practically telegraphed, "I'm rich and beautiful and you're not." with her silvery formal evening gown, with a plunging V-neck that (seemed to have been specifically designed to reveal too much yet not enough at the same time), mink sole, a great amount of jewelry, and an odd cross between a headdress and crown made of silvery blades. Haughty and condescending to almost everyone, she was hard to work with and far harder to like.

Unfortunately, this wing of the manor was Thearynn's private wing, created by her magic. Only certain members of the Cagewrights (none of them apprentices) and specific allies were allowed to use the facilities here - which were considerable.

"Spoiled brat?" asked Biana.

"No offense intended, Biana, I don't even have a spoiled brat right now, I have to envy yours."

"Hate to say this, but Triel had a point." Alurad took a minute to down the mug of beer he was holding. "These rapid promotions aren't doing us any favors as it is, and having those two at each other's throats isn't helping. Take it from an old veteran, this isn't the right way to run a city."

"The… master doesn't want competence," said Rivaldi, "he wants obedience, and Xokiek was getting a little too prude. He got what he deserved. By the way, weren't you were kicked out of the army?"

Thearynn's comment was met with a hollow growl from Alurad, but then he noticed the serving maid next to him - a teenage girl with chestnut hair tied in long pigtails, wearing a simple cotton dress and wooden clogs - offering another mug.

"Uhm… Thank you… Molly."

The girl couldn't answer - she had no mouth. She simply nodded and bowed.

Molly was, in fact, a good example of why it was never a good idea to have Thearynn as an enemy. She was a warlock, her magical powers bestowed via a contract with some otherworldly entity. Supposedly, a clause in this contract stated she could never use her powers totake the life of another sapient being. Why such a condition was required was a mystery, but Thearynn had spent a good portion of her life researching the best ways to punish her foes without killing them. It was truly uncanny the things a person could survive.

Exactly what Molly had done to be silenced in this way was a mystery - some even believe she was Thearynn's former apprentice. But it drove the fact home, for all of her hubris, Thearynn was a very dangerous woman. She fit the Cagewrights perfectly.

"The whole city is at each other's throats," continued Rivaldi. "The Lord Mayor's asinine tax hikes and the Alleybashers aren't helping."

"And, it's about to get worse."

The statement came from a portal that had just opened in the entrance to the chamber. Two figures entered, one of them being Lord Coll and another being a tall, odd-looking Shadow.

Zarn Kyass was someone who didn't need to talk in order to stand out, and he rarely did. He was a tall, muscular, bald Shadowkind, who wore an old-fashioned toga and sandals, the former held together with a leather belt with a satchel.

"A problem has come up - well, more like resurfaced - that needs our attention pronto," started Coll, "and you four are going to oversee it." Coll threw a small stack of fliers on the coffee table in the center of the sofas. "It's our 'friend' from Red Gorge again, I'm afraid. These are being put up all over Cauldron, mostly in the lower avenues."

"Dorison?" asked Rivaldi. "Damn, I am so sick of that man."

The printed fliers had a well-known symbol on the header, Dorison's family coat of arms. The text read as follows:

NOTICE

November 17th

CITIZENS OF CAULDRON!

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Come one, come all to Town Hall!

Those in power must learn that we do not welcome their debaucheries!

Their indulgences will be fueled by our hard-earned funds no longer!

The tax collectors are the lapdogs of their greed.

Let not their deception besmirch our fair city.

Speak your will! Voice your pain!

HELP US RETURN CAULDRON TO HER CHILDREN!

"He's not very subtle," said Alurad, "I'll give him that much."

"Maybe we should invite him here?" asked Thearynn, half-jokingly. "I still need an apprentice, after all. Oh, by all means, Coll, help yourself."

As they were reading the fliers, Coll had taken a bottle of brandy and a glass from a liquor cabinet near the fire. Thearynn's last comment included a dirty look, but she quickly turned away when he looked towards her.

"So, naturally, we have to deal with him again. Swell."

"You four did pretty well with that umber hulk," said Coll. "This time, Kyass here is going to help ensure this time is the last time. And… Uhm…"

He stopped. He had noticed a painting above the fireplace mantle. "On an… unrelated note, what were you planning to do with her anyway?"

The painting was seemingly well done but depicted a horrific scene. A beautiful angel with long, flowing red hair, bronze skin, ruby talons on her hands and feet and wings with golden feathers. It was Hester… The owner of the Cabaret Arcana whom the Shadowchasers had befriended.

But she was hardly as intimidating now as she had been before. She was clothed only in dirty rags and was held prisoner in an iron cage, suspended over a chasm in a hellish-looking cavern. The cage was iron, but the bars looked like giant ribs and were adorned with skulls.

"Ooh, I dunno. Have a few folks on my Christmas list I haven't bought for yet, but… For now, I think she looks good there."

The Cagewrights chuckled a little, then Coll cleared his throat and said, "Okay, okay, now on the subject of Dorisan…"

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While I'm certain many readers are eager to find what fate may befall Hester, I'm afraid that will have to go unanswered, for how, as Shadowchasers: Blue Bloods draws to a close.

But, "Shackled City" is not over yet.

Our next tale in this series will be called "Shadowchasers: The Legacy of the Demonskarr." Oh yes, the heroes will finally be able to explore that ominous chasm, plus leave the city of Cauldron for one of the other towns on the mysterious isle! There'll be more of Gregory, more of Dorisan, plus an epic duel that I am already working on.

Look for it to start in mid-November. And should I not write anything in the next week or so, I wish everyone a happy - and safe - Halloween.