Dhurka and Glag flew up out of the crevasse, shrieking in fury. They redoubled their attack. The Grandmaster raged. In the darkness, Neniel’s light blazed ever brighter.
There was no choice but to Smite the UnJust Evil before her.
***
The manacles dissolved. Gavriel’s eyes flew open. In an instant, he took in the battle above. The sorcerer sat up suddenly, forcing Valeral to dive to the side to avoid getting his nose crushed. Gavriel spared the youth a glance.
“You. What happened? Now. Start with that little display one level up.”
“We Sanctified a desecrated altar of our God,” Valeral said.
“In return we were confirmed in His Service,” Leibrev added.
“Priests. Vi will be thrilled.” Gavriel sighed.
“Mage-Priest–” Valeral began.
“–and Warrior-Priest, actually,” Leibrev finished.
“Wonderful. And you planned this whole thing.” It was not a question. Valeral answered it anyway.
“We did.”
“You had help. Dhurka and Glag. They were in on this.”
“We needed inside information, they needed help to reach the deeper levels. We didn’t know why. We tried to ditch them and get ahead of you all, just in case. We wanted thing to be done and dusted before they got too deep, just in case.”
“Well, they got what they wanted.” Leibrev stared up at the two flying Queans.
“That’s them?”
“Yeah,” Valeral nodded. “I think that they–”
“Pawns. Pawns upgrade to Queans once they reach the opposite side of the board.”
“That what we were thinking,” Leibrev said.
Gavriel nodded once, sharply.
“Do you think we can count on them to help us now?”
“I…don’t know.”
“I wouldn’t trust them,” Leibrev interjected coldly.
“I didn’t ask if we could trust them.” Gavriel’s eyes were equally cold. “I asked if we could count on them to continue their attack. I want to know whether or not I have to waste energy defending against the possibility that they will turn on us, rather than him.”
“I don’t think we can even trust Aunt Vi. She doesn’t sound like herself, and I’ve never seen her sprout wings of white light before.”
Gavriel stared up at the flitting form of his partner.
“Neniel,” he muttered.
“What?”
“Vi’s possessed.”
“What do we do?”
“Stand guard. I’ll see if I can break her free. Then we’ll deal with the Grandmaster.”
Gavriel rose.
“I don’t appreciate his lack of respect for fine clothing.”
***
The Grandmaster was breathing heavily. He had not needed to exert himself to this degree since he had been bound here in service to the last Grandmaster. He faced not one, but two Queans, neither under his control. Endgame approached.
“I have never been defeated! You shall not lay me low. I will rule forever.”
“You were defeated,” Glag screamed.
“The Old Master defeated you, defeated you and bound you.” Dhurka dove and sank her claws deep into his flesh.
“But you betrayed his Final Command.” Glag struck as well, ripping and tearing.
“For that, you will die.”
“And we shall take up the lost mantle and rule as he would wish–”
“–playing ches as it was meant to be played.”
“You will die,” they hissed as one, “as we shall reign as Queans.”
The Grandmaster struggled. Their claws tore deep gashes into his body. It hurt.
The Grandmaster was bleeding.
***
In the darkness, a shadow moved. It stole in, under cover of light, a slow and questing seeker.
Vi? Are you there? Can you hear me?
It was Gavriel. Vi’s spirit quivered within its steely prison. Cautiously, she reached her mind towards the questing shadow.
I’m here! Gav, she won’t let me go. She, my goddess, I think she’s got a crush on me. You have to get me out of here and back into my body where I belong!
I’m working on it. Gavriel’s voice weakened. She’s got a tight grip on you. I’m- I’m losing you! Fight it, Vi! Fight the control. You-
And then he was gone.
In the darkness of the sword, Vi sighed and set to testing the boundaries. They had to be here somewhere.
She wasn’t that much like Neniel. She couldn’t be.
If nothing else, she had a better rack.
***
The light was blinding.
The Grandmaster had flung Dhurka and Glag from him once more. Tangled in one another, they clawed desperately at a stalactite, lest they fall entangled to their deaths. The Grandmaster sought in vain for his third opponent.
White light blazed forth from Neniel. It filled the cavern, making it all but impossible to see. At the heart of it was the sword, blazing like a miniature sun.
Snarling, the Grandmaster conjured bolt after bolt of darkness, casting them forth to strike at the light. One by one they dissolved into nothingness, unable to face the glaring brightness.
“For your crimes, you shall die.”
Neniel’s voice blasted throughout the cavern, reverberating off the walls and dislodging small pebbles.
“It was you, demon, who called forth the hordes of vile goblins that slew my wielder’s men. It was you, demon, who flayed their skin from their bodies and consumed their souls. It was you, demon, who seized me and cast me aside so that you might feast upon my master’s heart.”
Neniel’s voice rose an octave. Her words dropped from her mouth, screaming under the weight of import she forced upon each one.
“For all this, and the Countless Crimes Unknown and Unknowable, You Shall Die. The Darkness in your Heart has festered for too long, and the Wages of your Sins have fallen, to Fruit the ground of this place and cover it in a Garden of Evil.”
“No more! I, Neniel, Blessed Handmaiden of Justice, Shall Not Allow It! Die, Fiend! And may your Death be the Baptism of Fire that Cleanses thy Taint from this World!”
The Grandmaster stood, stunned by the sheer force of the verbal onslaught, blinded by the light, mouth agape.
With a searing battlecry, Neniel struck. The Sword of Light slid home and wracked the Grandmaster’s body with coruscating fire. Light burst forth from his mouth and eyes and he exploded into a riot of fireworks.
On the floor of the cavern, Gavriel was shielding his eyes.
“Oh, that wasn’t over the top at all, no…”
***
A thread came loose. Vi allowed herself to revel in the small glimmer of satisfaction. It wasn’t the first time the girls had come to her rescue. It probably wouldn’t be the last, either.
With renewed hope, Vi threw herself into unraveling the threads that bound her to Neniel.
Vi had been called a brass-bound bimbo more times than she could count, but there was no way she was going to let a hunk of tin like this thrice-bedamned sword get the better of her!
***
Neniel was slowly descending. Dhurka and Glag had freed themselves and were trailing not far behind. Valeral and Leibrev held defensive positions over the not-quite-conscious Leigh and Drang.
“What do we do?” Leibrev glanced to Gavriel.
“Just stay calm and follow my lead. I have a plan.”
“We’ve got your back,” Valeral assured him. His eyes flicked towards Dhurka and Glag.
Gavriel moved a few feet away and calmly waited for Neniel to land. She did so, gracefully. The wings vanished and all light save that which lit her eyes flickered and went out.
Dhurka and Glag landed a moment later.
“We wish to negotiate,” Dhurka hissed. “We have no desire for further conflict.”
“But we are prepared to defend our rightful demesne, if it is required of us.” Glag’s gaze flickered to Neniel and back to Gavriel.
Neniel sniffed diffidently.
“I care not what you do with this dank hole in the ground. Justice has been served. The monster is defeated, and I am now free to walk the land once more, fighting for all that is Righteous and True and Just!”
“Self-Righteous, maybe,” Valeral muttered to Leibrev. Gavriel shot him a look. Neniel appeared not to have noticed.
“Ladies,” the sorcerer continued, “I think we can arbitrate an acceptable agreement here. Now, what do you think about–”
***
In the darkness, Vi struggled. No way in the nine hells was this bytche going to keep her down. Oh no. This was a fight the Blushing Violent of Vyne would not lose.
***
“Neniel!” Gavriel’s voice was deceptively pleasant.
Vi’s body turned to the sorcerer, eyes still spilling white light.
“What is it, sorcerer? I have already told you, what I have done is Just. I will not be swayed.”
“Oh, of course not,” Gavriel smiled. “I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory.”
“Ah, well, that is only Just.” Neniel preened. “Thank you.”
“You must be very proud,” Gavriel continued. “Such a remarkable accomplishment is not an occurrence of everyday. Ballads will be written of this battle.”
“Do you really think so?” Neniel’s eyes shone. “It would be so wonderful to spread the light of Justice through song.”
“Oh, I know.” Gavriel smiled a bit too widely. “After all, it’s not every day that a Force of Justice ensures the downfall of the Rightful Order and the Ascent of Usurpers.”
“Yes- Wait, what? No.”
“No? You did not slay the Rightful Ruler of this Dungeon? You did not Aid and Abet these two,” Gavriel gestured towards Dhurka and Glag, “the Usurpers to the Thrones of Black and White?”
The two new Queans grinned widely, revealing row upon row of razor sharp teeth. Neniel’s mouth moved soundlessly and the light in her eyes flickered, briefly. Gavriel rubbed his jaw. Damn Capitals were making it hurt. Hurry up, Vi, Neniel won’t stay off-balance that long.
“You were single-handedly responsible for the Downfall of the Just and Rightfully Appointed Ruler. It’s going to be all over the broadsheets. Bards will sing of this day for Ages.”
“A-ages?”
“Ages. In rhyme. Why, just imagine the multitudes who will be singing your da–”
With a primal scream, Vi surged forth from the sword. The ensorcellment shattered with a near-audible crack. The light vanished from her eyes.
In one swift motion, the swordswoman ran to the edge of the gaping crevasse and flung the sword downwards with all her might. The blade went spinning off into the darkness.
Violet… The sword screamed as it trailed out of sight.
Ringing echoes drifted up as it ricocheted off the walls, until it was out of earshot.
“Aunt Vi!” Valeral rushed to the swordswoman. “Welcome back.”
“Good to be back.” The swordswoman glanced over at her partner. “Thanks, Gav.”
“My pleasure.”
Vi surveyed the chaos. Sighing, she thrust one arm through Valeral’s.
“Well, young man, you have some explaining to do…”
Valeral paled. Vi continued.
“…but I think that can wait until after the handfasting ceremony, don’t you?”
Vi glanced towards Leibrev. Valeral did a double-take, and then grinned. Leigh, just rising to her feet, heard the words and promptly collapsed. Luckily, Drang was recovered enough to catch her. Vi laughed and shook her head.
“My sister is going to kill me…”
***
The waters of the underground stream were dark. Eyeless fish spawned in still pools and hobgoblins and troglodytes lived from the flesh and water of the subterranean rill. Gorak was one such.
Alone, seeking fatter fish and sweeter waters, Gorak’s luminous eyes were drawn to a strange glimmer in the stream. Cautiously he approached. Something shiny glittered amidst the slick pebbles of the streambed.
Scaly claws scrabbled in the water and drew out a long piece of metal. The gleam hurt his eyes. But the touch was enough.
Carry me from this place, foul creature. Carry me to the surface. I have lost my one true love, and that is very unJust…
The End.
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