Outcasts Of Velrune Part 28

"Her true form? I've never seen her do that before. What is she, exactly?"

"A killer."

Max gave a nervous laugh. "That's not Eve."

"Really, I believe I heard a report about a large panther killing several bandits in the dead lands about the time we pa.s.sed through."

Max shook his head. "Eve was either with us or Mr. Penna the whole time."

"Lacarnians are fast in their panther form. She could easily have left and returned while he slept. I suppose I should be grateful though. If those bandits had killed you, they would have ruined Lord Avram's plans."

Tyco looked past Max. "Come, Sgt. Harris, we don't have all day."

Max turned to find Lysander kneeling on the ground by Alexandra's backpack. He finished examining an object on the ground before picking it up and placing it in the pack. Standing, he slung the pack over his shoulder and walked over to them, head down. Tyco patted him on the shoulder.

"You may get a promotion out of this, Sgt. Harris. You should too, Max. You're quickly following in your father's footsteps."

Tyco led them to the vine wall where the other Protectors, with Alexandra and Melody held captive between them, waited next to a cleared opening. Max paused to talk to Melody, but Tyco grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him along.

"You're with me, Maxwell."

They stepped through the opening with the column of Protectors following behind them.

"You did well, Max, tracking down Alexandra and the Lifestone."

"You knew about her?"

"Yes, in fact it was your father who discovered her existence by gaining the lacarnian's trust."

"How did he know she had the stone?"

"He didn't at first. Lord Avram knew the stone would be in the hands of a Spirit Leech and sent your father out to find one. He just happened to get lucky that the one he found held the stone."

"Why does Lord Avram want the stone?"

"Because, Max, that stone presented a great danger in the hands of the Spirit Leeches. After all, they had already betrayed their own kind, who knew what else they would do with such power. If, instead, Lord Avram possessed the stone, he could use it to improve all of our lives."

"If my father was trying to retrieve the stone, then why did he help Alexandra lock it away?"

"Despite her appearance, Alexandra is quite powerful. He could not simply take the stone. He had to convince her to give it to him. Unfortunately, the bandit attack on the village interrupted his plan."

"But Alexandra said that the bandits were sent by the Protectors."

"After the attack, Alexandra figured out what your father was trying to do and believed the attack was part of his plan."

"If she knew my father was after the stone, why did she let me get so close?"

"Enraged at being tricked, she swore vengeance on your family. That is why Lord Avram sent you and your father across the dead lands. We thought the two of you would be safe. Alexandra proved us wrong; however. She found you and hired the bandits to kill both of you. She believed they had succeeded until recently. When she found out that you still lived, she wanted to finish you off herself. Lord Avram decided to use that against her to draw her out. He sent Lysander with you to keep us informed of all that transpired."

Max shook his head. "Her story is completely different. She says it was Lord Avram that betrayed their kind after accidentally causing a great disaster by misusing the stone."

Tyco chuckled. "Max, I know Lord Avram is old, but he is no Immortal. Don't be fooled by her, Max, she's had many years to perfect her lies. If all else, just remember she's only survived by stealing the spirit energy of others. Would anything good do that?"

"I don't know. None of it makes any sense."

"We will arrive at headquarters soon enough, Max. There you can ask Lord Avram yourself about all of this."

Tyco refused to say anything more, leaving Max to his own thoughts.

What really happened Dad? Were you trying to get the stone for Lord Avram or did you betray them to help Alexandra? I wish Mr. Penna was here to explain things, but, then again, he never said anything about any of this. I always believed the Protectors were just in their actions, but I haven't seen much of that. Eve seems to believe Alexandra's story and she's never been wrong. I just don't know.

Max took little note of their pa.s.sage. Tyco kept them at a forced march until reaching the edge of the forest where the sun had long since set. There, Tyco had them stop, ordering them to bed down for the night. Max sought out a spot away from everyone else, noting Lysander doing the same. Laying down he struggled to find sleep. When at last it came, he dreamt only of his father's death.

At first light, they set out across the plains towards Moenia. To clear his mind, Max focused on the rhythmic sound of their footsteps. It did help to an extent, but the fuzzy idea that he had forgotten about something kept nagging at him. Finally, in the afternoon, it came to him.

Eve! Where has she gone? It's not like her to run off. Although, Alexandra told her to run. She even mentioned she had instructed her to. I have to go talk to her, but how? Hmm, I know, Melody.

"Hey Tyco, I would like to check on Melody."

"The acolyte? No, you should stay with me, Max."

"But I promised the head of her church I would watch out for her. What harm is she anyway? She was only delivering a message to the village."

Tyco remained silent as he stared at Max, thinking. Slowly he nodded.

"Fine, she isn't really a threat, but be quick about it."

Max stopped, letting the column pa.s.s until Melody and Alexandra reached him. Alexandra looked at him in surprise.

"Maxwell, I did not expect to see you. Does the Lt. know you are back here?"

"Yes, I came to check on Melody."

Melody managed a weak smile. "Thanks Max, I'm fine. I don't think they are concerned much about me."

Melody held her wrists in front of her. The rope was snug but not overly tight. However, a quick glance at Alexandra's revealed a courser rope that had begun to rub her skin raw.

Alexandra smirked. "The Children are an irritant at most, Spirit Leeches on the other hand are considered worse than lacarnians."

As much as Max wanted to untie Alexandra to treat the wounds, he knew he could never do such a thing. The guards behind them already watched him suspiciously.

"Alexandra, did you know they would come for you?

"Yes."

"Is that why you warned Eve? Why her and not the rest of us?"

"They would have treated her worse than me. You, on the other hand, had nothing to worry about. Melody I did not know enough about to trust her."

"If you lied to me about this, why should I believe anything else you said?"

"I did not lie to you, only failed to inform you. A fine line, I know, but I needed you to hear about your father."

"How do I believe your story now? Especially since Tyco tells a different one. He says my father tricked you into trusting him so he could get the stone for Lord Avram."

"Hmph. Your father tricked someone, but not me. He wanted the same thing I did, to set the lacarna free. I had devised a plan to that end, but it was a plan filled with centuries of my hatred. Your father; however, opened my eyes to a better path, one he offered to help me complete."

"What was he going to do?"

"Overthrow Lord Avram and take leadership of the Protectors himself."

"What? My father would never...Why him?"

"I can set the lacarna free of the stone, but Lord Avram would strike out against them, starting another war. Your father, on the other hand, who had the trust of many of the Protectors and the lacarnians, could mediate between them. I have no doubt he could have re-established the Protectors as they once were, with both races jointly watching over all."

"If what you say is true, that my father wanted to help you, why did he take the box away from you, preventing you from getting the Lifestone?"

"Peter believed Lord Avram had grown suspicious of him. The bandit attack on my village proved that. He decided it best that we cease our meetings for a while. He could tell that I was unhappy with waiting and feared that, if something happened to him, I would revert to my original plan. To ease his concerns, I agreed to lock the keys in the box with him as caretaker."

"Was my father right in fearing what you might do without him?"

Alexandra averted her eyes, bowing her head. "I don't know."

Melody suddenly tensed. "Max!"

Max first turned to Melody and followed her frightened gaze along the column. Lt. Tyco stormed towards them, his eyes fixed on Max. Reaching them, he grabbed Max by the arm.

"It seems Alexandra's conniving ways are already starting to rub off on you."

Tyco pulled Max along the column until they came across Lysander walking by himself. Tyco shoved Max next to him.

"Watch him, Lysander. Make sure he stays away from that Spirit Leech and the other girl."

Without waiting for an acknowledgment, Tyco moved to the front of the column. Lysander, walking with his head down, said nothing. Max thought he seemed as troubled as himself. For the next three days, both marched in silence.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT.

They reached Protector Headquarters in the afternoon and made their way to the war room where Max first met Lord Avram. Tyco, Max and Lysander entered first, finding Lord Avram sitting behind the table, studying a large map. When he noticed their presence, he smiled with delight.

"Lt. Biros, you have returned. I hope you were successful."

"Yes, Lord Avram." Tyco stepped forward and handed the Lifestone to Lord Avram.

"Excellent. What of the rest of your mission?"

Tyco signaled the guard by the door who then waved the two guards that restrained Alexandra and Melody into the room. Tyco had not allowed Max to see them after that first day. His stomach churned when he saw Alexandra. The sunlight had wreaked havoc on her body, causing burns and blisters. The toes of her shoes were worn where she had been drug after growing too weak to walk on her own. Even now, the guard had to hold her by the collar of her dress to keep her on her feet.

Lord Avram's smile spread even farther. "Good, Alexandra posed a great threat to my plans." Lord Avram let out an unpleasant laugh, making Max cringe. "She is no threat to us now."

Alexandra whimpered as her legs buckled. The guard tightened his grip, letting her hang loosely in her dress. Max caught his breath.

"Sir, she needs a Healer."

"That's Lord, Maxwell, not sir. Do not let her appearance fool you. Given the chance, she would draw the life energy out of the guard, healing herself and leaving me one guard short."She wouldn't do that, sir, uh, Lord. She only takes energy if she has permission."

"She deceives you, Maxwell, the same way she tried to deceive your father. He; however, did not believe her lies. Surely you trust your father's judgment, Maxwell."

"Yes, but..."

"Good, Maxwell, if you follow his footsteps you will quickly rise in rank. Guards, take the Spirit Leech to the dungeon. Keep her alive for now. As for the acolyte, you can release her outside of the gates, she is of no consequence."

The guards drug Melody and Alexandra out of the room. "For you, Maxwell, a good rest is in order, report to the sleeping quarters at once. I will need everyone in top condition over the next coming weeks."

"Why, what are you going to do?"

Lord Avram raised the Lifestone to eye level. "Make things as they should be. Guard, help Maxwell to the sleeping quarters."

The guard by the door moved in front of Max. "Let's go."

"But?"

The guard shoved Max's shoulder, spinning him around. He gave Max another shove towards the door. With no idea of what he could do, Max started walking. When they arrived at the sleeping quarters, the guard shoved him inside and shut the door, locking it afterwards.

Max stood alone in the room. Come to think of it, I didn't see anyone else around when we arrived. Where could everyone have gone?

Max laid down on a bed, his head swimming with the events of the past several days. Alexandra tells one story, Lord Avram another, both blaming each other. Lysander was spying on us the whole time, and now he doesn't want to talk to anyone. Worst of all, I have no idea where Eve ran off to. For that matter, she's never run away from anything. Why now? Max rolled over on his side. I'll have to find her. Maybe Mr. Penna is back, he can help straighten all this out. Max closed his eyes, falling into a troubled sleep brought on by the exhausting march to the city In the morning, Max awoke to the same empty room. Walking over to the door, he tried the handle, to his surprise, it unlocked. He opened it to find an empty hallway. He made his way out into the courtyard where the sun shone brightly overhead. From his right, he heard a loud neigh. He ran to the stables.

"Starlight!"

Max checked Starlight over, finding her well groomed and fed. He patted her on the shoulder.

"It looks like you've had a better time of it than me."

Starlight lowered her head, taking a playful nip at Max's ear. Max laughed, thankful for the release.

"I've missed you too girl."

A young boy stepped out of the neighboring stall. "Is that your horse, sir?"

Max rubbed Starlight's neck. "Yep."

The boy handed Max a carrot. "She's a fine horse, if a bit stubborn. When the other soldiers left, they tried to take her, but she'd have none of it."