The Mother of Monsters

The audience with the King ended not long afterward. Teyva and her companions were allowed to retreat up to the residence above the Throne Room to rest. They found Elat there waiting for them, the large Orc sitting on one of the plush couches and talking to a man in robes who was examining his hand. Batel and the other guards opted to stay out of the way, finding places to sit or otherwise admire the interior of the chamber. Paraklytus joined them, fascinated by the way the Azar had refurbished the fortress. That left Teyva and Azrael to sit down across from Elat. Nephral hopped off her shoulder and into her lap while she set her satchel down next to her, the mockeries stirring in their bored slumber. He looked up at them and smiled before wincing as the man in robes pressed down on his palm.

“Another day or so,” The man said, “Then you should be able to use it normally. Though again I remind you-”

Elat frowned and pulled his hand away, looking at the table between him and the two women. His compound bow lay there and from the looks of it, it had been there for some time. “I get it,” He grunted, “Thank you for the healing.”

The man in robes rose to his feet and bowed before stepping away. Azrael got up and moved to where the man was sitting and reached for Elat’s arm. He hesitated but eventually let her take it in her hands. She ran her palm over his gently, eyeing the injury. “Elat I’m-”

“I did it to myself,” Elat corrected her, “I don’t regret it either, I hurt that thing and that’s what matters.”

“We could find a way,” Azrael tried, “Perhaps an aspect could restore you? I could ask Deshan and-”

Elat shook his head, “No, it’s okay Azrael,” He reached up and cupped the side of her face with his good hand, “Listen to me. I’m no warrior, I’m just a humble guardsman. I was never going to keep up with you two. Fighting monsters, going into dangerous labyrinths, that’s your world. It isn’t mine. I’m okay with that.”

Azrael swallowed hard and held his gaze. Teyva bit her lip and forced herself not to look away from the couple. Elat broke into a wide smile, “Besides, I figure if you’ve got someone to come home to, maybe you’ll be a little less reckless.”

As the young Azar threw herself into her lover’s arms, Teyva felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder and she looked up to see Yaga standing over her. She turned her gaze back to the couple as they spoke. “I want to see him,” Teyva said quietly.

“The creature that did that? He certainly wants to see you,” Yaga said.

“Yes, I want to know why,” She bit out. “I won’t be able to rest or work on anything until I look that bastard in the eyes and get a direct answer.”

Yaga squeezed her shoulder, “Alright, I’ll take you to him.”

“Thank you,” Teyva said, getting to her feet, “Just one moment.”

“Sure.”

Teyva grabbed her satchel and nodded to Nephral, the sphinx leaped from the couch onto her shoulder and she made her way over to the door to her room. There, waiting for her, was The Marble. Stoic as ever and waiting for her return. She stopped and placed her hands on his smooth, cold surface. “I missed you big guy,” She whispered, “I’m glad you’re okay. Can you keep an eye on Nephral and the kids for me while I’m gone?”

The slab of stone rumbled once in acknowledgment while Nephral looked up to her in confusion. “Mother?”

“This is something I need to do on my own, sweetheart,” She said, kneeling down and stroking his head, “Stay here for me and keep an eye on your siblings, okay?” 

Nephrals ears flattened, but he nodded, “Yes, mother.”

Teyva stood up and removed her satchel, urging the mockeries awake and offering The Marble as a perch. The creatures streamed out, confused and curious but otherwise not arguing her intentions. When the mass of gold coins had found places to settle on The Marble’s body she turned and made her way toward the lift doors. To her right she saw Batel start to rise and she shot him a warning look, shaking her head. That, finally, was when Azrael spoke up.

“What are you going to do?” Azrael asked. Nearby, Paraklytus turned to listen in while he admired yet another tapestry.

Teyva turned back to look at her friend, her eyes moving from her face to Elat’s arm. She looked Elat in the eyes and then turned her attention back to Azrael. “That depends on what he has to say and what he wants from me so badly,” Teyva said grimly, “I’ll do what I have to, though.”

Elat frowned, “That thing is not in its right mind,” he urged her, “It needs help.”

Azrael turned to him sharply, “He crippled you!”

Elat nodded, “I made the choice to bite off more than I can chew. You don’t blame a bear for mauling a hunter.”

Teyva glanced at Azrael and then to Paraklytus who had turned fully around at this point. The lich had his arms crossed behind his back, “Your input?”

“My sole advice to you is never waste what you can use, if this creature you speak of is more useful alive than dead then consider your long-term goals rather than the pleasure of vengeance,” Paraklytus offered.

“Teyva,” Elat cut in, “Before you go, my father said that the creature stole something of yours from the settlement. We didn’t find anything on its person when we captured it, just be careful.”

Teyva frowned and nodded. The Aspect Stone of the Unspeakable no doubt. She only hoped the creature hadn’t tried to use it somehow. Sighing she looked between the three of them, “I’ll let you know what I decide. See you soon.” Behind her, Yaga opened the doors to the lift and the two of them stepped inside. When the doors shut, Teyva let out a long breath and leaned against the rails. “That was exhausting.”

“You surprise me, that was well handled,” Yaga admitted. 

“Look the part, act the part, be the part,” Teyva said.

“What’s that?”

“When I was little I wanted to perform in theater,” Teyva said, “My dad used to say it all the time.”

 Yaga nodded and crossed her arms, “So what are you really going to do?”

Teyva frowned and stared into space for a while before responding, even though they were already in the lift and descending it still felt like they were too close to the group for her to say anything. When she finally spoke it was in a low voice, “I’m going to have a look at his soul, if I don’t like what I see then I’ll destroy it,” She said, turning to pin Yaga with a hard look. 

Her lover frowned but nodded, “And if it doesn’t displease you?”

“We’ll see, I may just leave him there to rot,” Teyva said, “Either way he’ll pay for what he did to Elat.”

“So you’ll be satisfied with whatever route to vengeance you take?” Yaga asked.

“I think so, yes,” Teyva said, “Even if it’s letting him live. Besides, Perry was right, I have to consider whether or not he’ll have useful information for the future.”

“He may not be willing to talk,” Yaga pointed out.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Teyva said, “I may have something in mind.”

Yaga narrowed her eyes, “Torture does not work on the insane.”

Teyva shook her head, “I’m not interested in that, I want this done and over with quickly.”

They fell into a contemplative silence after that. Yaga remaining close by but not overly close. Their moment of privacy tainted with the tension of what was to come. Teyva still had her own feelings to work through. He’d held the Orcs of the Balthin Settlement hostage, that was bad enough. He was lucky that the worst he’d done so far was hurt Elat and even then it had been an injury he’d bounced back from for the most part. Elat almost seemed happy about it. It was only because Elat had argued in the bastard’s favor that she was even considering giving him a chance.

Why, though? Was it something about Orcish culture that made Elat feel that way? She just couldn’t understand it, but at the very least she would respect his wishes. Paraklytus had made a good point too. Azrael on the other hand was still feeling the heat of it all, she’d have a clearer head later. 

The lift came to a stop at the fourth level and Yaga escorted Teyva through the largely empty streets. Only a few people were coming and going this time of day and Teyva was grateful for it. She didn’t want to deal with a horde of stares while she was mentally preparing for a conversation with the man who had killed her. She wondered if any of that man was even still there, from what she’d heard so far it sounded like he’d lost his mind somehow. She shook her head, she wasn’t going to feel pity here. Not now. 

Azrael lead her to a particularly large door with a seal over it marked with the symbol of the Magi. Teyva frowned but followed her anyway. When they entered they passed a small group of robed men who were talking in low tones, Teyva couldn’t make out what they were saying. Instead of trying to eavesdrop she focused on following Yaga further down into the depths of the building. They passed through several halls before arriving at a door that looked more like a vault than a prison door. There was one guard standing closeby who took one look at Yaga and quickly went to the door. He ran his hand along the right side and whispered something into a red looking stone. The stone flashed and turned white and the enormous door began to groan as mechanisms inside turned over. 

“That’s some serious security,” Teyva said.

“There are some dangerous things in here,” Yaga pointed out.

“Like what?”

“It’s best not to ask,” Yaga said, “Come, we’re almost there.”

They came to another door after a short walk with yet another guard who performed a similar ritual on another enormous door. The halls around them were dark and nondescript, with only simple wooden doors leading out of the hallway. When they entered this last room they found themselves in a small, semicircular chamber with a floor lifter set into the center. Yaga stepped on and urged Teyva to join her. As they began to descend, Teyva took in her surroundings. Each level was a perfect circle fitted with eight doors and sealed with a red stone. The rooms themselves were lit with only one glowing sphere that slowly drifted in a circle around the ceiling. It was the same with each floor they passed through and the lightshow started to become disorienting.

“Close your eyes if it bothers you,” Yaga said.

“I’m fine,” Teyva muttered.

When they finally stopped, Teyva had no idea how many floors they’d gone down. She wondered if that was the point of the strobing light effect. Yaga seemed completely unfazed, stepping off the platform and heading to a door that looked unlike any of the others. Most of the doors seemed to be made of some sort of dark iron, this one looked to be made entirely out of silver and had five red stones embedded in its surface. Yaga glanced back at Teyva and made a face. “This cell is made for one of the Four, in case the unthinkable happens. The normal cells here cannot hold us.”

Teyva froze, was she serious? They’d taken that kind of precaution? Yaga must have noted her surprise because she smiled, “It’s never been used that way before and we all agreed it was necessary,” Yaga explained, “Barin Kot built most of it himself.”

“I see,” Teyva said hesitantly, “And that’s where you’re keeping him?”

“Only cell that we figured could hold him,” Yaga pointed out, “He’s no match for a member of the Four,” she said proudly, “But he would still make quick work of the other cells.”

Yaga turned away to run her hands along the five stones, saying a different passphrase each time and in low whisper. Then the fifth stone turned white the door made a high-pitched whining sound before sliding into the floor beneath them. Teyva looked up from where it had disappeared and into the small chamber. It was dimly lit with walls that seemed to be entirely made of the same silver material as the door. Sitting in the center of the small room, his arms and legs chained to the floor with shackles that glowed with a faint light, was a waking nightmare.

The creature had once resembled a human, his face was mostly symmetrical with two bulging yellow eyes, a thin nose, and a wide mouth. His ears had vanished into what looked like a mass of oil slicked black fur that coated his head, shoulders, and all the way down to his overlong arms that ended in wicked talons. The most noticeable part about him, though, was his chest. It glowed with an inner fire that reminded her of a furnace and looked very familiar. She frowned, Elat really hadn’t had a moment to regale them on everything that happened in the forest. But now she was starting to get a pretty good idea of what was going on.

He was sitting, cross-legged on the ground and admiring something in his hands. Teyva squinted through the gloom just in time for him to take the object and shove it into his mouth, tilting his head back and swallowing it whole. Teyva wrinkled her nose as the large object slid visibly down his throat before coming to a realization. That must be the Aspect Stone. If he’s hiding it that means he doesn’t know how to use it. She kept silent for now, she’d figure out a way to get it back from him later.

 He turned his attention to the two women entering the room and broke into a wide smile, misshapen teeth glittering in the dark as he hissed out a single word. “Finally.”