So many emotions ran through Jeze at the moment. She found someone who traveled and adventured with her brother! But could this be a trick? Was she still under the Madness spell? Jeze wondered. The odds of her running into someone her brother traveled with were, well, impossible. Jeze reflected, and she became suspicious.
"Hmm, why are you looking at me like that? Like you are about to gut me?" Veil asked.
"I don''t trust you," Jeze responded flatly.
The tall, thin man chuckled. "As you shouldn''t," he replied with an arched eyebrow.
"How do I know you didn''t kill my brother and stole his ring?" She asked.
Viel laughed so hard and so suddenly that Jeze worried that the man might explode. His laughter subsided after a moment, and Viel wiped a tear from his eye.
"Oh, that is fresh. Kill yer brother? Do you bloody know who you are talking about? The great Daverius? I couldn''t put a scheme on him no matter how hard I tried, and I''m blasted good with schemes, mind you," Viel said and gave a snort.
Jeze emitted a low growl, and she gripped her weapons tighter. Viel''s answer did not assuage her concerns.
"Oi! Aren''t you the suspicious sort? What happened to you to make you so bloody untrusting? Never mind that we don''t have time for long stories, nor do I care. We best get going then, shall we?" The hooded man said and then grimaced in pain as he tried to walk toward the opened door.
Jeze''s face softened as if she noticed his severe burns for the second time. She had forgotten about them. "You are hurt, and I don''t have the skill to heal you properly. Here, drink this and rest." She dug through her pack to retrieve a recovery potion and handed it to him.
"Aw, you are an angel!" Viel exclaimed and he hungrily drank the potion. "I hate to ask, but you got any water? My throat is parched like the sands on the Great Desert."
Jeze hesitated a moment and decided with a shrug to help the man. She didn''t trust him fully, but he did know her brother. Plus, Viel had the Chime ring, and if he didn''t steal it, that meant Daverius created one for him as a way to communicate with each other.
Jeze activated a piece of the Water Brick and said, "Drink up and let''s find my team. We have a Healer, and…" Jeze stammered before she added, "he is very skilled."
For Jeze, saying the compliment about Mikal felt like sucking on a sour lemon. But it was true, she realized with a shrug.
"Nae on that girl. I''ve waited five years for this, and I''m so close," Viel replied after he drank all the water she offered in one swig.
Jeze scoffed and exclaimed, "But your burns? You are seriously injured!"
"What? These? Bah, it''s just a flesh wound. Come on now, let''s go. The treasure we seek won''t get found by itself," Viel answered and motioned toward the opened door.
As the tall man moved, Jeze noticed that the burns looked less serious than before. Was the man healing himself? Who was this Viel? She wondered, or maybe her eyes played tricks on her. Wait a minute, she shook her head with another realization.
"You have no pack," Jeze observed.
"That''s right. I lost it when I got captured by those bloody Swamp Demons in that cursed fog," Viel answered.
"You escaped?" Shock was clear on her face.
"Was not easy! But like I said, I''m bloody good at schemes," the man replied.
"Why are you traveling alone? Where is the rest of the team?" Jeze asked.
"What? You mean the team that Daverius and I traveled with years ago? With your brother gone, we split up. He was the Leader and the only reason why we stayed together in the first place," Viel said, impatience clear in his voice.
Tears threatened to break loose down Jeze''s face. "Did you see him die?" She stammered.
Viel sighed and removed his hood. He had graying dark hair that was loose and fell just above his shoulders. He scratched his head and replied, "I don''t know. We were on the tenth floor, and we were surrounded. Your brother held the Fiends at bay so that we could escape through an Exit portal. We waited for him on the other side, but the Portal closed with him never coming through. I''m sorry, girl. He was a good man, and I owe him my life."
Viel placed a scarred hand on Jeze''s shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. "Shall we go through the door?" He asked.
Jeze pulled herself away from him. It was obvious that Viel was looking for something particular in this dungeon, but what? Did he know about the Hold Core? Or was there something else in the Core Tunnels? Jeze had so many questions and was filled with doubt and mistrust. There were too many things happening that it caused her head to spin. Was this man with the Empire? Maybe he worked with Drake and was the reason that the Empire had such an interest in Daverius and in her.
"Open your cloak," Jeze asked.
Viel blinked his eyes. He complied but asked, "What''s the meaning of that?"
Under his gray cloak was silver-scale armor. No insignia of the Rising sun. Jeze scolded herself; of course, it wouldn''t be that obvious. What was she thinking? This was not proof! Besides, maybe he is not with the Empire, but what if he was with the cultists? What if this was some grand ploy to get her to repair the Hold Portals? Oh, how she missed having Ziplocke around. She was way out of her league here.
"Jeze, is it? Are you alright?" He asked, and he glanced down at his chest. "What were you expecting to find? You think I am an agent?" Viel gave another laugh.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
"It''s not funny," Jeze growled.
"Oh, girl, I''m not laughing at you. Let me guess, the Empire is after you as well! Gods be damned, those fools," Viel shook his head.
"Tell me more!" Jeze demanded.
Viel sighed as he glanced forlornly at the opened door. He shook his head and it was clear he decided to talk some more with her. What was he looking for? Jeze wondered. Whatever it was, it was something really important to him based upon the emotions clearly written upon his sharp-featured face.
"Your brother mostly kept a low profile, but that was hard for him, you know? Because he was so bloody talented. By the gods, I couldn''t understand what drove him to be so damn perfect! We never believed humans could possess such qualities," Viel said and then cleared his throat.
"Humans?" Jeze asked.
"People in general," Viel said with a grin and a shrug.
Jeze arched an eyebrow, and before she could ask more, Viel continued.
"His talent and ability to lead, as you can imagine, attracted a skilled team. I mean your''s truly even joined him," Viel said with a wave toward himself.
Jeze crossed her wiry, muscled arms and asked, "What are you?"
"Just an average scoundrel," Viel replied and continued with his story. "Having such an exceptional team drew attention both good and bad. You see, your brother was humble and competent, but he was also a scholar. That could be his fault, but he refused to tell a lie, even if it meant keeping himself out of trouble."
"The Emperor is not immortal," Jeze said.
"Bingo! That is their whole religion, and Daverius challenged that. And the only reason why was because he was so bloody capable. See, if some unknown bloke were to say that it was doubtful that the Gift of Immortality resided at the top. No one would care. But, your fool brother had to say what he believed, and that stirred up all sorts of trouble. Boyo, those Empire blokes sure love their supposed Immortal Emperor," Viel replied.
Jeze thought about Drake, and then about Raynor and this stirred up even more emotions for her. It was visible on her face like the forming of storm clouds before a hurricane.
"They came looking for you?" Viel asked quietly.
The teenage girl nodded and wiped her eyes.
"Bloody spitful bastards! I should have known. I failed your brother by not coming to look for you," Viel said.
"What are you looking for in here?" Jeze suddenly asked.
Viel visibly flinched and then chuckled. "You are your brother''s sister, that is for sure. You both know how to time your questions to keep me unbalanced."
"You didn''t answer my question," Jeze observed.
"That''s right I didn''t," Viel replied and rubbed his face that showed he was thinking. He made a decision with a nod.
"You and I have a lot in common," he said after a moment.
"Don''t dodge the question," Jeze replied. She was skeptical about where Viel was going.
The sharp-featured man chuckled. "We are both looking for our older siblings. I am looking for my sister."
"You believe she is in here?" Jeze asked. There was a spark of hope in her chest. If Viel knew where to find his sister, then maybe she could also find her brother?
"Oh, I found her remains already and confirmed that she perished in the Spire many years ago. I am looking for her heart," Viel growled. His deep voice changed slightly, and it unnerved Jeze. It now sounded guttural and primal.
"What?" Jeze cried.
"The Fiends took it. A heart can be a valuable thing. I wish to reclaim it," Viel stated, his face stern.
"Why?" Jeze was horrified. A heart? What manner of twisted magic was this? There was something about Viel''s features that became unsettling to her. His red eyes and his demeanor shifted from jovial to serious. Deadly serious.
"You will help me, just as your brother did," Viel promised.
Jeze took a step back and gripped her weapons. "Why? If you knew my brother then you know us Zanchi''s don''t like to be told what to do."
Viel''s face softened just a little. Something that didn''t seem possible with his sharp, angular features. "We will help each other, how about that? You are looking for something within these tunnels. I will help you find that if you help me find my sister''s heart. Do we have a deal?"
The man extended his hand. Jeze glanced at it and thought for a moment. "I have conditions. You will tell me who you really are, and you will help me find my team," she added.
"That seems unfair. I could always force you with pain to help me," Viel hissed, his red eyes flashed.
Jeze''s face hardened, and she growled, "I may be small, but you will discover that I can be fierce. But that is not the reason why you should agree to my terms."
The man arched his eyebrow and asked, "You got my attention. What is the reason, then?"
"I am a skilled Scout, and I have the knowledge about the Spire that my brother discovered years ago in the Pyramid back home. Except, I have discovered more than he. Unless you want to trigger every Rune trap, I suggest you agree to my terms," Jeze answered.
Viel chuckled and responded, "Oh really? Was it not a Rune trap that caused you to get separated from your team?"
"I did not trigger the trap! A cultist did!" Jeze cried.
"Cultist?" Viel asked and then shook his head, "Nevermind that. We do not have time for another tale."
The tall man sighed as he pondered the situation. After a moment, he chuckled deeply and said, "You definitely have your brother''s wits, that is for sure. But Daverius was right about something. You are cunning and have lots of potential."
"Do we have a deal?" Jeze asked.
"Aye," Viel replied.
"Swear on your sister''s heart," Jeze demanded.
The man flinched and scowled so deeply that Jeze worried she had gone too far. But how else could she get the man to honor their deal?
"Would you swear on your brother''s?" He asked.
"I swear on Daverius''s heart," Jeze replied without hesitation.
Viel shook his head and responded, "Then, so I swear on my sister, Kizzanythanyx''s heart."
The name sounded so strange to Jeze that it caused her head to spin. Did she just make a serious mistake? What was done was done, and she jutted her chin forward.
"Now, tell me your name," Jeze stated.
Viel grinned in a manner that reminded Jeze of a sinister predator. Did she just make a deal with the wrong person?
The sharp-featured man with red eyes replied, "My true name is Diszanythanyx. But do not try to pronounce it. No mortal can. But, you can call me by the name that humans have given me so many years ago."
Jeze felt a pit of fear form in her chest.
"Eclipse," the man said.
"The Dragon?" Jeze gasped.
"That''s right, the terror of the Ironfist Kingdom. But I much prefer it if you called me Viel. It would be too much of a bother if everyone else knew who I am," he responded.
"The bones above," Jeze started.
"Belong to my sister. She was claimed by the Spire centuries ago. Your brother helped me find the means to locate her within the Spire. We were so close five years ago, and I intend to finish what I started," Viel replied.
What sort of deal did she just enter into? Jeze wondered with regret.
"Now, let us get started shall we?" Viel asked and motioned toward the open door that led into a dark corridor deep within the Core Tunnels.