“He might be speaking of a Rullenfay fort built during the Lanish War. There were many built in this region.” Kara informed.
“Y-yes, that’s what it is…” Horan added.
“Who is this Draven character? And what business does he have in these parts?” Faux asked.
“He is the future ruler of Liteo, and his wishes are to spread his army across this land.” Horan declared with all pride.
“Well, we can change that…” Kara said coldly.
“Hah! You can’t defeat him. He has the Adept’s Stone!” the little man snapped. All three of the adventurers fell back on their heels with this revelation!
“Where is this leader of yours?!” the paladin declared hastily, jumping right in the man’s face.
“W-why should I tell you?” responded the entrapped prisoner.
“Because I’ll use this.” Ezekiel said, bringing forth his deadly scythe, the lethal poison clearly visible on the fine blade.
“Tier Bastion…” the wide-eyed man, barely able to find words.
“What is that?” Faux asked, Kara nodded, equally curious.
“So, the legends are true? It does exist…” Ezekiel murmured, catching the attention of the other three.
“What do you mean? What is true?” Kara asked.
“It is said that a castle that was once part of the Cloud City, Altem Tier, plummeted to the surface hundreds of years ago, scaring the land around its crash site. The land was considered unholy after that, and people feared to go near it. Only a few people know of the place it is supposed to rest, and even fewer have said to of been there. All of them are too afraid to speak of it.” the big man continued to explain.
“Why did it fall to the ground…?” Faux asked.
“The lord of the castle was said to of gone against the city, so his castle was dropped. This is just a legend of course…I never actually thought it existed.” Ezekiel replied.
“Well, if that is where the Adept’s Stone is, then that is where we need to go.” Kara said, a determined look in her face.
“Yes, but WHERE is the problem.” Faux added in.
“I know…” Ezekiel said, a grim expression forming on his face.
“You do?” Kara ask, her eyes hopeful.
“I’ve never been there myself, but I know where it is said to be.” the earth adept said.
Kara’s smile went from ear to ear. “Then you can take us there?!”
“Of course!” Ezekiel bellowed with a newfound grin.
“Alright then…our course is to Tier Bastion.” Faux said calmly.
“Wait…where did that Horan guy go?” Ezekiel asked, looking down to find no prisoner.
“I let him go before we started rambling about the castle. No point in letting him know what we’re doing. Not like we needed anything else out of him.” Faux said with a wink.
“But, what if he remains nearby, spying on us?” the paladin questioned.
“Oh trust me…that one would be long gone once given the chance. I could tell by his eyes he had no intention in staying past his welcome.” Ezekiel said with a chuckle, tapping his scythe.
“You are probably right. Let us be off then!” Kara said, throwing a fist into the air.
“Yes, and let us get some food.” Faux added in, rubbing his stomach.
Kara took the reins of Schiroi as the other two began to walk off. She stopped and looked around. Slowly, she snatched up a sharp rock and began to carve something into the largest rock nearby.
“Surely he’ll pass by here…” She said to herself as she returned to her horse and rode off, quickly catching up with the other two.
**********
Horan reached the fortress soon enough. Jowl was the first to see him, and his glare alone caused the frantic man to calm down to a slow pace, right until he stopped in front of the commander.
“What happened? Why have you returned alone?” Jowl demanded.
“T-there were some travelers. Three of them, sir. I tried to turn them to our ways, but they refused! So, by your orders, I had the men attack. They took them all out, sir! Even the giants stand a chance against those…those juggernauts!” Horan exclaimed, waving his hands around.
Jowl’s face contorted up in rage. He swiftly caught one of Horan’s wagging hands and crushed it in his massive paw, causing the poor man to shriek in agony. The advisor slumped to the ground, clutching the puddle of shattered bone and tendons where his right hand used to be. The commander grabbed the pathetic man by the collar of his cloak and lifted him into the air to stare eye-level with him.
“How did you let twenty-six men and two giants fall to three travelers?!” Jowl bellowed. “And why is it you are still here?! Did you not fight alongside them?!”
“Sir! I tried as I might, but they were too powerful! I-I figured I’d retreat and inform you as soon as possible!” Horan lied.
“You ran like a scared child!” Jowl corrected, seeing through the lie. “You led them here, didn’t you?!”
“N-no sir! I was much to quick for them! They never saw my flight.” Horan lied again.
This time, Jowl tossed the man to the ground and turned around. “Get out of here.” He said calmly. When the advisor didn’t do so, he roared it viciously. The man was gone before the last words left Jowl’s mouth.
Moving quicker than his size would show, the commander grabbed a nearby man’s sword and spun around in one fluid motion, launching the blade at the fleeing Horan. It cleared nearly thirty feet and slammed into Horan’s back, going all the way to the hilt and bursting out his chest. Needless to say, he flopped to the ground, quite dead.
The men nearest the commander backed up a few steps, their jaws hanging.
“I do not accept insolent cowards like that…” Jowl said coldly as he turned and walked away. “Stop being dumbfounded ninnies and get back to work.”
He needn’t say another word, for the men were back to work in a flash.
**********