1-131 Where are you hiding?

Jaina hit the wall with a thump as her body went numb, the poison working fast. Everything around her was chaos as the battle waged uncontrolled in the back halls of the inn. Frank had Santos by the throat as he slammed the man into and through the table, but a rogue appeared behind him and put a sword through his back. The tip came out the front, but Frank shrugged it off, swinging wide to throw the rogue off.

Spells were flying and things exploding as Jaina heard her name being called. It sounded distant and remote, as if she were falling down a dark hole. Then Quinny was at her side, the zombie woman holding up a shield to protect her as she tried to get Jaina up.

Gisley was thrown through a doorway by a thundering bolt fired by Chandice. The blond woman had a dancing sword out, delivering vicious cuts at Roric, who was doing everything he could to avoid it.

“Jaina, get up!” Quinny shouted and was knocked away by a rogue. She tumbled to the floor but quickly regained her feet to meet two rogues head-on. The battle was madness, and Jaina could vaguely remember how it started as her vision faded.

She had just told the group she knew how to deal with Alexandria when Chandice insisted Jaina should remain with Santos and her for safety. Jaina was shocked by the request, but Santos agreed and suggested she be removed to the rogues guild for extra protection. Everyone in the room went along with the idea until Frank suddenly took his ghoul form. He turned on the group and boldly declared nobody was going anywhere.

The moment became a tense standoff as Heather clung to his arm, asking if he was alright, and Rajeen demanded to know what he was getting at. He explained simply and eloquently that this was a trap meant to separate them from Jaina. The location in the forest was a ruse, and the real danger was right here in the room. To everyone's shock, he then accused Chandice and Santos of being part of it. They were meant to hand Jaina over to Alexandria in the rogues guild.

As expected, not a single person believed him except maybe Heather, who immediately looked about the room as if waiting for the fight to begin. Chandice protested her innocence, and Santos insisted Alexandria wouldn't fool him, but Frank refused to budge. Jaina even told him he had to be wrong, but once again, Frank spelled it out. The plan required people who could move about the inn freely and had permission to use the magic doors. It would also need people close to Jaina who were implicitly trusted and didn't wear magical collars. If they wore collars, their masters would know they were charmed and sound the alarm.

People still thought he was wrong, and anger started to flare. Jaina had never been so mad at him, but he calmly faced Santos and stated that his rogues hadn't been killed. They had secretly infiltrated the inn and were even now waiting in ambush in case the original plan failed. Santos denied it, calling the idea madness, but Frank played an ace.

“Then you and Chandice don't mind going to the forest with the others. Heather and I will protect Jaina. Our undead guards will be far better suited to resisting her magics anyway,” Frank said. “We will take her to the palace where nobody can touch her.”

Jaina wasn't sure why Frank said that until the dull glaze washed over Santos's face, and he suddenly looked confused. It was the same look that the charmed players in the street had when questioned about something they had been told not to remember.

“But, she has to be taken to the guild,” Santos insisted

.

At that moment, they all knew, and Jaina called out in shock that it was true. With heart racing and pain in her eyes, she looked at Chandice, praying she wasn't involved.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” Chandice said with a mocking smile. “But you’re coming with us.”

Then the rogues struck from ambush, opening up with backstabs and lethal blows. It was a frenzy that dropped Breanne almost instantly and sent Evalynn to the ground with a sword in her back. Before Jaina could react, a poisoned blade stabbed from behind, and she felt a stinging spreading through her body. Everything went numb after that, and all she could do was slump to the floor, praying for a miracle.

Time seemed to slow as the battle waged, and people began to fall. Jaina couldn't believe Alexandria had managed to turn their friends on each other. She wanted to cry to see them fighting when all of a sudden, it happened.

A blazing blue light filled the room as Hannah floated into the air with arms outstretched. Jaina saw her radiating like a star as she used her Lilim power to purge seductions and other mind-influencing spells. Everyone in the room was struck by the power that felt like wind blowing through Jaina's soul. Whatever hold Alexandria had was instantly evaporated, and the combats all came to their sense.

“Now, everybody stand down!” Hannah shouted as Chandice fell to her knees crying.

“I’m so sorry!” Chandice cried as tears ran like rivers down her cheeks. “I couldn’t resist her!”

Santos crawled back to his feet as Frank stepped away from the dazed man. “I remember now,” he said in a weak voice. “She came to the guild while Chandice was working the kitchens. We moved to capture her and brought her in, but that was what she wanted. She used some kind of gem, and suddenly her power was irresistible.”

“This can wait!” Hannah shouted and ran to Breanne, who was barely moving. She placed a heal that caused a pulsing green radiance, then, for extra measure, kissed her. Jaina didn't realize Hannah had a healing kiss and smiled weakly as Blackbast came to her side.

“Let me heal you,” Blackbast said as she placed a hand on Jaina. “Oh, you are wickedly poisoned.”

“It's called blood ice,” Santos said as he staggered a step. “We knew she would be resistant to most poisons, so we crafted one special for her. It freezes creatures that can take a fluid form as if it were turning them to ice.”

“You had time to craft a special poison. How long have you been charmed?” Roric demanded as he tried to comfort Chandice.

“Three days,” Chandice sobbed.

“That's a strange coincidence,” Frank said. “That means she showed up just after Idris did.”

“Or at the same time,” Rajeen said.

“This can all wait,” Hannah insisted as she helped Breanne up and then ran for the door where Gisley was limping back in. She locked the fairy in a kiss and quickly began the healing as Blackbast focused on purging the poison from Jaina.

“Roric went to Evalynn and used his master's power to begin a heal as rogues limped about. Harem girls and guards burst in to take in the scene of chaos, and Rajeen quickly put the healers among them to work, recovering the rest.

When all were back on their feet, Chandice was beside herself, face in hands, crying uncontrollably. Jaina was at her side with an arm around her back, doing her best to assure her they understood.

“Frank,” Roric said as he approached the big ghoul. “You saved us from making a terrible mistake. I am sorry we didn’t believe you.”

“I can understand how hard it was to accept what I was saying,” Frank replied. “I am just glad it ended quickly.”

“Thanks to Hannah,” Rajeen said with a bow. “I owe both of you an apology.”

Jaina was comforted that the two were not angry, but the tension in the room was high. The anger wasn't gone. It was just redirected squarely on Alexandria. Santos was grateful to Frank for stopping the plan and vowed to make it up to them. His rogues were ashamed, and he sent them away after cautioning them not to speak of word of what Hannah did.

When the dust was finally settled, Rajeen moved them to another room and had drinks brought in to help soothe nerves.

“So what do we know?” Roric asked when all were seated.

“We figure out how this woman has gained such power,” Rajeen suggested as she flexed irritably. “She has managed to violate the safety of my inn and put those I care about most in danger.”

“This was carefully planned,” Hannah said. “She must be brilliant or has good help.”

“She’s a bully,” Gisley cut in. “I am told she always treated her girls well and even helped them move on when they wanted more, but she hates not getting what she wants. She hired thugs to try and take Jaina by force after having Roric murdered.”

“Those two personality traits don’t make sense,” Hannah insisted.

“Gisley is just angry,” Evalynn interjected. “Once she has a minute to clear her head, she will take a softer stance. We have all heard stories that Alexandria took good and honest care of her girls. It seems to be her one moral trait.”

“Yet she is ruthless in their acquisition,” Breanne said.

Jaina had to agree, but oddly, it was Hannah who came to Alexandria’s defense. She reminded them of what Alexandria had told her during her brief captivity in the north. The woman thought she saw a way to deliver Jaina into the life of an empress in a powerful empire. At the same time, Alexandria would gain a noble title and land, elevating her to near the top of the social ladder. She went after this goal with any means, borrowing money and making promises, always believing she would be able to deliver. She never dreamed Jaina would refuse to leave Roric or be so adverse to serving another master. In desperation, she resorted to reckless attempts to snatch Jaina, but this, too, failed. In order to pay back the money she borrowed, she tried to rob them, but the rogues turned against her, and she was stuck.

“I see your point,” Roric agreed. “But none of this is our problem. She brought this on herself by refusing to give up when it became obvious Jaina wasn’t interested.”

“All I am saying is I see a woman backed into a corner with no way out,” Hannah said. “Maybe the solution to all this is to find a way out for her.”

“After all she has done, you want to show her mercy?” Breanne asked.

Jaina shared the sentiment, but Hannah didn’t yield her position. Alexandria knew where Jaina was; driving her away wouldn't solve the problem. Resetting her would likely lead to deeper resentment and cause even more drastic attacks. Unless they wanted to imprison and hold her forever, there was no good solution.

“You don’t know her,” Chandice said, her eyes still red from crying. “She’s a snake who only cares about what she wants. Look what she did to me. Do you have any idea what it felt like to be controlled like that?”

“Look, I can’t ever say I do,” Hannah sighed. “But there is one thing I am very familiar with. I know what it’s like to be aware that somebody has stolen your memories. I know that at some time in my past, I was backed into a corner and driven to madness before somebody killed me and stole those memories away.”

Jaina could see Hannah’s point. If half the stories they heard about her were true, then she was indeed hunted, persecuted, and driven to the very edge before everything was taken from her. That she saw some of that tragedy in Alexandria was understandable, but Chandice was too fresh from the battle. She had been manipulated into turning on the woman she loved, and that wound was still bleeding.

They agreed something had to be done with her, but the debate about what raged on. Seeing how badly affected Chandice was made Jaina angry and prompted a deeper concern. Mind control wasn't absolute, and it would be more accurate to say it was mind influence. The target couldn't be made to do something they found abhorrent. Even Jaina, with all her charms and seductions, couldn't lure a woman to bed if she was likely to be horrified by the outcome. If you pushed a person too close to the edge of what they found objectionable, the spell would break. So how had Alexandria convinced Chandice to battle her family in a bid to kidnap Jaina?

“What do we know about this gem?” Jaina asked, causing a pause in the conversation.

“I assume you mean the gem Alexandria had,” Santos replied. “It was about the size of an egg, dull orange, with polished facets. When she used her power, it glowed brightly; the light was blinding.”

“A gem of falsehood,” Chandice said and wiped her nose. “Anyone dazzled by the light can be convinced to believe nearly anything. It has no power to manipulate you on its own. The holder needs to channel a lie or some other power through it.”

“Magnified with Alexandria's power, that is a potent weapon,” Hannah added.

“Well, the power is basically a level fifty suggestion spell,” Chandice replied. “Higher level targets can resist it more easily, but it can also be used to lower a target's defense to mind influence.”

“And we have no idea roughly what level she is?” Rajeen asked as people shook their heads.

“This is how charmed so many people,” Breanne stated. “She is using the gem to make them easy targets, so she doesn't have to use too much power.”

“Still, there are limits,” Chandice said. “She has found another way to charm people or create suggestions.”

“When you say limits, you mean there is a hard cap on how many people she can charm?” Hannah asked.

“Well, the cap is usually the amount of mana you have,” Chandice admitted. “For example, my summon imp spell summons one imp. Because I put ten points in it, I can summon two.”

“And you can never summon more than that?” Hannah pressed.

“Well, yes, I can,” Chandice admitted. “By casting the spell twice, but the imps hold the mana I have invested in them. I could probably manage three castings, but then I would have no mana to use for anything else until I released some of the imps.”

“So what if she has something that is boosting her mana?” Hannah suggested.

Jaina noticed how Chandice was working on a solution to that problem and then admitted it was possible. There were items that added a base amount of mana to the wearer, but these items were extremely rare and highly coveted by wizardly classes.

“How exactly do magic items work?” Hannah asked. “I know the world randomly generates some of them.”

“It's not as complex as you might think,” Chandice sighed and wiped her eyes again. “Any item that spawns always has two traits, the material and shape. So a monster might drop an iron sword, and that's considered normal. However, there are dozens of materials that it could be, and many of them convey a magical power. Also, items can have a name, two magical traits, and a power.”

“You lost me,” Hannah admitted.

“It's how you get really powerful items,” Frank said. “You might find a blazing iron sword or a blazing iron sword of frost bolts. Blazing is the trait, and frost bolts are the power.”

“And where does the name come in?” Hannah pressed.

“Those items are super rare,” Chandice said. “You could find a Neptune's blazing iron sword of frost bolts with each new element adding a new power or bonus. Then there are golden powers that convey combinations of stats in a single title. The gem of falsehood is a golden item. It is a specific item type that always works the same. It's the same for most simple items based on something from another game.”

“So, could this gem randomly have a boost to mana with it?” Hannah asked.

“I don't think so,” Chandice said. “Golden items usually only have the default powers they are created with. It's more likely she has a second item we didn't see.”

“But what?” Roric asked. “A ring or bracelet, maybe?”

“It could easily be any item of jewelry,” Rajeen agreed. “A toe ring we would never notice until we cut the boot from her foot.”

“Did you notice her with anything unusual,” Frank said as he looked at Hannah. “You spent a significant amount of time talking with her. Was there anything that stood out?”

“Well, yes, actually,” Hannah had said. “She had a cat that grew gigantic and pinned me down.”

“Could it be the cat?” Breanne asked.

Jaina was suddenly reminded of the cat in Hannah's tale of the encounter. It had grown in size, pinning her down before rendering her unconscious. Come to think of it, how had they put Hannah out? She resisted Alexandria's other powers, so why not that one? It could only mean the cat played some special role and voiced her opinion for the others to consider.

“It can’t be a familiar,” Chandice said. “It was far too powerful.”

“Something she bought as a combat companion?” Gisley offered.

“But it wasn’t in the room when I woke up later,” Hannah reminded. “It was gone.”

“I seem to recall she had a cat with her,” Santos said as he strained to recall the moment. “I’m sorry, so many of the details were lost in her spell.”

“I remember a tall elven woman coming into the tavern with a cat in her arms,” Chandice said. “She was wearing a silver locket on a thick metal band around her neck.”

Now Jaina wondered what the mysterious cat could mean and if maybe it hadn’t been real. Could Alexandria have made them believe they had seen it? If so, then why hadn't Hannah resisted it? Maybe it was an illusion, but then how had it effectively attacked? She began to wonder if they needed Zillix present to answer some tricky questions.

“This is getting us nowhere,” Rajeen said after an hour of debate. “That woman is still out there and may very well be aware her plan has failed.”

“Not necessarily,” Santos said. “She is more than likely waiting in the rogue's guild for us to return. But we will flee into the lower tunnels if we attack.”

“She must have a home someplace in the city,” Evalynn suggested. “Someplace where she can rest and plan her next move. Maybe we can ambush her there.”

“No,” Frank said with a tap of a long claw on the table. “We attack from both directions. Some of us go in the front door while a second group attacks from the lower tunnels. She won't have anywhere to go and will be trapped.”

“And if she uses this gem again?” Chandice asked.

“I am immune to her influence,” Jaina said. “And thanks to Roric's third class Gisley and Evalynn can be too.”

“And I can bestow temporary resistance,” Hannah reminded. “I will kiss everyone just to be sure.”

“The better option is to use undead,” Frank said. “We fill the lower halls with zombie knights and then kick in the front door with those of us she can’t charm.”

“Are their secret exits?” Rajeen asked. Santos nodded and explained where they were. Frank would have fifty knights at each exit to ensure she was trapped. It seemed like a sound plan to Jaina, and after a moment of discussion, they agreed to act on it.

The assault was swift and drew a lot of attention as a ring of undead knights descended on the tavern that was the rogue's hideout. The lower dungeon tunnels were wall-to-wall undead, just waiting for a chance to take her down. People gathered to see the prince and princess storm into the building with the others. They took the secret entrance to the kitchens and made their way into the lower halls. When they finally burst into the guild's common room, they found only a letter sitting on a chair.

“Don't touch it,” Chandice said as Santos moved to pick it up. She drew her wand and headed to the chair, carefully detecting magic over it. “It's laced with magic. Probably a trap or a trigger to activate some embedded part of her plan.”

“But I don’t remember what that was,” Santos insisted.

“Hannah's purge probably wiped it out,” Chandice sighed. “We will never know the initial intention, but I bet it has a backup charm.”

“How is she creating magical items that convey her power?” Hannah asked.

“I don’t know,” Chandice replied. “But I think we have been underestimating her. She’s far more dangerous than we give her credit for.”

“She has proven to be diabolically resourceful,” Roric agreed. “And now she’s loose in the city.”

“What if I read the letter,” Santos offered. “It might make me go to where she is hiding.”

“It also might make you attack us,” Chandice countered. “Better to let Jaina or Hannah touch it. They are immune to most of her powers.”

“I will read it,” Hannah offered.

“Oh, no!” Jaina cut in. “If, for any reason, that thing manages to affect you and turns you against us, things will go bad fast. Better to let me do it. I am far easier to kill.”

“She has a point,” Breanne said. “She can't draw on a nearly limitless pool of essence to boost her power.”

“I can’t be charmed, but fine,” Hannah agreed.

“Perhaps we should dispel the magic first?” Rajeen suggested.

“That might remove the message,” Chandice warned. “The writing might be the magic.”

“Then let's find out what happens,” Jaina said, walking up to the letter. She paused just short of touching it and took a cautious breath. Alexandria had turned out to be a creative and deadly foe that should not be underestimated. She picked up the letter with a nervous hand and folded it open to read the contents.

“What does it say?” Rajeen asked.

“The roads are not always straight. The path one takes meanders. Home is where the heart once lay. The seekers in the shadows,” Jaina said.

“It’s a poem?” Evalynn asked.

“Could it be a code?” Roric suggested.

“More than likely, it was a trigger,” Chandice said. “We were probably told what to do based on what the letter said.”

“So we have hit a dead end,” Quinny said sourly.

“It's too bad we can't recover what the instructions you were given were,” Hannah said.

“Is there no way to do so?” Santos asked. “I am more than willing to let you use me to try and get the answers.”

“I don’t know how to even suggest we trigger them,” Chandice said. “She would have given them to us under the influence of the gem.”

“What if you put him back under something that can influence him?” Hannah suggested. “Like a seduction.”

Jaina wondered if that would work and looked to Chandice, who shrugged. She agreed it was possible that being under the influence of a seduction might awaken his memory, but it might not. Santos insisted they try it on him, so Jaina stepped up and readied her efforts.

“I will start small and work my way up,” Jaina said. “But let me make you more vulnerable to my powers first.”

“Just do what you have to do,” Santos said.

Jaina nodded and activated sultry steps, walking toward Santos. The power would increase the effectiveness of her charms and make him more pliable.

[lvl 4 Seductress skill: Sultry steps] Boosted 10] Select a single target and begin walking in a sultry way, swaying your hips suggestively. The target must save vs willpower or become enthralled by your display while also lowering their willpower. Bonus to success chance if directly approaching them.

Now that he was primed, Jaina hit him with Allure to ensure she had his undivided attention, then a simple, seductive smile. The change on his face registered that the effect had taken hold, so she approached him and smiled.

“You are so beautiful,” Santos said.

“That's very sweet,” Jaina replied. “But, lover, do you remember where you were told to take me?” He looked confused for a moment, then shook his head. Jaina decided to step up the effect and, with a thought, dropped the clothing she was wearing to reveal her naked body to the man.

[lvl 19 Seductress skill: Naked Radiance] Any target that sees your naked body feels compelled to stare. The longer they look at you, the more aroused they become until they are bound by a desire to have you.

Again he stared, his eyes going up and down as Jaina stepped back so he could see her. She asked her question again, and he seemed to falter as if it was just on the edge of his memory. Eventually, he shook his head, so Jaina stepped it up again, plying him heavily.

[lvl 20 Seductress skill: Words of encouragement] With a few simple words, you stir great passion in your target, causing them not to notice things happening around them. The target becomes absorbed by the seductress and unable to ignore her.

“All this could be yours,” Jaina intoned and ran a hand down his cheek. “If only you could tell me where she wanted you to take me.”

Santos trembled, his hands flexing as if he were under duress. His lips moved, but he said nothing, his arousal fighting the magic of deception.

“He looks like he’s going to pass out,” Gisley said.

“He knows the answer, but it’s locked away,” Chandice said. “His mind is struggling to bring it back out.” They watched for a few more seconds then Jaina decided to go directly after the answer.

[lvl 29 Seductress skill: Tell me] An aroused target is forced to check willpower or answer a question truthfully.

“Tell me where you were supposed to take me,” Jaina commanded as she hit him with her power. Santos looked faint and even put a hand to his head as if to steady his thoughts. He stumbled on some words and then looked up with pain in his eyes.

“I can’t remember,” he muttered.

“The block is too strong,” Chandice said. “We need a potion of sapping to drain his willpower.”

“You need his willpower drained?” Hannah asked.

“His ability to resist is based on willpower,” Chandice replied. “While he's not trying to resist, Alexandria's spell still uses his willpower base as the means of defense.”

Jaina wanted to curse when Hannah turned to Frank and Blackbast. She didn't hear the conversation, but Frank sighed, and Blackbast took Hannah aside. Those two exchanged a few simple words and glances at Santos before Hannah stepped up and announced she would lower his willpower.

“How?” Jaina asked.

“A kiss,” Hannah said and glanced worriedly at Frank.

“Umm, maybe this isn’t a good idea,” Jaina offered.

“It is the only means we have of lowering willpower,” Blackbast replied before looking at Rajeen. “Unless you have a girl who can do it as well?”

“I regret I do not,” Rajeen replied.

“Then I will do it,” Hannah insisted. “I have already kissed half the people here, so one more isn't going to hurt.” She stepped up to Santos and took a deep breath before leaning in and locking lips with him. Then a purple light fluttered around his head as Hannah drained away his willpower, leaving him vulnerable to all mental attacks. When she stepped back, Jaina hit him with Tell me one more time, and Santos had to sit down.

“The house down the curved road,” he said. “The one in the shadow of the palace at three. Don't go in through the front door; you have to take the twists and turns of the alley.”

“It’s the poem,” Gisley said.

“Yes,” Breanne agreed. “This woman has a devious mind.”

“She’s gotten herself into trouble that she can’t get herself back out of,” Hannah insisted.

“Let us not rekindle that debate,” Rajeen said with a raised hand to end it. “The question now is, where is this house?”

“A curved road in the shadow of the palace at three,” Frank said as he brought up his interface. “That puts it someplace here.” He pointed at the map as the others gathered around.

“That’s like twenty buildings,” Quinny said.

“It won’t be a shop,” Hannah suggested.

“No, because it’s a home,” Jaina agreed. “And it will be on a curved street.”

“Here,” Frank said and zoomed in on Chestnut Lane. It was a lovely curved road that followed the edge of the city park but had few buildings on it.

“That narrows it down to about five houses,” Roric said as he looked closer. “But only two of them are connected to alleyways.”

“So, two possibilities,” Jaina said as they studied the map.

“It's the bigger one,” Hannah said, tapping a house on the map.

“How can you be so sure?” Roric asked with his ears up.

“Look at the name of the house,” Hannah said.

“Captured heart hall,” Jaina said with a smirk.

“Home is where the heart once lay,” Evalynn reminded.

“Then let us go and rid this land of her annoyance,” Rajeen offered.

“She is just going to come back,” Hannah reminded. “All we can really do is mark her as hostile to the guards and put a local bounty on her head. We can’t actually deny her entrance to the kingdom.”

“With that gemstone, she can cause all sorts of trouble,” Gisley reminded.

“Not for long,” Chandice said with a shake of her hand. “The more she uses it, the more likely it will shatter. I am surprised she got this far with it. Three or four uses are all those things usually have.”

“What about the cat?” Breanne reminded.

“We still have no idea what that is,” Evalynn replied. “It’s some kind of pet, obviously.”

“It is a dangerous unknown,” Rajeen stated.

“But it wasn’t with her when we talked,” Hannah insisted.

“But it was in her arms when she came into the tavern,” Chandice reminded as Jaina suddenly jumped. Santos was still lost in his arousal, and his hands went all over Jaina.

“Umm, Hannah,” Jaina said as she tried to wrestle him off.

“Oh, right,” Hannah laughed and quickly purged the effect causing the poor man to blink and step back.

“Did it work?” Santos asked.

“Yes,” Jaina said with a wicked smile. “We know where she is.”

“So what is our plan?” he asked.

Jaina looked at Hannah, who had a pleading expression.

“We capture her and see what she has to say for herself,” Jaina replied. There were sighs and grumbles around the room, but Hannah looked relieved. Jaina hated to upset Hannah, but she didn't care for Alexandria. She would give Hannah one chance to resolve the issue, or they would lock the woman away and turn her over to one of the groups hunting for her.

“So, do we kick the doors in?” Quinny asked.

“No,” Jaina said with a wide smile. “It’s time we played this game against her.”

“What do you mean by that?” Evalynn asked.

Jaina smiled as she explained her plan, and soon the others nodded. It was deceptively simple, elegant in its execution, and would play the vile woman right into their hands. They set out to put it into motion before the woman realized her careful scheme was falling apart. Hopefully, Alexandria would be firmly behind bars by the time the sun set.