Interlude: Changing Times
Sonia stepped around another puddle as she followed quietly behind Inva. The paladin in full armor wasn’t exactly quiet herself, but the dark pressure of Lockmoth’s sewers seemed to force the demon-blooded priestess into quietude.
Behind her, the last two members of their group trodded carefully, Firalex and Priest Herron. Somewhere else Drin and Tren were leading the city guard in a pincer. From what the Gelles Company boss had said, this reminded them of an autumn night with Zarenna that ended in fire and death.
Sonia’s legs shook, and she jumped when something scurried past their group, letting out the start of a shriek before she champed a hand over her mouth. Inva’s magelight followed the dark shape, but didn’t catch whatever it was, and only succeeded in tossing shadows around the four of them.
Ahead, Paladin Inva held up a hand for the group to stop. “Are you alright, Sonia?”
Scrunching her eyes shut, Sonia nodded. It’s just a rat. I saw plenty of them on the ship ride here.
The thought brought little comfort in the dark of the tunnel.
“Can she even fight?” Priest Herron asked irritably.
“I saw how you jumped at that rat, Priest,” Firalex teased.
“That doesn’t answer my question. We are walking into danger and I must know if we are to have an ally or a burden. I’ve already gone further than I ought to in aiding you all.”
“Sonia’s a crack shot with her crossbow,” Inva replied evenly. “And once again, I thank you for accepting our call for aid.”
Priest Herron huffed. “Can she hit a shot while shaking like a leaf?”
Sonia took a deep breath and opened her eyes. “I’m right here, Priest Herron. You can address me directly.” She placed a hand on her upper arm to stop the shaking. Inva was right… but so was Priest Herron.
That same priest, in vestments streaked with mud and worse, glared up at her. Soon, he forced his gaze elsewhere and sighed. “My… apologies Sonia. These past months have been… trying for me. Much of how I see the world needs to change, and it is not a simple matter.”
Sonia smiled thinly. “Thank you for putting forth the effort, Priest Herron.”
The old man grunted in acknowledgement.
“I’ll be fine.” Sonia exhaled again. “Fira? Inva?”
Firalex chuckled. “Me? I’m the most at home down here out of all of you. Despite his looks, Rodrick’s the one in his office all day. And I don’t think the stakes are quite so high this time.”
“Did you think they were high last time?” Inva asked.
At that, Firalex’s smile vanished, and they ran a hand through their short-cut red hair. “No, we didn’t.”
“Then we’d best proceed with the utmost caution, hmm?” Priest Herron asked. “Which we should do shortly—my vestments are only getting filthier, and unlike you lot, I am no spring chicken.”
Sonia stifled a laugh at the old man’s drooping mustache, and his glare only made the effort harder.
“Then we’ll resume,” Inva said. “Stay behind me, and be ready for anything. After all, we’re not certain if our opponent is a greater demon, or merely someone who’s been corrupted.”
Sonia bit her lip at that word, and the expression didn’t go unnoticed. Inva winced.
“That word bothers you, doesn’t it?” Surprisingly, it was Priest Herron who spoke up. “I can see why, but what else can we say? You know how it affects most minds, even if demon-blooded do not suffer so.”
“I don’t know…” Sonia whispered. “Changed, maybe?”
“I like it,” Fira said with a shrug.
“It could work,” Inva answered with a genuine smile. “But why don’t we have this talk in a brighter place later. For now, let’s go stop that demon, or that changed.”
Sonia nodded sharply. “Yeah.” She took a deep breath, shakiness fading, and followed after Inva. Unlike most priests and priestesses, Sonia didn’t have holy magic. Her only magic was fire and she could hardly do more than light an oil lamp.
But she’d made it anyway. Through sheer determination—which she needed right now.
It was tenuous, but it was enough. Sonia focused on the squishing sound her footsteps made against the wet stone, trying her best to keep an even rhythm in time with her heart. I will be okay. We can do this.
Eventually, the group came to a halt. A sodden, tilting wooden structure that looked like a cross between a staircase and a ladder led up from a side alcove to a trapdoor. From within, light spilled through cracks between the boards. Sound followed, muffled conversation and… chanting?
Actual chanting?
Sonia shivered in the warm, damp air. Wordlessly, Inva motioned for the pair to move forward. Sonia knew the plan. Inva would rush in, she and Herron would flank, and Firalex would provide support from the rear.
Sonia held her breath; Inva gave the signal.
The sound of splintering wood rang in Sonia’s ears past when they rushed in. Past the shouts turning to screams, and the blood.
Past the fire and the spindly, twisted man who stared at her; into her.
She shook her head and he stumbled. Other sound flooded in, and Sonia felt the smooth wood in her hands, taut and ready. Inva was shouting at her, but Sonia couldn’t find the words to shout back.
The shot was open. Other bodies had already fallen, and Sonia felt sick. She raised the crossbow, and the man, almost rat-like and seemingly smaller now, flinched.
He’s fast.
The bolt had fired sometime during Sonia’s thought. Time and sound seemed to push back into full when it sank into the man’s shoulder. His screech hurt her ears, painful and… not quite human.
Their eyes met, his pale and wide. Then Inva crossed in front of him, arm moving quickly. The screech cut off, blood spattered the ceiling, and Sonia’s world spun.
She retched, shaking, and the rest of the night spun itself back up into a blur of sound and motion. Herron’s cold, Firalex’s steam, and Inva’s comforting warmth.
Sonia briefly remembered the Guard Captain’s office, Lorton questioning her lightly, and the name “Vink.”
Was he who Sonia had shot? Or, Inva had killed? But Sonia had pulled the trigger, but he’d been in her head or…
She slipped away until morning, and woke up in her bed at Drin and Tren’s place. To her side, a mess of blond locks rested, snoring lightly.
Inva.
Sonia’s head pounded, that awful kind of headache that builds just behind your horns and vibrates up through them with each heartbeat. Her mouth was dry, and she desperately needed to vacate her bowels. Quiet as she could, Sonia slipped up in her nightgown and took care of herself, taking a second mug of water for Inva on her way back.
When she returned, the paladin was still asleep, and Sonia noticed she was still wearing her underpadding from the night before.
She can’t be comfortable like that.
Sonia was stronger than she looked, but she doubted she could move Inva without waking her. So instead, she took the room’s other chair and pulled up beside the paladin. She set Inva’s mug down on the nightstand and flicked her hand at the logs stacked in the fireplace.
It took two tries and nearly exhausted Sonia, but they crackled to life. As the room warmed and the fire popped and crackled, Inva stirred to wakefulness.
“Sonia?” she half-asked, half-mumbled.
“Inva?”
“Sonia!” Inva jerked upright, making the demon-blooded glad she’d not set the mug of water on the bed.
Immediately, Sonia wrapped an arm around her friend. “Inva, it’s okay. I’m fine.”
“Oh thanks Dhias. You… you were really out of it. That envy-corrupted Vink bastard got into your head. I don’t know why he chose you, but you shook it off, but you were so listless last night we were all worried—”
“Inva, slow down!”
“Oh! Right, yes. Apologies.” Inva heaved a deep breath and pushed herself up off the floor.
Sonia gestured to the bed and the paladin sat on the edge, trying not to look intently at the priestess’s water. With a giggle, Sonia pointed to the mug on the nightstand.
Inva took it and downed it on one go, breathing heavily. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re okay—you are okay, right?”
Sonia nodded. “I think so. Last night was… a blur after you kicked the trapdoor in.”
Inva nodded. “Priest Herron said you showed astounding resilience in fending off demonic magic like that. He even treated you—right there in the sewer.”
“He did?” Sonia searched her memories. His mustache stuck out, but… that was it.
Inva nodded. “Yeah, he did. I think… I think he might actually change.”
“Really?”
The paladin nodded again. “Really. Maybe not all the way, but there’s no way he’s going to go against demon-blooded rights now.”
The thought warmed Sonia’s heart. “Then… what of Drin and Tren and the others? Did they succeed?”
The paladin started to nod yet again, then stopped and put a hand against her neck. “Owwow! Stiff. The others succeeded, yes. There was an avarice demon, and casualties though.”
“Are Drin and Tren…”
“Everyone we know made it out okay.”
Sonia sighed. “I feel bad for feeling relieved.”
“Don’t. You’d grieve if you need to. And those who were lost are being grieved for.”
“Thanks, Inva.” Sonia smiled, and the paladin smiled back. Somewhere out in the house, Sonia heard footsteps coming their way.
“You’re welcome! You still up to travel today?”
“Today!?”
“It was your schedule, Sonia.”
“Oh,” Sonia groaned, “Right. I… can probably be ready. How much time do we have?”
“I don’t know. I was asleep here with you.”
Oh, right.
Two thumps sounded against the bedroom door. “Inva, Sonia, aren’t you two leaving today? And are you alright, Sonia?” Drin said from outside. “The breakfast Tren made is cold, but it’s still downstairs if you want it.”
“How much time do we have?” Sonia asked. She glanced around the room, wishing she’d been more organized during her stay.
Drin chuckled. “About an hour, I’d say.”
“That should be sufficient, right?” Inva asked.
Only an hour. “Maybe? But we can’t be sitting around!” Sonia bolted upright. “Let’s hurry!”
***
Despite moderate panic, the priestess and paladin pair made it out to the caravan on time. With the recent spate of attacks, both from animals and people, fewer and larger caravans were traveling. Combine that with the season and snow, and if they’d missed this chance, the pair would have likely had to walk.
Only when they’d sat down, bags off, did they relax. They weren’t even the latest arrival. Just as the wheels started to roll, a dark-haired woman with a scar across her nose hopped up onto the space beside them, slinging a full-looking bag into the back. She wore a Gelles Company uniform, but Sonia couldn’t recall seeing her around the city.
“Hi!” Sonia greeted, sticking her hand out. “Looks like you made it just in time. I’m Sonia, and she’s Inva.”
The dark-haired woman looked up at her, and back the way she’d come, almost seeming unsure. “...I’m Paula,” she answered slowly, taking Sonia’s slender hand in her own callused one. “Can… can we talk?”