The Imprisoned God Read online

  Indures' large chair sat empty, as the woman stood staring out of her window up at the night sky. Commander Indures was half angel and half human, colloquially referred to as Aetherials. Her light skin was sparkling as always, her long blonde hair almost reaching her feet.

  No reason to be nervous, Farr. No one died, and you came back with the gold. She doesn't know about the fire mishap.

  Farr cleared his throat.

  Commander Indures glanced back at him, her blue eyes seeming to look through him rather than at him. "Sergeant Farr! You've returned faster than expected. Did something go wrong?"

  "Not at all," said Farr, seeing no need to mention the fire or Turze trying to get out of paying them. "Corporal Grex is delivering the paperwork with the full commission to the Accountant as we speak."

  "I knew we could count on you," smiled Indures, turning her attention back to the window. "How does your team fair?"

  "Everyone is doing well. Khuwa says hello."

  Indures laughed. "I say hello back. Is your... warlock, proving to be a problem?"

  Farr fought back a smile. People consorting with demons were people angelic beings never desired to work with. Farr wasn't entirely sure how Yri was brought into The Delinquents, but assumed some of the other officers managed to convince Commander Indures that she would be more of an asset than a liability.

  "Yri and Cupcake have been nothing but helpful to the team," he replied.

  "For now," said Indures quietly.

  Farr wasn't a fan of the awkward silence that followed, and decided to get right to it. "We were curious if you had any more tasks for us at this time, or if we'd be given a few days off to recuperate."

  "Ah, a good question." The commander turned from the window and took her seat, motioning for Farr to sit down, too. "It is good fortune that you and your team returned when you did. There actually is another mission we have for you."

  Farr did his best to mask his disappointment as he took his seat. The rest of the team wasn't going to like hearing this. "Of course."

  "This mission has a certain reward associated with it, I should mention," continued the aetherial. "I think you've more than proven yourself capable over the last few years, and that is deserving of not just a raise, but a promotion to captain."

  "C-Captain?!" repeated Farr, leaning forward and sitting up straighter. Since Farr had been brought in to the guild, he had moved his way up faster than he had anticipated. He had made it a long term goal to one day lead all of The Delinquents, assuming, of course, that Commander Indures would retire. Being bumped up to an officer so soon was unheard of.

  "Absolutely," smiled Indures. "Your dedication to The Delinquents rivals anyone's, and I believe there is something in you that will prove valuable to the rest of the officers."

  "I-I don't know what do say," admitted Farr.

  "There will be plenty of time for you to figure that out on this mission," she assured him. "This one may prove to be difficult."

  "I'm ready for anything," said Farr confidently.

  "Good. Because I need you to stop Aodh the Mad God from escaping."

  CHAPTER FIVE

  "He should just be a few more minutes," said the king's assistant.

  "Thank you!" beamed Zane with a shockingly white smile. The man was in his late twenties and had deep blue eyes. He held himself with complete confidence, which may or may not have been rightfully earned.

  Zane Ersten sat on the wooden bench directly in front of the assistant's desk. There were several other benches along the hall, where people about to see King Valdrick would typically sit and do their best to ignore the assistant or anyone else in the room.

  The idea hadn't crossed Zane's mind.

  "How long have you been working for the king?" asked Zane, his silver armor squeaking slightly as he leaned forward eagerly to talk with the assistant.

  The woman sat down and tapped her fingers along her desk nervously. "A few years now, why?"

  "Just making conversation," shrugged Zane. "What's your name?"

  The assistant was taken aback for a moment then narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the man. "Deborah... Why?"

  Zane laughed. "It's polite to learn people's names, isn't it?"

  "I suppose so," said Deborah, her guard up. People seeking to speak with the king were always scheming and up to something. She was sure the armored man had some sort of angle.

  "Do you like it?" asked Zane.

  "My name?"

  "Working for the king."

  She knew it. This had to be a test, and the man was a spy for the king.

  "Of course!" she said quickly. "King Valdrick is a very kind and fair man!"

  "That's most certainly true," nodded Zane, thinking back to the few interactions he had with the man. The king was always nice to him, probably because of all the work the young paladin had done for him over the past decade. He hoped King Valdrick would remember all of that when Zane made his request.

  The man got up from the bench and approached Deborah's desk. The woman tensed up and her eyes went wide. Zane leaned on the desk and smiled at her.

  "Do you worship any of the gods?" he asked.

  "That's a personal matter!" said Deborah quickly. "I-I can't be fired for my religious practices or lack thereof!"

  "I know," said Zane, slightly confused. Why was she talking about getting fired? He decided sharing first would prompt her to open up more. He patted the symbol of the sun on his left shoulder. "I'm a paladin of Nera. My family have been followers of her for generations."

  "I-I respect your religious views."

  "Um, thanks," said Zane, unsure of how to respond. "What do you like to do for fun?"

  "N-Nothing illegal!"

  "Hey, me too!" smiled Zane, glad to finally find a point of connection with the woman.

  The doors to the king's throne room creaked open and a wrinkled man smiled at them.

  "Oh, thank the gods!" cried out Deborah.

  Zane and the old man stared at her.

  "Erm, I mean, I hope you have a nice meeting with King Valdrick," Deborah said, nodding politely to Zane.

  "Thank you!" he smiled back as he approached the doors. "It was uh, different, talking to you!"

  The old man closed the doors behind them as Zane entered the room. The few times Zane had met King Valdrick had been in other locations, mostly for receiving public commendation or awards. This cold, quiet room wasn't much to Zane's liking.

  He approached the king and knelt, keeping his head pointed down. "Oh, gracious and wise king. Your humble servant Z-"

  "Yes, Zane, I remember you," chuckled Valdrick. "You can go ahead and stand up. There's no need for so much formality here."

  "Oh. Okay, then," said Zane getting to his feet and glancing at the other two people in the room.

  "This is Helga and Denro," explained the king before the paladin could ask. "They are two of my most trusted advisors. Anything we discuss here is entirely private, and nothing leaves this chamber."

  "Nice to meet both of you," smiled Zane. Denro's smile seemed genuine, while Helga's was clearly forced. Zane's philosophy was a fake smile was better than no smile at all, and he wasn't deterred by it as he turned his attention back to the king. "I would like to make a request, if you would be so kind."

  "Is that so?" smiled Valdrick. "Ask away, and I'll see what I can do."

  Zane took a deep breath, puffing his chest out and standing as straight as he could. "If you will allow it, I would like a permit to start my own guild."

  The paladin noted Helga and Denro exchanging a look, but kept the bulk of his attention on the king.

  "Interesting," said Valdrick, leaning forward. "But why not join one of the guilds that have already been started? They've got much history to them."

  "And I have nothing but great honor and respect for them," nodded Zane. "But, truth be told, I've found that none of them want me."

  The king's eyes widened. "Really? But you've done so much for the U'Raze Kingdom!
Surely any guild would love to have you join their ranks."

  "At first, many guilds did try to get me to join," admitted Zane. "One after the other, though, they all asked me to leave. They cited a 'conflict of personalities', sir."

  "I'm sorry to hear that, my boy," said Valdrick, sounding like he truly meant it. The king leaned back in his throne and brought the tips of his fingers together. "Granting a new permit for a new guild could cause some waves with the established ones. The gods know how much they loathe competition. To be honest, I'm not sure if it's doable."

  Zane chest deflated. "I... I was afraid of that."

  "Surely there is something we could do to help him, sire," said Helga.

  "Yes," added Denro, walking up and patting Zane on the shoulder. "If the young man has helped your kingdom before, surely you can return the favor."

  The paladin fought back tears at the compassion the two advisors were showing him. How lucky was he to have such kind-hearted people coming to his aid?

  The king looked Zane over carefully. "That seems only fair, I suppose. Very well. I can probably make it happen, if our young paladin would be so kind as to help me out with a little task."

  The glimmer of hope was all Zane needed. "Of course! I'd be happy to help you with anything you need!"

  "Most excellent," smiled Valdrick. "I've got a very sensitive matter that I need someone to take care of, and I think you'd be the perfect person to do it. I'll spare you the extra details, but we need you to travel in secret to the Epworth Empire and unleash a god named Aodh. Are you familiar with him?"

  "I'm not," admitted Zane. "I worship Nera and have no reason to go looking for any deities, so I haven't spent much time learning about the others."

  "Perfectly reasonable," nodded Valdrick. "All you need to know is that Aodh and the people on that crescent continent have an old rivalry, and he will keep them out of our hair for quite some time."

  "I see," said Zane, connecting the dots. "Two quick questions, if I may."

  "Go on."

  "First, will I die when he is set free?"

  The king shifted in his seat. "There is a chance, I won't lie to you. However, I have complete faith in your abilities. On top of that, we will be sending another with you. I have full assurance that with his help, the two of you will make it back to us in one piece."

  The confidence of his king was more than enough for Zane. "That's very kind of you. The second question I have is what will happen when Aodh is finished with the Epworth Empire? Won't he come our way?"

  Denro and Helga snickered at this, causing Zane's face to flush. The king smiled at the paladin and shook his head.

  "Nothing to worry about on that end, Zane. After all, deities can't cross over water. Everyone knows that."

  "Ah, of course! Must have slipped my mind," lied Zane. He quickly changed the subject to avoid further embarrassment. "When is my travel companion ready to leave? And how long do we have?"

  Valdrick nodded at Helga, who produced two scrolls and handed it over to the paladin. Zane held both of them up, one brown and one purple.

  "All that you need to know can be found in the purple scroll," explained King Valdrick. "You will need to venture first to Bjorn's Harbor and search for a man named Perkins Huss. Present him with the same scroll, and the man will be sure to accompany you."

  "What of the brown scroll?" asked Zane.

  "That will be the one you need to read off of to release Aodh," said Denro. "Simply read it aloud once you reach the caged covering."

  "Seems simple enough," said Zane, shoving both scrolls into his bag. "And when I return I will be granted a permit to start my own guild?"

  "The very hour you step foot again in Wilnam," smiled Valdrick.

  Zane smiled and bowed, partially to show his thanks and partially to hide his emotions. "Thank you all so much for this opportunity! I won't let you down!"

  "We know you won't," nodded the king, a small hint of regret in his voice that Zane didn't pick up on. "Until we meet again."

  CHAPTER SIX

  "Uh... come again?" asked Farr.

  "Have you not heard of Aodh?" asked Commander Indures, turning her head to the side. "He-"

  "No, I know about him," nodded Farr, remembering the god from his schooling. "I... I'm just surprised to hear that he's escaping."

  "He's always been trying to escape, of course," said Indures, leaning back in her seat. "The thing is, we believe he is going to be assisted this time."

  "Who would be insane enough to release him?" scoffed Farr. "That's assuming it's even possible."

  "We can't know for sure if it's possible until he happens, but even the magic of the gods is not typically something that lasts forever."

  "That's true," yielded Farr, knowing better than most the limits of magic. "But who would do this, and why?"

  "Two questions that we don't know," admitted the aetherial. "That will have to be part of your mission to figure out. At least, you'll need to learn who it is in order to stop them. The 'why' isn't as important, but could be infinitely more interesting."

  Farr fell back in his seat as his mind raced. Aodh the Mad God had caused so much chaos and death thousands of years earlier that he was considered responsible for setting civilization back millennia. It would require someone just as insane to let him out. And if they did manage to unleash the god, how could his team possibly survive?

  "This sounds like it could be very deadly," he muttered.

  "It could," yielded Indures. "On the other hand, it could not."

  Farr raised his eyebrows for her to continue.

  "While we believe the timing is right and that we are reading the stars correctly... I don't think I need to remind you that our astrologist isn't perfect."

  "Wait a minute," said Farr, rearranging himself in his seat. "Are you saying the person who had been telling you all of this is Walter?"

  "Of course."

  "The same Walter who believed the stars were telling him our crescent of a continent would split in two about three years ago?"

  "...Yes."

  "The same Walter who is right less than five percent of the time?"

  "Ah!" said Commander Indures, pointing a finger at Farr. "But he is right, sometimes!"

  Farr suddenly wasn't so worried. Walter was The Delinquents lead astrologist. The goblin was friendly enough, and usually meant well, but Farr couldn't remember the last time he had accurately predicted something. Even when he was right, it was usually something incredibly small, like when a guild member would find a bag of copper in the streets.

  "Let's say, hypothetically, Walter was wrong," ventured Farr. "My team gets to Aodh's prison, checks it out for a few days, and no one ever comes to open it... What does that mean for us?"

  "The mission is to keep the god from escaping," Indures reminded him. "If you return to us and Aodh hasn't been released, then by all means, it sounds like you accomplished your task. You and your team will be compensated as always, given a few weeks off for a well-deserved vacation, and you will be promoted to captain."

  A smile returned to Farr's face. This sounded like a sure thing. While the others might grumble about having to go, the promise of a few weeks off might pacify them a bit. The worst thing that would happen to them is they'd be a little bored for a few days while they waited around an ancient crypt. It should be straight forward.

  "Okay," said Farr. "We'll take it."

  "I'm happy to hear that," smiled Commander Indures. "Best case, Walter is wrong once again and you'll get an easy final mission before becoming an officer."

  "While I remember who Aodh is, I don't exactly remember where he's trapped," admitted Farr. "Where is it that we'll be going?"

  "Aodh is contained in a covering located at Death's Eye."

  "Death's Eye... I'm not familiar with that. Which part of the Empire is it in?"

  "It's not in the Empire."

  "Oh!" said Farr, surprised. He had always heard about the destruction Aodh wrecked on the cont
inent, he hadn't read of him elsewhere. "Is he on one of the Raptor Islands or the U'Raze Kingdom? Surely not the Carobin Federation?"

  "Death's Eye is on this continent," assured Indures. "It isn't within the bounds of the Empire, though. It resides in the Lund to the south."

  Farr groaned and ran a hand over his face. This wasn't going to be so simple after all. Even if no one came to release Aodh, it was going to be a pain for his team to get into and through the Lund.

  "Not even the northern Lund, huh?" he asked. "At least that would be closer."

  "Unfortunately not," she nodded.

  "I imagine there aren't any portals leading into the Lund?"

  The commander laughed in response.

  "Yeah, I guess that would cause a load of problems," nodded Farr in resignation. The Lund was filled with wild magic, the likes of which could hardly be contained. He had read stories in school about foolish mages that journeyed out into the Lund in hopes of finding power beyond what was known. They almost always found it, and it always killed them... or worse.

  "The closest portal to the southern Lund is in Voze," explained Indures. "You will need to make your way down to Fort Pel, the closest entry point along the wall to Death's Eye. Once you make it into the Lund, you will continue southeast for about a day. You'll know when you find it."

  "I'm sure the Lundori will be happy to see us," said Farr dryly.

  "They do love visitors," she replied sarcastically.

  "According to Walter, when will Aodh be broken free?" asked Farr.

  "Just a few days from now, unfortunately. That's why we need you and your team to leave first thing tomorrow. It will take you several days to make it Death's Eye, assuming there aren't any hiccups."

  Farr had a feeling that was unlikely.

  "How long will we need to stay there once we arrive? In case no one shows up, I mean."

  "I discussed this with Walter a few hours ago and he is confident that one week from today is a safe time to leave," she answered. "He believes that there is some sort of time limit on when Aodh can escape, although none of us know the specifics."