The Ring Thief - Chapter 7 - The Strangers

 Chapter 7 - The Strangers

After Taenith left, his form was replaced by another. It stood about the same height as the draconian. Though, it was human; or at least, human-shaped. Its bulky and armored frame was accompanied by an intense light that disguised its physical form. Though Grizzel’s was turned away from it, the figure’s focus remained statically tuned to him. The warmth blistering into his sweating back told Grizzel exactly who it was. 

Shaking with his hands caked in blood, Grizzel continued to close wounds that opened only moments later. So many tears had flown from the apostle’s face that his vision was blurred and he couldn’t even tell if Han was still alive. His body was just a bloody ocean with patches of skin thrown in. As Grizzel cried, however, he felt two warm hands on his shoulders. When they touched him, he felt his tears dry up and the soreness in his throat disappear. 

“He is dead,” the Grand Paladin said.

“No, no...” Grizzel muttered, his eyes staring blankly into the bowman’s corpse. 

“Rise,” the voice said. Grizzel initially ignored the request. That is, until his father’s hands dug into his shoulder blades, and he felt himself willingly lifting away from his friend. When Grizzel stood above Han, he felt a tug towards the gold strewn across the forest floor. With some hesitation, he turned around and allowed himself to slowly walk over to the coins he had dropped. 

It was for him. It always had to be for him. Everything did.

“It can never be any other way.”

As Grizzel approached his ruined bag, Han began to choke on his own blood. The apostle’s absent magic allowed for his wounds to slowly reopen. While he unconsciously gurgled and frothed his own spit, the darkness he already faced began to shine bright.  

Then, despite his dazed state, the apostle heard a large twig snap nearby. When he turned to face the sound, however, he felt something heavy slam against his throat. Hot pain exploded through him, and when he managed to open his eyes, he was already on the ground, coughing with an iron boot pressed against stomach. Looking upwards, he saw through blurred vision the vague outlines of a figure adorned in heavy plate armor with a sword extended towards Grizzel’s neck. 

“Wh-what the hell?” he choked. Once his vision cleared, he caught a glimpse of her features. Her skin was white, but sun-kissed, and her long, shoulder-length hair was a dark brown that almost faded into the darkness of the night surrounding her. A long scar darted over her right eye with a matching scar at the left side of her lips. Though, it was her bright green eyes that stood out the most, like beacons in the night. His heart pounded in his chest when he felt another striking pain in his flesh. If she wasn’t bearing down at him with murderous intent, he’d call her beautiful.

“Don’t play stupid with me. It’ll get you killed,” the knight grit her teeth and dug the tip of her blade just below his larynx. A steady stream of blood poured from his already sore neck. 

“W-what do you want?” Grizzel asked. Any previous thoughts of collecting gold vanished.

“Give us the ring. Now.”

“Us?” Grizzel thought. As if on queue, an elderly man appeared to the right of the knight. His skin was wrinkled and tan, and his face wore a grayish white beard that fell to his chest. On his form were plain gray robes and a white turban that coiled around the top of his head like a snake. Most notable, however, were his piercing black eyes, and the blinding daylight that flowed from his golden irises. Like little beacons, they illuminated the veil of darkness around them, providing Grizzel with a much clearer view of the two.

“I don’t sense any powerful magic here… We may have the wrong people,” the elder said.  

“The bastards probably sold it to get us off their scent. I say we kill them,” the knight grit her teeth and pressed harder into his gut, crushing him further into the ground. Pain shot through his lungs as her titan-like strength prevented him from inhaling. 

“One of them is an apostle, Tex,” the man said. 

“So what?” she said, pressing her blade further into his neck.

“I'd hate to get us into any more trouble with Kingswatch if he’s one of them. Let’s just talk first,” he said. Although his body was frail, his voice certainly wasn’t. He spoke with a conviction and confidence that demanded respect. Even his body, which was wrinkled and frail, stood straight and powerful like a younger man’s would.

The knight named Tex glared into Grizzel’s blood-shot eyes before releasing her foot. “Hm. Nice mace.” She leaned down to grab the weapon before releasing her sword from his throat.

Coughing a few times, Grizzel sat upright. Stress weighed on his shoulders when he saw his mace in her hands, examining it like it were some prize. Clenching his fists, he exhaled to keep himself calmed. If he misspoke he’d count on her to kill him where he sat.

Tex glanced at the apostle, impatient. “We don’t have all night. Speak.”

Rubbing his throat, Grizzel spoke, “My name is Grizzel Valone-” It was then when he remembered what had happened before he was jumped. His eyes darted to Han when he realized what he had done. “P-Please,” he glanced at Han. “Please save him.”

Tex looked over to the mangled body. “Looks like they found the Lythin.”

Sham nodded. “It's about that time I suppose.” Stepping over the roots of trees carefully, the elderly man approached Han and kneeled down. “You're lucky he has a body left at all,” he said before muttering some alien words under his breath. Moments later, a golden orb sprang into existence above the palms of his hands. It then drifted downwards and seeped into Han’s wounds. “If he’s alive, this should stabilize him in a few minutes,” he said before returning to his partner. “Now, then, where were we?”

Grizzel closed his eyes and exhaled, “Thank you.”

Sham smiled. “Of course. Though, I must say I’m surprised anyone survived. Lythins can be quite-” 

“Where did you get this gold?” Tex interjected, using her sword to gesture to the muddy pile of loot.  

“W-we found it in an abandoned tower. We were trying to get to Oakheart to settle down for a few days.”

“Abandoned my ass,” Tex faced the old man. “He’s just another bandit, Sham”

The mage held up a hand. “Excuse us for a moment please. My friend. She can be… hasty,” he said. 

Grizzel nodded, his heart pounding while they surely discussed his fate. 

“They’re clearly not the ones,” Sham said, communicating to the knight through their short distance telepathy.

“Or he’s lying through his teeth.” Tex replied. 

“Why would-” he paused, catching her glancing at the apostle’s mace. “Gods. Do you really need another trophy?” Sham asked, gesturing to the weapon at her side wrapped in cloth and rope.

Tex snorted, “Do you need a million magic tomes?”

“That’s NOT-,” Sham bit his lip and rolled his eyes. “You’re just saying that to get on my nerves, aren't you, Vanador?”

Tex offered a snarky smirk.

“Why am I not surprised,” Sham began before he, Tex and Grizzel felt twigs fall against them from above. Tex immediately dropped Grizzel’s mace and drew her sword when she spotted the large, red silhouette plummeting down towards them. It was inhuman, and had a set of two large wings. The knight cursed when she recognized it was actually a draconian, and instinctively drew her arm back, preparing to lob the magical blade at him before he could land a blow against her or Sham. But then, to her surprise, and slight disappointment, the stranger did not attack. Instead, he landed beside the man Sham had healed. A snarl formed on his maw as he probably assumed the worst for his fallen companion. 

“Grizzel, what the hell happened here? I told you to keep him alive!” Taenith snapped, angry at himself for failing to find help, and at Grizzel for his apostilian incompetence. When he tried to draw it, however, his chest convulsed and he fell to his knees. He coughed up more blood. His vision blurred, and his mind went numb. Looking up, he finally noticed the pair of strangers.

“Who… are you?” He breathed, wanting to raise his sword, but unable to at that point. Whoever these people were, he would need to cooperate.

“Well, first thing is first, you look like you’re about to keel over, friend,” Sham said. He summoned another gold sphere of magic and sent it over to the draconian. Taenith recoiled at first when it floated close to his chest. But its cooling aura set him at ease. He couldn’t help but allow it to sink into his battered and bruised body, where it melted away all his pain. Now that his vision was clear, he looked to Han once more and saw that his body was also being mended. 

“...Thank you,” Taenith exhaled, looking down at Han. “How can we repay you?” he asked.

Sham laughed, “Oh, don’t be silly. I don’t want anything from you. Not even the gold you stole from us,” he said, gesturing to the coins strewn by Grizzel’s side. 

Taenith looked to the loot and back to Sham. “We didn’t know it was yours. The place was abandoned when we got there.”  

“You’re lying. No one could just wander into an invisible fortress by accident,” Tex said.

Sham glared at his partner. “Can you please? For a moment?”

Tex rolled her eyes and stowed her blade.

“Thank you,” Sham smiled. “Now. I suppose we haven’t introduced ourselves. My name is Sham,” he said with an encouraging smile before gesturing to the woman beside him. “My friend here is Tex. We’re looking for something that was stolen from us. A ring. It has a blue gemstone on it and draconic runes are etched into its band. It holds an incredible power that cannot fall into the wrong hands. Have either of you seen something of the sort?”

Grizzel and Taenith looked at each other for a moment. It was brief, but both had at least seen the mage wearing it. 

“Yes,” Taenith said. His voice was still hoarse from the wounds healing inside of him.

Tex seemed ready to cut to the fight right then and there, but Sham extended an arm before her, halting her aggressive tactics once more.

“But the tower wasn’t invisible, and we didn’t take it-” Taenith began before remembering the parchment of ruined paper he’d found back at the desk. “This was in one of the drawers when we got there,” he said, digging through his bag and taking out the piece of paper before handing it to Sham.

The wizard looked over the paper. It looked ashy, though not from fire. Rather, the faint yellow speckles scattered throughout suggested it was the residue of another spell. 

“To destroy this from outside would have taken an immense amount of power, and none of you seem capable of such feets,” he said, turning to his partner, “So I don’t see how they could have taken it. I think our friend Grizzel here was telling the truth.” 

Tex shrugged.

“I told you,” Grizzel said, eyeing his mace which Tex had picked up again. His hands itched to have it back, and to clean the mud caking its tip. 

“I don’t know what he told you, but there was another magic user there when we arrived. He had a ring,” Taenith said.  

Sham scratched his beard. “What did he look like?”

Taenith paused, thinking back on the dark wizard he’d fought. He never got a great look at his face, but distinctly remembered it was a sickly, blood drained white. “He wore black robes covered in draconic symbols I couldn’t understand, and he looked and smelled half dead.”

Nodding, Sham closed his eyes for a few moments. He’d come across many chaotic and undead beings in the past, but none were capable of magic to his knowledge. Except…

“You don’t think,” Sham began, looking to Tex, who simply looked back at him with narrowed brows.

“Why are you asking me? You’re the wizard,” she said. 

“Icarus?” Sham asked, nodding his head with eager eyes, as if trying to draw an answer out of her. 

 Tex took a few moments to recall the fight they had against the god. It was years ago and the specific details were a bit fuzzy because of how short it was. She only remembered stealing the mace and their ally, Michael, chopping off his arm like a madman. 

“What do you want from me? Are you asking if the mage was the old man?” Tex huffed at Sham, flustered by his inability to be direct. 

Taenith, watching as the two bickered, and decided to butt in. “Sorry, but what’s going on?” 

Sham turned to Taenith, having nearly forgotten where he and Tex were and who they were with. “Apologies. Tex and I have had a few run-ins with revenants in the past. They usually serve the bound gods in their home realms, but your description makes me believe one might have escaped.”

Tex beamed her eyes like daggers at the mage, “Why wouldn’t you just open with that?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” the mage chuckled. “Also, call it payback for teasing me about my books,” he messaged her. 

“You're a dead man. One of these days, I swear.”

Smiling, Sham rubbed his back and inhaled a breath of musty forest air. It still smelt partially of singed bear fur and muddy blood. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant aroma. 

“Well, I suppose if none of you have it, it’s probably best that we let you be,” Sham said. “Your friend should wake by tomorrow morning. Give or take a few hours.” He pointed to a thinning patch of trees. “Nearest town is that way. I would leave now before another lythin catches your scent.”

With that, the old man turned away from Taenith and Grizzel, who was still sitting on the ground glaring at Tex. 

With the whisk of a hand, Sham summoned a sequence of magical runes - a rainbow of glowing draconic symbols. They danced in the air chaotically before settling in a circular fashion around him and Tex, who finally threw the mace to the dirt before the apostle. 

Once the runes finished cementing to the ground, Sham waved at each of the three. “Safe travels!” he said. Moments later, a translucent spherical object surrounded them, blurring their bodies from view. Soon they began to fade, and Grizzel’s gut urged him to protest. 

“Wait!” Grizzel shouted, extending his hand to the two.

Arching his barely visible head to the apostle, Sham momentarily halted the spell, revealing their complete physical bodies once more. “Yes?” he asked. Grizzel approached them.

Thoughts - like gears - clicked together in his mind. “The ring…you said it's really powerful. I…read about some magic strong enough to grant wishes…can it do that?” Grizzel asked, ignoring the confused glance Taenith shot him with.

“In a rudimentary sense, I suppose. Why do you ask?”  

“Can we help you look for it?” Grizzel asked, racking his mind for something worth their time. “I’ve… dishonored myself for stealing your property. Even if I didn’t know it was yours,” he paused again, searching for more words to use. “Please. Let us redeem ourselves.” He gave a short bow. His mouth tasted sour, borrowing the verbiage of his past.

Sham chuckled at the display. He pondered the idea for a moment before facing Tex, who, judging by her deadpan gaze, disagreed with the idea. However, he knew all their friends and allies were currently on their own journeys and wouldn’t be available for some time. Having some extra hands could prove useful. 

While Sham and Tex conversed, Taenith pulled Grizzel to the side. “What are you doing?” he asked. 

“Relax, I got this,” he patted Taenith’s shoulder, to which the draconian growled. Grizzel retracted his hand, and started over, leaning closer to Taenith and speaking with a near whisper. “Come on. These guys are loaded. If we help them get that ring, we won’t have to run around looting ruins. Maybe we even get a wish,” his excitement rose. 

Taenith huffed. “That woman wanted to kill you. She probably still does.”

“But she didn’t,” Grizzel replied with a sarcastic smirk. Judging by Taenith’s clenched jaw, though, he was not amused. 

Grizzel sighed, “Look. Just trust me on this one, okay? We could use the money. And they seem to know what they’re doing. Safety in numbers, right?” 

Taenith nearly scoffed at the suggestion. But, thinking it over, he knew the apostle was right. They needed money, and a few gold coins in the mud wouldn’t last them forever. 

“...Fine. Just don’t get us killed,” Taenith said, eyeing the knight.

“I’m sure she’s not so bad once you get to know her,” Grizzel half-chuckled, trying to mask his own doubt.  

-

“You’re not seriously considering this are you?” Tex asked Sham, raising a brow when Sham didn’t provide an immediate and resounding ‘no.’

“Well, I see no reason why they shouldn’t be able to. I’m far too old for all this chasing and tracking and you shouldn’t be going alone. We could at least discuss the idea somewhere more…” he paused, looking over the dark woods and the frequent eyes that poked from the darkness “habitable.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Tex responded.

He ignored her with a smile, and faced Grizzel and Taenith. “Very well. You may join us if you wish,” he said. "But Tex and I need to make a stop in Oakheart first. I’ll need my scrying orb if we want to find our thief. It shouldn't take too long. Then we can look at our next steps."

Grizzel air nudged Taenith and grinned, “See?”

The draconian huffed.

“Thank you! You won’t regret this,” he responded to the mage. A heavy weight fell off his shoulders as he quickly picked up his mace and headed over to the strangers. “Come on, let’s go!” Grizzel said, waving his friend over.

Taenith was still taken aback by how lucky they had been. Moments ago he was certain he and Han were dead. But now they were about to embark on a quest to hunt down a wish-hungry ghoul. Or, that’s how it sounded. At the very least, he was grateful to have someone powerful enough to cheat death on his side for once. Seeing no immediate downsides to the partnership - aside from the woman’s appetite for killing them only moments ago - Taenith lifted Han over his shoulders before joining the others in the magical circle.

“Now then. Everyone ready?” Sham asked as the draconian stepped inside the circle. He was certainly ready to be out of the dismal woodlands. 

Once everyone was inside, Sham raised his hands into the air and resummoned the translucent sphere around them. “Next stop, Oakheart,” he said. Runes sparked and ignited around them - exploding into a storm of red clouds. In seconds, the magic sphere thundered the travelers from their forest prison into a void of darkness and fire. But almost as quickly as they had disappeared into nowhere, they re-exploded into reality. However, instead of being surrounded by a thick maze of trees, they stood under the rising sun on a stone road that led directly to Oakheart, which lay only a few miles away ahead of them.

“That wasn’t too bad now was it?” Sham said, watching as Grizzel reeled over and vomited while Taenith momentarily fell to his knees, struggling to hold Han or even himself up. Wherever they had gone, and for however long, it completely razed his sense of equilibrium. Even the ground seemed like it was gliding to the left. 

“You’ll get a stomach for it eventually,” Sham said. “Traveling through Sheol isn’t something easily gotten used to.” 

“What?” Taenith asked, coughing. His lungs felt like they had inhaled coal. Grizzel fell to the ground and unleashed another series of wheezing and vomiting onto the stone path. 

Sham raised a brow, “You’ve never heard of it?” he asked. When he saw Taenith was genuine, he extended a hand. 

“Sorry, I'm just surprised the apostle hasn’t told you,” he said, summoning a map filled with dozens of dots hovering inside a massive circle. “It's not a pleasant place but it's good for travel,” he chuckled.

“Did you know about this?” Taenith asked Grizzel, who was now standing with his hands pressed against his knees, exhaling heavily as he tried to regain his breath from another volley of vomit.

“Of course!” he grinned, “Why wouldn’t I?”

He had no idea.

Sham laughed at the comment. “Well plainly said, it’s a multi-layered pocket of imaginative reality outside of our own physical one,” he said, pointing to several dots of various sizes that all hovered above the physical galaxy like stars. “Those smaller circles are where the gods of Law rule. They’re also where the souls of their worshippers go. Turning the map sideways, he pointed to a shadowy veil beneath the universe and the gods’ realms. "Here is where we traveled through.”

“Oh, you mean the Rift?” Grizzel asked. 

Sham raised a brow. “Is that what they’re calling it these days?” 

“I don’t know. I guess. It’s what all the apostles call it back at the academy.”

Taenith’s head tilted slightly. He had only heard of the term ‘hell.’ It was usually associated with demons and other evil creatures. And heaven, vice versa.

“Well. Call it the Rift or not, that’s where we were,” he said.

Taenith’s scaled brows furrowed. “We left the planet?” he asked.

Sham shook his head, “Not quite. Sheol, or…the Rift as you call it, is more of a reflection of our own. One can tap into it to travel faster… well, appear to travel faster since time passes rapidly there," he said. "So I just drifted us along. You probably don't remember much of the trip because your minds and souls aren't used to interplanar travel yet. But you'll get used to it," he smiled.

Standing up from his spasm of sickness, Grizzel looked over the map and winced at the mass of darkness.

Taenith's mind was numb and dense from the trip, and as a result, almost completely unable to grasp the concepts being thrown at him. But he managed to rack together one simple question.

 “If it's a prison, why are you able to enter so easily?” Taenith asked. 

Grizzel, poking his nose over the map, nearly hurled once more at the mere thought of transitioning plains of reality.

“Well,” Sham began, stepping backwards to avoid an avalanche of leftover rabbit soup flowing from the apostle’s mouth, "I'm just going to have to keep that a secret for now. After all, I hardly know you!" he laughed.

"What? Come on-" Grizzel began, only to be cut off by Tex as she pushed through the three, nearly toppling Han off Taenith's shoulder in the process. 

“Enough talk,” she said, “We don’t have time for a history lesson.”

Taenith repositioned Han over his shoulder so he wouldn’t fall off, then faced the mage. “Did we say something…down there?” He wasn’t quite sure how else to ask. She seemed even more irritable than before. Maybe Grizzel ran his mouth without even knowing it.

"Oh. No. It’s nothing personal, I assure you,” Ohen paused. “Though, if you and your friends wish to help us I’d suggest staying off her bad side.”

“This isn’t it?” Grizzel asked.

Sham laughed. “You haven’t seen anything yet, my friend.”