Rend Hope (19 page)

             
The dark-haired necromancer felt something twinge in his heart, something he hadn’t felt in a decade.  He wondered at the old feeling, why was he feeling it now?  Maybe because Benjamin resembled his son, Randal?  He would have been Benjamin’s age if he had survived.  Unfortunately, his son, like every other human being out there, was unable to handle the harshness of this new world.  Sickness ravaged his body into nothingness and his death showed Ebrim how fragile and easily snuffed out a human life was.  The scarfed necromancer’s eyes narrowed at the descending sun, why was he thinking about all this now?  With more effort than he cared to admit, he shifted his train of thought to the upcoming attack.

             
"Are you sure this will work?" Sahiron asked, pulling Ebrim from his thoughts.  The dark-whiskered man smiled.

             
"The spell will definitely get us past the city's magical barrier I assure you." Ebrim answered.

             
"I still don't see why you want to wait until nightfall.  They know we're out here, maybe not us two exactly, but they know there are necromancers lurking about.  Let’s just go and get it over with." Sahiron told him.  Ebrim placed a hand on his chin as he sorted through his strategy.

             
"Yes you're right Sahiron.  However, even if they are on the lookout for us, attacking at night is still to our advantage.  They won't have as great of visibility and even if their guards are on alert, the civilians are not.  They'll be in their homes, sleeping, completely unprepared.  They won't be able to protect them all at once.  That will be the key to our victory." Ebrim explained.

             
"All right.  That makes sense." Sahiron relented, silence ensued and the brown-haired man in a straitjacket growled in frustration. 

             
"Don't like the quiet?" Ebrim asked, grinning.

             
"No I don't and I'm getting hungry." Sahiron growled.

             
"Patience, you'll have plenty to eat soon.  I'd prefer the sounds of people screaming and suffering before being reborn into greatness myself.  But the silence before a battle deserves to be appreciated." The dark-haired necromancer explained, Sahiron snorted.

             
"Who told you that shit?" He asked his partner, Ebrim's lips twitched slightly.

             
"An old friend." He answered Sahiron.  "I should prepare the spell now, it is rather time-consuming.  I'll let you know when I'm ready." Sahiron nodded as Ebrim walked away to prepare his spell.

             
"I'll be glad when all this waiting is over with." The former inmate said out loud.  Ebrim had to admit he'd be glad when the city was finally his as well.  With all those people for him to experiment on, he could build a literal army that would sweep through the land and usher in a new age.  An age where one did not worry about hunger or thirst, or the pain of losing a loved one. 

             
Ebrim's usual smile turned into a frown as an image of his son’s face popped into his mind.  The human race had become obsolete, it's time the world realized that.  The fact that they have managed to survive these centuries by just their fingernails only proves how pathetic they've become.  It was time to put them out of their misery.  He would start with Midas City.

**********

              Joe's Bar was just like how Markus imagined it would be.  The wooden tables and chairs were scratched to hell and stained from all manner of alcoholic drinks.  Lanterns from the ceiling provided the only light source for the building and that only allowed a person to see their hand in front of their face.

             
What Markus didn't imagine was the people that occupied Joe's Bar.  He expected all types of shady individuals to be filling the seats, but that was not the case.  While the people were dirty, some with little more than rags for clothes, Markus could tell they weren't bandits or cannibals.  They were people, just survivors trying to drink away their sorrows or friends hanging out after a hard day's work.  To Markus, it was a welcome change to the bars he had visited before, He felt he could actually let down his guard a little here and not be worried about someone trying to stab or shoot him for his stuff.

             
The blonde-haired aeromancer turned his attention to his table's other occupant seated across from him.  Marie was downing her second alcoholic drink, a tequila sunrise, and she was downing it fast.  The glass's bottom was tipped to the ceiling as she poured the beverage down her throat.  The teenage girl didn't even miss a beat as she slammed the glass back down on their table and continued talking.

             
"So yeah that was the mayor's office in the Southwestern section.  Mayor Watkins does what he can to keep the city in order and to make sure we have a constant supply of building materials, food, and water coming in.  He usually sends out deputies, because they can defend themselves if they are attacked by the roaming bands of cannibals." Marie informed him.

             
"Sounds like a good man." Markus replied, he eyed the young girl warily.  "You feeling okay?"  Marie gave him a questioning look as she motioned for the waitress to bring her another drink.

             
"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" She asked.

             
"Well for being so young you hold your alcohol pretty well." Markus stated, the dark-haired teenage girl grinned wickedly.

             
"I haven't even got started yet.  I'm trying to behave because Rosalind ordered me to give you the rundown of what goes on here." Marie replied, the waitress set another tequila sunrise down next to the magi-apprentice.  Who grabbed it up and inhaled it in seconds, slamming the glass down once more.  Markus couldn't help but feel a little intimidated, he was still on his first screwdriver.

             
"How much do you usually drink?" The newly appointed deputy asked.  Marie mulled the question over for a moment.

             
"Usually about eight of these easily." She answered, Markus gave a nervous laugh.

             
"Geez, your liver must be the strongest thing in the world right now." The blonde aeromancer joked, Marie responded with an arrogant smirk

             
"Well I don't wanna toot my own horn or anything but..." Marie started, but was interrupted by an unexpected voice.

             
"She hasn't mentioned how haggard she'll look the next morning." The voice said from behind Markus, both the teenage girl and the flannel-clad magi's eyes widened in surprise.  Markus actually had to turn around and look to make certain of who the owner of the voice was.

             
"Rosalind?" Markus said tentatively.  It was indeed her, she was looking at him, her face a stoic mask, as usual.  He didn't know what to expect from his old girlfriend.

Chapter 16

              "Could you give us some privacy Marie?  There is something I need to discuss with Markus." Rosalind stated, Marie looked like a deer caught in the headlights.  It took a long moment for her to respond.

             
"Oh um, yeah sure.  Uhh, have fun you two?" The teenage girl replied tentatively before slipping away as fast as she could.  Leaving the two old friends alone.  Silently Rosalind took the seat that Marie had occupied seconds before.  Placing a bottle of clear liquid on the table.

             
"Supply of vodka in the city is rather low." Rosalind stated, "This bottle should tide you over for a little while right?"  Markus eyed her warily.

             
"Why are you giving me this?" He asked her, the hoodie-clad woman crossed her arms in front of her and placed her elbows on the table, leaning forward slightly.

             
"Consider it a peace offering." Rosalind answered.  "I'm willing to put aside my desire to kill you.  At least until we find Nobellus and this whole necromancer deal is straightened out."  Markus blinked.

             
"We?" He inquired. 

             
"Even if you find him, Nobellus is too powerful for you to take on alone.  You'll need help, don't forget that I have a score to settle with that bastard as well.  So I will assist you in your little quest."  She informed him.

             
"And what happens after?" Markus asked, the answer to his question was a glare, a serious one too.  Her blue eyes told him that she still had the intent to kill him.  However, there was something different about it, it wasn't like the glare she gave them after seeing him for the first time in three years.  It was softer, like instead of wanting to kill him without question, she was debating it first.

             
"That's up to you." Rosalind answered.  "If I lose anyone else important to me because of your actions, then I'll kill you."  Markus sighed.

             
"Well now that we got that out of the way." The blonde aeromancer responded, grabbing the bottle of vodka.  "Drink?  For old time's sake?" He asked her with a small smile.  She just glared at him.  "Come on, this could be the last time we are together like this, like friends.  The next time you could be trying to kill me."  Rosalind shook her head.

             
"Don't make fun of me Markus, I'm not in the mood." The blonde woman said, Markus' face turned serious.

             
"I'm not, I'm far from perfect Rosalind.  I’ve made mistakes and will continue to make them in the future.  All I can do is atone for them."  He took a long drink straight from the bottle before continuing.  "One of those mistakes could draw your hatred and you could very well kill me, I'm well aware of that." He smiled sadly and Rosalind felt her glare softening.  "So, while you aren't in the mood to bash my skull in, let’s have a drink and remember some of the good times.  You have to admit, we made some great memories in Havenway before its downfall.  Especially the times you, myself and Erik used to treasure hunt together."  Rosalind remained silent for a long moment before dropping her glare.

             
"Fine.  Just one." She replied, Markus grinned.

**********

              Marie was conflicted, part of her wanted to get as far away from the bar as possible.  After all, she had seen Markus and Rosalind battle it out and it wasn't pretty.  On the other hand, she was curious to know what they were talking about.  Rosalind had said at the meeting that Markus and her were magi that defended Havenway.  So they had to have had some sort of camaraderie together.  It was clear Rosalind hated Markus and blamed him for her family's death, but there was something more.  Maybe they had tried a tentative romance in the past? Nah, not the way those two fought, no way.

             
"Excuse me Lady Marie." A voice to her left said, she looked in that direction to find an old barrel-chested man with a bald head and full grey beard that went to down to his collarbone.  Marie recognized him as Derick, an old man who ran a map store in Midas City's Barter District.  Derick liked to collect whatever maps people could scavenge during their travels outside the city.  Most of the maps were aged and in terrible shape, but he salvaged what he could.  The old man told people his reasons for this were that it was an important part of our history and also it was easy to get lost in the Desert of Despair without a good map.

             
"Uh yes?" Marie asked tentatively, not sure what to expect, Derick motioned her over to his table, his son Dylan was with him, he was only a few years older than her.  It looked like someone dropped a black-colored mop onto Dylan's head.  You could barely see his brown eyes through the mop of black hair.  Derick leaned forward and pointed a discreet finger in the direction of Markus and Rosalind's table.

             
"That blonde-haired man was the new deputy you were showing around right?" Derick asked, Marie nodded, she knew people would start asking questions.  Markus was the only deputy that wore a red and black flannel jacket and torn blue jeans.  It was only natural for them to be curious.

             
"Yeah that's him, why do you ask?" She questioned politely, a smile formed on Derick's lips.

             
"Glad to see him sticking around, did you know he saved my life?" Derick asked, Marie's eyes widened.

             
"Really?" She asked, the old man nodded.

             
"Lady Rosalind was going to fire one of her magical blasts into my store.  Would have done me in for sure, but that fellow there, he yelled for her to stop."  Derick shuddered slightly as he remembered.  "When she didn't he diverted the blast so it went through the roof instead of frying my ass." The bearded man gave a small laugh.  "I might need a new roof and some more maps to replace the wrecked ones, but at least I live to see another day."  Marie rubbed her left arm with her right hand nervously.

             
"Yeah sorry about that, Rosalind and Markus have...history." The teenage magi-apprentice finished lamely.

             
"History eh?" Derick said, looking past Marie to stare at the table Markus and Rosalind were occupying.  Marie followed his gaze, so far the two were being civil.  Once again the dark-haired girl found herself wondering what they could be talking about.  Derick stared at them for a moment before returning his attention to Marie.  "This is just a hunch, but I reckon those two were lovers once." The old man told her.

             
"What!?!" Marie exclaimed, her eyes as wide as saucers.  Her exclamation was so loud that it drew the attention of other nearby patrons.  Fortunately Rosalind and Markus seemed oblivious to her outburst.  She gave a nervous smile to the patrons she had distracted and quickly took a seat at Derick and Dylan's table.  "How can you tell just by looking at them?" She asked.  A wide grin spread underneath Derick's beard.

             
"Like I said, it's just a hunch.  But their body language speaks a lot.  That Markus fellow looks relaxed, leaning back in his chair like that, but his right hand is clenched into a fist.  He's tense, but Lady Rosalind is no different.  When she's not drinking out of her glass she's clenching her hands together tightly as well, her legs are also fidgeting a little.  She hides it well, but these eyes are still sharp enough that I can notice these things."  Derick explained, leaving Marie dumbfounded.  "Now, I may be an old man now, but I was young like you once.  I remember acting like that when I made my first love angry and didn't know how to fix the situation."

             
"And you can tell all of this just by body language?" Marie asked incredulously, Derick chuckled.

             
"Well I could be wrong Lady Marie, it's been known to happen from time to time.  Ask my late wife, Savior rest her soul, she was always quick to point out my mistakes." The old man replied, his son Dylan eyed him curiously.

             
"So were you like that with mom then?" He asked his father, gesturing towards Markus and Rosalind's table, Derick laughed loudly in response.

             
"Hell no!  Your mother never even gave me time to figure out what my mistake was!  She was upside my head with a frying pan like some spastic monkey!" The old bearded man informed his son.  He then leaned forward, draping an arm around his son's shoulders.  "Let me give you some advice son, you haven't been in a real survival situation until you've got an enraged woman on your hands.  Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!" Derick told Dylan, he turned his attention to Marie.  "Am I right little lady?"

             
Marie's response was an evil smirk, which caused Dylan to cringe slightly.  Derick saw this and just started laughing again.

**********

              Henry, deputy of Midas City, leaned against the metal gate he was guarding and yawned.  He had to guard the South Gate tonight.  Before reporting for duty he caught sight of Lady Marie showing the Markus guy around, a deputy's badge above his right pectoral.  Henry wasn't sure what that was about, he was just glad that he didn't have to be the one to show him around.  Newbies were always a pain in the ass, even if he was a magi.

             
The deputy turned his head to his right to look at his partner in guarding the south gate.  Jacob was a tall and lean man who had his dark hair covered in a bandana, he was dutifully scanning the area ahead of him for any signs of danger.  But the only danger they had at the moment was dying of boredom.  Henry decided to make some small talk to pass the time.

             
"So got a lady friend?" Henry pried, Jacob frowned, still looking into the horizon.

             
"Maybe." The tall man replied simply, Henry raised one of his blonde eyebrows.

             
"Maybe?  Come on man, she's either screwing you or she's not." Henry said, the wind was picking up slightly, causing his shoulder-length mane of blonde hair to get in his eyes.  He quickly finger-combed it.

             
"There's more to a relationship than sex you know." Jacob stated, still frowning.

             
"Like what? The arguments and the nagging?  My god, my girlfriend just won't stop talking sometimes, a real motor-mouth.  Sex is great though, probably the only reason I'm still with her." Henry responded.

             
"Yeah I don't want something like that.  I want to be able to get along with the girl I sleep with." The tall deputy informed his partner.  It was Henry's turn to frown.

             
"From my experience, there's no such thing as 'getting along' eventually you drive each other crazy.  Then it's all about dodging the random objects and furniture she throws at you." Henry told him.  At this Jacob actually turned his attention toward his fellow deputy.

             
"Wow you had a girl actually throw furniture at you?  What did you do to piss her off?" Jacob questioned, Henry let out a nervous cough

             
"I uh, may or may not have been trying to romance her sister." Henry admitted, Jacob shook his head slowly.

             
"You need to start thinking with your head and not that lower body part there." The tall and lean man replied, returning his gaze to the area in front of them.

             
Silence ensued, the moon was full and it cast a silvery light down upon Midas City and the surrounding desert.  The moonlight made the sand sparkle like diamonds.  Henry thought it made a beautiful sight, something that was hard to come by these days.

             
"I see movement, someone is coming." Jacob suddenly said, breaking the silence.  Henry was quickly alert.

             
"Just one?" He asked his fellow deputy.

             
"Looks like it." Jacob answered, pointing the distant figure out for him.  Henry followed his finger to see the lone figure walking towards them.  The long-haired deputy noticed that the figure was limping, the person was wounded.  Henry frowned, this person obviously needed some medical attention or Lady Rosalind's sorcery.  They could also be trying to bait some poor sap and gut him when he gets close enough.  Henry grit his teeth, why couldn't tonight just be fucking peaceful?

             
"I'm going in for a closer look." Henry told his partner, grabbing his two-handed sledgehammer.  "If it looks like a trap, alert the others inside." Jacob nodded, fingering the hatchet holstered at his right hip.

             
Reluctantly Henry made his way to the injured figure.  He estimated that this person was some ninety meters or so away.  Not too long of a walk, but it was well away from any help that Jacob or anyone else could offer.  The long-haired deputy felt too exposed.

             
Henry drew closer, less than fifty meters from the figure now.  It was a man, and the outside of his upper right leg had a nasty gash, that explained the limping.  The man was also covered in cuts and bruises from head to toe, as Henry approached he let out a groan of pain.  His face still unrecognizable because of the shadows.