Chapter 37: Searching For Revenge (Patreon)

“Cantos has a house in the center of his gang’s territory,” Eoman said. “Ordinarily, he doesn’t have much use for the place, but since you wreaked the Devils’ main base—the Black Sewers—I have it on good authority that he spends his nights at the house. It will be significantly easier to get to him there than the Black Sewers themselves.”

I bit my lip. A house. Eoman was right. Getting in and out would be much easier than infiltrating an underground complex.

“The house’s location is marked on this map,” Eoman said, handing me a rolled parchment. “But beware, Cantos will still have people guarding him. Not only that, they will be tough fighters, not the common riffraff you may encounter on the street. You will have to be careful.”

“I will be,” I said, balling my hands into fists. This was finally my chance to get back at the Butcher for everything he’d done, and I was not about to miss it.

“Strike tonight if you can,” he said. “My information is already days old and there is no telling when Cantos will abandon the house again.”

Nodding, I stood and shook Eoman’s hand. I turned to go, but he stopped me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “About the other thing…”

I looked at him curiously. “Other thing?”

“Odenna told me about your conversation. Once matters with the Devils are all said and done, if you wish, we can talk about the Insurgence… and your parents.”

I nodded solemnly. “I’d like that.” Turning about, I exited the room.

Only to find Soren waiting outside.

My eyebrows rose in surprise. “Are you on your way to see Eoman?”

Soren folded his arms behind his back. His face remained pale and his eyes deadened by grief, but he’d regained his composure. “Actually, I was looking for you.” He paused. “I heard.”

I stared at him in confusion.

“About the last bit,” he explained. “You’re going after Cantos.”

For a moment, I considered lying, but knew Soren wouldn’t buy it. And I couldn’t, not about this. “I am.” Taking a deep breath, I filled him in on the details.

“I’m coming with you,” he said quietly when I was done.

“No,” I said just as softly. “You are not.”

“Elana—”

“No,” I growled, not letting him finish. “I’m doing this alone. I’ve already lost Alon, I will not lose you too.” I exhaled sharply. “Besides, you will only slow me down.”

Soren shrank back, his face a horrible mix of hurt, grief and anger.

Almost, I took back my words, but I didn’t. Harsh as they were, they were nothing but the truth. And the stakes for Soren were higher; he had only one life. I would not risk him. Biting my lip, I held my ground.

It didn’t take long for Soren to recover. He’d always had iron control and it was only his grief over Alon that had him so out of sorts. “I want revenge too, sis,” he ground out harshly. “You cannot stop me—”

“I can, and I will,” I snapped. “Or have you forgotten Eoman won’t let you or any of the others leave?”

Soren stilled. “He told you about that?”

So, he hadn’t overheard everything. I nodded.

“He was going to let me search for Alon,” Soren protested. “He will let me—”

“That was before. Before he decided to send someone to assassinate Cantos. Do you think he will risk the mission now? Do you think finding out you were eavesdropping will make him more or less suspicious of you?”

His eyes widened. “You wouldn’t tell him!”

“I would,” I replied bluntly. “If that’s what it takes to make you stay.” And if it is the only way to keep you safe.

Soren stared me, for once speechless.

“Goodbye, brother.” Walking past him, I squeezed his hand. “I’ll be careful, promise. And I will make sure Cantos pays.”

He didn’t turn around as I left.

✵ ✵ ✵

My heart heavy, I strode out of the Raccoons’ hideout, but now was not the time to worry about Soren’s feelings. We would mend things later. Right now, I had to bring all my focus to bear on one thing: Cantos.

And how to drive my knife through his black heart.

“Elana…”

“What is it?” I asked Adalinda. She’d been unusually quiet, I realized.

“Did you have to be so harsh with Soren?”

I groaned. This was not a conversation I wanted to have right now. “I did,” I replied, knowing she wouldn’t let the matter go. “Soren sees himself as my protector. He will do anything to see that I come to no harm, even if it means sacrificing himself in the process. In my brother’s eyes, I am still the baby sister he needs to protect.” I sighed. “But the tables have turned. You know that as well as I do. I’m a player now, and now it’s my job to protect him.”

“I see,” the celestial said. “You’ve thought this through, then?”

“I have.”

“He may come to resent you, you know.” Adalinda paused. “As much as you resent him for sheltering you from danger all those years growing up.”

I winced. The celestial was damnably perceptive at times. “Our bond is stronger than that,” I said, hoping that it was. “Eventually, Soren will see reason. Eventually, he will understand.”

Adalinda did not comment further, but I could almost see the same glaring question turning in her mind that did in mine.

Would I do the same?

Would I eventually see reason, and forgive my brother the things he’d done to protect me?

Because I had no doubt now that Soren had known all along about the resistance, Odenna, and the truth about my parents. There were too many clues to ignore. Too many cryptic statements that only made sense if Soren knew the truth.

And had chosen instead to lie to me.

He’d done it for the best of reasons no doubt, but he’d still lied to me. I sighed. Our bond is strong, I repeated to myself.

Eventually, Soren would forgive me. And I him.

✵ ✵ ✵

As night fell on the city again, it found me sitting outside Cantos’ house. I’d spent the remainder of the day slowly working my way through the Devil territory to get to this point.

It had not been as difficult as I feared.

The Devils had won—they thought so anyway—and vigilance and discipline were the last thing on most gang members’ minds.

No one stopped me. No one asked me to lift my hood. No one was searching for the strange girl with amber eyes anymore.

Everyone was too busy partying.

The streets were filled with drunken Devils celebrating the gang’s great victory. I could have stabbed any number of them without being noticed, but I didn’t. It was good that the Devils were fat and happy. It meant Cantos was less likely to see me coming.

It was only as I neared the Butcher’s house that things quietened down. Here, there were no drunken guards.

And there were guards aplenty.

“What do you think?” I asked Adalinda while eyeing the house on the opposite side of the street.

A solid, two-story structure, it stood apart from the rest of the neighborhood. In fact, by the looks of it, Cantos’ people had demolished the surrounding buildings to construct the high fence that enclosed it—a fence that was patrolled by over a dozen Devils. The house itself was well-lit, but of its interior, I could make out little.

“I think we’re not sneaking in there,” Adalinda replied. “What was Eoman thinking?”

“He was thinking I’m a player and have resources most wouldn’t expect,” I said, toying with the vial in my hands.

“What’s that?” Adalinda asked, her attention falling on the object.

“An invisibility potion.”

A pause. “The one you looted from the thief? You’re thinking of using it?”

I nodded.

She grunted. “That might just work.”

“It just might,” I murmured.

“What’s the plan then?”

“The potion should get us past the fence and through the front door.” I shrugged. “But after that we’ll have to wing it.”

My gaze darted to the main gate. It had been left open, but four Devils stood guard on either side of it. Sneaking past would be impossible—for anyone without an invisibility potion.

“Time to move.” Rising to my feet, I activated my buffs and upended the contents of the vial in my mouth.

You have cast witch armor, increasing your damage resistance by 10% for 2 hits.

You have turned invisible, completely shielding yourself from sight. Duration: 60 seconds. Note, taking any hostile action will dispel the potion’s effect.

The effect was not instantaneous.

Holding out my hands in front of me, I watched as they gradually faded. My gaze shot to the Devils and then back to my body, counting down the seconds.

It took a full five seconds for the potion to take effect.

Steeling myself, I stepped out of the alley sheltering me and in full view of the guards.

Multiple hostile entities have failed to detect you!

None of the guards so much as blinked even though many were looking in my direction. They looked right past me. Or rather, right through me.

I exhaled slowly. The potion was working. Now, I only had to be quick—and silent.

Stepping onto the street, I crossed quickly.  The open gate was only two yards away. Placing my feet with care, I tiptoed through.

Multiple hostile entities have failed to detect you!

I crept by the first guard, passing so close I could smell the garlic on his breath. Then the second. Neither so much as batted an eye. Then the third. Fourth. I was almost through.

“You hear that?” a guard asked suddenly.

I froze.

“Hear what?” a second asked, stifling a yawn.

“I thought…” The guard’s gaze swept from left to right, passing unseeing over me twice. “I thought I heard footsteps.”

“Footsteps!” a third ridiculed.

“Someone celebrated a little too much at supper I think,” a fourth laughed.

“Don’t let Cantos hear about it,” another added reproachfully. “He’d slit your throat, no mistake.”

“I am not drunk!” the first guard protested indignantly, and a little too loudly. He lowered his voice. “And I didn’t drink at supper.”

The others guffawed and roared uproariously.

Not wasting the opportunity, I began moving again. This time, masked by guards’ laughter, my passage went unnoticed by the too-perceptive guard.

“What’s so funny?” he demanded.

“Really? You didn’t drink?” one of his fellows asked, ignoring his question. “Not a drop?”

I passed out of proximity of the gate guards and hurried along the stone path to the house’s front door. No guard stood watch there.

“I didn’t? Really, I didn’t!” I heard the first Devil protest behind me. “Please guys, you gotta believe me. Don’t tell Cantos.”

Renewed peals of laughter broke out from his companions. “Bud,” one gasped, “we all drank.”

“What!”

I reached the front door. Stretching out an arm, I tested the handle. It turned easily. The door was unlocked. Perfect. Resting my hand on doorknob, I waited.

“You bastards! Why didn’t—”

—pushing the door open quickly, I slipped inside.

“—you fools tell me! To think that of all the beer I could’ve—”

I closed the door behind me, cutting off the sounds of the unhappily sober Devil. I was in.

“Good job,” Adalinda congratulated.

“We’ve still a ways to go,” I murmured, my eyes scanning the interior of the house.

I was in an entry chamber. A large one. To my left and right were more doors, but I paid them little heed, my attention drawn to the balustrade staircase spiraling up to the next floor—and the guards posted there. Their presence made Cantos’ location easier to divine.

He must be upstairs.

I didn’t hesitate. Moving to the staircase, I crept swiftly up the steps, with the thick carpet underfoot hiding the sounds of my footfalls.

I made it to the summit of the staircase without mishap, but then rocked to a stop.

There were six doors in the corridor ahead of me, and a pair of guards in front of each. There was no way to tell which room was Cantos’. Nor any means of sneaking past the Devils braced against the doors.

“Damnation!” I cursed. “Any ideas, Ada?”

“Invisibility potion or not, you’re not sneaking past all those guards,” she replied, telling me what I already knew.

“I know that already!” I snapped.

“What you need is a distraction,” she replied, ignoring my tone.

That could work, I mused. My eyes darting left and right, I scanned the immediate area. There was an alcove on the right that looked about large enough for me to squeeze into…

“Hide there,” Adalinda said, seeing the same thing. “Then I’ll manifest.”

“You?” I asked, eyes widening. “I was thinking of using one of my summons to distract them.”

“They’re blind to you, not deaf,” she interjected. “They’ll hear your chanting.”

“Right,” I muttered, abashed that I’d forgotten that little detail. I crept into the alcove.

There had to be less than thirty seconds on my invisibility potion, and we didn’t have any time to spare for coming up with a better plan. Adalinda’s would have to do.

“Do it,” I instructed.

✵ ✵ ✵

Adalinda’s spirit streamed out of me in white-gray plumes of smoke the Devils were sure to notice, but hopefully they wouldn’t think to question the source.

“Hey! You see that!” the closest devil shouted.

Pressed up against the alcove’s rear wall, I held my breath.

“I see it!” a second guard exclaimed. A pause. “Is that… smoke?”

A third sniffed. “I don’t smell anything burning,” he complained.

“That’s something off about that smoke… I see a shape!”

Adalinda has cast manifest, taking the form of a level 21 battle komodo.

In a flash of heat, the smoke vanished to reveal Adalinda in her battle komodo form sitting at the top of the staircase. Sticking out her tongue, she hissed at the guards, before scuttling downward.

Immediately, the guards gave chase.

“It’s a goddamn lizard!”

“Get it!”

“Good luck, Ada,” I said, counting the Devils as they went past. One. Two. Four.

Shouts and yells rose up from below, followed by a thick plume of flames. “Watch out! It breathes fire!”

Adalinda has cast claws of fury, increasing the damage she deals with physical attack by 10% for 1 minute.

Damnit, where are the other two? Knowing I couldn’t wait much longer, I stuck my head out of the alcove and, to my horror, saw the last two guards banging on the doors they guarded.

They were waking those within.

I growled in frustration. The plan was going awry—fast. What was supposed to be a temporary distraction was quickly turning into a full-scale battle. Rushing to the balustrade, I glanced down.

Already, Adalinda was battling six different foes.

She needed help. Thinking fast, I began drawing mana. “Ada, change of plan! I’m sending help your way.”

“Alright,” she shot back, her voice sounding strained. “I won’t deny I could do with some.”

Chanting under my breath, I risked a glance up the corridor. Two of the doors had already opened. Stepping out from them were two heavily tattooed men who I recognized as Cantos’ lieutenants.

After a quick word with the guards, the lieutenants hurried my way. I knew I had to get out of the way, but I delayed a heartbeat longer to watch the guards. They’d hurried on to the next pair of doors, and it looked certain they were about to awaken everyone.

Urgh. Was nothing going to go right today? Still chanting, I backed into the alcove again.

Two hostile entities have failed to detect you!

The two tattooed men rushed by, too focused on the melee raging below to overhear my softly spoken words.

More shapes ran past.

I barely noticed, my entire focus given to weaving the spell I was about. My invisibility potion would wear off any second now, and determined to salvage some small part of our plan, I wanted to complete my spell before it did.

I reached the end of my chant, and in a rush, I released the spell weave.

You have cast summon elemental.

Adalinda has killed a level 16 human.

I exhaled heavily. I’d done it and with only moments to spare. But I wasn’t done yet. Drawing in more mana, I began chanting anew.

The air in the expanse of open space above the first roiled, transforming into a portal to another world.

“What the—?”

“It’s a portal,” a new voice growled.

“A portal to where?” someone screamed.

“I don’t know,” the voice snapped back. “Be on your guard.”

A level 21 storm elemental has answered your call!

Adalinda has killed a level 18 human.

Your companion has been critically injured!

“Your pet’s arrived!”

Adalinda’s strained voice intruded on my thoughts, threatening to disrupt my concentration. I held on to the threads of my new spell, though, and dividing my focus for a split second, reached out to minion, and ordered it to attack. More shouts, too garbled to make out, rose from below.

I kept chanting.

Your invisibility potion has worn off.

Adalinda has killed a level 14 human.

Ignoring the Game message, I kept chanting.

You have cast wisp of healing.

Your companion has been critically injured!

A storm elemental has killed a level 18 human.

This time no void formed, and instead, light brightened from nothingness before me.

“What’s that?”

“Another creature! Where are they’re all coming from?”

“Fools! This is the doing of a summoner. He must be hiding nearby. Search the house and find him!”

A level 21 healing wisp has answered your call!

Warning! Your mana is dangerously low at 20%.

My eyes snapped open. “Heal Adalinda!” I ordered across the mental link cojoining me and my new summons.

Understanding the intent behind my words, if not the words themselves, the wisp floated down over the balustrade.

I drew my stiletto, but still didn’t exit the alcove. First, I needed to figure out which way to go. “Ada, is Cantos down there?”

“No. But a lot of other Devils are.” A pause. “And two that I think are players.”

I gulped, sudden fear gripping me, but before I could ask the question at the forefront of mind, she added, “Don’t worry, we’ll handle them. Go do what you need to do.”

“Thank you, Ada!” I replied and dashed out of the alcove.

Only to collide with someone hurrying the other way.