Page 90 of Storms & Sacrifice
“Wonderful.” Redwish breathes a sigh of relief, and my heart sinks. “Now, could we please getstarted?”
To my left, I watch a dark horse led by Deputy Captain Keenguard come into view, a bound Nylan thrown over the saddle on his stomach, hands behind his back. Keenguard pulls him off and forces him to stand, the horse dissipating into a puff of smoke with a hiss. There’s a similar noise behind me, and then Ragnar is forced to his knees on my left nextto Glasha.
“Let go of him!” Ragnar struggles in Firedrum’s grasp. He looks bad, covered in small cuts, his eye swollen and his lip split and bleeding. He and Nylan are only half dressed, so I can assume they were probably caught by surprise. I hear the distant rumble of thunder, and I curse the rain for not starting sooner. I feel awful.This ismy fault.
“Sir.” Keenguard pushes Nylan toward Murbank. “We caught them not far from the springs. It seems they were heading back to the campsite but became...distracted.”
“I suppose we should be thankful for that.” Nylan looks terrified as Murbank inspects him.
“I said LET HIM GO!” Ragnar roars and breaks out of Firedrum’s hold, only to be tackled to the floor a moment later.
“Get him under control, Captain.” Murbank directs the order at Keenguard, apparently having already decided on Khazak’s replacement.
Keenguard helps Firedrum wrestle Ragnar to the ground, giving him a few well-placed punches to subdue him.
“Stop it! Please!” Nylan cries out. “What do you want from us? I told you, our families don’t have any money.”
“What you are here for is so much more important than material possessions,” says the very rich man who uses debt to blackmail people. “No, my boy. You are here to finish what was started twenty years ago as your mother was meant to do before you.”
“What are you talking about?” He sounds as confused as he does scared. “I’m not... I can’t use magic like she did. I don’t know about any of that stuff,I swear.”
“Of course, you do not.” Murbank strokes Nylan’s face creepily. “But you will bleed justthe same.”
At Murbank’s words, Nylan panics and turns to run but is immediately grabbed by Redwish.
“This is insane! You don’t even know this is going to work!” It’s my turn to shout. “He’s not even a full elf! He’s half!”
“Which is why we have Deputy Rockfang here as well,” Murbank replies smoothly. “Two halves make a whole, dothey not?”
“Oh, okay. So, you’re like,crazycrazy.” I mean the cult alone should have been a giveaway, but I guess I was still hoping he could be reasoned with.
“Enough of this,” Redwish complains before shoving Nylan back toward Murbank. “Can wepleasemove things along? We do not have all night.”
“Brother Redwish is right.” Murbank sighs as he takes a hold of Nylan and moves to the altar. “Everyone, to your positions.”
Around us, all of the cult members move to stand in a half circle around the altar, all except for the four holding me and the three still-conscious rangers in place. I can see Keenguard looking on proudly from one side of the lineup while Redwish looks more skeptical on the opposite. Murbank climbs the steps to the altar, pulling a struggling Nylan behind him.
“We tried...everything...we could.” I hear Khazak struggle to tell Ragnar on hisother end.
“I am so sorry, Ragnar.” I try to apologize as I watch in horror as my friend is about to be sacrificed to some insane plot.
“I’m right here baby!” Ragnar shouts, trying to comfort his lover. He sounds sodefeated.
“Captain, if you would not mind clearing the altar.” Murbank nods at the lead box covering the altar’s basin.
At its mention, I become aware of the annoying piercing sound once again, the one that I’ve been mostly successful in ignoring while all this has gone on. I watch Keenguard pull out her weapon, and I shut my eyes tightly as she swings, terrified that whatever is released is going to make my head hurt so much worse. If it doesn’t explode.
I hear the sound of metal on metal and something shattering, and a second later, the ringing is gone, something else in its place. Something that sounds like speaking, or maybe whispering. Multiple voices, I think, but I can’t even tell if they’re in the same language. I open my eyes, watching Keenguard finish removing the remains of the lead box. I look at the faces of everyone else carefully, looking for some indication that I’m not the only one hearing this, but I see nothing.What the hell isgoing on?
Murbank reaches for the sword, and I start to struggle again. I can’t let this happen. I can’t let Nylan die like this! But the orc behind me is strong, and he gives me a solid punch to the head to settle me.Fuck, that hurt.I try to reach my hands up to rub my head, but they are of course still tied behind my back. In frustration, I flail my arms, trying to summon the strength to rip apart the rope binding them, but it’s no use. Then my hands brush over something in my back pocket.
Holy shit.It’s one of Glasha and Nikka’s smoke bombs.
They never searched Khazak or me after they captured us. After mentally cursing myself for not noticing it earlier, I try to quickly come up with a plan, Keenguard already moving back into position with the others. Nylan and Murbank are on the side of the platform closest to us, facing away towards the giant mural of Zeus, while the rest of the cult is on the opposite, watching. The only things between us and the hallway out are the four cult members holding us. As Murbank raises the sword, I start moving.
“Do whatever it takes to clear a path to the exit!” I yell to Glasha, Ragnar, and Khazak before tossing the bomb on the floorbehind me.
As smoke and confusion fills the air, I turn and headbutt the orc behind me right in the groin, making him double over in pain. Glasha and Ragnar catch on quickly and do the same, minus the headbutt, while Khazak elects to throw his body weight on his. After a well-placed knee to the forehead, I turn to charge at Murbank on the raised platform. The rest of the cult can see us, but Murbank can’t, and I’m a lot faster than they are. I body slam the bastard from behind, knocking him stomach-first intothe altar.
