III. The Parting of Ways (Chapter Two)

Book Four: The Rise and Fall of the PhoenixThe Parting of Ways

Aug 24

“Burt…”

You lie half asleep in your sleeping bag, it’s almost dawn and you hear a faint whisper. You ponder for a moment, wondering if you’re dreaming about someone trying to catch Burt’s attention, or if Burt is just muttering his own name in his sleep.

“Burt,”

The crackle of the fire slowly turns to a sizzle. You begin to open your eyes expecting to see someone pouring water on the remaining coals from the fire last night.

“No, Allard. You were the one to eat all the apple blossom pastries,” Burt mumbles in his sleep.

You begin to wake up laughing and notice Quatal hovering over Burt with a plate of eggs.

“Good morning, Adventurer,” Quatal looks over and smiles.

Burt begins to wake up,

“Quatal?”

Quatal offers Burt the plate of breakfast but Burt reaches for a hug instead,

“Quatal! You’re awake! Are you okay?”

Soraya sits by the campfire tending to the remaining eggs. She grabs a plate and piles on some food for you as well,

“Eat up, Adventurer. We have a long day.”

You nod to thank her.

With the help from Quatal, you all pack up camp and begin the journey to Windrose City. Reaching the main road you can see a cloud of dust in the distance. Once atop of a hill you notice it’s an army of troops marching north.

“Oh no, let’s hide,”

Burt scrambles to look for a bush to sneak behind.

“No, silly. That’s the Stoneheart Sisters and their army. They must be heading toward Northfall,” Soraya wonders.
“Why would they need a whole army?” Quatal asks.
“I know tensions are high but I wasn’t expecting this,” Soraya says looking concerned.

Suddenly she begins to walk off the trail and head north through the field.

“Uh, Soraya? Windrose City is that way,” Burt points out.
“Change of plans,” Soraya replies.
“Soraya, what about Quatal? We need to get him back home,” Burt questions.
“I know I’ve been out for a couple days, but this is history in the making. I’m with Soraya. Home can wait,” Quatal interjects.

You look over to Burt and shrug your shoulders then begin to follow Soraya and Quatal.

“Marching toward a potential war? Sounds lovely. Why not?” Burt throws his arms in the air.

“Decades, I have dedicated every waking moment to building Northfall. My army, the army of the Western Kingdoms, the finest winery in The Great Pond, and an extensive library full of the Western Kingdom’s history that would have been wiped clean within the rule of that wretched usurper,” Melkezdek spits. “My father was a brilliant whisker. Charismatic and courteous, yet assertive and bold. His magic, oh his magic, was fierce. Many kings, barons, or baronesses don't possess that kind of power. Maybe the Stoneheart Sisters. But the Royal Guard is typically the strongest.”

Melkzadek waves his hand gently as a few candles extinguish.

“Even with all his strength, all his intelligence, and wisdom, he couldn’t see the one whisker that would rip our family apart…”
“Moonfabias,” Lady Tsuga whispers.
“Silence!” Melkezadek roars, the chamber halls echoing his rumbling voice. “You do not speak her name here.”

Melkezadek stands.

“He was blind. Blinded by love. My mother was greedy, nothing was good enough for her. I saw through her, as did Rhubarb. Poor brother, so young and kind.” He rubs his brow.

You, Burt, and Quatal stand together with the Gladefish and the Stoneheart Sisters in the grand hall of Northfall. It's a familiar structure to that of the cathedral where you battled Andromadus. The banners proudly display a deep red, possibly resembling the wine of the Royal Vineyard and perhaps even blood. Melkezadek’s patience with Moonfabias runs thin, and the battle for the Barren Hills is closer than expected. With Tsuga leading the meeting, you and the Gladefish hope to bring peace in the Western Kingdoms, for now at least.

“So, you bring your armies to my Kingdom, walk on my land, drink my wine, eat my rations? Then, you have the audacity to command me to stop my army from marching on the Barren Hills.”
“We…” Tsuga begins.
“This is my war, not yours. Nor the Stoneheart’s or the Gladefish. You should have other things to worry about, like the Guildmaster Allard? I believe there’s a pretty price on his head, no?”

Burt starts forward, and you grab his garment to hold him back.

“Did I arouse some emotions, young whisker?” Melkezadek snaps. “Allard, what faux heroism complex has he conjured this time? He is as much a villain as Andromadus.”
“You know nothing of heroism!” Burt shouts.
“Take him away! In fact, I want the Adventurer’s Guild out of the castle immediately!” Melkezadek commands his guards then turns his back to his audience to leave. His maroon cloak billows out.
“Stop!” Alunas raises her voice causing everyone to freeze in their place, including Melkezadek. “Sir, we brought our armies to help your cause. The Queen is a danger to all of us, not just you. We have no claim for the throne, only peace.”

Amelia steps forward.

“Our armies were a symbol of our support, and yet you berate us in your halls. Though we are not looking for respect, we are looking to end this blood feud. As sisters we have found power and strength in unity. Melandar of Dawnbrook is for peace as well.”
“Then where is he?” Melkezadek asks, scanning the audience in his court.
“He is in Dawnbrook, guarding the southern kingdoms in our absence. As I mentioned before, unity is what will defeat the Queen, not war. Once we have gathered every kingdom in the west, she will be no match and surrender without blood.”
“What is vengeance without blood?” Melkezadek snarls.
“Then I believe we have lost our cause, Baron Melkezadek.” Tsuga bows.
“King,” Melkezadek snaps.
“King Melkezadek, thank you for your hospitality. We look forward to a bright future with you. Let’s go, Gladefish.” Tsuga turns around and walks out of the grand hall with the Gladefish behind her.

Soraya runs up to Tsuga with you, Burt, and Quatal at her heels.

“Lady Tsuga! May I have a word with you?” Soraya inquires.
“Soraya, you are supposed to be on your way to Windrose, ” Tsuga says, still walking at a fast pace.
“Lady Tsuga, my apologies. Under unanimous vote we all decided to be here to support the cause, especially since Quatal has recovered,” Soraya says, bowing her head.
“Very well,” Lady Tsuga nods.
“Can we call on the other guilds to help bring clarity to Melkezadek?”
“I believe the other branches of the guild will be hesitant to aid us at this time.”
“Because of Allard?” Burt mutters.

Tsuga stops and looks down at the ground.

“Allard is a great warrior and ally. Don’t forget that. His moral compass remains resolute. If other guilds don’t want to help, so be it.” Tsuga turns to you, Burt, and Quatal. “Get back to Windrose City. The Stoneheart Sisters are staying here with their army, and I’m sure they will prevent an all out war in the western kingdoms.”
“This is what Queen Moonfabias wants. If we can’t get along, we don’t stand a chance,” Soraya says.
“This is true, Soraya,” Tsuga says, then turns to you, laying a hand on your shoulder. “Adventurer, let us worry about the Western Kingdoms. You head back to Windrose and find a way to stop Andromadus. Allard is doing his part, now it’s time to do yours. It seems there’s more to this than what we know.”

You, Burt, and Quatal journey along the dusty road until you’ve reached Windrose’s City walls. High in the sky in a silhouette of a giant bird, Nessie, as she patrols the surrounding area.

“She’s beautiful!” Quatal says with wonder.
“I’m just glad she’s not like her mother,” Burt replies.

You laugh, reminding yourself that Burt is back to his comedic self.

“I can’t wait. Fried pickles, fresh ale, and my own bed.” Burt rubs his belly.
“I was knocked out for a few days, but I could take an even longer nap when we get to the quarters,” Quatal says. “That is, if you will let me stay for the night. This is all the traveling I’ll need for the rest of the season.”

You gently pat Quatal on the back, reassuring it’s okay. You walk through the threshold of Windrose City and drag your feet up the long flight of stairs where the city truly begins. As you walk along the busy streets you notice all the nearby whiskers suddenly lowering their voices and begin to whisper.

Meanwhile, Burt is oblivious and continues to brag about how he stood up to Melkezadek. “Then I said, ‘How dare you say that about my friend, my hero, the greatest warrior of The Great Pond.’ You should have seen the look on Melkezadek’s face.”

You snap at Burt and motion for him to hush.

“Something isn’t right,” Quatal whispers.

You wave for Burt and Quatal to pick up the pace. You rush into the Adventurer’s Guild with the door slamming behind you. With only a few members lurking around in the lobby area, their attention is cast in your direction before they disperse to their quarters. Rushing to the door to your quarters, you notice an envelope nailed just above the peephole. Burt rapidly opens it up and reads,

Dear Embers of the Phoenix,
Due to the recent conundrum regarding Queen Moonfabias of Wisteria, Allard has received a vote of no confidence and will no longer be active guildmaster for the Embers of the Phoenix. Because of his incompetence, your branch of the Guild will now work independently from the other branches until further notice. Until this matter is resolved, all funding and support will be halted.
Our decision does not come lightly but we have all taken the oath to guard The Great Pond. During this time we hope that the remaining members will bring forth a replacement for the Guildmaster of the Embers of the Phoenix.
Best regards,
The Adventurer’s Guild

You snatch the letter from Burt’s hands and read it. You stand there confused.

“They can’t do this!” Burt shouts.

How could the Adventurer’s Guild do this? They weren’t even there. They don’t know what happened.

“Let’s go inside before we cause more commotion,” Quatal mutters.

You open the door and fall onto the couch, while Burt heads straight for Allard’s massage chair.

“What are we going to do?” Burt asks.
“We can’t do anything at the moment. Allard is heading to the Settlement of the Dead. He probably doesn’t even know.” Quatal sits at the table, pulls out his Last Fish deck and begins to shuffle.

You remember that you have the Atlas in your possession and rifle through your bag. With the atlas in hand, you run to the table and lay it out, looking for Andromadus.

“You’re right Adventurer; the sooner we stop Andromadus, the sooner this is over,” Burt says.

You stretch your arms and yawn.

“We can’t act until Allard has destroyed the soul-bind. So, in the meantime, we must be patient and gather information,” Quatal states.
“Gather information? Quatal, don’t you want to go back home?” Burt questions.
“I will eventually, but I’m too invested in this now. I want to help.” Quatal looks up from his cards with a smile.
“That’s the spirit! Now let’s go get those ales we were talking about!” Burt suggests.

You nudge Burt to remind him that Allard had most of the gold with him.

“Oh no. Are you saying we’re broke, Adventurer?” Burt stomach gurgles.
“I think I could help with that.” Quatal shuffles his Last Fish cards at the table again then winks.

After a few quick matches of Last Fish at the Letter Inn, Quatal heads to the bar for ales and food. You and Burt grab a booth in the darkest corner of the tavern. You roll out the atlas and begin looking for Andromadus again.

“Three tall ales coming in hot!” Quatal laughs as he returns to the booth.
“Finally,” Burt smiles. “Cheers!” He says holding up his glass.

You tap the glasses together and proceed to take the first gulp when you notice a dot on the map flash. You spit out the ale onto Burt across the table.

“Adventurer! Did you forget how to drink?” Burt shouts.

You point to the map near the Settlement of the Dead. Quatal uses a spell to illuminate the map in the dark corner of the tavern. With the light you notice the dot is more of a light bronze.

“It’s Allard.” Quatal says.

You remind him that it only shows threats to The Great Pond, then point toward Draconis Frioko, who’s within Dragonfall Mountain.

“What if the Atlas thinks Allard is a threat now?” Burt wonders. “I mean, he did give the corrupted shard to Andromadus.”

“It’s possible,” Quatal agrees.

You watch as the bronze dot slowly heads to a gravestone carved into the atlas then stops. You watch carefully for any movement nearby when you suddenly see another dot with horns deep within the walls of Wisteria.

“Andromadus,” Burt whispers.

Then suddenly, without warning, the bronze dot disappears from sight. You, Burt, and Quatal look at each other with pale faces.

“The time has come, my tether. You must prove your loyalty one last time. Every moment in this disguise is critical. You must venture into the dark underground cells of Wisteria. Deep within a labyrinth of tunnels you will find Zaranoah. Guards will be on patrol on the surface but none roam below in the tunnels for Wisterians are the superstitious kind. The thought of being close to Zaranoah sends chills down their spines. The shard will guide you to her. Once you’ve found her, simply lay the shard on her chest then leave. I will find you in the Sunshade Mountains.”

I remember their every word.

Once this is done, my significance will surely fade. Zaranoah will take my place as their tether. These Wisterian streets are just as I remembered. The laughter and music coming from the tavern, the small minnows playing squeezeball on the side streets—it’s all a facade. Queen Moonfabias will soon take the minnows when they grow of age to fight, leaving the useless ones to roam the nearest taverns. Enjoy it while it lasts…

The tunnels are dark, even with spells. Zaranoah’s presence must prevent light from traveling far, but just enough to cast a reflection on the puddles of water scattered across the halls. The smell of untouched evil. It’s difficult to describe; it's almost like burning hair with a hint of flesh.

I follow the turns as the shard guides me with vibrations. My every thought seems to be consumed by the shard. I’m becoming a part of it, just as it’s becoming a part of me. I tighten my grip on it as sweat pours from my hand. This shard knows pain—my pain, my father’s pain. I cry out in desperation for help when suddenly my father appears before me.

“Andromadus, my dear son,” Father says with teary eyes.
“Father, I…”
“Oh, how I’ve missed you. I could feel your presence but I didn’t know how. You look so… different.” His arms that once outstretched for a hug now hung by his side.
“It’s my magic, Father. It’s changed my appearance. I’m still here. I’m still Andromadus.”
“But of course you are. You will always be my son, Andromadus, no matter your appearance,” my father smiles.

Tears well up as the image of my father stands before me.

“How I wish I could’ve built a life for us. How I wish you would have traveled everyday by my side. Tell me, Andromadus, are you still mad at me for leaving you?”
“Mad? How could I be mad at you? You were my whole pond. You made the sun rise and seas swell, you brought me gifts from places far far away. I was never mad at you.”

Father looks down at the ground.

“My son, thank you. But will you tell me what you possess?”

I look down at the shard in my hands and lift it up for him to see.

He turns morose as he lowers his gaze again.

“That’s the object that caused my death. Although, I have a sense that the object itself is death. Once again I face it, only this time in the hands of my son. The son I tried to protect from all of my dealings. Tell me, is this what you want to be remembered for?”
“I have no desire to be remembered at all,” I whisper.
“My poor son,” my father says, looking me in the eyes. “These are not my waters anymore, Andromadus. I must return. I love you, my son.”

My father fades away as if he was just an illusion.

“Father!”

I release a wave of magic, causing the puddles of water to boil and the tunnel to quake. Slamming my fist against the side of the wall, I run. I quit paying attention to the directions of the shard and cry out in rage. Splashing through puddles, I make one more turn to the right, and there before me lies a door.

The outline of the door shines green, as if something bright is inside it. The shard starts to vibrate violently. I look back at the tunnel, maybe hoping to see my father so he would stop me. It’s too late. I walk to the door and fling it open.