Tales of the Vangen: The Siege of Middengard (Book 2)

Chapter 70: How to Say Goodbye

"Libro, how are you still standing?" A cold chill ran up Elba's spine as she slowly got back to her feet. The crippled man she'd once known stood ramrod straight before her, twisted leg made whole again, although at the cost of an arm. The other one didn't look any better. There were deep burn marks all across his arm, strange patterns carved into the flesh.

"I have no idea," he murmured back at her, his gaze leveling at the golden halo glowing in his grip. "I've started to take these things for granted lately." He wobbled his hips from side to side, relishing what was no doubt his first moments being pain free.

Indeed, he looked as light as a feather now, the scorching wound on his other arm being completely ignored. No doubt it involved the strange orb they'd plucked from the metal monster's chest, but there would be time to figure it out later. She had the distinct feeling she was forgetting something.

"Nido's tits, that bastard was a pain," Cent muttered as he bent over, giving one of the pauldrons a swift kick. It went sailing up and over the platform's railing, dropping down into the volcano below.

Moss gave an approving grunt, wiping sweat from his brow. "Think that Wyrm's still alive?"

"The Wyrm!" Elba said with a snap of her fingers. "That's what I forgot!"

"Ah, shit on it!" Civis spat, nursing one arm. "Both of its damn masters are dead. Can't it just feck off?"

"Language," Nox said beside him. He flashed his usual grin, a surprising gap where one of his upper canines had been.

Elba winced. Sad to see such beauty tarnished, but that was the ugliness of battle. It broke all things beautiful. "Well, we better face facts and head back outside. Hopefully Regis and Brand are taking care of things. Those two seem to work well with one another.."

"They do, don't they?" Rune nodded as they helped Zeek to his feet. He had one hand pressed to his face, blood still dribbling from a battered nose. Something sharp jutted up beneath the skin of his cheek. Broken teeth or a broken cheekbone it was hard to say. "I wonder how well the boy will acclimate back to normal life once this is all over." They glanced over at Libro. "The last Stelecaster in all the Medial."

"How about we table such talk until after the Wyrm's dead," Libro said. He stepped over to Rune, both of them now dangerously close to the railing. "We don't want any more of your people getting needlessly killed."

There was a sudden, strange tension in the air, Elba realized. Rune's bland features snapped into a sharp glare. Even Libro, known well for his kind smiles, held a face devoid of all emotion. Then the Chainbreaker relaxed.

"You're right. We shouldn't keep them waiting." Rune nodded over to Varrus. "You and Zeek go on ahead and make sure there's still a damn city to fight for. I won't be long." The two men looked at each other for a moment until with a hapless shrug they started plodding off. "All I'm trying to say, Captain," they said, turning back to Libro. "Is that your man Regis has probably been kinder to the boy than his entire fething family. He might prefer you over the alternative." And without a second glance they broke off running, charging off the platform and into the caverns beyond.

"Did," Cent stuttered as he tried to find the words. "Did that bitch...bastard...fecker try to threaten us?"

"The boy won't be welcome in the city once this is all over." Civis winced as Nox lifted him gingerly to his feet. "The fall of a noble's status is never without blood. With the common folk taking over, they'll want scores to settle. I think that was their polite way of telling us to get him the hells out of here once everything's said and done."

"We have been needing a new magician for quite some time," Cent offered. "And we've gotten to know the lad pretty well." Moss nodded along in agreement. "So, I'd say that's some pretty good odds, all things considered."