The Queen of Shadows

Chapter 12: A Way Forward

Zenith surveyed the cliff-face beneath Castle Dunscaith as his servants watched. Waving his hand in front of him, he projected astral figures of Cu Chulainn and Gabrielle etching something he couldn't see onto the wall before walking into it and disappearing. They were followed shortly by the rest of their allies who disappeared in the wall after them. He sighs in slight annoyance when he affirmed that there was no obvious way of following them inside.

"They definitely went this way... This was where my tracking spell stopped transmitting."

"A secret passage perhaps?" Asked Assassin, standing over the unconscious form of Margaery Fairborough.

"It's just got to be..."

"How do we open it?" Saber asked impatiently. "Should we get Berserker to break it down?"

The hulking servant barely took a thunderous step forward before Zenith calmly raises a hand to stop him, smirking.

"Now, now Saber... There's no need for the sledgehammer approach." The master then turned to face up to the Berserker, and says to him in affable manner: "Sorry big guy, but I would like to keep things subtle, and you don't do subtle. Maybe next time buddy..."

"(Grunt)"

Berserker steps back as Zenith then turns to Assassin.

"Say, Assassin... would you mind taking our catch here back to the van? I wouldn't mind probing her memories later if it helps us out."

"Not at all, contractor," She replies with a nod before picking up the limp representative and taking her away. Zenith watched as she left with the representative. His "friend" contacted him on the way here to tell him that capturing her might be useful should the need arise, and Zenith was given specific instructions not to harm her. Being a higher-up of the Mage's Association meant she had access to classified information. Zenith couldn't imagine why, but he now had a way into the most valuable information to all mage kind. He was not about to complain...

As to this "friend" of his, Zenith knew of this person via a calling-card he found in his stasis pod after his awakening. Upon contact, the stranger introduced itself as "The Grandmaster"; the real mind behind the Crypters, and that for the time being, hid its identity from the seven Enlightened Ones. Naturally, Zenith was curious as to why the so-called "Grandmaster" revealed itself to him alone. To that, it said that he was "special", and for his services to the Reclaimer, he would be given standing above that of his superiors, and in the process destroy Chaldea. It was an offer too good for Zenith to pass up and he dared not reveal the identity of this stranger to the other Crypters.

Saber was becoming frustrated at the fact that their "endeavor" was making slow progress; too slow for his liking. And what was more unsettling was his master seemingly to be absolutely unconcerned.

"How on earth are you so calm Master? That woman is useless to us. Chaldea is too far ahead, and we have no way of following them."

Zenith side-glances at his servant with feigned annoyance.

"You really ought to have more faith in me chum," he said, then shooting the Saber a smirk. "For a notorious warlord, you don't inspire very much confidence. How on earth did you make any friends, let alone raise an army?"

That brazen joke made Saber leer at him.

"I don't enjoy playing these games with you Master," he huffed, seeing through the master's carefree attitude. "How about you tell me what new trick you have up your sleeve already?"

Saber was met an enthusiastic response from his master, as if the mage was counting on him to ask that all along.

"Ha! Now you're catching on... the little spell I planted on poor, clueless Gabrielle does more than just track. It can let us listen-in and see what she sees, no matter where she is."