The Four Heroes

Chapter 8: The Runist

The dungeon's exit was situated right outside the village; a little trapdoor sitting flat in the grass. Piper was impressed that the builders were able to conceal such a large amount of tunnels under the houses. She would have never guessed upon entering the town for the first time that the dungeon was below her feet, much less that she would become a prisoner of its halls. Verlaine was still hung on hers and Tammy's arms, now unconscious from the pain she had suffered. They laid her down into the grass, counting the wounds on her body.

Verlaine's garments-made up of her old dress and leather they had gathered from hunting- were now shredded and blood-soaked in places. Whoever had cut it had clearly not taken any care to preserve her skin, as where the cloth was sliced there were bleeding gouges underneath it. Some of the skin was blistered, and the spot where her torturer had branded her bore an ominous mark; a flaming skull inside a circle.

"It was not a cattle-brand that made this mark," Piper observed. "Nothing would be made so ornate for any normal purpose."

"Is this the mark of our enemy?" Tammy studied the burn, running her fingers over the charred flesh. "How horrible, marking her like this."

"For now, let's just concentrate on killing the mayor. Nelly can identify the mark when we get back to camp."

Just then, Renic poofed up next to Piper, making her jump. "For Trivian's sake, please don't do that!"

My apologies, Lady Piper. I did not realize mortals were so easily startled. I have some information pertinent to our current situation.

"Then please, share it."

I have been observing this mayor. There is something out of the ordinary about his soul. It still gives life to his body, but is not in sync with it.

"Can you possibly share your little dog chat with me?" Tammy complained. "Don't forget that the whole assassination idea was mine in the first place." Piper sighed forcefully before addressing her.

"Renic says that the mayor's body is disconnected somehow from his soul," Piper informed her companion, then turned to face Renic again. "Do you know anything else?"

Each soul fits a body perfectly, but this one does not. I hypothesize that this soul is not his own.

"How is that even possible?" Piper exclaimed. "You can't move souls around!"

I do not know for sure, my Lady, but I will continue to observe the mayor.

Renic poofed out of sight again. Piper relayed the information he had given her to Tammy, and the blonde woman's face lit up for a split second but immediately returned to its neutral state. "What is she hiding..." Piper wondered. No. She had enough to worry about at that very moment, and she could not afford to doubt her ally.

"We will have to find some way to hide Verlaine," Tammy pushed Verlaine's unconscious body into a sitting position and motioning to Piper to help lift her. "No offence to her, but she is in no shape to be doing an assassination right now, is she?"

At that point, it was nearing sunset. Piper and Tammy kept low in the tall grass, looking for one of Tammy's hideaways. She told Piper that she often dug tunnels into the earth in the event that she had to hide things from the men who had taken over the town. After walking for a half hour in the tall grass, the waning heat of the sun on their necks, Tammy stopped suddenly. She dropped to a crouch, pushing her hands into the ground.