Lances and Daggers

14. The Ancient Caverns

After meeting Wilhelm Adler, Reinfried and I paid a visit to the castle's experienced medic. She used healing magic to restore us to perfect condition. Unlike my simple incantation, her spells healed wounds and broken bones. I now knew the secret behind Lord Faust's longevity: the medical care available to him was unworldly.

Even after the treatment, however, Reinfried and I still needed food and sleep. A quick meal silenced our stomachs. Then we retired to two rooms in the castle's west wing and rested until it was noon. The beds were gold-plated; the mattresses were soft; and the pillows were feathery. When I woke up, I felt as if I had been floating in the placid waters of Lake Arcadia for the past six hours.

Shortly afterward, Lord Faust, Reinfried, and I left the castle and followed the mountain trails. The future of Ashenbrook depended on us, and the lives of the townspeople were on the line. We needed to locate the cultists and foil their plots before they could unleash their monsters and demons.

"Are you sure we'll find them in the mountains?" I said as I stepped in mud.

"Yes," Lord Faust replied. "Their holy sites are in this area."

"What are our chances of winning?" I pestered him. "Did you think this over? Did you consider the possible scenarios?"

"You ask useless questions." He looked disgusted with me. "If we raid the cultists' hideout now, we employ the element of surprise. Our chances of winning are the highest this way."

"If we wait, we can ask for reinforcements from outside the town," I said.

"Then what?" Lord Faust looked even more disgusted. "The demons will have a feast! Haven't you heard what Wilhelm said? This is not a battle that we can win by numbers. We can only depend on your immunity."

I nodded and wondered again why Reinfried and I had survived.

Think, Lance. Think. Was it just warmth? Didn't you feel something other than the heat? I closed my eyes and remembered what had happened. When the demons attacked, before the warmth filled my body, there was a dim light. Yes, it was coming from under my clothes. Could it be... I searched my pockets. I had my compass, my map, my flares. And this.

I found Demetrius's card—the seven of clubs that he had thrown at me when we first met. I had forgotten about it, and it had remained in my pocket all this time. I examined it with care. It seemed like an ordinary playing card except that it was made of rigid, unpliable material.

Maybe I'm overthinking.

I was about to put it away, but then I noticed that its corner had roughened. Checking the tiny, coarse bumps, I realized that the card was made of more than one layer. With my fingernails, I scratched the edge several times until the outer layer came off. Underneath, I found cryptic drawings and ancient characters.

Could it be... Is Demetrius...

"Lord Faust," I said, walking next to him. "You're a mage, right?"

"Do you still doubt it?"

"No, I could tell from the start. There's something magical about you."

"I'm not a fan of sarcasm."

"Sorry, sir!" I grinned. "Since you're a mage, could you tell me what this is?"

I handed him the card. While he looked at it, a sudden fit of coughing seized him. His face turned slightly red, and sweat slid down his forehead. After he had recovered, he said, "I apologize. The pollen affects my breathing."

This is why the elderly should stay home.

"This card is amusing," he added. "The writing is nonsensical, but it looks like a magical formula. Whoever made it must be popular in parties and balls."