Hell's Bane (COMPLETED)

Chapter Four: Secrets

The figure no longer felt that aura of safety and control the moment she was thrust into the limelight, subdued by Davis and Emmanual and taken back to the campsite.

She struggled for several moments before finally giving up. The figure was outnumbered, and, though she had her ace up her sleeve, everyone else was also armed, and prepared to strike at any sign of resistance or danger from her. Sighing, she allowed herself to be brutally dragged all the way up the hill and finally tied above the doused campfire.

Just like some savage jungle tribe, the figure thought, wincing as Davis lighted the campfire back up. The flames were licking her skin – burning, searing pain – but it wouldn't kill the figure. Davis needed it for information, and she was valuable alive.

The explorers noticed the strange weapon strapped to her shoulder, and unslung it, confused at what it was. Narrowing her eyes, the figure remembered where they put the weapon – knowing that she would take it back later.

"Are you done?" the figure finally asked, as they finished tying her above the campfire. If she fell...

Davis shook his head. "Not quite. Drea, what did this person tell you?"

Drea recounted every detail of what the figure had said, making constant pauses in between, and the figure noticed that Davis was not the only one listening intently. Hugo was all ears, clearly fascinated by her tales of ancient powers. Was that greed she saw in the explorer's eyes? The figure raised an eyebrow. Was Hugo one to crave power? Outward, merry Hugo?

As Drea finished explaining what she'd heard, Davis laughed as if it was something funny, though the figure caught a tinge of fear in that voice.

"The thing is," Davis explained, "our friend over here left out all the important parts. I suppose there's no use trying to hide it from you now – I tried to protect all of you before, knowing too well that the rogues would only kill those who knew."

"Friendly for a rogue," Drea grumbled. "Go on."

"...After all, they have a conscious, but I need to go back a bit. What the figure told you is true – two brothers stumbled upon an ancient power like no other, and, realizing that nobody could handle what the power offered, took it with them, with the knowing someone else could easily have stumbled upon it if they only left it there.'

"Secretly, they hid the power and guarded it with two artifacts – Kazim's Blade and Oswin's Chest. Those were the only two things that stopped anyone from simply taking the power once they knew of its whereabouts – the person who sought the power had to take both artifacts, otherwise they would not know how to enter the hiding place."

"Why?" Hugo asked. "Why did people have to find those two artifacts first?"

Davis drew a sharp breath and sat down in front of the campfire, with the explorers quickly doing the same. Like campfire tales, the figure thought. But darker.

"...Kazim's Blade, as you already know, is able to break through magical barriers. Without it, even if the person knew where the power was hidden, he wouldn't be able to enter without dying instantly. As for Oswin's Chest, it tells the location of where the power lies. Without the Chest, no one knows where it is."

Hugo seemed lost in thought. "But how? How did the brothers manage to guard the power with magic, and veil the power so that nobody would be able to find it without the Chest?"