The Tarnished City

Vetiver

"Look, it is not that I'm not thrilled to be messing with a dead body. But we have a ring to find, preferably before sunset. You remember, magic annihilating mists."

Vetiver gave Jade his most withering look yet. "Merrique and I just gathered quite a bit of information on our enemy," he said in bone-dry tone. "We were not messing around with a dead body. In fact, I put the lid back on the coffin already." He shook his head and turned to walk away from Jade. He was beginning to think that Mixine's insanity was infectious.

"Are we done or not?"

Vetiver smirked at Mix. "You know, I like you better than your other half," he said with a little chuckle. "You're much more concise. And yes, we are done gathering information. We've learned everything we can learn from this coffin. Marcus is the one who had the vision, so I think we should be asking him what to do next."

 

"Listen to your senses for magic beyond comprehension is at work in the land. An oddly-preserved body bearing the mark of the enemy in a dead city. If this corpse is his father of the witch hunter, then we are all marked for death. As if the dangers of the night or a corrupted march of time were not deadly enough. That single bug may or may not have been a familiar, but watch the shadows. The aura of this place is unnatural."

Jade replied, "I am aware of the wierdness of this place. But sticking around this body will not change anything. And don't worry, I watch the shadows very closely."

"Merrique and I just gathered quite a bit of information on our enemy," he said in bone-dry tone. "We were notmessing around with a dead body. In fact, I put the lid back on the coffin already."

"Well, yes, and then you stayed, staring at the same body very uselessly. Nevermind," she sighed. "Let's get going."

 

"I am aware of the wierdness of this place. But sticking around this body will not change anything. And don't worry, I watch the shadows very closely."

Mix's head gave a brief nod, but there was no need for any more words.

"Merrique and I just gathered quite a bit of information on our enemy," he said in bone-dry tone. "We were not messing around with a dead body. In fact, I put the lid back on the coffin already."

Mix lingered for a moment as Vetiver placed the lid back on reaching out and gently touching the latch, a spark leaping between his index and ring finger. The arc leap and moved through the latch to electrically weld it shut. As Mix made a loop around the coffin, he repeated it on each latch to seal the body into the coffin.

Vetiver smirked at Mix. "You know, I like you better than your other half," he said with a little chuckle. "You're much more concise. And yes, we are done gathering information. We've learned everything we can learn from this coffin. Marcus is the one who had the vision, so I think we should be asking him what to do next."

There was a brief nod from Mix as he ran his thumb over the now exposed tips of Mixine's index and ring finger. Part of the wrappings had been burned away from the use of the power, vaporizing under the flow of energy. His eyes did not shift to look at Vetiver, but instead drifted to Marcus. Deep within was intense internal screaming from Mixine about the state of the body and Marcus's grave-robbing. Hot tears welled up and ran down the spaces between mask and flesh, but it was not Mix who was crying.

 

Merrique

"Well, yes, and then you stayed, staring at the same body very uselessly. Nevermind," she sighed. "Let's get going."

Merrique gave Jade a curious look. She was noticing that Jade did very little to help anyone, but she was quick to complain. While Merrique and Vetiver figured out what the coffin meant, and Marcus and Mixine weighed in on the subject, all Jade did was repeat what Vetiver had already said, "Let's go."

I thought she was going to be our sexy lady assassin, Merrique thought to herself. But she's really turning out to be a drag. And if she runs away from another fight, I swear on the Summer Queen, I will stick out my leg and trip her.

While the Lady Sorceress thought all of this, on the outside her expression was merely curious and friendly. She strode over to Marcus and looked from his hand to his face, studying his expression intensely. "You found it? The ring?" she asked in a hushed tone. "Do you feel anything?"

 

It was a simple band, silver, little to no detailing apart from a serpent's head. If there had ever been magic in it, there was none in there now.

 

Marcus glanced at it one last time, then glanced at the grave.

It wasn't the right one. It didn't have the inscription on it. Why did they even open this grave?

"You found it? The ring? Do you feel anything?"

"No. Not a thing." He frowned, placing it besides the already-closed grave. "Why would it be in this grave? It wasn't even the right one. I assumed you guys knew which grave it was..." He paused, gathering his orientation and position, then finds the other grave from memory. Well, it's a couple graves from here."

Marcus remembered the vision. Illia Tu'Monte.

After a quick walk around the barren graveyard, around the monuments to life and prosperity, he saw it. From the outside, it looked no different from the others.

But it wasn't. Marcus knew it wasn't. It held something in it that somebody wanted him to get. A ring. He remembered its distinct appearance from the dream.

"Kent, Dart, help me with this." Marcus knelt down, grabbing at the tombstone. They each grabbed at it, and with an earnest pull, they lifted it and looked inside.

 

Mix approached Merrique as Marcus, Kent and Dart sought to open another grave, his eyes streaming tears as the despair continued to overwhelm Mixine from within. His voice was strong, resolute and unwavering as he stared at Marcus, "The witch-hunter is likely to come for us and you know why. Do not think lowly of Mixine, but is there any chance you could be pregnant? It is a vital matter, so your honesty is required."

 

Unlike the others, this coffin was on the floor in a small courtyard, other coffins scattered around the floor in neat rows. As the lid of the coffin was lifted, it was apparent that much more work was to be done. Earth, flat and packed down was inside, and there wasn't a single sign of a shovel or spade insight.

 

Merrique

"The witch-hunter is likely to come for us and you know why. Do not think lowly of Mixine, but is there any chance you could be pregnant? It is a vital matter, so your honesty is required."

Merrique was so surprised by Mix's question that she giggled before slapping her hands over her mouth. Mix was being all grave and serious, and she didn't want insult him, so she stifled her laughter and tried to look serious, too. She opened her mouth to speak, but almost laughed, so she cleared her throat a couple times and tried again.

Put on your big girl face, Merrique!

"Um...no, I'm not pregnant," the Lady Sorceress said at last. "I've never been pregnant. I've never even had a boyfriend. I'm a virgin." She shrugged, as if it wasn't that big a deal, even though she was a little self-conscious about it. "Wait, is that why Mixine said that stuff about my womb when she was mad at me?" Merrique asked, her brows knitted together in confusion. "She thinks I'm pregnant? With...with Vetiver's baby?"

Now Merrique couldn't hold back the laughter. She dissolved into a fit of giggles and had to hold on to Mix to keep from falling over.

 

"Wait, is that why Mixine said that stuff about my womb when she was mad at me?" Merrique asked, her brows knitted together in confusion. "She thinks I'm pregnant? With...with Vetiver's baby?"

Mix nodded slightly, not finding any humor in the situation, "Yes, such a thought saved his life and now the truth may save yours."

Now Merrique couldn't hold back the laughter. She dissolved into a fit of giggles and had to hold on to Mix to keep from falling over.

This troubled Mix more then anything because Mixine's body reacted to the touch, her senses erupting even as some part of Mixine continued to seethe and wallow in despair from within. Unchanging in tone, tilted his head to look at Merrique even as the tears continued to stream out, "If it means getting your power back, will you act as a channel for my magic? It will hurt, but you will live."

 

Merrique

"Yes, such a thought saved his life and now the truth may save yours."

Merrique kept giggling, but was confused by what Mix was saying. Saved Vetiver's life? Saved my life? What was Mix getting at?

"If it means getting your power back, will you act as a channel for my magic? It will hurt, but you will live."

Now things were becoming clearer. Merrique straightened up, her laughter dying away, and examined Mix closely. If he was saying what she thought he was saying, then his earlier statement about Vetiver's life being saved meant that Mix's other half, Mixine, had intended to kill Vetiver when they had that big argument outside Para'Ven's gates. Following that logic, Mix's second statement about channeling his magic meant that he was concerned about her well-being and thought letting her use his power would save her life.

Oddly enough, Merrique was touched, as well as angry and a little frustrated. Touched because Mix cared enough to offer his power to her, something not even Vetiver had done. Angry because Mixine had wanted to kill Vetiver at some point. Frustrated because Merrique wanted to yell at Mixine, but Mixine didn't seem to be in charge of her body at the moment. There was only Mix, and that creepy wooden mask of his.

Wait...are those tears? Merrique saw the rivulets of tears trickling from under Mix's mask. A cold sensation of fear went down her spine. Was Mixine crying? Trapped inside her own mind as Mix took control? Merrique took a step closer to Mix and narrowed her eyes. She was definitely scared, scared that Mix could control Mixine's body in such a way, but she was more angry than anything. Angry that Mix was abusing her friend, the quirky Brackenmarsh witch, Salvemaker, and Lightning Tamer.

"I want to speak with Mixine," Merrique demanded, her voice full of passion.

 

Marcus looked at the thick layer of dirt for a second, then glanced around the area, noticing the strange layout of the graves. He had noticed it in the vision, but hadn't given it much thought. In hindsight, it was obvious.

There were no tools in sight, and since neither Marcus, Dart, nor Kent were grave-diggers by profession, they had no shovels. However, given how many men they'd killed, maybe they should've been.

What was here that could help them? Anything explosive like magic was out of the question. Maybe Vetiver or one of the others would be able to help. However, maybe there was a solution he hadn't found yet.

Marcus looked around him. A small courtyard, with various tombstones surrounding him. What did he have in his bag? ...Nothing that would be conveniently of use.

So, he didn't have any tools. There was lots of stone, but no wood or bindings, so making his own was off the table unless he wanted to go to the other side of the city just to get it. That would be inconvenient. They needed a decently long and strong piece of material that could lever up some of the dirt. All they needed was the ring. Pouring water would moisten the dirt, and that could make it easier, but then they would lose valuable water rations; even if they didn't need any in the city, they would when they came back out. He would think of some more if the others didn't know of some way in which to remove the packed dirt.

"Could anyone here remove the dirt here?"

 

"I want to speak with Mixine," Merrique demanded, her voice full of passion.

Mixine's eyes widened and then promptly closed and let two tears stream down that soft face. After a short pause, her eyes opened and her brow furled in irritation before quickly relaxing.

"Observant, but no." Mix's voice was clear and defiant, "Have you have not spoken and touched her more than enough for one lifetime? She will not endure another moment of desecration and defilement. If you have a question, ask me instead."

There was no trace of Mixine anymore, she was completely repressed and blocked. There was nothing that came through that resembled the vulnerable and perhaps unstable Mixine who wore her emotions openly. Only this male persona remained and stood resolute in this body. Sensing that Merrique might try to remove the mask, Mix turned away as Marcus looked about for some tools to remove the soil.

"Do not try anything brash. I will not allow you to touch my body again." Mix was serious, "If some bit of my strength will get Mixine out of this accursed city then it is all the better to hurry it along. Shall I test your resilience? It is important to know your pain limit to prevent crippling you by accident. Mixine would never forgive me if something were to happen to you."

 

Merrique

Merrique stared Mix down. She wasn't very tall, just a foot and half taller than Acai, but she drew herself up to her full height and her yellow-hazel eyes glared, sparking with anger. Her fists trembled at her sides and she bit her full bottom lip, trying to decide on a course of action. Attacking Mix was a no-no, he was simply too strong. But if she could get Vetiver and Acai to help, then they could easily disarm him. But they had to do it in a stealthy way, when he would least expect it, or else someone could get hurt.

So Merrique suppressed her boiling rage and exhaled a long breath. "If you truly wanted to protect her, you would take her out of the City," the Lady Sorceress hissed at him. "This isn't about protecting her. You want to control her. I am not fooled by your twisted lies. And if you dare assault me, I ensure you, you will be dead before your body hits the floor."

That said, Merrique marched away from Mix, silently vowing that she would free Mixine if it was the last thing she did. But there was no point in arguing with Mix, he truly thought he was protecting Mixine by hi-jacking her body and taking away her free will. You couldn't argue with someone that insane. So Merrique decided to focus on the problem at hand: digging up Marcus's grave.

"Vetiver," Merrique said, gently slapping his shoulder. "Move the dirt, or I'll tell Acai to do it. I'd rather you did it, though, because you're more experienced."

 

Acai

Acai couldn't hold back anymore. He had been staring at the garnet ring, stroking it and gazing into its depths, ever since Merrique had given it to him. He had even given it a name: Trouble Buster. When Marcus needed help with the grave, he saw the perfect opportunity to utilize his new relic. The fact that Merrique didn't believe he could do it only edged him on, making him feel like he had to prove himself to her, to everyone in the group.

"I'm not just some peasant boy," Acai said loudly enough for the whole group to hear. "I can do things, just like you adults can. Watch." Acai pointed the garnet ring at the grave and focused on making something happen. "Trouble Buster gooooo!" he shouted.

The garnet ring glowed fiercely, like a dark crimson star. A beam of red energy shot from the ring into the grave and the dirt started to tremble and shake. "It's working!" Acai yelled, laughing delightedly. "Told ya! I told ya I wasn't useless!" In his mind he was talking to his family back home, the ones who had beat him down and degraded him, day in and day out. If only they could see him now, part of a group, traveling with famous sorcerers on a wild crazy adventure!

But then the dirt started to build up until it was the size of giant anthill, rumbling like an angry beast. Acai's face fell and he mumured, "This doesn't look good" right before the dirt mound exploded everywhere. When the dust cleared, the coffin was sitting right there; instead of simply moving the dirt, Acai had pulled up the coffin instead, causing the dramatic explosion.

Acai coughed and wiped the dirt out of his eyes, but he was still covered in dirt from his head to his feet. He turned to everyone and put his hands firmly on his hips. "What?" he barked. "I did my best. A little dirt never hurt nobody."

 

"If you truly wanted to protect her, you would take her out of the City," the Lady Sorceress hissed at him. "This isn't about protecting her. You want to control her. I am not fooled by your twisted lies. And if you dare assault me, I ensure you, you will be dead before your body hits the floor."

Mix's emotionless state was impossible to read, and that itself seemed impossible. Who could hear those words without any reaction? Merrique was grasping at straws in an idle threat to his existence even as she sought to pull out the spiraling madness of a desperate, lonely girl from the Brackenmarsh.

Before allowing any misunderstandings to fester, Mix said to Merrique as Acai demonstrated his borrowed strength as if it were a fitting example. That confident voice was unchanging, it was like that of a cunning though tired old war general who had seen countless battles, "The moment you embraced her is the instant a candle of desire surged into existence. If I were to control her then I would not be offering to pry your magic back from an enemy or give you even a fragment of this body's strength. Though if you ever wish to attack this body, remember you will be killing her. Your blood-stained hands cause her to mourn, but even you will refrain from killing a helpless child. The offer stands, but the only puppetry was conducted by Mixine."

Mix looked onto the grave as Acai worked his magic, Mixine would not see, hear or sense anything now. She was completely and utterly suppressed in the depths of her own mind.

(Edit:Minor fixes for grammar.)

 

Merrique

Merrique listened silently to Mix's clever lies while staring straight ahead. When he was done speaking, she merely gave him a smoldering look and stalked away from him, standing on the other side of Vetiver. She did not deign to point out that Mix did not say anything about leaving Para'Ven, even though he claimed to want to protect Mixine from danger (which only further proved her point). She also did not mention that, if Merrique killed Mix, then yes, she would be killing Mixine as well, but it would free Mixine from his tyranny and from her own tortured psyche. The sweet embrace of death was a better option than being controlled by a dark alter ego and being stuck in a prison inside your own mind.

It was clear to Merrique that she would have to kill Mix, sooner or later. It was what a true friend would do.

And then the grave exploded and rained dirt everywhere.

"Um...good job, Acai," Merrique said, forcing herself to sound enthusiastic. She coughed and patted her crimson garb, which was now covered in a thick layer of grave dirt. She turned to Vetiver and smiled shakily, on the verge of tears. Too much was happening in such a short time. First her powers were taken or sealed away or whatever the hell that one-eyed freak did. Then Mix had to go and take over Mixine's body, forcing Merrique to decide whether to kill him or let Mixine live in agony. And now her beautiful clothes were dirty.

"Can you please clean me?" Merrique asked, her voice wobbling as tears welled in her large yellow-hazel eyes. "Pretty please with an elderberry on top?"

 

Vetiver

Vetiver noticed when Merrique came to stand by him and was about to ask her why she looked so mad, but then the grave exploded and now they were all covered in dirt. "Um...good job, Acai," Merrique said with forced enthusiasm. Vetiver was not amused.

"Acai, you foolish child," Vetiver snapped. He gestured to his fine black clothes and his rich purple cape, which were now ruined. "These clothes were made for me by the finest seamstress in all the lands! It cost me a fortune! Now look at me! It's not like I have a wardrobe I can just step into and change outfits! Yes, I can clean myself up with sorcery, but I was trying to converse energy for an emergency...you insufferable midget," he added spitefully.

Most of Vetiver's anger had nothing to do with Acai's huge blunder. It was just everything: the stress of traveling with a group of people that he would never usually associate himself with, Mixine's constant badgering, the blatant cowardice of several of their companions...it had all just built up until he couldn't hold back anymore. And Acai was the unfortunate recipient of his rage.

"Can you please clean me?" Merrique asked, her voice wobbling as tears welled in her large yellow-hazel eyes. "Pretty please with an elderberry on top?"

Vetiver instantly calmed down. Seeing the Lady Sorceress in this condition broke his heart. "Of course I'll help you, my lady," Vetiver said in a soft voice. He waved his hand and the moonstone ring glowed just like it had when he first cleaned Acai. A bluish white glow surrounded Merrique and all the dirt on her clothes simply vanished. Even her hair and skin were clean, but those tears in her eyes were too much for him to bare.

He quickly cast a cleaning spell on himself and stepped closer to Merrique, placing his hands gently on her soft shoulders. Then he leaned down and kissed each of her eyes, hoping that she wouldn't refuse him.

 

Marcus sighed, brushing a couple piles of molten dirt off of his outfit, which was already plenty dusty and dirty as it was. Marcus wasn't particularly worried about the mess. It was interesting that Acai was so... magically inclined. Yet another one.

"Marcus. Something feels wrong. I can feel it." Dart whispers.

Marcus nods to himself. The air was sour.

Kent stood there, ever the statue. He was just that. A monolithic giant who protected his family. Maybe the corrupt magic had infiltrated him, and that was what made him so emotionless and cold. No, he wasn't cold, he was warm. He wasn't emotionless either. He was just a leader. Marcus would never know why he let him take control.

"Thank you, Acai." Marcus made no mention of the mess the dirt had made. No complaining from him; the job had been done.

Marcus knelt by the grave, and looked into the haphazardly-opened nest of death.

 

Mix took Merrique's silence as rejection of both gracious offers and turned towards Jade to put his back to the vile and unnecessary deed taking place. His words in the Brackenmarsh tongue were in verse, "O thief-taker in Babylon, dry thy tears... Blood and gold ... Purple smoke and red temptation... Bodies dance in the dead of night..."

The song stopped and Mix uttered a short airy chuckle as he passed by and uttered, "Show me your will."

Departing back the way they had came, Mix's footsteps became soft and faded quickly into the graves. Once out of sight, Mix broke into a quick run of a surprisingly fleet-footed athlete who pressed the limits of the body. He cared not if her body drew short of breathe or tightened under the exertion, obtaining all that was left behind was his goal. Swiftly running to the square where Lord Selzec had been imprisoned, Mix continued the pace to be free of the chains which would otherwise bind him.

 

The removal of the coffin had removed the top few inches of dirt, a perfect rectangle cut around it and forming a most. There was still a lot of earth to get through, and the sun was at its highest point. In the background, a faint click could be heard, little more than that of a cricket on a particularly warm night. Where it was coming from could not be determined, yet as it continued, it seemed to grow louder.

 

Merrique

When Vetiver kissed Merrique's tears away, she was so stunned that she just stood completely still, like a statue. When he was done, Merrique took three frantic step backwards and held up her hands, her eyes wide with shock and her cheeks burning from embarrassment and passion. She didn't want Vetiver to get the wrong idea, so she rushed to explain her actions.

"Um, wow, that was...wow," Merrique babbled. "Don't get me wrong, I think you're nice, Vetiver...more than nice, really...but I just have to say that I'm a virgin. I've barely even kissed a boy before, I've always been super busy fighting waves of monsters and rogues, or training to fight, or studying magic, or helping my mom in her garden, or categorizing the relics under the Crystal City. Do you know how many relics I've categorized? Almost one hundred, and that's not even all of them, he he he..." She trailed off nervously and cleared her throat. "Okay, I kinda got off track. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you like me and you're serious about courting me, then we need to take it slow. There, I said it."

Merrique exhaled a long sigh, glad to be done with that lengthy speech. Then she started to hear the clicking. at first she thought it was just a cricket somewhere in the distance, but it got steadily louder and louder, and Merrique began to get suspicious. She reached over her shoulder and took out her long elegant bow as well as a single black arrow. She notched the arrow, but kept the bow facing the ground to prevent any accidents; she would never be able to forgive herself if she shot someone, like Acai. But anyone who thought she wasn't ready for battle would be sorely mistaken: she could lift her bow and fire a shot quicker than the eye could follow, and notch another arrow before the first body hit the floor.

"You guys," the Lady Sorceress said, her yellow eyes scanning the horizon. "I think something is coming. Or maybe we set off a trap. If you're gonna look in the coffin, move the rest of the dirt and look in it, now. Preferably before we get ambushed, please."

And then Merrique looked around and noticed that one of their companions was missing. "Where's Mix?!?!" she asked frantically.

 

The square was silent, not a single noise coming from the area. The mosaic path continued up to the cathedral, boot prints marking the dust and leading towards the central building. To the south lay the exit of the city, though whether Mix would be able to leave was ultimately unknown. To the west was the wood, and where the building where the blade was.

 

Staring down the crossroad of fate, Mix's shoulder shifted left and then right as Mixine's body twisted and cracked to release the tension in her muscles. A moment of clarity pierced through that crafty mind and Mix uttered a short laugh before he headed for the exit of the city and to return to the camp on the outside. Mixine's body was unclean and unprepared for the task he had in mind for her, but he felt she would be content to know that Merrique had rejected an offer that had really been her own. Deciding to head for the exit, Mixine was allowed to surface in the consciousness of Mix.

Brother... where are... they?
Plundering the dead.
Did Merrique take it?
No. Just as expected.
Why did you push me into sleep?
Brother has work to do.
Cleansing?
Yes.
Sing me to sleep.

Mix started to sing a soft song in the dreary city, "Breaking Heaven and Earth", a soft love ballad of a heavenly princess and earthly prince who establish a paradise in Hell that is fueled by their absolute dedication to one another. Tapping out a soft upbeat melody on the sides of Mixine's front pack, Mix softly sung aloud to her until reaching the third verse and felt her slip away. He knew paradise only existed in the eye of the beholder and his paradise lay within the softness of Mixine's innocence and flesh. A pure body that was untainted by the evil of the world, they needed one another like light and darkness.

As Mix neared the exit, he began to project a sphere of energy around him to sense the presence of any magic. He became on guard for any ambushes or the possible return of Duke Selzec. Mix wondered if they would meet up, he figured that Selzec would first attempt to reclaim this "Dueling Dancer" before leaving at least. It would be careless to leave a divine weapon in a city invaded by grave-robbers.

 

The way to the exit was unblocked, yet the same could not be said for the way out itself. The obsidian that had formed an impromptu barricade had grown to fill the gap in the wall, reaching the arch that had once been the top of the gate, not a single crack nor scratch upon its surface. Most peculiarly though was that the gold seemed to have returned as well, the left half of the gate still showing the same image as before, yet the right gate showed something new. In this one, Marius was the one holding the sphere, or, more specifically, crushing it, bladed wings covering the positions where the other two had been placed. Beneath it were humans, the view being of their backs, all staring upwards as if in awe.