Once at the inn, Nikado had a chance to better study their new companion. The princess of Moonbrook was tall like himself and Alex; in fact, he thought the woman was the same height as himself. She had black hair which was longer and thicker than Nikado's, left to fall loose, and her skin was more tan and richer in color than his own as well, being more toward brown than his own olive-toned skin. Her figure itself, what he could tell from the robes, which were colored in Moonbrook's red tones, was smooth and athletic--quite attractive. What caught his attention most, though, was her eyes--a medium blue shade that were sharp and unrelenting.
She noticed him watching, raising an eyebrow, the cool expression never leaving her eyes. "Is there a problem?"
He shook his head. "If you don't mind my asking," Alex said from across the table, "what happened at Moonbrook?" The other prince was working on his feet, which were not appreciating the healig as much as they should, due to the delay and use since their departure from the swamp.
"What happened to your feet?" she shot back.
"Poison swamp," Nikado explained.
"They have shoes for that, you know," the woman pointed out, tossing a lock of hair behind one ear as she continued to watch them with her steady gaze.
"Yeah, but we'd have to buy new shoes." Nikado shrugged. "It made sense to me. So what happened at Moonbrook?"
"Our priest was killed, quite unexpectedly," she stated, looking from one to the other as she rested her chin in a hand. "Most likely by the wraith that was following me."
"Wraith? Was that the thing reflected in the mirror?" Nikado asked of Alex.
"Probably. I've only heard vague rumors of them," he replied. "That's probably why the mirror shattered. They're invisible for a reason."
"And they can get through a barrier somehow," Nikado said with a frown. "That's not good."
"Wraiths aren't a natural monster," the princess spoke up, turning to Nikado. "I'm pretty sure the Ozwargs were behind creating them. If we don't allow them another opportunity to do so, then it shouldn't be a problem."
"How do we do that?"
"Isn't it obvious? We kill them."
Alex shook his head. "There's too many of them around the castle right now. It'd be a futile effort as we are right now."
"Says you."
Nikado looked from Alex to the woman, then waved his hands. "Your name was Ameko, right? Go ahead, tell us what happened next."
She glanced over at him. "We were overrun swiftly. They killed my father and placed that curse on me. There isn't much more to tell...except that I'm going to kill them."
Alex shook his head. "We need your help, and if you're serious about your revenge, you'll need ours. We don't have the strength to take on the Ozwargs and all of Moonbrook's monster contingent right now. They're expecting you to come back, now that you're not cursed."
"I don't need you to tell me what to do, and you're not going to decide for me," she stated firmly, rising from the table.
"Please sit down," Nikado said with a wave of his hand. "Just listen to us for a little while. We didn't say we won't help you."
She scowled at him, then sat down again. "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"From here, I think we need to head to Tantagel," Alex told them. "There should be a clue to our common ancestor there, as well as hopefully a hint on how to defeat Hargon."
"Tantagel's a long ways away."
"And across the ocean. To get across the ocean, we need a ship, and the most likely place for that is the port town," Alex told them, "on the tip of the northern cape, Liamport. And to get there, we need to cross the Dragon Fang towers to get across the Dragon Fang Strait."
"The Dragon Fang Strait?"
Alex nodded. "And there's another bump in the road. The bridge that used to connect the two towers has crumbled."
"How do you know all of this?" Ameko asked with a frown.
"I hear a lot of talk from travellers," he replied.
"How do we get across, then?" Nikado asked him.
"We need to get to the Tower of Wind," Alex told them, "to the far east of here. Inside the tower is the Wind Cloak, which we should be able to use to glide between the two towers."
"A Wind Cloak?" Nikado echoed. "Why there?"
"My understanding is that it was used to repair the towers in ancient times," Alex explained.
"Then why is it so far from the two towers?" Ameko asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"It was used to repair many such towers. From what I've read, it actually is a central location."
"Hm." Ameko considered.
"Come with us to the Tower of Wind, at least," Alex urged. "You'll be able to get some experience on the road against the monsters. And we'll have to pass by this way again when we return. All I'm asking is for you to delay your revenge for a little while. For all of our sakes."
She frowned at him. "Come on," Nikado said with a smile. "It'll be fun to travel together, don't you think? Alex and I have only been together for a little while, but we get along really well."
Alex glanced over at the other prince to see if there was a hidden meaning in his words. "Fine," she said after a long moment of thought. "I'll come with you to this tower. And if I'm not satisfied with the pair of you, I'm setting out on my own to do things my way. Understood?"
Nikado extended a hand to her. "Then we have a deal," he said with a smile.
She looked at him, then the hand before she relented slightly, giving it a firm shake. "You're irritatingly cheery, you understand that?"
"You think so?" The prince looked puzzled. "I've never been told that."
"Funny," Alex observed, "I was going to say she beat me to it."
"Hey!" Nikado scowled at the other man, then chuckled, shaking his head. "You two are terrible."
"I'm going to go get my room here," Ameko said, standing up.
Nikado looked up at her. "We already got a room for all of us, though."
"Thanks, but I'd rather not share a room with two men," she stated without looking back at him. "Plus, I'm not giving myself any reason to be indebted to you."
"Charming girl," Alex observed after she had left. "I guess they weren't kidding about the warriors of Moonbrook."
"She's probably not always like that," Nikado said with a shake of his head. "I'm betting she's still in shock over what happened at Moonbrook. She hasn't even been given a chance to mourn properly for her father."
"Do you think she knows?"
"I don't think she would agree to go with us if she thought he was still alive." Nikado shook his head. "We're lucky, Alex. We still at least have a parent and a kingdom. Ameko doesn't have anyone in the world right now. Try to go easy on her, okay?"
"You certainly seem to have warmed up to her fast," he snorted, turning to his tea.
Nikado grinned cheekily, resting his chin in a hand. "Are you jealous?"
Alex thankfully didn't have time to take a drink. "Why would I be jealous?" he said with a scowl.
"Don't worry," Nikado reassured him cheerfully. "I'm still completely serious about you, you know. I meant what I said when we came in to Hamlin."
"I'm so thrilled for you. It doesn't change anything," Alex stated. "I'm not in love with you."
"That's all right. It doesn't change anything for me, either," Nikado said. "It's a little exciting to have an unrequited love."
"You are a strange person with unusual definitions of 'exciting', you realize that?"
Nikado grinned. "Do you like that?"
"...No. Not at all."
Nikado only grinned wider as Ameko returned to their table. "Knock it off. You look like the cat that just swallowed the canary. When are we leaving tomorrow morning?"
"After dawn. Shall we meet you down here?"
"That would be fine with me. I'll leave you two to your boy talk, then," she stated, turning and moving toward the stairs.
"You really think it's only shock?" Alex said, watching her leave. "I think she's just got a harsh attitude."
Nikado shrugged. "Possibly that too, but I don't think so. I didn't get that impression from her father." Nikado's expression turned serious. "How long will it take him to become a monster?"
"Another month, at least. Why?"
"When Ameko finds out...I imagine she'll want to try and do something."
"Then it's probably in our best interests to not let her find out," Alex stated as he rose from the table, pushing his chair in. "I'm going to go take a bath and go to bed. You should follow soon. If her current attitude is anything to judge by, she'll probably be up immediately after dawn expecting us."
"I'll come with you. "
Ameko's attitude didn't soften any over the next few days of travel. In fact, it only got harsher, the woman impatient with everything her two companions did that was not fast or good enough. "I don't know how much more I can take of her, to be honest," Alex muttered, shifting his position underneath the blanket. "Let alone go on to defeat Hargon. By the way...why are you laying on me?"
Nikado moved but didn't respond, still mostly asleep. The other man had ended up curled against Alex in his sleep, clinging to his waist. Alex rolled over as best he could without injuring the other's arms, getting ready to shove him off.
The other prince's expression caught him off guard. In his sleep, his face was more relaxed, and also less cheerful, the man almost looking worried, or sad. Alex frowned, wondering if he was having a bad dream. Huh...I guess he does have his off moments like the rest of us.
Sitting up, Alex noticed that Ameko was already awake, taking out a bit of early morning energy on a dracky that had happened to wander by. "You're energetic for the morning," he noted with a yawn.
"I have things to do," she replied as she struck the final blow on the dracky, sending it down to the ground in a burst of energy. Flicking the knife around and back into its loop in her belt, she held out a hand over the dracky's body. Alex's eyes widened slightly as the Dracky's body seemed to have steam rising from it, the vapor being drawn into her skin.
"What kind of spell is that?" he asked curiously.
"It's an absorption spell," she told him calmly, turning away from her fallen foe. "I can absorb the power of the enemies I defeat, but I have to strike the final blow myself."
"So that's why you're getting up and having a little practice while we're not awake?"
She shrugged slightly. "Your boy with the sword seems to be able to take care of most everything we run into, and it's not a good idea for me to go throwing around magic like I'm bleeding it out. I'd wear out too swiftly."
He nodded agreement. "I've been saving my energy for healing."
"As have I. But I can't really do much damage with this little knife," she added, making a face as she gestured to it. "Is he still asleep?"
"Leave him for a bit. I'll start breakfast and wake him when he's done."
"Sleeps like the dead, doesn't he," Ameko noted, raising an eyebrow as Alex pushed the other man's arm off of his chest.
"So it would seem. Where did you learn that spell? Is it one of the ones passed down through your house bloodline?"
She nodded. "Why so curious?"
"I have an interest in all different types of magic," he said with a slight shrug. "It's one thing I'm good at."
"I see." Ameko pulled out a canteen, taking a sip. "How much further to this Tower of Wind?"
"It's a bit of a trip, unfortunately. We'll have to circle around the mountain range in order to get to the bridge leading over to that stretch of land," he told her, drawing a map in the dirt to demonstrate. "See, we need to be due east of here, only on the other side of the mountains."
"There's not a pass through them?" She frowned at the idea of losing so much time.
"If there is, I'm not aware of it, and I don't want to waste time looking for one. I imagine you don't, either."
"Yes. Alex...What was Moonbrook like? Was it bad?"
"There weren't any survivors that I know of. I'm sorry. The castle's inhabited by monsters right now. The Ozwargs and their gang."
She clenched a fist. "I'll have their heads."
"Don't be hasty," he warned her. "Rushing in is going to get us nowhere. I have no desire to repeat my performance with Pazuzu."
"Pazuzu?"
Alex didn't respond, and Nikado sat up, stretching. "Good morning," he greeted both of them with a smile. "What's for breakfast?"
"Just bread and cheese, and some dried fruit," Alex told him. "I'd rather not get the trouble of a fire going in these grasslands. Too visible."
Nikado got to his feet, dusting himself off as he accepted some food from the other prince. "So which way are we heading?"
"We're going to continue to veer to the northeast," Alex said, gesturing to the map he had drawn in the dirt for Ameko. "We should make it about half the distance we need to go today, if we push ourselves."
Ameko sighed, folding her arms. "What I wouldn't give for a good set of horses right now. It's a shame Hamlin's strapped for them."
"With everyone trying to flee, it's not a surprise," Alex said with a shake of his head.
After breakfast, the trio packed up and began to move again, Nikado chatting cheerfully with both his companions and getting little response in return. Alex noted with some amusement that he and Ameko seemed to have similar reactions to the other prince, both finding him a bit silly and wearing at times. Still, there was no denying that it was his skill with the sword that was keeping them relatively unharmed--good for another reason, as the princess only had her robes and Hamlin had no armory that could properly equip her with defensive gear beyond the leather shin guards and gauntlets she wore. "You know," she said in a low tone to Alex, letting Nikado walk ahead, after they had been walking a while. "I'm getting the feeling we're being followed."
"I agree," he said, equally quiet. "It seems we've attracted some unwanted attention. What should we do, do you think?"
"We could use him as a distraction," Ameko said, gesturing with a thumb at Nikado.
Ahead of them, they watched as a weighted net suddenly dropped over the other man, another falling on the pair of them. "Alex! Ameko!" Nikado shouted in alarm, somehow keeping his feet under the enchanted weights, but unable to properly swing his sword. "Damn it! Are you two all right?"
Alex tried to set the net on fire, but it was enchanted to resist that, too. "Get down!" Ameko ordered him. "You're a target, standing up like that."
"She's quite right," a voice called out from the grasslands somewhere. "We'd really hate to have to knock you senseless, so do us a favor and drop your sword."
He frowned, glancing at his two friends, and Alex nodded. Nikado let the sword fall from his hands. "Good. Now get down on the ground," the voice continued, and he did so. "Good boy."
"What am I, a dog?" Nikado muttered.
"You're so funny," Ameko hissed at him.
The grass ahead of them rustled, and Nikado looked up at a pair of boots, then another pair as arms turned him over, rolling him up neatly in the net and trapping him neatly. Through the holes in the net, Nikado looked over to see his two friends in the same sort of situation, being trussed up with the net by a group of men. "Alex?"
"Who are you people?" Ameko demanded, trying to jerk from their grip as one of them removed her knife, another taking Alex's sword. "Unhand me at once."
"Once we've stripped you of your gold and valuables, we'll think about it," the voice from before stated cheerily, another set of boots walking into the group of people. This one was a woman, a tall, broad-shouldered young woman perhaps in her early twenties, dark hair pulled back in a braid. Nikado's attention was immediately drawn to her unusual eyes--one purple, one gold, and both sparkling with utter fearlessness. "Well, pretty boy?" she said, reaching in and tilting up his chin. "How much do you think you're worth?"
"Depends on who's asking, I suppose," he answered, meeting her eyes squarely.
She laughed at that, throwing back her head and putting her hands on her hips. "I always love a smartass. Boy, you picked the wrong place to be wandering about. I'm Talira and this is my territory. Me and my bandits are the law here, and I say we don't like intruders."
Alex sat up, scruitinizing her carefully. "What do you normally do with intruders?"
She shrugged. "Depends on how much trouble they give me. You going to give me any trouble?"
"No," he replied coolly. "I was just wondering if you normally imprisoned your family like this."
That made her laugh again, the woman reaching in and petting Alex on the head. "That's the best bluff I've heard in a while, but come on. You're not nearly sexy enough to match up to someone that's related to me."
"I'm not talking about myself," he said with a shake of her head, pointing to her neck. "I'm talking about the fact that you're wearing the royal symbol of Lorasia. That's the Prince of Lorasia you have trussed up."
She looked toward him and raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't look like much of a prince."
"Alex, what are you talking about?" Nikado asked. "I don't have any siblings."
"I've heard a rumor that you did, actually. A twin." Alex looked up at Talira. "And the resemblance is certainly there."
Talira looked over at Nikado, then snorted. "I hardly see it, but I'll give you credit for originality."
"Check the pendant around his neck," Alex urged. "I'll bet it's the same as yours."
"Enough blather," she said with a wave of her hand. "Let's haul 'em back to camp."
"Does this mean we're killing 'em?" one of the men asked.
"We'll see what I feel like when we get there," she said with a wave of her hand. "Move 'em out, boys!"
"Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I can certainly believe it," Ameko snorted. "They're both obnoxious."
"Alex," Nikado asked quietly, "are you serious?"
"If you're asking if I'm trying to bluff to get us out of this situation, then no. I have heard the rumor, although it was a long time ago before I modified my memory, so the details aren't clear."
"But if that's the case, then why...." Nikado shook his head. "Never mind. I can see why she would have been sent away."
Ameko regarded him quizzically, then sighed as the net was opened. "Don't resist," another woman instructed, this one also with black hair, although it was streaked in reds, blues, and greens, tied back in a long ponytail. "It's too early in the season for me to need a new pincushion." Several weapons levelled at them made the point.
"We won't resist," Alex stated. "I'm curious to see how this will play out."
The woman shrugged. "You're strange, but good enough."
The three of them were bound with their hands behind their backs, legs tied with rope that was long enough to let them walk, but not run. Blindfolds were also put on them, and then the woman tied them together with another stretch of rope, giving it a tug. "Onward we go, my pretties."
Walking while blindfolded proved to be a more difficult task than initially thought. Every rock and bump in the road seemed to reach out to grab them, pulling the other two down roughly on occasion. By the time they stopped and were finally unblinded, it was evening, and the three were exhausted, arms sore from the constant jerking. "Are you two all right?" Alex asked, wishing he had his hands free to do some healing on their sore muscles.
Nikado nodded seriously. If he was any worse for wear, it didn't show in his face or manner as he looked over to Ameko. The woman, while looking as sore as Alex, seemed more irritated than hurt. "I hope we've got one hell of a reason we shouldn't just fireball these bastards," she growled.
"Did you notice?" Alex murmured. "We're up in the foothills of the mountains. If we're to find a way across the mountain range, these people will probably know."
Talira let out a sharp whistle, members of the bandit gang gathering around to greet her and welcome her back, the woman laughing and bragging as she displayed the riches she had obtained. Nikado guessed they were taken from monsters, as there didn't appear to be any other human prisoners. At least, he hoped they were. "Oi, old man!" she called out. "C'mon out and look at what I found. You'll never believe the story one of 'em told me."
The door of one of the huts of the camp opened, and an older man stepped out. While he was visibly older than Talira, he was by no means elderly, perhaps in his fifties at best. He stopped upon seeing Nikado, then ventured close, removing the pendant from his shirt. "I see," he murmured slowly. "So it is you."
"Do you know me?" Nikado asked with a frown.
The man turned to Talira. "Talira, untie this one. We need to talk to him, you and I."
She tilted her head with a frown. "Is something the matter, Rehanin? You're acting all weird about it."
"Untie all of us," Nikado stated firmly. "I'm not going anywhere or talking to anyone without my companions."
The man called Rehanin glanced over the other two, then nodded. "Old man!" Talira protested. "You're makin' off with all my spoils." He looked at her, and she sighed, pulling out her knife. "Anyone tries to run off, I stab 'em here and now."
"They won't," Rehanin stated, looking at Nikado. "I think they have some questions they might like answered. Bring them to my hut, please."
Ameko glanced to Alex for an indication of whether they should fight or flee, but it was Nikado that nodded agreement. "We won't resist, Talira."
"Famous last words," she grumbled, but cut him loose, pushing him toward the other woman. "You hold onto him, Anko."
"Oh, this cutie won't be going anywhere," Anko purred, leaning against Nikado. The man took a step back in surprise. "You know, I can sort of see a resemblance."
"Don't you start in on that nonsense with me," Talira warned as she cut Alex loose, then Ameko. "Whole world's gone bleedin' crazy on me. Now come on, you three, and no funny business."
Nikado let Anko lead him, Alex and Ameko following behind with Talira pointing a knife at their backs. Opening the door, Anko let Nikado enter, followed by the other two. "You keep guard," Talira told her as she entered, "and no eavesdropping, or you'll regret it."
"You're no fun."
The inside of the hut was lit by candlelight, Rehanin gesturing for them to sit. "I apologize for not having adequate chairs," he said, pulling the table over to the bed. "This will have to do, I'm afraid."
"Thank you for your hospitality," Nikado said politely, taking a seat next to Alex on the bed, Ameko sitting in one of the chairs.
"Some hospitality," Ameko snorted, running a finger along her wrists and healing the sores. "You always tie up your guests?"
"Some of them are in to that sort of thing," Talira said with a shrug. "This one's the crazy one, Rehanin," she told him, pointing at Alex. "Saying I'm related to that one," and she pointed at Nikado. "And this one," she pointed at Ameko, "well, I dunno. The one with no taste in men, I guess."
Ameko narrowed her eyes, looking as if she was imagining how best to set the other woman on fire. "What made you think that?" Rehanin addressed Alex.
"A rumor I heard, plus some logical connections. They have the same pendant," Alex pointed out as he looked over Nikado's arms and shoulders for injury.
"That they do, and for the reason your surmised," Rehanin said, sitting back.
Talira stopped, looking over at him. "Wait, you're serious? Are you saying that this guy is actually related to me?"
Rehanin nodded. "To be precise, he is your older twin brother."
"That's not possible," Talira said with a frown. "I ain't no relative to royalty and stuff."
Rehanin sighed, offering some water to his guests. "I know it seems difficult to surmise, Talira. I was once a member of the Lorasian court."
She looked over at him. "Did you kidnap me? That would be pretty hardcore if you did."
He laughed at that, a soft sound. "No, dearest, I did not."
"He gave her away, didn't he?" Nikado spoke up. "Asked you to take her, I mean."
Rehanin nodded. "Yes, the king asked me to. It was because--"
"Because he didn't want competition over the throne, am I right?"
Rehanin's expression fell somewhat. "It isn't as simple as you make it sound."
Nikado smiled slightly. "That means I'm right, doesn't it?"
Talira shrugged. "'S fine with me. I'm not interested in no royalty and stuff. I have my own little kingdom here. Still...I guess it's surprising. I mean, just think of the exploits we could have had if I'd known."
"So you took Talira out here and didn't tell her?" Alex directed at Rehanin.
"I was planning to tell her, eventually. When I thought it was time, or when she asked me about the pendant she wore. But she never did, and she seemed happy here...." He looked over at her.
"Damn right I am," she growled, "why would I bother with some dried up husk of a king? I'm living the life I want to. This doesn't change anything."
"Does it change your opinion about whether to keep us tied up?" Nikado asked.
"Ain't you a funny one, 'big brother'."
He smiled at her. "What are you looking so smug for," she growled, turning to Rehanin next. "And you, don't think you're off the hook for telling me now. I'm going to find something real unpleasant just so I can make you do it." With that, she turned and stormed out the door.
"No offense," Ameko remarked, taking a sip of water, "but that is a thoroughly unpleasant woman."
"She has her good sides," Rehanin said with a shake of his head. "She is a natural leader, and very free-spirited, but not cruel. She talks big, but she wouldn't have harmed you as long as you weren't trying to harm any of her folks."
Nikado was glad they had had the sense not to resist being captured. "It's still pretty surprising," Alex observed. "Why did you bring her all the way out here? "
"I wanted her off of Lorasia and away from that influence," Rehanin said with a shake of his head. "Not that Lorasia is an unpleasant place, but she would have found out about herself. Then she'd have to have grown up in the shadow of what she couldn't have and a brother she couldn't know, and couldn't win against."
Nikado frowned. "I think it's a silly thing, but I guess there's not much we can do at this point."
"Rehanin, was it?" Alex directed at the older man. "We're up in the mountains, right? Do you know of a way across the mountain range?"
He nodded. "There's a pass right above us, actually. That's why we have our base camp here. Why do you ask? Are you looking for something on the other side?"
Nikado nodded. "We need to get to the Tower of Wind to get the Wind Cloak in order to cross the Dragon Fang Towers."
Rehanin looked surprised. "All the way out there? That's a long way to walk."
"If you're offering us a ride, we're interested."
Rehanin shook his head. "Unfortunately not, but there's a person by the Moonbrook Monolith that should be able to help you."
"Moonbrook Monolith?"
"It's a tunnel under the channel that connects us to the other continent," Ameko explained. "It has a little civilization around there, but not much. There isn't anything on the desert continent, after all." She frowned. "I hope they've been all right. They were dependant on us for certain supplies. Without the castle there...."
"I'd heard the rumors about it," Rehanin said. "So it was destroyed."
Ameko nodded. "Yes. I'm the only survivor, as far as I know. And only then because they decided to toy with me rather than kill me outright."
Rehanin shook his head. "I'm sorry to hear that, Princess."
"How do you know I'm the Princess?"
"Who else would they have spared that was important enough to toy with?" he pointed out. "And I guess that would make you the Prince of Cannock, would it not?"
Alex nodded. "We're traveling together in order to defeat Hargon. We need to get to the port city to get a ship."
"Ah...That may not be so easy. There aren't a lot of ships sailing lately, if any at all. Still, that is your best bet of any place on this or the Lorasian continent," he agreed. "And you'll need a ship to get beyond here. I imagine there will be a lot of places you'll need to go."
"And to start with that, we need to get the Wind Cloak," Nikado summarized.
"You're looking for the Wind Cloak?" Talira asked as she reentered the hut, staring him down challengingly.
"Yes. You know of it?"
"I've been working on a group to get out there," she replied. "I suppose we could let you in on it. But that wouldn't be any fun," she said with a shrug, turning away.
"Talira," Rehanin said gently.
"Keep your shirt on, old man. I didn't say no. Let's make a challenge," she said with a smile. "Once we get to the tower, we'll race to the top to get the Wind Cloak. Whoever gets it first keeps it."
"This isn't a game," Ameko said with a frown. "We need that in order to defeat Hargon. What are you going to do with something like that?"
"Keep it from you, sweetie," Talira said with a smile that did not touch her eyes. "That's my terms, take 'em or leave 'em. Or are you worried that you can't match up to the great and mighty Talira?"
"I'll take your challenge," Nikado replied, standing.
She grinned at him. "I applaud your courage, 'big brother', even if it is futile. We're leaving in the morning, can you handle that?"
"Sure," he agreed, "if you'll give us our weapons back."
"In the morning," she said with a wave of her hand.
True to her word, the bandit queen did give their weapons back prior to setting out. It was a good thing she did, for Nikado found himself playing bodyguard to the group, dispatching monsters here and there. Alex also used his sword, and Ameko stayed back, healing where she could. Talira had scoffed at this until a monster had struck at her with a serious blow, requiring some help. It had only temporarily quieted the boastful woman. "I think of the two of them, I prefer him," Alex muttered to Ameko. "She's positively obnoxious."
Nikado overheard the comment, grinning. "So you're saying you prefer me?"
That got him a glare, and the other man ducked away, grinning cheerfully to himself. "I don't mind her so much. She's very enthusiastic. Most people I know aren't nearly that confident in themselves and what they do."
"Even though she's preying on other people as well as monsters?" Ameko pointed out.
He shrugged. "I don't think she's a bad person. I think she'll be a good friend to have. She does have a good power base here, after all."
Despite the woman's apparent faults, she knew where she was going and how best to get there. The trip took only a few days before the Tower of Wind was visible over the horizon. Alex looked down into the lower stretch of land, looking over to the north. "There's a break in the mountains."
Anko nodded. "That over there is the channel cutting through the lower end of Moonbrook. Cross that river and you'd be well on your way back to Hamlin."
"I wonder if there's a ray over there," Nikado pondered.
"Huh? A ray of what?"
Nikado shook his head at the question. "All right, listen up," Talira said as they got close. "All my boys, we're up against this trio of losers. First one to get to the Wind Cloak gets a reward from yours truly. Any questions?"
The group let out a roar of enthusiasm, pumping their fists in the air. Turning around, Talira signalled, and then they tore into the tower, making for every set of stairs they could find.
"Damn it!" Ameko cursed, starting to follow. "Come on, you two, or we'll lose them."
"Hold on a moment," Alex said. The prince of Cannock was looking up at the tower with a frown, studying something.
"Well, what is it?" Ameko asked impatiently. "You want to lose that cloak?"
He pointed up above the door, to a set of carvings in the stone. "See that? It's the ancient language."
"The ancient language?" Nikado asked.
"Yes. It's the place you get your name from, did you know? Your name contains the character for 'sun' in the ancient language," Alex told him.
"I didn't know that." Nikado crossed his arms. "My mother was the one that named me."
"What's the point?" Ameko interrupted. "Can you read this?"
He nodded. "This is a sign, here." He gestured. "It says 'Main office, information, and observatory level'."
"It's a tourist office," Nikado said slowly.
"How thoroughly enlightening. What good does that do us?"
Alex pointed. "And this off to the side says 'Maintenance entrance'. I did mention that the cloak was used for the maintenance of the towers, right?"
Ameko stopped, looking at him in surprise. "It makes sense. If this place was a tourist stop, they didn't want their smelly employees wandering around. Where's the maintenance entrance?"
Alex followed the signs, coming to a smaller door. Opening it, he found a set of stairs going up. "Let's just hope no one's moved it since these signs were in place."
Nikado went up the stairs first, Ameko following with knife drawn and ready. Alex brought up the rear, closing the door behind him. The tunnels were narrow and twisty, and occasionally through gaps in the wall they could see the bandits of Talira, crawling over every available space and searching thoroughly. Alex put a finger to his lips, and they moved onward silently.
Up some more flights of stairs, some branching off into dead ends that were other storage units, then down some, finally culminating in a large room with a shattered, open window. Ameko went to the closet, shuffling through the items inside. "This," she said at last, holding up a white cloak. "This has to be it. See? It has the feel of magic all over it."
Alex looked it over, then nodded. "That matches what I've seen in the books."
"Then you saved me the trouble," Talira's voice came from behind.
The three turned around, Ameko swinging the cloak around her shoulders. "We won, Talira," Nikado said with a nod, "fair and square. We get the cloak."
"Unfortunately, I've got my own plans for it," she stated. "So you'll hand it over to me."
"Oh, be quiet, you spoiled brat," Ameko snapped. "You lost by the terms you yourself set. Have some honor and stick to them."
"I don't need some snotty princess telling me what to do. Nobody does that and lives," Talira said coolly.
Ameko smiled. "And what are you going to do about it? Fight me?"
"Come on, guys," Nikado interrupted. "This isn't really necessary, is it?"
"You're right," she agreed with him. "Let us leave quietly, Talira."
"I don't think so."
"Then," Ameko said with a shrug, "I suppose we'll have to leave noisily." Reaching forward and grabbing both men by the hands, she dragged them toward the window, yanking them out as she leapt.
"Hey!" Talira protested, running to the window as she watched them glide out, scowling at them. "That's not fair!"
"Life's not fair, you fake princess!" Ameko called back cheerfully as she let the cloak carry them away. The cloak, bogged down with the unusual weight of three people, descended perhaps faster than it normally would, and Nikado lifted his feet as they drifted over the river, landing on the far bank.
"Well, that was convenient," Ameko said, tossing the cloak over one shoulder. "Let's get back to Hamlin. Then we can go visit Moonbrook."
Alex frowned, but said nothing. "You don't think she'll try to follow us all the way to Hamlin?" Nikado wondered, looking back at the tower.
"By the time she gets out of the tower and across the river, we'll be long gone," Alex stated. "It's not worth her while to chase us all the way to Hamlin, although if she does want this cloak that badly...Hm."
"Then we'd better keep a brisk pace."
