3.14 In Which the Dark Lord Does the Right Thing, Sort Of

3.14 In Which the Dark Lord Does the Right Thing, Sort Of

Who the hell was Maizo?

I took a moment to verify that our opponents were under control before turning to see for myself. Nazralind had her bow drawn; Aster, Flaethwyn, and Adelly all had weapons ready; even Rizz and Rhoka had silently come in at the rear with those staffs of theirs held out, blades extended. These goblins werent much of a threat anyway, now that I looked. Those weapons Id glimpsed while bursting in turned out, on closer inspection, to be pickaxes. Had we just captured a mining crew? In any case, I could risk taking my eyes off them.

The sole living goblin in the cells was laboriously rising up from a prone position, and it really looked like an effort. Poor guy had been worked over something fierce; I could hardly see the green on large parts of him through the bruises and blood. He could only crack one swollen eye to peek at us and was obviously having trouble breathing.

This looked like a job for the Dark Lord.

Heal.

Pink light burst from the cell, causing the other goblins to flinch.

Whew! Maizo gasped, straightening up fully. Hoooo, thats tingly! Holy shit, thanks. Wow, youreall here. Together. Now that I didnt see coming.

Just a moment, Flaethwyn said, turning away from our prisoners and lowering her weapon entirely, because apparently my concerns about operational security were not shared. Hey, youre that goblin who dropped us in that blasted mud pit!

Wow, Im impressed, Lady Flaethwyn, Maizo said sincerely, swaggering forward and grabbing the bars of his cell with both hands, which caused her to blush and avert her eyes as among other indignities hed been stripped of his clothing. Who woulda thought you could tell one goblin from another?

A mud pit? Really? I asked.

Itsa long story, said Yoshi, not meeting my eyes.

You. Rizz strode past me, lifting her goblin-sized mechanical naginata to rest it over her shoulder, and pointed at one of the felled followers of Jadrak. Where are the keys to these cells?

Thekeys. He blinked at her, eyes seemingly out of focus, and reached up to grip his skull with one hand. I dont

Oh, right, this was one of the ones whod been smacked against the wall. Little dude looked pretty concussed.

Heal, I cast, causing him to jerk upright with his eyes bulging wide. Then I did the same for the other two who looked a bit the worse for our encounter.

You can talk to me, Judge. One of the rooms goblins had got to his feet and now stepped forward, hands held out before him to show he had nothing in them. Im Rads, Im responsible for this crew. Were miners, not Look, we werent told where keys are. They ordered us to leave em in the cells. If there are still any nearby, theyll be in the security office, just through there.

Rhoka, Rizz ordered. The Arbiter nodded and stalked off through the door toward which Rads had pointed.

Hey, alchemist girl, said Zui. Do you have an acid thatll eat through metal?

Through metal? Amell squeaked. I dont Uh, not fast enough to help, no. I dont encounter much metal, usually. Its crazy how much of it there is down here.

Weird how she could brew a magic bomb-finding elixir with what she was just lugging around but not hydrochloric acid. The rules of alchemy were puzzling, I really needed to get some questions about this answered.

That goblin had been tortured, Rizz continued in a grim tone, leveling her polearm at Rads. So were those twoto death. And you wanna take responsibility for this?

We had nothing to do with that! Rads exclaimed, waving his empty hands overhead. Im responsible for my crew, not the Goblin Kings orders! My people are miners, you understand? We dig up ores, not Look, were only here on guard duty because everybody else bugged out and we volunteered to stay behind. We were ordered to feed the prisoner and not open those cells under any circumstances! Youve got no idea what they do to people who rebel against the Goblin King.

No, weve got a pretty good idea, said Zui, who was over at the bars now, giving Maizo a once-over. I couldnt blame her; he was Healed and all, but there was an awful lot of dried blood still on him and his grin showed a couple of missing teeth.

What do you mean, everybody else bugged out? I demanded. Where did they go?

Rads gulped, giving me a wary look. He was clearly uncertain why there were a bunch of humans and elves down here, but it was plain that we were with the Judge, and that we werent to be trifled with.

King Jadraks abandoned this base. Hes moving his headquarters to rule from Fallencourt. I dunno who else might still be kicking around herewe probably arent the only crew left to look after something, but its only been a few hours and we aint seen anybody else.

Well, that explained it.

Would he really give up a secure position like that? Yoshi asked, frowning deeply. That doesnt seem to make sense. Its risky.

Its a bold move, but I could see it from Jadraks perspective, said Gizmit, emerging from the door behind us. Holding Fallencourt gives him central control and not holding this place prevents him stretching his forces too thin. Its aggressive and risky, though, youre right. I found what Rhokas supposed to be looking for, by the way. Catch.

She tossed a ring of metal keys across the room to Zui, who snagged them out of the air and began trying them on Maizos cell door, muttering in annoyance. There were a lot of keys on that ring. Rhoka poked her head back out of the security office, scowling at having been upstaged.

Anybody else nearby, Biribo? I asked.

Not within the radius of my perception from this spot, boss. Not in the tunnels above or below, either. I think this guys on the level, they really have pulled out.

I thought there was a Spirit here, I said, frowning. Would Jadrak really abandon that?

Lot of other assets here that cant be moved easily, or at all, Gizmit agreed. But he is trying to consolidate his control in a hurry with adventurers closing in and a pissed-off Dark Lord invading Kzidnak. Like I said: not the call I wouldve made, but I can imagine Jadrak going for it.

Dark Lord? one of the captured goblins whispered. Oh, shit. Shit.

Hah! Zui finally crowed in satisfaction, and the cell door swung open. All right! Next step, we gotta find something for you to wear.

I dunno, this is pretty cozy, said Maizo, who had wrapped himself in the threadbare blanket which was apparently provided with his cell.

Why were you in there, Maizo? Yoshi asked.

The goblin grimaced, showing off the new gaps in his shark-like teeth. I felt particularly bad about that, but Heal wouldnt fix anything missing.

Cos Im an information gatherer working for Maugro. I dunno exactly how Jadrak got wind of this Dark Lord situation, but he also found out who else knew about it, andwell, there you have it. Since youre down here, Lord Seiji, Im hoping you managed to rescue Maugro and the gang?

He looked up at me with such an eager expression I felt a crack form somewhere inside me. It immediately fell, though; Maizo could see my face, and everyone elses.

Im sorry, I said, shaking my head. I was too slow. Maugro and Mindzi both came running to me for help when they were attacked, but they died on the way. So did the other goblin in his office, I never got that guys name. Youd better believe I wiped out the assholes who did it, and Jadrak is next on my list.

Maizo nodded, eyes downcast. Yeah Thats something. Guess Im not human enough to find a lotta satisfaction in revenge.

I rounded on Yoshi, words spilling out of me far faster than I could even think about controlling them.

It would be so easy to make this country a better place to live in: all everybody would have to do is stop clawing at each other like crabs in a bucket. We can blame the assholes in chargeand oh, believe me, I dobut the fact remains they would be as ousted and slaughtered as the nobility of France or Russia or China or everywhere else that has happened if their sole talent wasnt keeping all the common folk of this wretched little shithole island turned against each other instead of putting their anger where it belongs!

Im sure youve been having a grand old isekai adventure, Yoshi, hanging out with adventurers and well-mannered nobles. Well, fucking good for you. I have been mostly dealing with bandits and nobles when they werent trying to impress anybody, and let me tell you the important thing Ive learned about human nature: when the chips are down, most people will usually do the right thingif it has been made clear to them beforehand that the alternative is they get fucking murdered!

Just as suddenly as Id started, I was out of things to say. And the silence was utter and oppressive. Goblins were staring at me in terror, my own people with worry. Yoshi and two-thirds of his friends looked vaguely haunted, but Flaethwyn, for the first time Id seen, appeared reluctantly impressed.

Also, naturally, the others had returned just in time to catch that. Zui and Maizo stood in the door, staring, with Adelly looming over them from behind.

Well? I said irritably. Come on. Supplies, unless you want to go to jail with nothing but what youre wearing. Zui, well need those keys.

Youre gonna kill Jadrak? Rads said suddenly.

I turned a tired scowl on him. The flash of rage was gone as quickly as it had come, leaving me feeling worn-out and cranky. Im pretty sure I was unambiguous about my intentions, yes.

The foreman sucked in a breath through his teeth, glanced over his shoulder at his frightened subordinates, then turned back to me and nodded.

Thenlook, I dunno whether theres still anything in this whole base thatll be useful to you, but I know where you should look. You wanna talk to Digger.

Who the hell is Digger? I demanded.

Thats the Spirit this place was built around, said Gizmit.

Rads nodded again, eagerly this time. Yeah, see, this whole part of the complex used to be mines before the ore ran out, and it all branches off from the cavern where Diggers located. The Spirits spot has always been secured, but for the last few months its been getting increasinglyweird. Only Jadrak and Hoy have been allowed in there, and how paranoid theyve been about it has scaled directly with the whole organization going off the rails, turning from an honest mining company into Well, if you got this far into Kzidnak, I bet youve seen what theyve turned into.

We saw, yes, Yoshi said softly.

So Rads shrugged helplessly. I mean, I gotta assume theyd take anything valuable with them, but you cant move a Spirit. I dunno what clues or whatever would even be left, but thats where theyll be. Iftheres anything, I mean. Youll, uh, youll have to bust in, probably, they had that place locked down tight.

Thank you, I said in a deliberately calm and reasonable tone. That is exceedingly helpful.

Sure thing. Justdont tell any of Jadraks people I told you nothin.

I nodded. Youre still going in the cells.

Rads looked at the empty cells, then at the one with two bodies in it, then over at Maizo, and lowered his eyes. Yeah, fair. Zabbzi, show em where the supply lockers are.

The Spirits cave was not, in fact, locked down.

We found it easily enough with the miners directions, after we left them secured in their cells with sufficient food and water for at least a week. And indeed, there was ample evidence at the entrances to this cavern had been sealed at some pointthe doors were not only heavy, but bristling with locks, chains, and even obstructions that looked like theyd been bracing them shut. Those doors themselves were standing open, though, all the chains and whatnot dangling uselessly and the barricades lying strewn about the hall outside.

Oh, no, Biribo whispered as we stepped up to the ominously open portal.

What? I demanded. Whos in there?

Nobody, he said in a miserable tone. But bosswe shouldnt be here.

We need to retreat, Radatina agreed, buzzing around Yoshis head in agitation. This is way more dangerous than we came here prepared for!

What do you mean? he asked. Whats wrong? Traps?

For once we werent the first ones in; Rizz brushed curtly past me, stepping into the Spirits chamber with her polearm at the ready. She came to an immediate stop, straightening up from her prepared stance, and shifted the weapon to rest its butt against the floor.

Well, I see what the familiars are agitated about, the Judge said in a particularly dour tone. This is not good. But not immediately dangerous, so long as nobody does anything stupid.

That was good enough for me; I rounded the corner, went through the gates, and stopped right next to Rizz. Seconds later, Yoshi drew up on her other side, sword and shield at the ready.

The cavern was clearly natural, its floor uneven and domed ceiling bristling with stalactites. More doors stood around the walls, most smaller than the one wed come through; all had heavy barriers built into them now, and all were standing wide open. I paid all of this little attention, though, immediately zeroing in on the familiar shape of a Spirit positioned in the center of the room.

Well, mostly familiar.

It was the same waist-high column of white stone with inset patterns glowing, but this one was quite different beyond that. Rather than the customary pale pastel glow, its engravings were lit up a livid red, and slowly pulsing from bottom to top, making me think of a heartbeat. In place of the projection of a stylized face in light above its top, the crown was ringed by a slowly rotating circle in which letters were written in red light:

ERROR CONTACT SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR ERROR SYSTEM NODE CORRUPTED

Iwait, said Yoshi, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes. Is that English?

Not English, I said. Those are Roman letters, though. MaybeSpanish? I know a very little Spanish. It does remind me of a Romance language, butI dont see any accent marks. Most of them have those.

How can you read it but not know what language it is? Aster asked, stepping up behind me. Orcan you not read it? I thought the Blessing of Wisdom

Being able to fluently read or speak languages youve never actually learned causes some weird effects sometimes, I said ruefully, thinking back to her (lack of) reaction to Junkos name, and the way Gizmit had tricked me into revealing I could read Khazid. For example, apparently you dont get to intuitively know the name of whatever language it is.

Could it be Latin? Yoshi asked.

I canthm. Well, I was going to say that was silly, but honestly that doesnt make any less sense than everything else about this damn planet. More importantly, whats wrong with that Spirit?

Whats wrong is its not a Spirit anymore, Rizz replied. Its been corrupted. That is now a Void altar, which provides the answers to a lot of questions about Jadrak. It appears hes been dealing with devils.

Oh, shit, I whispered. That means were gonna be dealing with devils, doesnt it.

Yoshi turned to us. Void? Devils? What are you talking about?

Why, yes, Radatina, I said sweetly. Why dont you explain to him what were talking about?

And thats how I got smacked between the eyes by a dive-bombing angry pixie.