Three Memories

“First one is mine,” Londra stated. “It tells why the six are sick. After they broke my second Lacrama I decided to use others to cement the moment into my mind. Also, a reason why I learned this spell. You will not feel a lot of emotion but see what happened.” With that a large magical circle appeared on the floor and much to everyone’s surprise it was large enough for all of them to fit. Once the spell started the pub faded away and they were standing on the path leaving town. Eight large, Blood Horned Bears were charging the trading envoy, focusing on six well dressed individuals. This caused many to sigh since they knew exactly who they were. They watched as those with them tried to defend themselves only to be tossed away. They seen someone running towards the bears with little worry, was it Londra? Four Feline Drakes appeared and began to assist her in various ways. The seasoned fighters watched the show with a bit of awe and jealousy since Londra made it look easy. They had no idea how afraid she was. They watched her go over and talk to the normal people after starting slow healing circles under the six lords while her familiars slowly vanished. Most could guess what would happen next as the yelling from Lord Aslin continued. What they didn’t see coming was someone breaking the Lacrama around Londra’s neck while another force poison down her throat as she tried to rebalance herself after the use of so much magic. Then they watched and listened to Biship Hood and they began to understand. This is when the magic ended. Londra had her head down on the table, slowly breathing.

“They are sick from not paying the Life Curse and from doing horrible things to her,” Zeona mumbled, tapping her long fingers on her leg. “That has to be the most…”

“Agreed,” the captain said rubbing his hands over his face. “Why would they even believe someone called Bishop Hood? What an obviously fake name… are you up for the next one?” he wondered since her head was still on the table.

She sat up with a sigh that moved her bony body. “Yea, but this one is filled with emotion. I will keep it going and hope I can handle it since I don’t think I can move by myself. This one is from Zeke. He entered the Spectrum Challenge about two months before I did. Oh, that memory was three years, eleven months, and eight days ago.”

“I think I would be counting the days of being horribly treated as well,” Meko sighed.

“The memory is through his eyes and feelings,” Londra explained. “It starts outside the Adventures Guild for the Manor Town.” She waited until everyone nodded then she activated the magic again.

They seen the reflection of the male they were watching through in the window of the building, but few recognized it as the Adventures Guild. Zeke was tall, muscular, with tough looking green skin and a long face. His golden eyes contrasted with his long, dark, mahogany hair. Like most Goblins, he had palm sized pointed ears that were close to his head and bright white animal like teeth. Everyone could feel his nerves, which was unusual for someone of his caliber. All could tell just by the movements he was a seasoned warrior who had fought many a beast. With one more deep breath he entered the building to see a receptionist with tears running down her dark beige, round face and six others trying to log in their quest to receive their compensation. There was a clock over on the wall that the nervous receptionist was looking at. One read four minutes while the other five, but both were counting down. He had never seen that before.

“Please, go to the south and do it,” the receptionist begged. “Sir if you are here to long your quest… I implore you to go to another town or village to the south. Please… I have children to think of.”

This confused him while the other demanded to know what that had to do with anything. After another minute they turned to him hoping he could convince the receptionist.

“I understand that we don’t get full payment if we ask for the coins,” Zeke started, “but my captain requested that I precure the funds because we need them. He isn’t a bad man, but he did threaten to kick me out of the party if I didn’t. That would be bad since I am quite a ways from home. I do not want to become a slave over…” he took a moment to figure out what was owed to the party, “three hundred and twenty bronze.”

“I agree,” a curvy female Fairy stated. “That is what we want. The six of us just want money to stay the night then for supplies to carry on. We wouldn’t need it if this town still had an inn connected to the guild. I mean your building is only a third of it’s original size. What is going on!”

“Don’t yell,” a male human sighed, “she is already hysterical. As a human I understand that yelling at her will not help the situation.”

Zeke didn’t like what was in the air. All could feel him starting to back away. A moment later a man appeared with a mask on. “Do it, their time is up and I want to break this warrior!”

The receptionist nodded sadly, pulling on her mask. Now the room was filled with an orange-pink gas causing them all to lose their ability to stand.

Those watching could feel the gas draining not only the energy from Zeke but mana at an alarming rate. He fell to his knees with the others but refused to pass out. He fought to keep his eyes open. He would see who was behind the mask. As if the man understood the gas dissipated and he took off his mask.

“Guild Master Leon?” he whispered.

“You forgot the Continental part,” the tall man with golden skin and flowing ebony hair said. His cold blue eyes looked at the seven now before him. “I am going to tell you what is happening out loud because I love the faces you will all make. No this isn’t the first time and it won’t be the last. I wonder which one of you will cry out first? I think it will be the cute little Fairy. They aren’t designed to endure.” With that a chair appeared for him to sit in, as he watched them all struggle to move. His hand touched his Lacrama, “Delete the records of those before me completely, Code: Continental Guild Master Leon CT35839.”

All felt the slice of pain that entered the body of Zeke with his courage to keep from changing his expression. “Look at that, all but the Warrior Goblin flinched. I knew this was going to be fun. Now let us continue. I will strip away everything you have, including what was shared in your vaults. I guess those four that sent you in really won’t have anything now. Well at least they are not here. Duke Eldwin and Bishop Hood welcome you to the Spectrum Challenge!” he paused to laugh, an eerie sound. “Most just get tossed in but I seen who was here and just wanted to slowly watch your resolve die. I was watching in the town to the east… they weren’t enjoyable. So many tears, then there was the colorful language, followed by offers that most males would find hard to resist.”

Six large figures appeared behind the Guild Master who was enjoying the display of helplessness. Like a child about to open a present he said, “Strip them while I tell them what they have in store. You all will be shoved in a violet room that contains: four blankets, a pot, two chairs, a table, and a little window. The temperature of the Violet Buildings is a cool forty-five degrees. With the two Violet Buildings there is a single Violet Bath House. You have twenty minutes a day to use it. You see, the water there is almost warm, which will feel like heaven after a night in your room!” He did his best not to laugh at the two women before him crying.

He continued with a smug smile, “You are allowed to leave the rooms at six in the morning but must be back to them by ten at night unless you are working the night shift for the Duke.”

He chuckled, watching them all struggle to keep their clothing and items while listening to him. The Goblin was the only one that was just kneeling there staring at him with murder in his golden eyes. Of course, those watching could also feel the rage building with slivers of fear.

“Oh, he gets it,” Leon laughed hysterically, beating the arms of his chair with joy. “Oh, this is so fun, listening to the screams. I will continue. Don’t worry, I will see you break a little, Goblin Warrior. You are given seven meals and fifty bronze for each day you work. You are only allowed to work four days a week. Oh, I can see it enter the human’s face. That is right, you will only get thirteen meals a week. On top of that the water is poisoned, different for each color, so you can only eat certain things for the month. Survive for two months, endure the challenge, and you are moved to the next color. Indigo has the same building layouts but they are five degrees warmer, you have twenty-five minutes a day in the bath house, and the water is warm!”

Now he had all of their attentions as they were dressed in robes like limp dolls. “It goes on like that until you reach green. There are five green buildings because now you have a real room. A private little bathroom, little kitchen, table, chairs, and what one might call a bed while the temperature is a lovely sixty degrees. Here is where you want to stay even if the next buildings have more heat and actual warm water. In your green room you will have cold and not cold water and twenty minutes of energy a week to use in your kitchen.”

Now the females in the room were sobbing while the others tried to find words. Pain settled into Zeke when he asked, “why?”

“Oh! I knew you would be fun,” Leon said happily. “Yellow is where the sick go, while Orange is where the almost dead go. When you die, your bodies are put in the red building with no ceremonies. Your death will create the most lovely cloud of negative mana that will travel towards the small group of Green Goblins to the northeast. Live, at the malice is only a little but it will still aid in the growth. Then, Bishop Hood will take the Green Goblins that are just short little killers and send them to our enemies all in the name of the King! Not that the King knows!” he finished with a roaring laugh. “We are robbing him blind to make these creatures to decimate our rich neighbors. I mean, who knows how to fight a Green Goblin? Nobody! The lucky escape with visions that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. It is a wonderful plan that I get to make a profit on and get rid of females that think they deserve to be Adventures! Ha, Lizard Men deserve it more! I hate lizards!”

He stood and someone came for the chair. “There is something else… oh what was it… yes, try to escape it will be fun for me to watch. Report to the Manor in the morning or be dragged there. Be good and in six months you will be in the green rooms! Oh, do us a favor and just die. No reason to live now, but we will enjoy watching you flounder around!”

With that the magic ended with many walking around trying to digest what they had heard, witnessed, and experienced. The captain started to cry. “That is why the camps, and nests are growing. There are even rumors if a hive… Three points right around them… feeding their growth. Our own torturing those that used to be adventurers just to get the most negative mana they can. How can you not go around hating every day?”

“Can’t,” Londra agreed. “I stopped it before the next part. I don’t like freezing.”

“What stops you from escaping,” Kailea whispered, unsure she wanted the answer.

Londra smiled slightly, “Zeke and I tried after we made it to blue. We thought our plan was solid. Made sure nobody knew or seen us… didn’t want anyone else to be part of the challenge. Once we were outside Manor Town these shadows were there. Disturbing looking creatures that have no legs, a long body, clawed hands, and an elongated head that appear to be made of shadows. They take you back to a violet building, after beating you. Then you need to find someone in your old building that will get your blankets because you can’t go in unless invited. You don’t get new blankets but you can buy them. So food or freeze becomes the debate.”

“They come and return you to your room at ten too,” Fenten sighed. “At least they don’t beat you for staying out pass curfew. But they are made of nightmares. Could you get us home so they don’t, please.”

“Oh, yes please,” Londra asked, her dull hazel eyes begging the captain who nodded. “Thanks, please don’t set us on the beds. I am in green building three, third floor, room three.”

“I am in green building one, floor four, room six. Thanks again,” Fenten said weakly. “The last one is mine…”

“I am ready,” the captain said, bringing everyone back towards the table. “Just a question first. These aren’t freshly made spells but replays, right?”

“Yes,” Londra confirmed. “It took days to make them. I found a way to store them with the mana they require. There aren’t many magic books in the library at the Duke’s Manor but I did figure out how to read and learned quite a bit.”

The captain smiled, “I know of that book… and it makes me feel better knowing that somebody got some use out of it. But wait, you couldn’t read?”

Londra sighed, “I lost so much after the second Lacrama was broken. I had to teach myself how to read but writing is still a work in progress. When I write it is different but fluid. So maybe this isn’t my language?”

The captain nodded as Fenten tried to sit up straighter, but the poor Fairy was so weak and grey. The circle under their feet began to pulse and they were now in the middle of a lively village of Fairies. There was laughter while a group of children switched forms chasing each other around the few buildings. This is when the captain figured out where they were. “This is the trading hub for a Fairy Village on Continent Twenty-Three,” he started as many of his Knights began to agree while slowly wandering the hub as if they were there. The details made it all so lifelike. “Their village is about a mile to the west. They stay small most of the time. They are trading allies…” his voice faded away into the vision they seen. There were around twenty adults watching the children play while slowly doing their work. It looked like they were expecting a delivery since a group waited by the magical gate. Now it became a game to try and figure out which one was Fenten since they were all full of color. Yet the captain was focused on the gate. Sure enough it opened, and their continent’s flag was visible. The Fairies seemed to know the group as they made small talk while the traders began to unload large crates.

“What did you bring us different,” a male Fairy asked, his long, transparent, oval shaped wings fluttered a bit. The outside edge of the wings was a bold green that matched his watchful eyes while the veins inside the cicada like wings were white, indigo, and blue. His short, indigo hair was neatly shaped to show his pointed ears and caramel, accented, oval face. “I don’t remember anything that would require such large crates. Especially six of them. Are you sure you are in the right village?”

A Fairy female agreed, “that is true. We were supposed to be giving more than receiving.” Her soft fawn colored, oval face showed her concern while her vivid blue eyes searched the area. Her butterfly shaped wings that were mostly vibrant pink with lines of white, and spots of blue, orange, and yellow folded back nervously. Her violet hair was braided down in between the wings swaying. She moved closer to the worried male. “Fenten, I don’t like this,” she whispered. Several of the others began to agree as they backed away from the traders. Those watching just stood shocked to see what Fenten actually looked like, but they also felt his anxiety mixed with fear.

“Opps, you got us,” the tall male human said pushing the others back destroying the boxes with a spell. “You probably have never seen these. They are Green Goblins.”

“Take the children and run now,” the female Fairy instructed, while four moved to join her. Fenten stood fast, reading a spell causing his wings to glow slightly. He was scanning the twelve creatures that were practically identical to each other.

They stood around three and a half feet tall with wrinkled dark green skin. Their faces were round with long, pointed ears but also wrinkled in a way that made the creature appear dangerous. Their eyes were eerie yellow just like their canine teeth, and long, sharp nails from their four fingered hands. A leather cloth was all that covered their male parts. There was no hair on their heads but once they realized they were free a cry to battle erupted from them all.

Instantly a wall of ice appeared before them, “I can’t get a reading on them,” Fenten yelled.

“Neither could I,” a male Fairy with bright red hair confirmed adding another layer of ice.

“All I could find is hate and a need to destroy,” a female Fairy with golden hair stated.

“Did that one just kill the other,” a male Fairy with orange hair whispered. “Surely the ice is distorting… what do we do?”

“Protect,” a muscular male Fairy with deep blue hair stated. “I don’t sense any others besides these. Keep looking for weak spots.”

“Why are the humans watching? Are they behind a barrier?” a tall male Fairy with brown hair wondered before returning his attention to the enemies. “They are climbing the walls.”

“Just hate,” the female standing beside Fenten mumbled. “Dallia, let’s try a high level purification spell. If we do it together…”

“Don’t have any other ideas and I don’t want them getting closer,” Dallia said taking her hand. “Fern, I am a bit afraid.”

“So am I,” Fern said watching the others work to keep the six growing Green Goblins back. “They ate each other to become stronger. I think they are a disgrace to the Goblin kind.” With that a large pulse of pure white light surged towards them. In an instant they were gone but the group hadn’t watched the eight humans.

“Guess they need to be stronger,” the leader said clipping a collar around Fern. The others had done the same. Now the Fairies had no magic, nor wings. They looked human. “I will let Bishop Hood know when we get back. They were just babies anyways, can’t catch the others yet. Continental Guild Master Leon said something about covering our tracks… Oh, I know.” With that he slit the throats of those near him with a Fairies blade. “It was so horrible to watch,” he started with a laugh. “I don’t know what got into those three. Attacking the Fairies, how horrible. I am glad they were stopped.”

“We are allies,” Fenten said slowly, trying so hard to move but like the others he couldn’t. “We saw what you did.”

“Too bad you will never be able to tell anyone that would care,” the leader laughed. “The males will be put into the Spectrum Challenge. Let their hate or deaths strengthen the next batch of Green Goblins. The females will be sold to the Slave Trader. It will take a bit to fake the documents, but I am sure that Continental Guild Master Leon will figure out how to trick Master Slave Trader Yevhen.” The humans laughed with the leader; afraid they would be killed too while the Fairies desperately tried to move.

As the memory faded several began to walk around while Fenten was silently crying with a few of the Knights that appeared to be Fairies. Londra just let her head fall to the table; her eyes tightly closed as wave after wave of dizziness hit her for using so much mana. She didn’t see anything but heard the mumbles and talking about what they had seen. But soon all were quiet and waiting for instructions. Before the captain could give any Londra said, “one more thing. According to the servants who were loyal to Duke Eldwin and the other Lords this all started around five years ago. Bishop Hood appeared to each, separately, asking them to prove their loyalty to the King by killing their wives. All refused and checked his authority. None believed him to be a true Bishop serving the King. When their inquiries came back that he was a Bishop of the King none of them believe the King wanted their wives, daughters, or second sons killed. That is when the Bishop began to use the same kind of poison used on us to weaken the minds. The families of Landulf, Vulkan, and Othniel… I don’t remember their father’s names… they found ways to purify and stop the poison. They offered them to the others but by that time it was too late. Each killed three people, the fathers and sons to show their loyalty. The negativity from killing eighteen turned into magic and created the Spectrum Challenges. There is one here, another to the north… Jecrad’s lands and then the east…Gurgen’s lands. It was enough to create…” she stopped as a fit of coughing shook her fragile body. Matthew was there with water for the captain to help her drink.

“I understand, and it explains so much,” the captain said with a hint of anger in his voice. “The farms, villages, and people that have been destroyed by Green Goblins are in that area. Also, that is where the barrier generators are constantly needing repair and new crystals. Thank you for this information.” Londra said nothing, just tried to relax in the chair now that the coughing was over. “We are leaving,” he stated to the group. “Kailia, I want you to take Londra. Reece, please gently pick up our sleeping Fairy. Remember to place them on the floor in the blankets. We are all going to see this horror. I want everyone to keep their guards up. Jezz and Caldon,” he paused tossing a bag at the larger of the two Elves. “Take this to Master Slave Trader Yevhen. With my authority, set up an account for Londra with it. I understand that there is a level four slave there with a curse where he is forced to hurt females if the slave bond isn’t strong enough. I do believe the leader of the Golden Court tricked the King into taking him as a yearly donation. That is beside the point, if she can do all this with minimum knowledge, I am sure she can handle him. He has a vault that is triple S rank. I am sure she will have her own once everything is reawakened. Jolen and Talen,” he paused as the two Demons moved closer. “I want proof of the horrors Continental Adventures Guild Master Leon has done. I know the assistant raised concerns, but they were pushed aside. Start there. I will implore the King to relieve him of his position. After all, look how much money that the crown didn’t earn since all these high ranked adventurers weren’t keeping the trade routes moving.”

“It will be done, Archduke Dristen,” Jolen and Talen said in unison before disappearing.

“Let’s go,” Archduke Dristen smiled. He preferred the title of captain most days, but it looked like he was about to play politics for a few weeks. He would steel his mind and body to see these colored buildings and the individuals living in them being kept alive by one little mage, who had no real idea how she was doing it since all her memories had been destroyed by his grandson and son. Well, she would get the money she deserved and the chance to become an adventurer again. The first memory surprised him. Her skill and speed paired with the teamwork from four Feline Drakes was more than impressive.

As they passed the wall of magic that hid the Spectrum Challenge it all became clear to everyone. This was bigger and more… evil than any could have anticipated. The amount of negative mana pouring out of the two red buildings was nauseating. Archduke Dristen stayed with his Knights as they moved through and planned. All they passed lacked the energy to speak but many pleaded with their sickly forms and quiet moans for help to their rooms. They stayed long enough to see the shadows move through the area to take back those that the Knights had missed. Yes, they were beyond disturbing… the sun couldn’t come out soon enough.