[Season 9] The King's Gambit - Jaezred/Imryll

Continued from Let's Go Hunting and The Game. Co-written with the legendary Anthony.

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“I have brought Lady Oziah into the fold, as I said I would. There’s just one little problem — she has a connection with Delilah. A connection of an amorous nature.”

Imryll’s face lights up, a delighted, wicked smile forming upon her lips. “Ooh, do go on. And please, spare no details…”

“On the fourth of Marpenoth, Delilah took an adventuring party to Gadenthor. It’s a Netherese ruin in Harnash, chock-full of abandoned arcane knick-knacks. The party was in it for the gold, but Delilah — and Delilah alone — was to be rewarded with information. Regarding what, I do not know. Either way, they ran into a Jack simulacrum in there, alongside some giant crab construct. Oziah says she does not know what Jack was doing there. Perhaps trying to steal something arcane.”

“Interesting…seems our little assassin is playing at spy herself. She is turning out to be quite interesting.”

“Delilah has been filling Oziah in about Farstep and Jack, and Oziah has asked Delilah to help her in this quest for vengeance too. No answer yet, though.” Jaezred looks her directly in the eye, his expression grimly serious. “You need to look into this Delilah person. I really cannot guess what she's up to, but I doubt she’s doing it just for the money. I’d hate for this to be some kind of honeypot…”

“Well, clearly she isn’t or she would not have agreed to the task to begin with. She is obviously invested somehow, even going the lengths to seek help. She is somewhat of an enigma at the moment, though…Is she invested or just busying herself? As for her relationship with Lady Oziah, do you think she would be the sort? To seduce someone for her own ends? Moreover, do you feel Lady Oziah would be likely to fall for such a thing?”

“Lady Oziah has fallen victim to this exact thing before. Delilah does not seem the type but I shouldn’t make too many assumptions about her at this point.”

“Interesting,” Imryll repeats, looking thoughtful.

“Also, I didn’t know it was possible to create simulacra of non-humanoids. Curious…”

“Seems they are getting ever more familiar with that Orb of Souls he stole. If only we had known about it sooner, we could have stopped that backwater witch before she ever started this whole mess…In short, though, as I said before: a soul is a powerful thing…and they have a whole heap at their disposal.”

Jaezred sees the concerned expression on her face and quickly gains one of his own. BB, the veteran adventurer who told him about Langston's tricky heist, knows nothing of the late Granny Longtooth’s arcane device, except that she used it to power her old realm in the Dawnlands.

“Imryll…what exactly does the Orb of Souls do?”

“On its own, nothing. Save draw trouble. I’m sure you are aware the devils within the Hells have a penchant for deals and collecting souls themselves, though they do this for power and to build armies. In the hands of a witch”—she casts a glance at the drow—“or other magical practitioners I suppose, particularly a clever one, it’s, well…let's look at it this way: you have your own set of abilities, yes? Granted to you by she-who-must-not-be-named.”

She couldn't help but smirk a little. He rolls his eyes. “Yes. My own soul is locked in a deal of sorts with her,” he answers.

“Yes…And as graceful and all powerful as I’m sure you like to pretend you are, there are some spells and abilities that her special touch just doesn’t quite let you pull off?”

He purses his lips and nods slowly. “Healing spells. Resurrection spells. Because…I’m not female.”

“Yes, that whole boring excuse. Anyway, having access to something like a soul and, more importantly, having the correct knowledge on how to apply it starts to release some of those restrictions. Maybe it allows you to cast more spells before you tire out? Different spells. With several dozen more, who’s to say you couldn’t start pulling stunts and tricks that were previously beyond what you are capable of? Get enough together and sprinkle a few more interesting ones, a few wayward adventurers with some power and weight behind them, and who’s to say you couldn't just start changing some of the rules? Not big ones yet, of course, but start small…keep adding more, and perhaps you could even start making those bigger rules just…go away. Granny, as she so affectionately enjoyed going by, apparently had collected a fair number over the years and managed to pry away a portion of the Feywild for herself, daring to hope she could emulate The Lady of Crystal. Have you seen it over there? The grass is starting to grow again but it is a grey and putrid swamp of despair, a scar across the land…Hardly reminiscent of the towering beauty Nicnevin has created…”

Imryll gives him a pointed look.

“In short, my darling, with enough stored in it, the brains to know where to use it, and, quite frankly, the balls to try…you could probably do most anything.”

He silently takes in her words. He tries not to appear too despairing but a sigh almost involuntarily leaves his lips as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Dear Goddess, help us all,” he mutters. “He’s had this thing for years? I’m guessing this is also how he managed to alter the memories of an entire palace full of people. And furthermore, he’s figured out how to ration its power into soul coins his simulacra can carry and use?”

“That would appear to be the size and shape of things, yes.”

“But what exactly does he want? He already has incredible power right there in his hand. ‘Freedom’ — it makes no sense! Freedom from what?”

“That is exactly the question to be asking. And frustratingly, the one we are still trying to answer. The fact that more of the simulacra are popping up either suggests they are getting careless or they are ramping up their work, and given their track record and how well they are at evading enquiry, I’m inclined to suggest the latter.”

Jaezred lets out a tired groan as he falls backwards onto the bed. “We’re spread too thin out there in the Dawnlands," he says, a thousand-yard stare boring into the canopy above him. "They keep outsmarting Aurelia, so no help on that front. Are the fey courts just sitting on their hands? Surely you all know what’s going on by now.”

“There you go, asking about fey politics again…are you sure you aren’t interested in applying for a position here?” she teases him with a grin, still enjoying the light-hearted jabs in spite of the heavy subject. “But yes, people are talking…digging…drinking…but that one is to be expected, I suppose. The problem is, some people don’t see it as their problem. Langston is a Material Planer so it’s a Material Plane issue. Not unlike some of the views you’ve expressed before...Others are, quite frankly, too stupid to think it a problem and more still are too busy wrapped up in their own frivolous ambitions to actually be of any help.”

She notices the stress etched onto Jaezred’s features and something close to compassion crosses her own. She sighs deeply. “Do take heart in that there are some roads being explored, though. Nicnevin is not where she is for nothing. But being in her position is an unfortunate burden on time…there are still Unseelie being rooted out, people vying for power, problems that need attention, not to mention the countless dead ends Margotin and I have had to explore already. As for the other courts, Miandra is a sharp one; I’ve no doubt she has been up to something, but whatever that is lies between her and the Moonweaver.”

She lies down to rest her chin on his chest and strokes his face with a gentle touch. “Unfortunately, your rowdy collection of ‘adventurers’ seem to be aptly positioned to do most of the running around at the moment.”

His expression softens. And yet, the worry remains.

“And it’s going to be us he slaughters first.”

“If slaughtering you all were his endgame, I’d imagine that they would have done so by now, my sweet fool. But I do take your point…I know it is frustrating but know that you are not alone in trying to unravel this,” she says in a reassuring voice.

“Haven’t you noticed? That may not be their end goal but it’s already begun. I just came from the old tiefling's memorial service.”

“I know, and it is precisely the reason I told you to be careful before…”

Jaezred gazes into her eyes, seeking to lose himself in them once more. His hand absently caresses her hair, gently tangling her greenish-blonde locks around his fingers. “Let’s stop talking about this. I tire of it. Irritate me with something else…”

“Good, then get up! A few of the pixies have been betting that one of our newest residents can’t jump into the mushroom lake without breaking his legs and it sounds like they are going to just push him over one of the balconies to find out and I want to see!”

“Hm. That actually does sound quite funny.”