A Long, Hot Summer, Chapter 2

 Alustrae rode across the windswept plains of the Thundering Steppes, a scarred, torn, and hammered land full of craters hundreds of feet deep, and cut in half by a massive canyon filled with the dead.

It was a dangerous land, a place of ancient battles and fallen civilizations, a testament to the power of the gods and their wrath.

A place that should be avoided at all costs, but where the wickedness had decided to make their home.

Somewhere out here, an evil soul had hidden a group of hunting dogs, crossbred with dire wolves, and trained to hunt Ratonga.

And she was not the only one searching for them.

The Qeynos Royal Court and the Crimson Inquisition were working together, trying to find the evil menace, but so far, no luck.

But now, two suspects leaving the Festival of Unity had entered the Stepps, and her team was following them wherever they went. Two Freeblood vampires, by the name of Cainan and Saphra Duskthorne, had left the Festival and, by chance, managed to work their way into the Steppes, where the vile dire wolves may be being kept.

And they had been tracked by the Inquisition.

A few hours after they entered the Steppes, Alustrae met up with her contacts from the Inquisition.

"Good, you've arrived," Captain Ashvale said, turning to his group.

The ranger, Gadilus, was keeping watch, and the brute, Trejario, stood by him, both scanning the area.

Scarletina was scribbling notes and making a map in her journal, her pen scratching as she sketched out the terrain.

The two priestesses, Tamarisyn and Selinah, were also with the group, and the pair was checking their gear, their red plate armor gleaming in the sunlight.

"Good to see you all," Alustrae asked, hopping off her horse. "My team shall take over from here."

"Not a chance, ambassador," Ashvale said, his face like stone. "We've followed these two since they entered the Steppes. They are up to something, and I want to know what."

"As do we, Captain," Alustrae said calmly. "Which is why I brought my team."

"Well, then, shall we get started?" Ashvale said, pointing. "They headed off this way."

"Indeed, and we'll track them down," Alustrae replied, pulling a longsword free of her saddle. "You and your armor will stand out. My team is much more subtle, and my ranger, Kaliaya, can do the tracking from here.

Gadilus smiled, "She's a cute elf."

Kaliaya, Alustrae's ranger, and sister, Angelaya, the templar, rolled their eyes.

"Focus, please," Ashvale said. "And stay focused. These two are not your normal suspects. There's something not right about them."

"I agree, Captain," Alustrae said, looking around the ruins. "There is a taint here, an old evil. Be wary."

"Always, ambassador."

"Come on, let's move out," Alustrae ordered, and her team set off. "Your team

As they moved through the ruins, the air became thick with tension, the sky darkening. Heavy rain began to fall, and thunder boomed in the distance. Alustrae looked back, and she could not see Ashvale and his group through the rain, but she knew they were somewhere behind her.

They continued, moving through the ruins, searching for any sign of the vampires or the dire wolves. The rain made the ground slippery, and the ruins were full of pitfalls and traps.

Alustrae's team moved slowly and carefully, and they soon found themselves at the edge of a large crater. It was a vast crater, and it appeared to have been carved out of the rock by some great force. At the bottom of the crater was a cave entrance.

"Possible hiding spot," Alustrae said, her voice low. "Anyone recognize that being here before?"

"Not sure, the crater might have formed since we were last here," Kaliaya replied, her bow out. "But the cave wasn't here before."

"Let's take a look," Alustrae said, climbing down into the crater.

The rest of her team followed, and they soon found themselves inside the cave. It was dark and dank, and the air was full of a musty, damp smell. There were bones scattered on the floor, and there was a feeling of dread in the air.

"This place gives me the creeps," Ophelia said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Me too," Angelaya agreed, her magic hammer humming with energy.

Alustrae ignored the whispers, the feeling of dread, and the tainted air. She pressed on, and soon, she came to a large chamber. It was a circular chamber lined with rows of torches. The ceiling was high, and the walls were covered in strange symbols and drawings. In the center of the chamber was a raised dais, and on the dais was a large stone altar. On the altar was a bowl, and within it was a thick, black liquid.

"What is that?" Ophelia asked, her voice trembling. "It is not poison. If it were, I would be blamed for it."

"I don't know," Alustrae replied, "but it doesn't look good."

"This is some dark magic," Kaliaya said, her face pale. "I can feel it."

"Me too," Asuka agreed. "We should get out of here."

"Not until we find the vampires," Alustrae said, determinedly.

Asuka nodded and approached the dais, her eyes scanning the area. She found a small piece of parchment, and she picked it up.

"Look at this," she said, handing it to Alustrae.

Alustrae examined the parchment and saw a list of names. She recognized some of the names, but others were foreign. She couldn't tell if they were humans or ratonga, but she knew they were all Ratonga.

"This is a list of people that someone wants killed," she said. "It has to be."

"But who?" Angelaya asked, frowning. "And why?"

"That is what we have to find out," Alustrae said.

Before she could say anything else, a cold wind blew through the chamber. The torches flickered, and the shadows danced. The air was suddenly filled with a sinister, evil presence.

"Something's here," Kaliaya whispered, her bow ready.

Alustrae nodded and raised her sword. The rest of her team readied their weapons, and they all scanned the chamber for any signs of movement.

The air was thick with tension, and the darkness seemed to grow deeper. The torches flickered, and the shadows moved.

Then, a voice echoed through the chamber.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? A group of meddling fools and their little rat friends?"

The voice was cold and harsh, sending shivers down their spines.

"Show yourself!" Alustrae demanded, her voice strong and steady.

There was a dark chuckle from the deep voice, but no figure showed.

"Do you know who you're dealing with?" the voice asked, mockingly.

"We have come to investigate your crimes against the Ratonga and those against Qeynos," Alustrae said, holding her longsword tightly. "We have tracked you here, and now we will stop you."

The voice laughed again, and the shadows seemed to grow even darker.

"Stop me?" the voice sneered. "I think not. You are nothing but a bunch of foolish mortals, and you have no idea who or what you are dealing with. I am power incarnate, and the likes of you will not stop me."

"You are wrong," Alustrae said firmly. "We will stop you, no matter what."

"We will see about that," the voice replied.

Then, the shadows seemed to come alive, swirling around the room and taking on a life of their own.

"Stay back!" Angelaya shouted, swinging her warhammer and dispersing the shadows.

"This isn't going to end well," Ophelia muttered, her eyes wide with fear.

The shadows swirled around them, and they were soon surrounded by a dark, swirling mass. The air was filled with a sinister, evil presence, and the shadows were dark with malice and hatred.

"This is just a taste of my power," the voice said, coldly. "You have no idea what you're up against."

"We will stop you," Alustrae declared.

The shadows seemed to laugh at her words, mocking her.

"We will see about that," the voice said.

"You are the one who will be responsible for the deaths of innocent Ratonga," Alustrae said.

The voice chuckled, darkly.

"Oh, those are merely appetizers," the voice said maliciously. "Needed sacrifices of the innocent. Those were nothing compared to what I have planned for you and your people. This world will be mine, and I will not let a group of pathetic mortals stand in my way."

"You are wrong," Alustrae insisted, standing her ground.

"We shall see about that," the voice replied, coldly.

Then, the shadows seemed to coalesce, taking on a form. The form was tall and massive, still shrouded in darkness, and it had a pair of glowing red eyes.

"Prepare yourselves," the voice said. "You are about to experience true power."

The shadows swirled around the form, and then, a bolt of dark energy shot from its hand, striking Alustrae and knocking her to the ground.

"My Lady!" Angelaya screamed, moving to defend her.

Alustrae shook her head, stunned by the blast, and stood back up, raising her saber.

"I will not let you win," she said, defiantly.

"Foolish mortal," the voice sneered.

More bolts of dark energy shot from the figure, and the group had to scatter.

Angelaya swung her hammer, scattering the shadows, and Kaliaya loosed a volley of arrows, but the figure seemed impervious to their attacks.

"Give up, mortals," the voice said, coldly. "You cannot defeat me."

"Never!" Alustrae shouted, rallying her team.

They charged the figure, but they were no match for its power.

The figure struck again, sending them sprawling to the ground.

Alustrae was knocked to the ground, and her saber flew from her hand.

The figure laughed coldly.

"I will enjoy destroying you and your people," the voice said.

Angelaya ran forward, her warhammer raised, but the figure blasted her, sending her flying backward.

"I shall never let you win," Alustrae said, defeat making her voice crack.

"Destroy the altar!" Ashvale's voice boomed as he and his team charged into the room.

The figure turned, distracted by the new arrivals, and Angelaya rushed to the altar, her hammer crashing into the stone.

The altar cracked and splintered, and the figure let out a roar of rage.

"Fools! You have no idea what you are doing!" the voice screamed.

Ophyila Nightdreams yelled, "Spread out! Watch the shadows! I shall hold them off with my pens of doom!"

Ashvale and his team charged the figure, their weapons raised.

"For Freeport and Qeynos!" Ashvale roared.

The figure blasted them, knocking them back, but they refused to give up.

"I will destroy you all!" the voice screeched.

Angelaya continued to smash the altar, and the cracks spread across the surface.

"You cannot defeat me!" the figure snarled. "More sacrifices and I shall reign terror upon this land for a thousand years!"

"Idiot!" Ophyila blinked. "I shall write up those as crimes! Into the pit with you!"

The figure raised its hand, and a ball of dark energy formed in its palm. It hurled the ball at Angelaya, but she managed to dodge it.

"You are nothing!" the figure screamed.

Angelaya continued to smash the altar, and the cracks spread farther. The two priestesses from the Crimson Inquisition, Selinah and Tamarisyn, joined her, using their weapons to bash the altar.

"Die, you evil beast!" Alustrae yelled, getting to her feet and running forward, her saber in hand.

Trejario joined her, swinging his two-handed sword as his tiny spider, Nacho, clung to his pauldron. The warlock Scarletina wove her infernal magics and bound various shadow creatures to parts of the room to keep them from attacking.

"You cannot defeat me!" the figure repeated.

"But we can tie you up in red tape!" Ophyila said, holding up a violation for using dark magics in the presence of Official Inquisitors.

The figure blasted Ashvale and his team again, knocking them back, but they stood up, refusing to give in.

"I will not let you have the innocent," Ashvale growled.

"Your people are nothing but a source of slaves and sacrifices for my power," the voice said, coldly.

The figure raised its hand, and a ball of dark energy formed in its palm. It hurled the ball at Trejario, but he managed to dodge it. Nacho jumped over his head, going from one pauldron to the other as they both dodged the blast.

"You cannot destroy me!" the voice screamed.

Angelaya smashed the altar again, and the cracks spread even farther.

"No!" the figure screeched.

Angelaya bashed the altar one last time, and it shattered into pieces.

A blast of dark energy shot out from the shattered altar, and the figure screamed in agony.

"Nooo!" the voice cried, the dark energy dissipating as the figure collapsed.

"It's over," Alustrae breathed.

"It is not," Ashvale said, walking over to the rubble and prodding it with his boot. "This was an apparition. He is still out there, somewhere."

"So, this was all for nothing?" Trejario asked.

"No, it was not for nothing," Alustrae said. "We learned that this is an evil force, and we are the only ones standing in its way. And we have a list of ratonga they want to hurt or kill."

"That's right," Ashvale said.

"I can't believe the evil we faced," Angelaya said. "Such power..."

"We cannot let this evil win," Ashvale said.

"It will not win," Alustrae declared. "We will not allow it."

"No, we will not," Ashvale said, nodding. "I will write up a report and send it to Freeport and Qeynos."

"As will I," Alustrae agreed.

"Let's go, team," Ashvale ordered.

Ophyila nodded, busy filling out a list of crimes committed against Freeport, the Overlord, and the good city of Freeport.

They began to leave when Trejario paused, his large, red armored boots stepping on the rubble, and pointed. "Wait... What is that?"

They looked, and there, half-buried in the debris, was a small, black gem.

"What is that?" Kaliaya asked, cautiously.

"I don't know," Angelaya answered.

Ashvale reached down and picked it up. It was a small, black gem, and it had a strange, otherworldly feeling.

"I don't like this," Ophelia whispered.

"Neither do I," Ashvale said.

The gem pulsed with a dark, sinister power, and a low, rumbling echo from its depths.

"This is dark magic," Ashvale said.

"Yes, very dark," Alustrae agreed.

Ashvale placed the gem in a small pouch and tossed it to Scarletina.

"Be careful, Miss," Alustrae cautioned.

"Of course, Lady," the warlock nodded, securing the gem away.

"We have found something big," Ashvale said.

"And we have the list of ratonga," Alustrae added.

"We can't let them be hurt," Ophelia said.

"Or killed," Angelaya added.

"We won't," Alustrae promised. "We need to find those dire wolves. We can't let them be turned loose in the city."