Part 23 - Courage, the Rise of a Hero of Misfortune

Speaking of Rhem, it was time for us to return. The town’s people would be happy to hear that the animated furniture would no longer bother them, although I wasn’t sure how they’d react to their collapsed city…and now that Araja was gone, I hoped they would listen to what I had to say. At least I had Melinda and Kedra with me. I ask Penelope and Sanji to stay behind. Too many new faces would only frighten the town’s people of Rhem and might cause some suspicion as to Araja’s absence.

Upon our return, we’re greeted by Gereth, the archer that was all too eager to shoot us when Araja, Isaac, and I initially arrived. Something is wrong though. When he sees Melinda, his face turns aghast, “M-M-Melinda?” he stutters. He turns his head toward the gates, “Szen, Melinda’s here…again!” he shouts.

Szen, here? I thought, How? What was he saying about Melinda? Seconds later an older man – Szen – came through the gate closely trailed by…Melinda? But, Melinda’s right here next to me. There are two?

“Veeeell, dis is confusing!” Szen said in his heavily accented, sing song voice. He smiled smugly, wringing his hands together.

“How is this possible?” I said, “Melinda was with us the whole time! When we reached the surface, Isaac went back to recovered Melinda’s body. He brought her back to life!”

As it turns out, the Melinda standing behind Szen was an exact copy of the Melinda standing by me. The strange plant I’d seen in room P on the Red November turned out to be a component of a spell to make a copy of one’s self. When the copy escaped the ship, she found Szen, who had been hiding as one of the strange sea creatures in the lake, and went back to town. Why didn’t the copy come back for us? Why did they just leave?

“I know how ve can solve dis,” Szen says exuberantly. He casts a zone of truth and both Melinda’s step inside, “Now, ve vill ask de Melinda’s which de true Melinda is.” I ask each Melinda a single question. To the copy I asked the name of the ship, and then I asked our Melinda the name of the man who’d died. To my astonishment, both got the answers right.

“Fascinating!” Szen exclaimed, “Dis means dey are both Melinda!”

Slightly irritated and still very confused, I changed the subject, “Szen, why did you have such a collection on the ship? What were you planning to do in the Under Dark?” The answers Szen gives me are less then satisfying and leaves me with a feeling of unease. It was clear Szen was trying to hide something.

“Tank you, little gurl for returning Melinda to us,” Szen said to me with a tone of farewell, “Now Melinda…and Melinda…shall we get back to our studies? There is much to do!”

“My name is Cortanna,” I said dryly. I couldn’t believe he was ready to dismiss us so soon, “What about the animated objects? The city, which is now a crater? Your people can’t continue to live like this. Their exhausted.”

“Oh, vell tank you, Cortanna. Tanks to you, ve can now rebuild and start anew. Now, ve really must be going,” Szen said.

“Szen, wait!” I said, grasping at straws. Why was he so eager to be rid of me? “Don’t you want to hear the good news?”

“And vat might dat be?” Szen said, mildly interested.

“I’d like to inform you that the animated objects won’t be bothering you or the people of Rhem anymore.”

“Is dat so? And how might you know dat?”

“I’m sure you already know,” I said acidly. It was he who had held Cutie Pie and the Ravid captive until their escape.

Szen thought for a moment and then a gleam of understanding shinned over him, “Fascinating!” he said, “Very, very, fascinating! Tanks again, Cortanna. Now ve can get back to rebuilding without does pesky chairs and ropes bothering us! Good bye!”

It was just as he turned to leave that I saw it. Something golden slid into view from around the wizard’s neck, a golden pendant in the exact shape of the mark!

“Szen, stop right there!” I commanded. Szen didn’t want to help these people! He was using them! My hand went to my weapon handle. Cutie Pie, I called mentally, Bring Sanji and Penelope, quickly!

“Hold it right there!” Gereth said warningly, knocking an arrow to his bow and pointing it in my direction, “I wouldn’t do that if I was you. Now ease off!”

“Gereth, Szen possesses the mark of Erythnull! I saw it!” I said.

Szen let out a crack of laughter, “Silly Cortanna! Little gurl, why don’t you go back to where you came and stop bothering us.”

“See for yourself Gereth!” I persisted. I wasn’t going to let Szen get away, “The symbol is on a chain around his neck.

Gereth was obviously shocked that I’d made such an accusation against their leader, “Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if I took a peak, right boss?” Gereth said, rolling his eyes, “anything to make the girl go away.”

Szen reluctantly complied, but as Gereth leaned in to have a look, I could tell that Szen was pulling out a different necklace from the one I had seen. This one bore the mark of Highronious.

“Dere are you happy? Now go away,” Szen snapped.

“All of them!” I said, “He’s wearing two necklaces.” I told Gereth.

“Look, girl I’m gonna have to ask you to leave,” Gereth said.

“No! He’s one of them! Would Araja have allowed a marked person to go unchecked within her people?” I prodded.

I could see my point hit home! Gereth was beginning to bend to my side, “Well…alright! I suppose it couldn’t hurt – ”

“Excuse me?” Szen said in shock.

“I’m sorry sir, but the girls got a point,” Gereth said. He leaned in for another look as Szen fumbled to put the first pendant back beneath his vest, “WHAT IN THE – ” I knew he’d seen it by the way Gereth’s eyes bulged, even before he was able to shout in alarm. And then, just as soon as he had made his discovery, Gereth turned to ash.

Szen retracted his hand from where Gereth once stood, “Pity,” he lamented, “I vas really hoping I vouldn’t have to do zat, and now Cortanna, I’m afraid you’ve seen too much.” Szen stretched his hand toward me. I froze. Where was Cutie Pie with Sanji and Penelope? There was no escape…

Suddenly Cutie Pie crashes into me, whisking me away. The Melinda standing behind Szen tackled him, and just before I lost sight of them, I saw Szen turn her to dust as well.

The next thing I know, Kedra and the real Melinda – as far as I was concerned – were flying after us, “Wait!” I heard Kedra called, “We’re coming with you!” I tell them to follow us back to the cave. We needed to get Sanji and Penelope and get out of dodge! Szen would surely hunt us down, but I was torn. What about the people of Rhem? We had to expose Szen for who he truly was, and before anyone else was hurt!

As soon as we met back at the cave, I told the others what happened. Sanji says we shouldn't wait. Now that Szen has used some of his more powerful spells, he should be more vulnerable. I hear Sanji’s words, but I was terrified on the inside. I’d only just been to the bottom of the lake in the Under Dark that morning. I’d only just lost two of my party members. I’d only just gotten through the cave and all its evils within, and I’d only just escaped with my life from Szen himself! How was I going to protect myself, even with Penelope and Sanji’s help?

I then remembered the Luggage. Isaac was always asking it for all kinds of obscure items. I tell Sanji and Penelope to gear up as well for the impending fight. Penelope gets a wild idea to have the Luggage dump out all its weapons, a big mistake because now some are unusable. I find a few items that suit me, but we are still short on healing items.

Szen was going to pay. When I came back, he wouldn't see a little gurl. No, I was done hiding whenever something bad happened. It was time to face my fears and stand up for what I believed in. “Shodan, let’s do this!” I declare, firmly gripping the weapon handle. Shodan doesn't say anything, but I can feel a strange energy coursing through her into me. Now I feel invigorated and strong.