by Randy Nargi
“He’s not my employer. He’s my friend.”
“Oh, I’m very sorry—”
They sat in silence for several minutes. Bander’s mind raced through a million possibilities. Would they be trapped down here forever, or was there some way out? And even if he and Talessa Kreed could escape, could they get Valthar back to a healer in time?
“How long have you known him?” Talessa Kreed asked.
“Thirty years.”
“That’s a long time.”
“Yes, but sometimes we’d go years without speaking. Not intentionally, of course.” He trailed off.
“I have friends like that as well. With some people, the fires of friendship don’t need much tending.”
That was one way to look at it, but Bander wasn’t feeling very philosophical at the moment.
“Tell me why we’re really here,” Talessa Kreed said quietly.
Bander leaned back against the cool stone. “Valthar isn’t from this time.”
“What?”
“He’s from the year 729.”
“Are you serious?”
“That’s what he believes.”
“And what do you believe?” she asked.
“I don’t know. He’s been collecting aonae and looking for an intact Nave.”
“I don’t understand.”
“That’s how he plans to return to his own time. The Nave is the door and the aona is the key.”
Talessa Kreed was silent.
Bander stared at the torches, trying to figure out when they would lose their light.
After a time, he asked “How are you at climbing?”
“I can climb a rigging like a monkey, of course, but I doubt I’d get very far on these rocks. You see how steep they are? And not much in the way of handholds.”
“I know.”
Best-case scenario, the top of the cliff was thirty feet from the bottom. Even if Talessa Kreed stood on his shoulders, she’d still need to somehow ascend another eighteen or nineteen feet in order to climb out of the chasm.
Nearly impossible. But they did have a rope…
He wasn’t sure exactly how long the rope was though. Twenty feet? Twenty-five? They’d also need to make a hook out of something. Her dagger, possibly.
They would have to start inventorying their possessions. Maybe—
His thoughts were interrupted by Talessa Kreed’s scream.
She jumped to her feet and stumbled backwards, pointing at Eton Sward’s body.
A host of strange worms had erupted from the ground and rapidly swarmed around the mage’s corpse. Each worm was bone-white and as thick around as the Bander’s thumb. With lightning speed their bloated pinkish maws fixed on Eton Sward’s flesh like leeches.
Bander’s first instinct was to try to grab the mage’s body and move it away from the swarm, but he feared that the worms might turn to Valthar. Instead, he snatched up his friend and called to Talessa Kreed.
“To me!”
With Valthar cradled in his arms, Bander dashed away from the worms to a stone outcropping at the base of the cliff a few dozen feet away.
“What are those things?” Talessa Kreed gasped.
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
Bander carefully set Valthar down upon the outcropping then took off his cloak, bunched it up, and placed it under Valthar’s head. He wanted to keep his friend’s head somewhat elevated.
“We have a lot of large insects here, but I’ve never seen anything like that,” Talessa Kreed said.
“Some sort of cave worm, I imagine. Scavengers. That’s why this area is so clean.”
“They were so fast.”
“Stay here and call out if you see any come close. I’m going to gather the rest of our supplies.”
As he drew closer to Eton Sward’s body, he was amazed at how many worms were on it. The mage’s corpse undulated with their presence. He gave it a wide berth as he collected the rope, a few bags, and other possessions that had been scattered around the ground. There was still no sign of the spear or poles though.
Back at the outcropping, he proceeded to lay everything out on any horizontal surface he could find that was off the ground.
“My bag!” Talessa Kreed said.
He handed it to her. “Yes, it appears that everything is down here except the poles and spear.”
It turned out that there wasn’t much of use in her satchel. Some maps, a journal book, her spyglass, a compass, a wax tablet and stylus, a tinderbox, some stale biscuits, and old jerky.
“No grappling hook tucked away in there?” Bander asked.
“Not with me. All sorts of hooks and poles back on The Calibis.”
“That doesn’t help.”
“Sorry.”
There wasn’t anything immediately useful in the other bags either. More books, some food and water, gold, and gems.
The books might be useful as fuel for a fire. The food and water might last them a few days.
“One of the torches just went out,” Talessa Kreed announced.
Bander picked it up, but didn’t say anything.
“Will the rest of them go any minute?”
“It’s not that precise, but soon,” Bander said. He picked up two of the remaining torches and left one illuminating Valthar. “We need to get a better look at these walls.”
“How?”
“You stand near the center pillar and I’ll stand near the wall.”
“Aye.”
“Just watch where you are walking.”
She moved to the center of the chasm while Bander stood right up against the outer wall. He held torches in each hand and stretched one up over his head.
“See the light? That’s about eleven feet.”
“Marked.”
“I’m going to toss the second torch straight up. I want you to do two things.”
“Yes?”
“First, try to get a sense where the top of the wall is. Use the stationary torch as a reference.”
“I’ll try.”
“Good. Also, be on the lookout for anything on the wall.”
“Like what?”
“Anything other than a flat surface. Roots. Outcroppings. A cave. Anything.”
“I can do that.”
“We’ll go around the entire wall. Ten feet at a time.”
“Or until the torches go out, right?”
“Yes.”
It took them well over an hour, but the torches still burned their magical light. As best as Talessa Kreed could judge, the top of the chasm wall was a more than twice the height of the stationery torch. Bander guessed the wall’s height to be between thirty and thirty-five feet off the ground. Pretty much what he had observed himself.
The wall was generally smooth all the way around. Talessa Kreed hadn’t seen any outcroppings or depressions—and certainly no protruding roots. But she had seen the shadowy forms of stone trees right near the top edge of the wall. Those might be their best bet for throwing a rope around. Unfortunately that might add another five or six feet to the length of rope they needed to get out of here.
“Good work,” he told her.
As they returned to the outcropping to check on Valthar, they saw what was left of Eton Sward’s body. It wasn’t much. The worms had devoured his flesh and all his clothes. All that was left was the mage’s skeleton and a few bits of metal: a ring, a belt buckle, a clasp.
They found Valthar still unconscious and he didn’t respond when Bander tried to rouse him.
“You think those trees have anything to do with the worms that ate Eton Sward?” Talessa Kreed asked.
“I doubt it. Those trees are some sort of guardian statues. Magical. They animated when Sward got too close. He should have known better.”
“You’re rather matter-of-fact about it, aren’t you?”
“I’ve seen it a lot,” Bander said.
“Magical tree statues?”
“No, the trees are a new one to me. But I’ve seen p
lenty of guardian statues. It actually means that we’re on the right track.”
“What do you mean?”
“Things that aren’t valuable aren’t guarded like this. We’re close to something important.”
He stretched the rope out and paced it off. Twenty-one feet. Not long enough by itself. They still needed another eight to ten feet of rope. Maybe more. He looked over at Talessa Kreed’s satchel. The strap would help. So would his belt. And Valthar’s.
“Stand up, please,” he told Talessa Kreed.
She raised one eyebrow at him, but complied.
“Arms up. I’m going to lift you.”
“You mean to toss me to the top?”
“No. Just checking your weight.”
“A bit rude.” But she smiled.
He gripped her body underneath her arms and hefted her up. Then gently set her back down.
“You’re a strong one, aren’t you? Did I pass muster?”
“About what I expected. I think if we braid some of the cloth, we should be okay. We’re going to need at least ten more feet to add to the rope. That doesn’t include knots.”
“And then what?”
“And then we—”
A voice interrupted him. “Hello, down there!”
It was a voice Bander recognized.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“I heard you talking,” the voice said. “No need to pretend. We know you are down there.”
It was Mortam Rowe.
Bander would never forget the man’s voice. But how was he even alive—and how did he get here?
The end of a rope cascaded down. Bander just stared at it, mind reeling.
“Come now, Mr. Grannt. You and your associates are in no position to turn your noses up at some assistance, are you?”
“You know him?” Talessa Kreed whispered.
“Just follow my lead.”
Bander stepped away from the wall and looked up. A figure holding a lantern stood at the top of the chasm.
“We have an injured man. I won’t leave him.”
“How injured?”
“He’s unconscious.”
“Tie a rope around him. We’ll pull him up.”
Bander considered this. He didn’t want to let Valthar out of his sight.
“The woman’s coming up first,” he called.
“Very well.”
“Who are they?” Talessa Kreed asked in a hushed voice.
“I don’t know exactly, but they are very dangerous. Especially the one called Keave. Just go up there and try to alert me if they try anything. And if I tell you to run, run back to the entrance. Hopefully, the shaft will still be open.”
She nodded.
“And don’t forget this.” He handed over her dagger. “You might need to use it.”
Bander held the bottom of the rope and watched Talessa Kreed clamber up it. Not quite as agile as a monkey, but pretty close.
“I’m up!” she called.
Bander then carefully looped the rope around Valthar’s arms and torso, padding it with his cloak. He checked the knots and then added a few more loops for safety. When he was done, he called out. “Lift him slowly and watch his head!”
He hefted Valthar’s body up and felt the slack of the rope tighten and his friend’s body lift and move slowly up. Bander stood below Valthar the whole time it took to raise the unconscious man. Luckily, the rope held.
“He’s safe!” Talessa Kreed called.
“And now, Master Sward?” Mortam Rowe asked.
“He didn’t make it. Just me.”
“My condolences, sir.”
Bander didn’t say anything.
“Well, what are you waiting for, Mr. Grannt? You don’t need us to haul you up, do you?”
Bander didn’t particularly like this turn of events, but he figured that he would have more options out of this chasm than in it. So he started climbing.
He wasn’t a natural climber, and he weighed nearly 250 pounds, so his progress was slow. But he eventually made it to the top without the rope snapping.
There he saw Mortam Rowe kneeling next to Valthar. Beside them stood Talessa Kreed, and the ape-like man Keave lurked off to the side, a dozen feet away. Neither of the men held any weapons, but Keave had two large knives at his waist.
Around them rose up the forest of stone trees, towering twenty feet over their heads. But, thankfully, the statues were still. Bander saw his spear—still glowing with magical light—propped against one of the trees.
Mortam Rowe held a vial under Valthar’s nose.
“What are you doing?” Bander asked.
“I’m trying to wake him, Mr. Grannt. How long had he been unconscious?”
“Two hours maybe.”
“That’s not good.”
Bander moved closer, and Valthar began to stir. Mortam Rowe gently placed his hands on either side of Valthar’s jaw and ran them along the side of his head.
“Are you a healer?” Bander asked.
“I used to be. A long time ago.”
“Why are you here?”
“Your questions will need to wait, Mr. Grannt. That is, if you wish your man to survive.”
“I don’t think he’ll live,” Keave said, out of nowhere. His tone was matter-of-fact.
“Don’t be so pessimistic, my friend,” Mortam Rowe said. “We’ll do what we can, won’t we?” He continued gently run his hands along the side of Valthar’s head.
Bander glared at Keave. There was something off-kilter about the brute.
“These trees,” Talessa Kreed said, turning slowly to take in their surroundings. “They came alive. I had blocked all that out.”
“Yes,” Bander said. “That’s what swept us into the pit.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Grannt? The statues seem quite solid to me.” He rummaged through his bag.
“I’m surprised you didn’t trigger them,” Bander said.
“Ah, here we go,” Mortam Rowe muttered to himself, as he withdrew a small bottle from his bag. “Mr. Grannt, if you would assist me by keeping your associate’s head upright.”
Bander got down on the ground and helped prop Valthar’s head up.
“That’s right. I want to make sure he ingests the oredmeun tincture.”
“What’s that for?”
“It will bring down the swelling of his head, among other things. That’s the biggest danger right now. Oh, I think he’s returning to us.”
Sure enough, Valthar’s eyes fluttered and he groaned.
“Valthar!”
His friend tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse and barely audible.
“I think he’s asking for water,” Mortam Rowe said. “Keave, the canteen, if you please.”
The brute ambled over and handed Mortam Rowe a flask.
Valthar was only able to drink a small amount, but it seemed to revive him a bit.
“Ease him up all the way,” Mortam Rowe said.
Bander did so, and Valthar blinked a few times and took a deep breath. If he was surprised by the presence of Mortam Rowe and Keave, he didn’t show it.
“Did we find it? Did we find the Nave?” he croaked.
“Not yet,” Bander said. “We were all swept into a pit. Sward didn’t make it.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry,” Bander said.
“I am sorry, too,” Mortam Rowe said.
“Who’s this?” Valthar asked.
“Perhaps now is the appropriate time for introductions,” Mortam Rowe said.
“We’ve already met,” Bander said. “You tortured Eton Sward and burned the Temple.”
“And you threw me to my death,” Mortam Rowe retorted. “But I won’t hold it against you.”
Bander felt his fists ball. He took a step closer to Mortam Rowe. “What do you want from us?”
“Come now, Mr. Grannt. You don’t want to threaten us with physical violence, do you? We both know how you fared during your last encounter with Mr. Keave.”
/> “He got lucky.”
“Perhaps. But the fact of the matter is that we bear you no ill will. I think I proved that by extricating you and your friends from that pit—and ministering to Mr. Valthar here.”
“It’s just Valthar,” Valthar mumbled.
“In any case, I am proposing to you that we can all walk out of this unholy place without further injury or loss of life.”
“If…?”
“If you cooperate,” Mortam Rowe said. “I need to know everything. Why you’re here. What you are looking for. What happened to the aona you were given by Melanthris Jeigh.”
Bander feigned a look of surprise.
“Yes,” Mortam Rowe continued. “I know all about that. So what do you say?”
“Well, sir,” Valthar said, struggling to his feet. “It seems that you have us at a disadvantage.” He glanced over at Bander. “Tell him everything. It matters not.”
Bander allowed his shoulders to slump. “It’s true that I was given an aona by Melanthris Jeigh. It was a reward for saving the life of her brother.”
“Yes, yes. Very admirable. What I want to know is, how did you come to visit Eton Sward?”
“I am employed by Valthar and have been for many years,” Bander lied. “As part of my duties, I keep my eyes open for any aonae I may come across. Valthar instructed me to take them to Eton Sward.”
“For what purpose?”
“Sward collected aonae as well,” Valthar interjected. “Before you arrived in Irfals, he identified the one Bander found. He got excited about the markings etched in it. Eventually he deciphered the clue and told us that it led to a treasure trove. That’s why we’re here. We hired Talessa Kreed as our guide.”
“You’re telling me that a treasure map was etched into a pendant?”
“Not the full map, you fop. But an important piece of the puzzle. The last piece, in fact. You see, Eton Sward had been keeping careful records about all the aonae he had come across. As have I. We decided several years ago to join forces and share our knowledge. And split the treasure—once we found it.”
“And now, it seems, Mr. Sward has met an untimely demise. Pity.”
“It seems we were misled about the dangers of this cursed place.” Valthar glared at Talessa Kreed.
“Tell me, Valthar. What exactly is this treasure you seek?”
“In truth, I don’t fully know. I suspect it is magical in nature though. But there is one way to find out for sure. We must continue!”
