by Sean J Leith
Morag and Korren did the majority of hunting—they were hunters and trackers for the Kannakash and Urikar clans. One day they brought a stag back from the hunt, and it was split amongst all. Saul did all the cooking, attempting the best meal he could with what little they had.
Over time, they approached the black, towering landscape beyond. Blackcore was a vast mountain range. They luckily had a fairly straightforward path through it, but the Terrans would stand in their way.
Saul was wary of them, not knowing their personalities or customs, as well as how they would react to Broken. As they drew closer, there was a large crevice between two mountains leading into a wide valley. The sides were gravel-filled, and wrought with gnarled, dead trees that struggled to live, cracking the earth around them. At the bottom of the valley lay a large cavern, opening at the base of a black mountain, with several figures standing at the entrance.
They were strongly built and armed to the teeth in black plate, hammers, and axes. One had a strong brow that looked as a stone ridge, and another seemed to have their face decorated with soot as a man would have stubble.
“Halt! Who goes there?” the stubbled one roared gruffly in the common tongue. His lips were large and slate-colored, and his chin had chips all along it, as if scars from battle.
Saul saw no need to meander about the point. “We are looking to travel through Blackcore peacefully, to the other side.”
The guard’s expression stayed as a stone monolith. “Well, I’m not sure, Broken,” the Terran said. “Do you have any coin? We can’t just let anyone through here. Especially you folk—I hear the civil war’s boiling over you people.”
“We don’t have much coin. We were told your people were willing to let us through if we respected your laws and didn’t cause trouble,” Saul said.
Saul hoped Thalia wasn’t wrong. Or lying.
“I don’t think that’s how we do things around here. Some of your folk came through here and gave us what they had to get through. If you have, say, fifty gold pieces, we can let you pass.”
Saul knew they didn’t. Even before their keeper of their money went with Fae. Saul didn’t think to ask him to split it, foolishly enough. “We only have ten. We need it for supplies in an emergency, so we cannot give it to you.” Saul growled. “A woman named Thalia sent us. Does that ring any bells?” Saul realized she never gave him her family name.
The Terran’s eyes widened. “Hmm. I’ll be right back.” He slammed his hammer onto a switch, and the massive, dark steel door slowly swung open. He clomped his way down the tunnel, leaving the others to guard it.
“How do you know her?” the large browed Terran asked.
“She’s a friend,” Saul said suspiciously.
They looked to each other, nodding and whispering. After a time, the soot-covered Terran returned, along with a taller one with a rocky face covered in scratches, big eyes, and a long nose, wearing bright red plate.
“What is your name, Human?” he asked in a husky tone.
I am no Human. “Saul Bromaggus,” Saul said.
“I am Frondin, son of Grond,” the Terran said. He turned to the others, frowning. “You crags. You tried to tax them? If the Lady heard of this, you would be thrown through the grinder.” His voice was cold. “Come with me, all of you.”
Saul and the others followed Frondin down the tunnels and heard the large door close with a slam behind them. Does Thalia have influence here? If so, how? And why? Saul wondered. Rods illuminated the way with red light, causing the black walls to glow red as well. They seemed to walk for hours, it felt—left, right, up, down, down a hole with a peculiar lift contraption, and farther still. As they walked, they heard a rhythmic tink, tink, tink sound far in the distance, along with the fwoosh of forges.
Deep within the mountain, they came into a massive, open cavern. It was as if the outer rock wall of the mountain was a parchment-thin shell. Saul and the others stopped before the scaffolding the Terrans built. Vast steel grating extended from platform to platform, chained to the mountain wall with large links, each the size of a man. Hundreds of feet below laid rock floors with shining black ingots, intermingled with rivers of molten lava flowing into various steel-domed structures, smoke and steam rising from the chimneys.
“What’s wrong, Broken? Afraid of heights?” the Terran said plainly. “Come, it’s safe. Don’t tell me the brave Broken are afraid of a little heat.”
It was hot. Saul could feel the sweat trickle down his forehead, and his arms began to glisten as well. He knotted his forehead into a frown, staring the Terran in his wide, dark eyes. “I am not afraid,” Saul said bluntly, taking the first step onto the steel bridge. It had short railings on either side—hardly high enough for him. Saul gripped them tightly as he stepped forward again. The others reluctantly followed behind him, each sweating a bucket of their own.
The network of steel bridges, scaffolds, and chained structures were vast, some at such an angle even Saul would have difficulty walking on. Terrans on pathways above and below sauntered by, stopping to stare at the intruders before continuing. He could hear the clashing of picks on stone in routine intervals from above and below. Machinery roared from all around him, machines he never knew existed or even fathomed. Metal beasts with belts carried large pieces of rock into a grinder, then to molten heat pressers, which then spat out refined ingots of iron, gold, and copper. The smell of ash, flame, and soot filled his nostrils. It smelled of the old blacksmith’s quarters in Gadora’s camp in the Vale.
“What are all these machines?” Saul asked. “They seem quick to work on ore, yet I’ve never seen them used in the Vale.”
Frondin gave a subtle chuckle. “We’ve had these for ages. It’s a secret of the Terran. It makes us strong, and our secrets keep us alive. Understand that I cannot tell you how they work, but they do make the best weapons and armor in the land.” Frondin carried a large mace on his side, almost the size of his head. It shone orange and gold from the fire and lava lighting the grand chamber.
Each building was like a spire, with stairs circling the outside to the top, stabbing out of the steel-hung platforms they stood on like a blade. Formed with sharp edges, it was as if every corner could slit a man’s throat. Ash fell constantly; Saul found himself brushing it from his arms and hair. It made a slimy mix with the sweat.
They came to a grand building, a hundred feet wide and deep. It was comprised of multiple levels, with stair-like steps leading to the tip of a pyramid.
“Come, he would meet with you. What is your oldest parent’s name?” Frondin, son of Grond asked.
“Makari.” A strong name. His mother was strength incarnate.
Frondin nodded to him, leading them inside. Saul and the others followed him to find a grand inner sanctum, with low chandeliers of black and grey steel, and candles lit aflame with the wax almost melted to the base. A massive, square table sat in the center, formed with black iron. It was hot and smooth, with a large map in front of it with many curves, turns, and tunnels all over, possibly totaling thousands. In the center laid a miniature stone structure, a pyramid resembling the one they stood in now, labeled, Blackcore.
“Dorneth, son of Morne, this is Saul, son of Makari, and his allies. He is a Broken, sent to travel through our city by Thalia, daughter of Kovos.” Frondin spoke in the common tongue, to Saul’s delight.
There were many Terrans standing around the table, each glancing up to the Broken in their presence. One Terran was especially tall and dark-skinned, as if he was made of obsidian. His round eyes fell to pupils dark as night, watching them closely. They all spoke in strange turns of the tongue and deep, hoarse tones—the language of the Terran.
Dorneth looked up from his large, iron map, analyzing Saul carefully.
Drof leaned over to Saul in a panic. “Didn’t Miss Thalia say Kovos was the King?” he whispered.
Saul nodded. “I wonder why she never said anything. Maybe it is a coincidence.” But he thought not. She was commandin
g, but apparently quite modest. Saul was surprised he didn’t see it. He wondered what her plan was—and why she said nothing of it. Being a princess was no forgetful matter.
“Welcome, Saul, son of Greln,” Dorneth said in a hoarse voice. “You are traveling through our fine city of smiths, and Frondin speaks of your alliance with Lady Kashral?”
Saul didn’t think ‘alliance’ was the right word. She had good advice and spoke true words, and Saul took them. Nothing more. “She advised us to pass through here. We wish to make for the capital.”
“Hmph. You Broken are always so antsy to get moving.”
Saul drew his mouth to one side. “We move with purpose and meaning.”
“Meaning, hah. Purpose, oh,” Dorneth said. “Purpose is what you make of it. If you move in such a hurry, you miss details.” He scoffed. “Do you even know why you came this way, and who you’re avoiding?” His face moved little, but his eyes told a story.
Saul didn’t have an answer but tried as best he could. “We’re moving around the main force of the Stormwardens and joining with the capital.”
A smile crept across Dorneth’s stony lips. “Should we not turn you over? They’d pay me more.”
Is this some kind of trap? Thalia wouldn’t betray us, would she? Saul felt Thalia was honorable, but it was just a hunch. She was still a Hydris, after all. She talked of the rebels with a hint of disgust and spoke to the man at her door with a bold tone. He felt they took what they pleased without regard for others.
If it was a game of bluffs, Saul was going to win.
Saul spoke with an unmoving tone. “They would refuse to pay you. They’re traitorous drakes.”
The Terrans around the table laughed and chuckled, nodding to one another, then murmured curses and hateful words. “They tried to penetrate our iron doors and steal our machines before, so you aren’t wrong. But they cover much land from the Valley to the Neck and have a lot of gold to meet that. We don’t care about your politics. If the Lady hadn’t referred you, I’d have sold you out. What makes you think you can stop the Soldier of Storms, hmm? Well? I bet you don’t know who he is or what it means, Broken.”
Saul growled at his words. He refers to my people like that, expecting respect in return? Saul clenched his fists and leaned on the iron map. “No, I cannot say that I do. I do not expect to stop this ‘Soldier of Storms’ myself—surely the capital can handle itself, but we might damn as well attempt to aid them. At least we will provide aid, and not mining our lives away. Who is this ‘Soldier of Storms?’ Some god among fools we can’t stop, yet you can, holding your ground within these mountains?”
Dorneth coughed up a chuckle that added emotion to a blank slate. “My, you’re bold, speaking to me that way.” With a nod, the King said, “He is the King’s son, one of three. What do you know of the royalty down here, boy? You certainly speak as if you know everything, yet you know nothing. You lived your life in a forest believing a Dragon was your King, the Hydris were evil, and nothing is more important than your people,” Dorneth said in contempt. “We love nothing more than mining. We know more through the earth than you will ever know of the air. You strut around like a leader of a small troop of broken that think they rule the land, but you don’t. At this point, the ‘Soldier of Storms’ does.” His tone was harsh and loose. He coughed as he ended. “Aye, I’m getting old.”
Saul saw through his words. They knew no more than the mines, as he knew no more than the Vale. “I see what you’re trying to say. But I demand a little more respect, as you do.”
“Aye, I’ll give it to you. Works better than bantering endlessly, and I have work to do.” He let out a long sigh. “The ‘Soldier of Storms’ is the King’s son, as I’ve said. The Hydris royalty are linked by blood, and the family is blessed with the power of the circle.”
“The circle?”
“The four towers, Broken boy, following the four elements. When a child of royalty is born, the seers at the central tower predict an element, and the child is blessed with its power, making him or her a shaman. It is promising to have four children, and Kovos did. One son disappeared after the war you folk had. I can’t remember his name. Been too long, he’s probably dead. Zitark was his second son, chosen for water. He and his blasted bastard brother started this war against their father, the crags. The insane bastard Ithaca was the one who received wind. He believes himself to be the ‘Soldier of Storms.’ Many others believe the same—that’s why many joined his cause. He’s insane, I can tell you that much. I knew it the moment Kovos brought his children through my halls twenty years ago. The only sane child was the one not yet born.”
Thalia. “What element is Thalia?” Saul asked.
The Terran King raised a brow looking left and right, he met murmurs from the others. “Can’t you tell? She’s earth, you nitwit.”
Saul remembered that she wore nothing upon her feet; bare—no shoes or sandals. I prefer the feeling of the ground. It’s sort of soothing, don’t you think? she had said. “She did not mention that fact.” Saul wondered why she never told him. Another secret. He would be sure to get some answers if they ever met again.
Dorneth coughed hoarsely. “Ithaca spreads lightning from his hands, electrocuting anyone who disobeys him. He was never the favorite, and resents his stepmother and father for it. I don’t know whether it was the reason he fell out of favor, or if he became insane as a result. I just know he’s a selfish crag who destroys anyone he hates, especially Broken like you.”
Saul’s mind immediately went to his dream. Struck by lightning, shocked into agony until I awake each night. Is this my purpose, to be killed by such a snake? His mouth drew in displeasure as he contemplated his destiny. He grew weary in recent days from the restless nights he had. He looked back to see sullen eyes, shuffling feet, and fidgeting hands from his Broken. Saul then looked to the council of Terrans armed with warhammers, proud eyes, and stony words.
“Are you afraid, Broken?” Dorneth inquired.
“No Broken is afraid of destiny,” Saul surmised. In truth, he was afraid of not fulfilling his destiny, and of disappointing those that depended on him.
“Destiny?” Dorneth yelled. He blew up in laughter. The others of the council joined in a lengthy guffaw. “You are driven by destiny? Destiny means nothing, boy. There is no destiny. A man chooses his own path. If it ends up where a prediction lies, it could be destiny, fate, a prophecy—whatever you make of it. It’s all a load of craggen foolishness. Down here, a man makes his own steel, his own weapon and armor. No gods rule us, except the anvil and forge. We survived the Draconia, the Broken, the Hydris, and we can survive anything else.”
“That’s not my business,” Saul said gruffly. The Terran’s rambling grated on his fraying nerves. First, he insulted his people, and now, his beliefs. “I believe in gods, and that is my right. It matters not if you think my goddess useless; I care whether I get through your mountain alive and reach my destination. I ask you, are you willing to let us through?” Saul commanded. He could feel Drof nudge him. Saul didn’t acknowledge it. This was a game of words, test of wits, and Saul was tired of it.
Dorneth smiled widely. “Heh. You remind me of her. I’d be surprised if you weren’t acquainted with her. Lady Kashral helped us out on a few occasions expecting nothing in return.” The Terran analyzed Saul and the others closely.
“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?” Saul said. Thalia gave him something, a map, a route, shelter, and expected nothing. Or so she would have me believe.
“It means we’ll let you through, boy. We’re sizing you up. Checking your potential. Seeing your honor. Hearsay of a Lady’s word is one thing, but a meeting is another. I like the cut of your jib. You make for some good banter. With arms like those, you’d make good use in the mines, too. But, I wouldn’t want to upset our gracious shaman. What say you, friends? Shall we let these Humans through?”
“Broken,” Saul growled.
Dorneth laughed, running into a hacki
ng cough. With a nod, he looked left and right, receiving confirmation from the rest. “I can’t turn our Lady down, can I?” He smiled widely, exposing his mottled grey teeth.
Make friends, not enemies, Thalia had said to him. It seemed Saul made one of the former, which benefitted him greatly. “My thanks, Dorneth, son of Morne,” Saul said reverently. It seemed that they spoke with their fathers’ names out of respect. Saul decided to oblige, as he wished to gain an ally.
Dorneth chuckled, “Good, you’ve learned traditions already. Frondin, show them to the eastern gates of the mountain pass, and give them a detailed map. Lady Kashral would not have it any other way. You know what happens when she is displeased.”
Another to hint at what happens when Thalia is ‘displeased.’ He wondered how fierce she was in a battle. Part of him wished to see it—as long as they were on the same side.
The other Terrans shuddered at the mention of that. Frondin nodded and went into the next room. Saul heard the shuffling of papers and books before the Terran returned with a map in hand.
“Be gone, we have more to discuss here in the mines. Major changes are occurring, especially with the unrest in the north. Did you hear? The Dragon’s forces are readied at the knives. Or so the Watcher said.”
“Who is the Watcher?” Saul asked. The damned Terran spoke as if Saul knew everything, or he attempted to teach him that he knew nothing. The Dragon tried to storm the shores already? A fool, but they turned around—why?
“A person they call the Watcher is in communications with many individuals. Eyes far across the land. The Leaders exchange information with him—or them—so that they may gain some, too. It’s a small price for an eye to the future.” Dorneth smirked. “Now, be gone with you. Good day, Saul, son of Makari.” He shooed them away with a wave of his hand.
Saul and the others turned to follow Frondin as he walked. Saul always heard Terrans were selfish, treasure-hungry, and uncaring for the causes of others. It’s not a lie, it seems. If it weren’t for Thalia, he and the others may be locked in the mines below, sweating and striking ore until they died. She neglected to tell me anything about her father, her powers over earth, or the fact that her brothers were the causes of the war. Let alone that a fabled warrior was a part of it, who happens to be one of the brothers. Thalia was strong-willed and bold, and despite her lack of forthcoming behavior, he had a difficult time disliking her.
