Age of Souls

by Garrett Stevens

  Everyone huddled in as close as they could to try and see what was on the paper. Tharissa began to read.

  “In the Crucibles dominance to hold the Face, the Flight, the Fury. The presence of the Ascendant to eschew the bleak and appraise the vigilant, will offer generous. From the Authentic, holds the passage with the clout of Rebirth to burnish the fires of annihilation. Mirroring souls be given reception by calamity, must made bare and constitution asunder. Judgment to align the weave and wrap the fiber bridging realms.” Tharissa’s voice resonated through the group.

  Silence followed with a soft puff from Burz and her pipe.

  “Sounds pretty straight forward.” Burz chuckled to herself.

  “What does it mean?” Gemini sat on the bench next to the table after her question.

  “It means that Turi got one thing right; we need to get the relics into the Dragon’s Palace. This will give them the connection to High Realm and Low Realm which will strengthen their magic to replace the broken seals. This will repair the Chains to get the Elders their full strength back before the real fight for life happens.” Tharissa rested her back against the wall after she spoke. “The Neightur have really stirred in something vile.”

  “What does it mean by the mirroring souls or even the judgement part?” Mara straddled the bench beside Gemini so she could see everyone.

  “I have read this passage many times and all I can come up with is the Ascendant being the Mother.” Tharissa motioned to Gemini. “Of which needing to be a twin, the mirrored souls. Once all the relics are together in the Crucible, which I am assuming is the near Murdone now, there will be a judgement done by the Mother, for the intent of the Twenty and their souls scattered around High Realm. The involvement of the Twenty with the inevitable conflict will need to be weighed.” Tharissa spoke very maturely and confidently.

  “So, I have to judge the Gods?” Gemini slouched a bit and sighed.

  “In a fashion, yes.” Tharissa answered quickly. “Mya, myself, and all the others that are hosting a soul will be at your mercy. We just have to hope that all the others have been notified in some fashion when the judgement happens.” Her face had the look of concern on her face. “Course I could be wrong as well.”

  “What happens if the Neightur finish what they are trying to do?” Mara asked.

  “The destruction of everything we know. The rule those five are after comes at a price. Their god has never been named or seen, but we can only assume the worst.” Burz cut in.

  Burz pushed off from her lean and walked over to a closed shelf. Opening the small wooden door, she reached in and pulled out a small glass jar filled with a blueish milky liquid. Paying no mind to the three women behind her, she began grabbing odd herbs and spices, other jars and jugs to mix her concoction.

  “Why are we needing to go to the Iceclaws then?” Gemini questioned.

  “They have the rest of the relics in their coffers. They also are the main emissaries for the six lands in Vulthrodin. Mya was headed that way to get them and I hope we can catch up with her in time.” Tharissa pulled up the left side of the tome and from the weight of the pages, slammed it shut with a thunk.

  “I will grab our stuff from upstairs.” Mara stood, swung her leg over the bench and started to leave.

  “Tell those three upstairs to come down when you pass by their room.” Burz called out over her shoulder. Mara stopped briefly to nod and disappeared down the corridor.

  “Finally get what you have always wanted.” Gemini bluntly said to her sister.

  “What is that?” Tharissa raised an eyebrow.

  “You get to come on one of the adventures with us.” Gemini chuckled a little bit.

  “Not the kind I was hoping for. I know you two had a fun time at the Solstice Market in Kalstin, something I would have wanted to be a part of.” Tharissa crossed her arms under her breasts.

  “I don’t know about that. Was more of a small intimate gathering.”

  Tharissa looked Gemini up and down. “Exactly.”

  Placing three small jars on the table, a little sparkle could be seen bouncing around inside the disgustingly blue mixture. Burz chuckled to herself.

  “You two are funny little elves. The tonic is done for the three of you, make sure to take is when you get the tunnels leading down the mountain.”

  The three naked entertainers followed by Mara came trotted through the door. There was not a lot of space for them all to stand with Mara and Gemini’s wings, even with them cradled in as much as they could.

  “You wanted us Burz?” Taara spoke for the three of them.

  “Yes. I need you three to put on some clothes.” They all sighed together, and she rolled her eyes. “And, escort these three down to the forest side of the mountains. Use the tunnels.” Burz’ orders were met with a silent nod from the three.

  Each spun on their heels in a childish way and scampered down to the front entry and through the side wall. Mara placed her scythe against the wall and handed Gemini a small bag before slinging a small pouch over her shoulder.

  “I found some satchels upstairs, if you don’t mind.” Mara said to Burz.

  “By all means.” Burz waved her hand.

  “Thanks.” Gemini strapped the bag around her waist.

  “I will take the jars I suppose, seeing as your two bags are small.” Tharissa begrudgingly grabbed the three jars and stuffed them into a backpack along with her tome that sat next to the table leg.

  A knock sounded from the front door.

  Everyone turned to the noise and then back to Burz.

  “Taara, quickly.” Burz called out down the corridor.

  “Shall I get the door first?”

  “No. Go. Quickly.” Burz’ panic in her voice made the new visitor more of a threat.

  The three girls ran back into the kitchen from a side door near Tharissa, all dressed in a lacy long dress. Their figure was not very well hidden below the lace, but still covered them in a tasteful way. Taara beckoned them through the door with an open hand before fading from view.

  “Go now, time is of the essence.” Burz left the kitchen and headed towards the front entry.

  Another knock sounded.

  Gemini, Mara, and Tharissa all with an urgency, exited the kitchen. Following the three harlots down a long dimly lit hallway, they stopped before a wide steel door that lead to a tunnel carved in the stone of the city. With a clash of the latch against the wall is it closed, the six women ran through the dimly lit tunnels, Mara hopping from time to time to keep the weight from her leg.

  Another knock faintly sounded behind them.

  Burz sighed before reaching for the handle and pulled open the heavy door.

  “Greetings young one, what can I do for you today?”

  “I believe who I am looking for, came this way.” Thorn smiled an evil grin as she looked up at Burz.

  Chapter 25

  “Mya slow down, something isn’t right.” The concern in Dominic’s voice made her almost stop completely and look at him. The other four slowed as well to assess what Dominic was worried about, scanning the horizon.

  The constant white fell from the sky above and formed a blanket of cleanliness that fed in from the North and stretched out from the towering masonry gate structure. Patches of the snow strung out from the beyond the massive gate like fingers trying to take over the temperate temperatures of the central province. Few flowers, small clumps of grasses, and a few small trees cut through the alabaster carpet in their attempt to journey to the sky.

  Night had finally caught up with them and the stars winked at them overhead, between the mountain line and the scattered cloud cover that cried down their icy curse of the North. The ever-falling snow in this region made for a picturesque scene everywhere you looked. Even with all the snow everywhere, the temperature was comfortable and even when there was a clearing in the clouds, the snow never let up its constant flow.

  The double tower to either side of the mountain gap shadowed over the re
st of the rampart that connected them. Nothing moved along the horizon at ground level, nothing moved along the top turrets, nothing seemed to be alive ahead of them. A single light gave off an eerie beacon at the base of the West tower. A frozen barren graveyard of ghosts.

  “I don’t see anything.” Mya turned her head to talk over her shoulder but kept her eyes on the gate.

  “That’s the problem, there should be lots happening; traders, guards, travelers. Colde is a main hub of trade for the Barbarians and a connection point from the tunnels through the Darke Mountains up into Keemiske. This gate is always active, of all hours of the day, every day.” Dominic squinted in his attempt to get more from the horizon.

  “How can you see that far?” Chyla squinted and strained her chin forward in an awkward attempt to see more. “What’s with us and these gates, they are always broken.”

  “They are one of the main entries to the provinces, easy to take and strategize from, aside from the amount that traders that go through. Easy to intercept them and scale your army with the rations they provide. Only makes sense to use them for your own cause.” Dominic responded in an educational tone.

  “If that is the case, why not defend them better?” Chyla scoffed.

  She was met with silence as her reply.

  “Let’s follow the forest line to get closer, will be easier to put a strategy together if we know what we are dealing with.” Dominic pointed off toward the tree line to their right.

  “Back into the forest.” Chyla complained.

  “Keep low, the light from the moon will give us away against the white of the snow if we are not careful.” Dominic slouched forward slightly as he picked up his pace.

  The others followed in his footsteps, keeping their backs lowered and eyes on the North Gate. The trees they hugged against moved slightly in a subtle breeze that kept the hair on their exposed skin stand on end. Dominic nodded at the luck of the wind to help hide their presence and made sure the three women were close behind.

  It did not take long for them to skirt along the forest edge and up to the base of the tower wall. Kneeling on the white canvas with a soft crunch, Dominic listened for each of the women to stop behind him before intensifying his scouting of the gate in hopes to pick something up. Mya leaned in closer to use his head as a shadow against the moonlight.

  The snow piled up to the sides of the road and off into every direction bulged toward the falling snow like a pillow after a good fluffing. There were no footprints through the fresh snow, no wagon tracks, no animal prints. No one had been around for some time.

  “Been empty for at least a half day, no markings at all. There is also a darker section near the gate and some blood splatter on the walls near the base of the far tower door.” Mya whispered to him over his shoulder.

  “The Barbarian guards would be no feat to take over, not without making a bigger mess. We should check the tower above us, I heard a shuffling up there.” Kallis whispered into Mya’s ear and pointed up to the tower above them.

  All four of them kept low and shuffled along, trying to keep within each other’s footprints. Dominic took the lead as they scaled along the wall towards the open gate. The soft crunching of snow under each of their footsteps stretched further and further up their legs with each passing.

  Snow lightly swooped down from the darkened sky, disappearing as it touched each of their warmed bodies and gathered on the tops of their packs. Portions of their cloaks stuck out from edges of the weaponry hidden beneath, close at hand for any threat.

  Raising his hand up to stop the girls following him, Dominic leaned forward slowly to the corner of the end of the stone. All three watched as he did not move for what seemed an eternity. Rotating his hand back around, he beckoned them with the tips of his fingers and pushed off into the shadowed overhang of the structure.

  Two portcullises above the group lingered like a blade from a guillotine, craving their necks. Chyla looked up as they passed below it and almost bumped into Mya in her distraction. The stone from the wall to their right gave a coldness of death that sent shivers deep into their bodies, as if it were trying to bury them with the rest of the ghosts. A protruding timber that had snapped from a collapsed window had to be ducked under before they reached the open doorway into the tower.

  “Be ready for anything.” Dominic whispered over his shoulder before stepping through the entry.

  Mya felt between her backpack where her dagger sat and popped it slightly to loosen it in its scabbard. Chyla stretched her back slightly, letting loose a couple cracks from her spine while Kallis patted the side of her compacted bow, still in its box form.

  Aside from being dark and gloomy with a single broken chair in the corner, the inside of the gate house seemed normal, just abandoned. Cobwebs were formed in many of the corners like no one had cleaned in weeks and a thick layer of dust covered everything, almost as if it were snowing on the inside.

  The room was a simple looking kitchen and eatery; a table to one side with a few iron plates still holding molded food. A fireplace with a cradled pot on an iron rod above with a single burnt out log, still covered in a charcoal ash. Only a handful of chairs scattered about the small room like the last use was for a gathering for the residents last meal. A few plates sat on the floor along with the odd flagon and wooden cup scattered about.

  “There are not even any footprints in the dust.” Kallis spoke through the musty air. “No one has been here for weeks, not even a beast.”

  Dominic stood up straight and stopped next to the table. Picking up an empty cup to exposed how deep the dust really was, he looked down at the exposed wood and nodded. Chyla wiped her finger along the top of one of the chairs and blew off the dirt, sending it floating into the middle of the room.

  “Maybe they left their post back to the city, but that wouldn’t explain why there would be no one else here.” Dominic placed the cup back on the clear spot on the table as close as he could to the original position.

  “This is not normal for the Barbarians. There should still be traders or travelers around.” Mya tapped the leg of a chair with her foot sending a short echo up a nearby stairwell.

  “Doubt this is the work from the Bardain group we ran into back in Tarna, they would have left quite a mess.” Dominic turned to the girls.

  “Bardain group?” Mya asked.

  “A raiding party that burnt down Tarna as we were leaving, something to do with finding that map and potentially going to Mount Guul for a relic.” Chyla filled in the details.

  “They won’t find anything at the volcano, and I don’t think the Leeman’s will be very welcoming after I took Necrolin’s Cup.” Mya chuckled nervously.

  “There would be more than enough time for them to get to the volcano and back here since we left. Still doesn’t explain the full abandonment.” Dominic motioned around the room.

  “Maybe they are part of Sigil and Neightur contracts. There are a few powerful mages within the Sigil to disintegrate a small gathering like this, but it would leave essences.” Mya wiped the top of the mantle with her hand and brushed it off with the other.

  “Let’s not get too comfortable, remember the noise upstairs, there is still someone here.” Kallis reminded them in a softer tone.

  Dominic slid his fingers through the metal knuckles at his hips and pulled out the small blades from their scabbards. Taking cautious steps toward the simple wooden staircase in the back corner of the room, he tried his best to keep his footsteps light and quiet; the flooring tried its best to add a soft creak or squeak where it could to alert anyone listening.

  The stairwell expanded out wider from the entry which made it easy to group everyone together enough to stay on the defensive. With each step up, each tensed up with the preparation for combat. Like fingers from a poltergeist, the dusty shadows cast by the moon shifted across the stair wall and wooden planked flooring. Dominic stretched his neck up and to the side in hopes to get a better view of the room at the top of the stair.
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  “Doesn’t look like there is anyone here.” Turning back to the three, he shrugged.

  Chyla sighed and ascended the rest of the stairs with some speed. Getting to the top of the landing, she turned back to the group.

  “It’s empty.”

  Turning back to the empty room, she came face to face with the backside of a large book. She was knocked backward to the ground and instantly gushed blood from her nose. Dominic leapt in to attack and grabbed the arm of the person holding the book, throwing them back into the center of the room.

  “I mean you no harm.” An old voice rang out from the man struggling to right himself on the floor.

  “Tell that to my face.” Chyla angrily called out from the top of the stairs as she wiped the blood from her top lip.

  “I thought you were one of them.” The old man had rolled over onto his backside and stared at them with wide eyes.

  “One of who?” Mara asked.

  “The ones from the shadow.”

  The old man looked beyond his time and dressed more like a hermit than anything else. His garb was old and tattered in places, with the stains around his mid-section from sloppy eating. A bushy beard covered his wrinkled face and stuck out in every way from not being tended to in a long time. His hair was just as messy as his beard that connected down to it as if his hair were trying to swallow him from the top down. His bare feet darkened and callused having never seen footwear in his travels.

  “What ones?” Dominic asked in a threatening tone.

  “They had fire with them, only a couple of them.” His tone weakened as he spoke.

  “Did they have any symbols about them?”

  “They scared everyone off, but I snuck into a cubby.” The old man slid himself back toward the empty hearth.

  It was a well-kept room with everything in its place. A simple could be built in the small fireplace that sat next to a small wooden table and chair in the far corner. Across was a small made up cot with simple blankets and a metal bucket at the foot end. Next to the only window in the room was a small wooden chest that looked to be holding more clothing. Nothing on the walls aside from a single banner made from a thick wool that held a picture of an odd wolf like creature holding a block of ice between its outstretched claws.