by M. E. Thorne
Entering back into the keep’s main hall, I took a moment to admire the repairs being made to the castle. Most of the roof had been replaced, using rust reed and salvaged stone. We’d also managed to clear some rooms on the lower levels, which we devoted to community activities like weaving cloth and storage for our growing stock of food.
Beyond the keep, we’d also fixed up several buildings, including my headquarters. We even had a few spare rooms for our new refugees, so they wouldn’t be forced to sleep outside while we found a permanent place for them.
I went over to their table, asking about their health and to make sure their needs were being taken care of. They were still a wild-eyed and anxious group, clearly left on edge by their harrowing affair.
Once they were a bit more settled, I would talk to the adults in the group, finding out their stories and what skills they possessed.
The Luminark had unwittingly given their victims a huge gift. By forcing our people to do all the hard, challenging jobs back in the empire, they had created a workforce well adapted to rebuilding a kingdom; we were blessed with carpenters, weavers, millers, farmers, and construction workers.
But no blacksmiths, I groused to myself.
I joined Vexile at the head table, quietly trading tales of our day. I listened as she talked about her work at the temple, helping the new refugees and taking care of their immediate needs after their arrival.
But in truth, I was still thinking about the problem that plagued us; a shortage of tools.
The few black iron artifacts we had recovered from the outlying ruins had quickly become the most valuable and sought-after pieces of equipment in Gloomglow. I had been forced to create a lending list to keep track of them and the demands from the citizens to use them. Between all of us, we only had two shovels, three hammers, one saw, and four scythes.
That’s no way to run a kingdom!
We’d been making do as best we could. The workers had been busy making wooden and stone tools, but they didn’t have the utility or durability of metal implements.
We were forced to keep our stocked food in sacks and bags, instead of barrels and crates, because we didn’t have the nails and metal hoops to build them. That left our food woefully insecure against rats and pests.
Our weavers were only able to produce a few bolts of cloth a month; their rickety spinning wheels and bone sewing needles were apt to break at the worst time.
It felt like we were a kingdom dying by inches, broken down by a want for decent tools.
As I ate, I thought again of the black iron shipment we had seen, of the slaves being marched in its wake. What if we could not only save those poor souls but gain access to the black iron mine as well?
A small meow, from below, indicated one of the porcupine-cats had snuck into the hall, lured by the smell of food. I absently snuck the creature a bit of meat; it rubbed its head against my leg, and I scratched it, mindful of its quills.
The strange felines, just called cats by our people, were wonderful rat catchers. Something they shared in common with their Earth counterparts. I just worry how much of their contribution ends up in our soup bowls. If only we had the tools needed to let this place truly thrive.
Vexile, seeing me distracted, tapped me on the shoulder, “Robert?” she whispered, “are you alright?”
I nodded, an idea solidifying in my mind. “Let’s get together after dinner, with Dougherty, Riggs, and Ahkil.”
She tilted her head.
“I think it’s time we expand our reach,” I said, “and take back what’s ours.”
We met later that evening in the royal quarters.
“We need more resources,” I told the small gathering. I purposefully kept my circlet on. “Specifically, we need black iron. The lack of tools is crippling our ability to grow, and this problem will only become more pronounced with the most recent influx of new citizens.”
Riggs settled back in his seat, “My hunters have been spending more and more time hunting for black metal and salvage, but we’ve pretty much exhausted everything in the area.”
“There’s Vilewind, to the east,” Ahkil supplied.
She was a young woman, her hair prematurely going gray. The right side of her face was badly burned, and she wore a patch over that eye.
“Supposedly it was once a great city and military outpost, we could try searching there,” she suggested.
Riggs shook his head, “The last time we tried to go that way, we were almost eaten by sand serpents. It’s too dangerous.”
I didn’t know what sand serpents were, but their existence helped reinforce my idea. I didn’t want to explore some ruined city, I wanted to seize the Luminark mine.
Rising from my seat, I approached the chamber’s wall. Vexile had copied the watchtower’s maps, hanging them in my room.
“Searching through ruins won’t be enough, not anymore,” I informed them. “We need a steady supply of black iron, and workers skilled with metalsmithing, to continue growing.”
“Sadly, nobody here knows much about blacksmithing,” Riggs griped.
I know the lack of proper weapons and hunting tools was a major hindrance in his efforts.
“When we saw the Luminark shipments, they were moving finished items. To us, this indicates there must be blacksmiths and other skilled prisoners located directly at the mines,” Vexile said. “Does anyone actually believe the Luminark would do this kind of hard, dangerous work on their own?”
Nobody had a good counter to that. I was glad Vexile and I had taken a few minutes before the meeting to organize our arguments and ideas. She had reluctantly been on board with my plan, and working together I knew we could present a powerful, unified front.
I tapped the map. “The black iron mine on the west coast is isolated and alone. The Luminark have concentrated their holdings far to the east, near their naval base.”
I looked at the old soldier. “Captain Dougherty, do you know what the defenses around the mine look like?”
He frowned. I had taken the habit of addressing him by rank during official meetings, which he found uncomfortable; I had insisted upon doing so because it made it clear he had military experience and rank over civilians like Riggs.
I’m sure he’ll chew me out for it during our next practice session.
“We’ve reconnoitered it a couple of times,” he admitted, rubbing his balding scalp. “It’s a large base, with at least a hundred Luminark troops assigned as guards and taskmasters. There were around three hundred prisoners held there. We considered striking at it, to liberate some of the prisoners, but I judged it was too dangerous.” He glanced at me before belatedly adding, “At the time.”
I nodded. “If we’re going to strike against the mine, we’ll need to investigate further, identifying its weak points and locating angles of attack that we can exploit.”
Ahkil frowned, “Forgive me, Dark Lord, but we also need to consider the ramifications of acting against the Luminark. Currently, they are unaware of our presence, but if they discovered Gloomglow or yourself, they would act with extreme force to wipe us out.”
“A point we well concede,” I told her. “While we are scouting the mine, we must also discover a way of completing our mission without leaving the Luminark any the wiser about our existence.”
“This is insanity,” Vexile huffed, as we laid together in bed.
I reached over and began stroking the scales along her hip; I knew massaging that spot soothed her.
She rolled over, snorting. “Nice try, but I’m onto all your moves.”
I arched my brow.
She swatted me lightly. “You asked me to tell you the truth, so I am. While I agree with your plan, because it’s the right thing to do, it’s still extremely dangerous. Not just for us, but everyone under our care.”
We were quiet for a moment, the keep silent around us, before I admitted, “I know.”
She placed a hand along my chest.
“But we have to do it,” I c
ontinued, looking at her, her eyes luminous in the faint light. “Let’s face it, there’s only so far we can go by remaining hidden, by refusing to act against the Luminark. I know we can’t stand up to them yet, but there’s got to be a way we can steal some of our power back from them.”
She sighed, scratching her nails lightly across my chest, the magic tickling my skin. “Do we at least have some kind of miraculous idea on how to achieve our goal?”
I grinned. “Nope,”
She shifted around, her tail thrashing in agitation.
Leaning over, I kissed her brow. “The one great lesson I learned, while working in politics back on Earth, is that sometimes you need to take a risk and go out on a limb if you want to win.”
“I am not convinced,” she deadpanned.
I laughed, then picked up my copy of The Prince, to see if I could pick out any suggestions before going to sleep. “Let’s just go investigate the mine and then hope Revina gives us some divine inspiration.”
We met a week later, in the keep’s courtyard. Vexile and I would be leading the party, while Ahkil and Riggs once again kept Gloomglow safe in our absence. Garnet, on loan from the watchtower, would be joining us, along with Rigg’s daughter, Lita.
Our crawlclaw and the driver, who I had learned was named Marl, rounded out our group.
“Remember,” I instructed them, “our main objective is to just gather information and learn more about the Luminark’s operation in the area. It is paramount that we are not discovered; if you feel there is any risk of you being caught or detected, it’s not worth it. Are we clear?”
“Crystal, Dark Lord,” Lita saluted, copying the maneuver after seeing Garnet and Dougherty together.
I turned towards Garnet. “Your captain was kind enough to lend us your expertise again, but we ask you to defer to us when needed.”
“Of course, Dark Lord,” she answered sharply. She had seen me around her captain long enough to know when to treat me as the Dark Lord and when she could be less formal.
“I scouted the mines before, several months ago,” she continued, “when the captain ordered us to update our maps on the Luminark’s operations on the northern continent. I’ll be happy to guide you and tell you everything I know.”
I turned towards Riggs and Ahkil. “We leave our people in your care. We have the utmost faith we will return to find our kingdom secure and our people happy.”
Ahkil bowed deeply. “It will be so, Dark Lord. I’m sure the Goddess will bless you and our queen on your journey.”
“Here,” Garnet reached into her pack and presented me with a wrapped bundle.
Untying the cord around it, I found it contained a small, hand crossbow and a quarrel of bolts. Picking it up, I could see it had been built from scavenged parts and hand-carved pieces.
“A gift from the captain,” the young soldier informed me with a sly whisper. “He’s been working on it for weeks, in secret. He didn’t say anything when he handed it to me, but I think it’s a sign of how much he believes in you and your mission.”
Feeling elated, I wrapped the quiver’s belt around my waist and tucked my new weapon away in the attached holster.
Chapter 13
Moving overland, we spent the next three days crossing the dry expanse of the plateau, never seeing another living soul outside the snakes and small critters that lived in the wasteland. The sun beat down relentlessly, and we often walked in the shadow cast by the crawlclaw.
The further we moved from Gloomglow, the more clear it became that the goddess’s blessing of renewal only affected the keep and the immediate area. The remainder of Duskhaven was a scrubland, occasionally dotted by ruins and wreckage that we were forced to avoid.
There were the skeletal remains of once-great cities, reduced to nothing but hulking piles of tumbled stone and sunbleached wood. Sand serpents, huge creatures that easily dwarfed Vexile in length, burrowed underneath their abandoned roadways, threatening to emerge and swallow anyone foolish enough to trespass in their domain.
“There were dozens of cities in the old kingdom,” Vexile explained, her voice tinged with melancholy. “The Dark Lords of old welcomed everyone into their lands, not just believers in Revina. All who were oppressed by the Luminark could live here, provided they swore loyalty to the throne of Duskhaven.”
I thought about this for a minute, before asking, “Why would Revina allow nonbelievers to live here? As I understand it, faith equals power for the gods, right? Wouldn’t having nonbelievers make her weaker?”
Vexile smiled sadly. “Remember, Revina is the Goddess of Moderation and Balance. She sees it as Her duty to maintain an equilibrium in this world. She maintains that everyone has a right to live, including those that do not worship Her.” She tapped her lips, thinking. “Plus, I imagine having nonbelievers in Duskhaven acted as a moderating force, helping to ensure that Her followers did not become too extreme or closed-minded in their beliefs. Revina knew many of the old gods were warped and changed by their own followers’ absolute dogma.”
“And Alruna,” I mused.
Vexile looked back towards the ruins. “Duskhaven had hundreds of libraries and colleges, dedicated to the arts, sciences, literature, and history. Supposedly the gardens in the capital were the most beautiful thing anyone had ever seen, even putting the works of Marshul to shame. It was truly a kingdom of knowledge and wonder.”
She gazed over the dusty ground, saying nothing more.
I put a hand on her shoulder, speaking quietly. “And it will be again. Together, we’ll rebuild this land to what it was. ”I gestured towards our goal, still far away. “And this is the first step, I know it.”
The ground began becoming rough and uneven as we approached the edge of the plateau; according to the map, rather than cutting down a single, graceful slope, like around the causeway, the land devolved into a series of rough foothills and canyons, with the black iron mine located at the very bottom, near the coast.
We made camp that night in an abandoned town, thankfully free of giant underground serpents. Garnet kept watch from the tallest ruin, an ancient tower that soared above the landscape. She scrambled up its tumbled stone with practiced ease. Finding shelter in a nearby building, we started a scrub grass-fueled fire in the ancient hearth, hoping that no one would get close enough to spot the light.
I rolled out the maps after brushing the stone floor clear. “I think we’re here,” I said, pointing to the eastern edge of the foothills. “The mine is further to the west, but Luminark troops may be stationed in between.”
“They’re always watching for escaped slaves, or doing surveys, looking for new veins of minerals,” Garnet volunteered from her perch.
I glanced up at her. “How current is your knowledge of the area?”
She paused, thinking. “I should be pretty up to date. Every few months the captain will round up a scout team, to check on the Luminark holdings. He likes to keep our maps accurate and to catch any changes in the Luminark’s routine, like shipment timings and patrol routes. The last thing you want is for someone to be caught out because the Luminark decided to change things up and set up a new way station or whatnot.”
“Can you get us closer to the mines?” Vexile asked her.
The young woman chewed a fingernail, then nodded. “There’s a canyon to the southwest that cuts through the foothills and gets you pretty close to their perimeter. We should be able to find a good vantage point from there.”
I rolled up the maps, “Then let’s proceed from there.”
Vexile, Garnet, and I carefully made our way through the ravine, the stone walls around us providing cool shade, which made our trip slightly less arduous.
We had left early that morning. Marl was to stay at the camp, while Lita went exploring nearby. I had tasked the young hunter with making sure the immediate area was secure, and that we had an escape route in case something unexpected happened.
“This way,” Garnet waved, as she directed us down a small,
slot canyon that branched off the main path.
“Are you doing okay?” I asked Vexile.
She laughed, then helped me up and over a boulder blocking the path. “Far better than you, I believe. The goddess has blessed me with a body perfect for this kind of environment.”
Sometimes, secretly, I worried that Vexile resented the changes that had been made to her; a transformation that I in part had caused. But seeing her, so confident and beautiful, so comfortable in her form, put my heart at ease.
I was so distracted that I almost slipped while climbing a boulder. The rock below me broke, sending me backward. Vexile shot out her tail, wrapping it around my waist and yanking me back onto stable footing.
“Robert!” she hissed out of concern.
“Sorry,” I patted her scales, indicating that she could release me. “Lost my head in the clouds for a minute.” Jumping off the boulder, I offered her a hand down. “Back in my old life, on Earth, people often said I spent too much time thinking and worrying rather than moving and acting. I definitely had a moment there where I was thinking when I should have been moving.”
She kissed me, then slithered down the rock. “I think both are fine, really. I wouldn’t have asked a hasty or rash man to be Dark Lord, but I wouldn’t have asked for a slowpoke either. ”My wife frowned. “I made the mistake of trusting the wrong person once, I won’t allow myself to make that mistake again.”
Grinning, I kissed her again and tugged her to join me as we hurried to catch up with Garnet.
“There it is,” Garnet hissed, as we laid along the flat, rocky hilltop.
Below, the foothills came to an end, and in the far distance, I could see the iron-flat ocean horizon. In between, nestled between two craggy hills, was a labor camp.
The camp’s walls, built from raw timber, enclosed a huge swath of territory. The eastern edge enclosed the lowest part of the foothills, the walls running up and down their flanks. Watchtowers and guard posts were built in regular intervals around the entire perimeter, and I could see there were dozens of guards on duty, their gaze focused more inward than outward.
