by Garry Spoor
“Everything I do from this point on, I want you to forget,” she said, crossing the abandoned campsite. She retrieved her courier’s bag from where it lay against the tree. Opening it up, she pulled out a small folded piece of paper.
“I don’t understand.” Tullner replied.
“I know you don’t,” she told him, “and I’m afraid the rest won’t make much sense either.”
She slung the bag over her shoulder and opened the flap.
“Vesper, you better get in.”
-Ride on Kile-
“You will, but for the moment, you better get in. I have to call someone.”
The yarrow reluctantly climbed into the bag and Kile walked into the center of the clearing.
“I would almost think you were talking to that rat,” Tullner replied following her.
“It’s not a rat, it’s a yarrow,” she corrected him, “he’s very sensitive about that.”
She closed her eyes and fell into her Edge, reaching out once again to the sky. It didn’t take long before a red-shouldered hawk answered her call. He circled a few times before landing on one of the lower branches of a nearby tree.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I need a favor,” She asked, approaching him.
-Favor-
The hawk replied. He didn’t have the high pitched melodic voice of the average song bird. It was more of a harsh scratching shrill.
“Yes, I hate to ask this of you, but could you deliver this to a Captain Bartholomew Jax at the outpost?” she asked.
It wasn’t the words she spoke, but the images she applied to them which communicated the idea. She focused all her thoughts on the Captain, trying to remember what he looked like. Of course, if he wasn’t at the outpost any more, then this was all for nothing.
-Jax… Outpost-
The hawk replied, showing Kile he did understand, and he was willing to do this for her. She placed the letter into the hawk’s claw, which he promptly crushed. She could only hope it would still be legible when it reached its destination.
“Thank you so much,” she added, taking a couple of steps back.
The hawk stretched out its wings and took to the air, heading east, at least it was going in the right direction. She could only hope Captain Jax was still in Moran and he would receive the letter in time.
Once the hawk was gone, she opened the flap of the courier’s bag. “Okay Vesper, you can come out now.”
-Bird gone?-
“Yes, the bird is gone,” she assured him.
Vesper climbed up her arm and took his place on her shoulder.
“What just happened?” Tullner asked.
“What happened where?”
“Were you… talking to that… bird?”
“No questions, until after the ride is over,” she said. “We still have to find Burgora before nightfall.”
“Burgora? Who’s Burgora?”
“That’s who’s waiting for us on the other side of the crags,” she told him. “And I should warn you, he doesn’t like nosy people. Actually, that’s not entirely true. He really just doesn’t like anyone.”
They moved quietly through the crags, stopping every so often so Kile could sniff the air and get her bearings. They were heading north, parallel to Coopervill, so they should be able to avoid any Uhyre patrols. Hopefully, the valrik would be happy with the seven prisoners they took, as well as the five men who wasted their lives for nothing. If the valrik believed they captured or killed all the members of Perha Squad, then they had no reason to search for more, but Kile wasn’t taking chances. She kept them moving through the crags, keeping well out of sight the best she could.
The low valleys gave way to low hills and, before they knew it, the mountains came into view. She called for a rest besides a small outcrop of rocks where they drank water and Tullner offered her some of the hardtack. She refused. She never did develop a taste for the spiced potting soil.
“How much further?” Tullner asked, taking another mouthful of water to wash down the artificial food substance.
“Not much,” she replied, “these are Burgora’s stomping grounds.”
“So, who is this guy and why haven’t the valrik been looking for him?”
“They value their lives,” she laughed.
“What are we looking…?”
She held up her hand to silence him.
“He’s here,” she told him. “Whatever you do, don’t make any quick moves. Don’t reach for your sword and don’t run.”
“Why?”
“And you should probably keep quiet. Just remain perfectly still until I can speak with him first,” she said, stepping out from behind the rocks. Moving across the field, she headed for the tree line.
She never made it to the forest. Instead, she waited in the tall grass of the open field as something moved beyond the trees. Tullner rose from his place behind the rocks, but made no attempt to follow her. He saw her fight the gulrik, and saw what she did to that creature in the crags. It was not a side of her he wanted to see again. It was almost as if she was possessed by some madness, as if she was as feral as the wildness she was so comfortable in. When he saw what she became, he was as afraid of her as much as he was afraid for her.
He watched and waited, and when nothing seemed to be happening, he risked taking a step out from behind the rocks. That’s when the bear emerged from the forest, but it wasn’t just a bear, not like the one he saw back at base camp, this was a grizzly, and it wasn’t just a grizzly, it was the largest grizzly Tullner had ever seen.
With a shoulder height of nearly five feet, it was easily twice the size of any bear back in Fennel. It ambled its way out of the forest heading directly for the girl, but there was no aggression in its movements.
“Hello Burgora, it’s been a while,” Kile said, taking a step toward the bear.
-It is good to see you again. What brings you back here, cub?-
Burgora asked.
His voice was soft and mellow, yet there was an underlining strength hidden in his words, much like the mountains he called home.
“I’m in need of a favor,” she replied.
-Ask.-
“The Uhyre have taken over the vir town of Coopervill.”
-I am aware of this, as are most in the forest. That is why we no longer venture far from our homes.-
“Unfortunately, I don’t have the same option.”
-Then have you returned to solve this problem?-
“Sorry, no. We were only sent to evaluate the situation, but I’m afraid some of the vir, who I came here with, have been taken by the valrik.”
-Then I am sorry for your loss.-
“You don’t understand. They have been captured.”
-I do understand, cub, but the Uhyre do not keep prisoners for long, or so I am led to believe. If your companions are indeed prisoners of the Uhyre, then I am sorry, their cycle is nearing an end.-
“But I have to help them.”
-Do you intend to battle the Uhyre?-
“No,” Kile replied, shaking her head. “I have neither the number, nor the strength.”
-Then what is it you wish of me?-
“Information. You know these mountains better than any. The Uhyre are keeping the vir in the surface mines. I need to know if there is another way to get into those mines.”
-I see. The vir have made many tunnels through the mountains, and many caves there were, but tunnels and caves were there even before the vir, in the days of my father and his.-
“Then you know of a way?”
The great bear paused for a moment.
-There are caves I know of, and tunnels that run deep into the mountain, but too small are they for me these days. I have also seen vir around these same caves, but that was many seasons ago.-
“Do you think I can get into the mines through these caves?”
-There was a time, before the vir, when one could travel from one side of the mountain to the other without seeing the sun, but those path
s have been lost long ago, when the vir closed them off.-
“But there’s still a chance. Will you show me?”
-You have but to ask.-
Burgora said and he started to walk west, toward Coopervill. Kile walked alongside the massive bear and waved for Tullner to join them. The Corporal was hesitant and kept a safe distance from the two of them.
Burgora led them to the foot of the mountains, although, these were not the tall mountains of the spire, these were only the foothills. He eventually came to a stop on a small flat section of the hills and waited for Kile to catch up.
-It is here.-
He said, indicating a section of the mountain which looked no different than any other place. Kile had to search the surface before she found the opening. It was small, narrow, and dark.
-This was once a great cave, which led deep into the mountain, but the vir closed it off many seasons ago. I was only a cub back then. –
Burgora explained.
“Well, they did a good job with it. I don’t even think I could squeeze in there,” she said, looking through the hole, but she could see no further than the opening.
-I can.-
Vesper said from his place on her shoulder.
“Well… if you promise to be careful.”
-Be careful.-
The yarrow said, jumping to the ground and quickly disappeared through the opening, now all she could do was wait.
She made herself comfortable on the rocks and spotted Tullner, who remained some distance away.
“Burgora, this is a friend of mine,” she said, waving for Tullner to come closer. The soldier was hesitant.
-I thought as much.-
The bear replied, eyeing the young man.
“He may be a little nervous. I don’t think he’s very comfortable around bears.”
-That has always been my experience.-
She waved to Tullner again and this time the young soldier started to climb the hill. He kept an eye on the grizzly and made sure Kile was between them when he reached the top.
“What’s going on?” he asked nervously.
“You may as well sit down; we’re waiting for information,” she said.
Tullner took a seat as far from the bear as he could. He never took his eyes off it, and the bear watched him with the same mixture of caution and curiosity.
“The two of you,” Kile said, laughing. “Burgora this is Tullner, Tullner, this is Burgora. Now you’ve been introduced.”
“I don’t understand any of this,” Tullner said.
“I told you, you wouldn’t,” she replied.
-Are all vir this timid?-
Burgora asked.
“Not all, but you and yours do have kind of a bad reputation among the vir.”
“Do you… understand it?” Tullner asked.
“For starters, he’s not an it, and yes, I do understand him,” Kile replied.
“How?” Tullner asked.
She knew that question was coming, thankfully, she didn’t have to answer since Vesper chose that moment to return.
-Hole deep, lots of room behind.-
He said and the images he attached to the words gave her the impression of a great tunnel going deep into the mountains.
“This might be our way in after all,” Kile said, picking up Vesper and getting to her feet.
“How do you know?” Tullner asked.
He was just full of questions today, she thought.
“Burgora, do you think you could move these rocks?”
-I could try.-
He replied. When the bear moved forward, Tullner jumped to his feet and moved back. Burgora rose up on his hind legs and towered over the two of them. He planted his fore paws on the large boulder blocking the cave, and gave it a mighty shove, throwing all his weight into it. Kile was sure there weren’t too many things which could withstand that kind of strength. It took a few good shoves before the rocks began to shift, and when it finally moved it sounded as if half the mountain was coming down with it. When the dust cleared, they were staring down a long dark cave.
“Hopefully this should link up with the surface mines in Coopervill.” Kile said, waving the last of the dust away. She stepped into the cave to get a better look, but Tullner grabbed her arm.
“Maybe I should go,” he told her.
“You can’t. It will be too dark. You won’t be able to find your way,” Kile replied.
“I’ll light a torch,” he said, picking up a small branch off the ground. “I can wrap it with the sleeve of my uniform…”
“Right, and then go wandering through the cave. They’ll see you long before you see them. It’s the easiest way of saying ‘here I am’, which I can think of. We don’t know where this cave ends up. You may run into a nest of valrik, and then what?”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Tullner replied, dropping the stick. “Then what’s your plan? Don’t tell me you can see in the dark.”
“Well, not without a little help.”
“You can’t be serious.” Tullner said, eyeing the bear. “He’ll never fit.”
“Burgora is going to stay out here… with you… to guard the exit.”
“Does he know that?”
“Yes,” she replied.
Reaching into her courier’s bag, she pulled out a large ball of yellow twine.
“What’s that for?” He asked.
“So I can find my way back,” she replied.
She tied the end of the twine to one of the branches of a dying shrub and unrolled a few feet, testing its strength. She only hoped it would be long enough. There was no telling how far she would have to go to reach the mining tunnels. She knew a bit about the tunnels from talking with a few miners, when she was living in Coopervill, when there still was a Coopervill. They often spoke about the caves, natural pathways cut through the mountain. Every so often they would break into one of these caverns. Many of them led nowhere, a few led through to the other side of the mountain which then had to be blocked off for security purposes. Hopefully, this was one of those caves.
“What are you waiting for?” Tullner asked.
“What? Are you in a hurry to get rid of me?”
“No,” he replied, glancing over at the bear who was still watching him carefully.
“I’m waiting for my guide, and I think that’s him now.” She said, pointing to a small speck on the horizon.
“Is that a bat?” Tullner asked as it got closer.
“Can you think of anything else who can navigate through total darkness?”
The bat flew around them for a while before awkwardly landing on Kile’s hat, and he crawled his way over the top to sit on the brim. He was small, much smaller than Vesper, and was covered with short brown fur. With his wings folded up, he was little more than three inches long.
“Thank you for coming,” she said.
-Help is needed.-
The bat, whispered.
His voice was soft and, dare she say, eerie. At first, she never liked bats, not since her brother tricked her into going into the old barn down by the river. When she opened the doors, hundreds of bats flew at her. They got tangled in her hair and in her clothes, and she freaked out. She avoided them ever since, until last years, when they redeemed themselves in her eyes. It was a colony of bats who aided her escape from the Hunters in Littenbeck.
“Then you will help me?”
-What need have you?-
“The cave,” she said, putting into the word, all the meaning and information she needed him to understand.
-Help as I may.-
He replied.
“I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Kile, this is Tullner, Vesper and Burgora.”
-Epoh-
He whispered.
“Epoh, that’s an interesting name. Thank you again for your help, Epoh.”
“This can’t be real,” Tullner said, shaking his head.
“Well, I did try to warn you,” she replied. “Real or
not it’s going to get weirder. Try not to scare off the deer when they arrive.”
“What? What deer?” Tullner asked, but Kile had already entered the cave, if she heard him, she didn’t reply.
***~~~***
9
The cave was dark, so dark she had to abandon the use of her own sight and rely completely on Epoh’s. It was a strange sensation. She didn’t “see” the twist and turns of the cave, but rather “sensed” where they were. Still, the progress was slow. Epoh was able to show her the path to take, but she was still forced to navigate by hand and carefully feel out the ground with her foot, before committing to a step. Loose stones and the uneven ground, proved challenging. She had almost wished she had taken Tullner up on his offer to go in her stead, but she knew he would never have gotten this far.
The ground sloped suddenly and she braced herself against the wall. It was not the first, pitch-black tunnel she found herself in. When she broke into Windfoil, she was forced to crawl through a small underground river bed, in order to get past the outer walls. Fortunately, within this cave, she was able to stand upright, at least most of the time. There were still a few sections where she had to keep low, or climb over something blocking her way. The path was not as straight or as flat as she had hoped.
The ball of twine was growing smaller with every step she took, until eventually it ended. Now what? Without the twine, she lost her direct path to the exit. She was pretty sure, with Epoh’s help, she would be able to find her way back, but that’s not what she was worried about. In a brief moment of optimism, which was uncommon for her, she thought about the survivors. How would they navigate back to the exit without the twine to guide them through the dark? She tied the end off to what appeared to be a small rock, and placed it where she would be able to find it again before continuing forward. If nothing else, it freed her hands so she could feel her way deeper into the cave. She would go a little further, and if nothing looked promising, she would be forced to turn back.
Another sudden drop brought her to a wider cavern, where she noticed something odd. There was a grayness to the void that wasn’t there before. At first, she couldn’t comprehend what it was, but then it occurred to her, she was seeing the far side of the cavern. And if she could see it, there had to be a light source. Even her eyes couldn’t see in total darkness, but it wouldn’t take much light, before her night vision kicked in.
