Nilesh shook his head. “No, it doesn’t say anything about them dying though I’m not sure I would trust that. I mean, the man moves from talking about some supernatural gate to the best recipe for food for their mounts. I wouldn’t say the man was consistent.”
“I don’t think we have a choice,” Ellian finally stated from the shore of the lake where she was staring out at the unearthly glow of the gate. “I didn’t see any side passages from this place, and there’s no way to tell if there’s an opening on the other side of this water. The only place to go is through the gate or back out the way we came. At the least we can throw some rocks through it to see what happens.”
With those words, Ellian began to pick her way across the shore toward the narrow path that led to the gateway. Daka and Fallon moved to follow, and Ashrak looked down at Nilesh and Chari. “You two stay here and continue looking through that book. Hopefully, we’ll find something in there that will give us some answers.” They both nodded to him, and he turned and followed the others.
The gate was larger than expected. For some reason the expanse of water around it in the small pathway that led up to it made it seem smaller from a distance. However, when the four moved closer, they were amazed at the solidity of the stonework before them. Each of the statues that held up the great ring was easily the size of a Naiaden warrior: four meters tall, with the top of the ring another two meters above their heads.
The statues appeared to be ancient human warriors dressed in elaborate armor with flowing robes that wrapped around their bodies and legs adding thickness to the base. The great ring, however, seemed to be carved with pictographs depicting alien scenes of tall, thin people with elongated skulls and sharply pointed ears. Most seemed to be fairly uniform, but others diverged from their brothers and sisters, taking on an almost animalistic look to their alien faces.
“I’ve never seen anything like these before,” Daka said with an almost reverence to his voice as they stood before the ancient monolith. “If this thing has been sitting here for thousands of years, it doesn’t look it. It looks brand-new. Somehow I don’t think it’s just the cave shielding it from sandstorms.”
Fallon stepped forward and away from Ellian side toward one of the statues. She reached her hand out, and Ellian almost said something but stopped herself, letting Fallon place her hand on the lower leg of one of the warriors. “It feels smooth,” she said as she ran her hand along the stone. One of her eyebrows rose and she closed her eyes as she continued. “Unnaturally smooth. It almost feels like touching hard water. I’m not sure how else to describe it.” She stopped and stepped back looking up at the massive warrior in awe.
Ellian stepped up beside her and reached out and touched the statue herself, though she did not keep her hand on there for long but grimaced instead. “Unnatural is right,” she growled.
Daka and Ashrak joined them, each touching another part of the statue and nodding along. “I think ice might be more appropriate, at least without the cold,” Ashrak volunteered as he looked at Fallon. “Also, I can’t feel any chisel marks or anything. It almost feels like a gemstone.”
Daka had reached down and picked up a loose rock off of the ground. Out here along the walkway, there was no sand. The stone was smooth as if it had once been used often in the past. Still, it was normal rock and the big man paused before chucking it through the gateway. “All right you lot,” he said as he bounced the large stone in his hand. “Best to back away in case something happens or something comes out looking to see what hit it on the back of the head.”
The rest of them nodded and backed away. Ellian drew two daggers while Fallon strung her bow and Ashrak readied his sword. Daka already had his big axe over his shoulder and waited for everyone else to be ready. When they were, he grunted and flung the rock at the gateway before swinging his axe down in front of him. None of them knew what to expect, but instead of passing through the mist, the rock simply bounced off and landed on the ground in front of the gateway. It had not made a sound when it struck the swirling fog.
“Well, that was disappointing,” Daka growled as he straightened up from his crouch. “It could’ve at least done something else.”
Ellian shook her head at the big man. “If you’re bored you can always go back and play with that Ridgeclaw. I’m sure it’s waiting for you.”
“Ha ha, very funny,” Daka answered. “I didn’t mean I was bored. I expected something to happen other than it to bounce off. Maybe it’s not open?”
Ashrak picked up another rock and chucked it at the opening as well and received the same result for his trouble. “That might put a very quick end to our exploration if it is. We may just have to wait for several days until the Ridgeclaw goes away to continue our journey.”
“Great,” Ellian said unhappily. “It’s just what I always wanted to do; spend time down in the hole for several days with some monster waiting to eat me.” She took a few steps forward and kicked at the mist in anger. Ashrak raised his hands and yelled for her to stop, but it was too late. Her foot did not bounce off the mist but instead slipped through and seemed to disappear as it penetrated the glowing surface. They all watched her eyes widen as she followed it, almost seeming to be dragged in from something on the other side.
“Dammit!” Ashrak screamed and then dove in after his sister. He too disappeared leaving Daka and Fallon to stare at the mist in horror. A few seconds later Fallon followed, and Daka only took a few more seconds more to make up his mind. Cursing with every step, he readied his axe and charged quickly after them.
Chapter 19
Count Stavix grimaced at the stench that washed over him as he waited by the banks of the river. He’d asked for a meeting with Duke Valeran, and unsurprisingly the man had a long memory. He’d requested for Count Stavix to meet him at his old campsite along the river and didn’t give him much time to get there. Certainly not long enough to tell the Tanners to stop the process of making their wares, so he enjoyed the full impact of the reason they stayed five kilometers away from the city.
Even this close, he was nervous. General Rhendu’s troops were crawling all over the area, and despite the harassment by his men, the vast majority of soldiers had made it through. Now they had become a wall that he could not pass. Or at least he couldn’t without help which is why he’d arranged for the meeting with Duke Valeran. If he could just get the man on his side, it might solve everything.
Still, he couldn’t help imagine what it would be like to be in control of the massive skimmer that was beginning to settle to the ground near him. If somehow he could overpower the crew and take the ship for himself, he wouldn’t need to worry about soldiers on the ground. Not only would the great ship break the siege, but he could simply fly to the Citadel and declare himself Duke.
It wasn’t going to happen, however. At least not today and certainly not with the few men he’d managed to bring with him. He watched the strange, floating orbs that held the skimmer’s guns turn toward him and track his men as the Skywitch landed. If activated, they would chew through he and his men in a matter of moments, so he made sure that no one in his small band made any sudden moves or acted aggressive.
It didn’t take long for the ramp to lower and for Duke Valeran and several soldiers to come out with him. They matched the number of his men, but due to the magical weapons and armor they wore, they outmatched his man handily. Some of the soldiers who returned from the Trade City of Riften had described in grisly detail how effective they had been in that fight. Count Stavix wasn’t sure he believed their fantastical stories though he couldn’t take the chance that they were wrong, so for the time being, he was on his best behavior.
“Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Your Grace,” Stavix said as Valeran came closer. It annoyed him to do so, but he bowed along with the rest of his men to the Duke.
“The short notice was for my protection, Stavix,” Duke Valeran growled. “I wasn’t about to let you have time to come up with some sneaky pla
n. Trust me when I say my men will fire upon you if I see anything even remotely out of place.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Count Stavix said. Inwardly he had to admit that if he had had more time, he might’ve tried to come up with a way to get the Skywitch for himself. It made him a bit more irritable to know that the Duke understood him better than he would have liked. It was just one more thing that was making this a very bad week. Still, he was here to try to make a deal so he might as well get on with it. “Truthfully, I did not wish for war with Terek and was hoping we might be able to come to some agreement. As you know, General Rhendu has surrounded the city with his soldiers. If anyone comes within kilometers of the city with the Golden Bands, then he plans to kill them and just take the prize.”
Duke Valeran stared at the Count in annoyance. “That’s not my problem. Nor will it be Ashrak’s when he returns with the Golden whatever they are's. I’ll just pick him up and fly them over that mess you all have made,” Valeran said, waving his beefy hands toward the city. “The rest of you can go kill yourselves off. It might even be good to get rid of the old guard.”
Stavix shrugged and nodded his head slightly as if an agreement. Inwardly he was cursing the arrogance and wishing he could slide a dagger into the large Duke’s gut, but outwardly he remained calm. “That as it may be, what if the young man does not return with the golden bands? What if someone else returns with them? I know that you wish our Duchy to not join in on the war against your alliance. Supporting that person might be just the key you need to make sure Brun at least stays out of the war.”
Duke Valeran frowned and narrowed his eyes at Count Stavix. “Are you saying that you have the Bands already?”
Count Stavix spread his hands and gave another half bow and a slow smile. “I did travel to some ruins, and I am back if that says anything to you. If I were to show you the bands would it make a difference? It might be foolish of me to do so under the guns of your ship. What is to stop you trying to take them just as general Rhendu hopes to accomplish?”
“What’s to stop me from just blowing you out of the sand right now?” Valeran answered. “All I have to do is raise my hand. You were the one that sent those assassins after us the night we arrived, weren’t you?”
Count Stavix didn’t even blink. “I assure you, Your Grace, I did not send any assassins after you or your friends. Why would I do such a thing?”
Valeran shook his head and began to raise his hand as he turned to walk away. “I’d start running now if I were you, Stavix. I don’t much like liars, but at least I can put an end to one of you.”
Count Stavix could almost imagine the guns from the Skywitch beginning to twitch. Instead of turning to run he raised his hand. “Wait, what if I promised the safety of your friends in addition to guaranteeing we won’t join the Mourning Lords in their fight against you.”
Duke Valeran stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. “I thought it was one of the rules that every other seeker had to die. What makes you think you can just throw away thousands of years of tradition or whatever it is you call it?”
“Come now, Your Grace, I’m sure by now you realize I am not overly weighed down by tradition. There are many ways to make it appear as if someone died if that’s even needed,” Count Stavix said as he let a slow smile crawl across his thin lips. “Most people won’t care if Ashrak and his party simply disappear. I can assure you I will make sure no one is overly interested in trying to find out the truth. They can return with you to Terek, and live long happy lives away from Brun.”
“An interesting proposition,” Valeran said thoughtfully. “But you haven’t yet told me what you wish for me or why we’re even meeting.”
“I’m asking for your support and assistance with breaking the siege of the city, and perhaps a ride in your skimmer to the Citadel when the time comes. General Rhendu has been busy these past few weeks and has gotten more than a few Lords to support him along with the army. Right now they outnumber us more than three to one and are in a superior position. However, with the support of your Navy, I may be able to secure the ducal throne much easier.”
“You seem to be forgetting something, Stavix,” Valeran responded. “My Navy is currently the only thing keeping the Chreen troops off of your northern coast. If I pull them out to help with your petty squabbles, you’ll lose half of your Duchy within a few weeks.”
Stavix paused and narrowed his eyes. He had forgotten about that and he should have remembered. The Barons along the north coast were certainly screaming enough about the threat. “Still, even if a few token ships are present along with your skimmer, it will give pause to more than a few of the rebels. It may even convince some to switch sides once I show everyone I have the Bands.”
“So, you do have the Bands, then? I don’t suppose I could convince you to show them to me?”
“Not here,” Count Stavix said as he looked toward the large skimmer hovering menacingly in the background. “I would deserve you taking the Bands away from me and leaving my body to rot in the desert. It’s too tempting even for someone with a glowing reputation such as yours, Your Grace. That being said, I can arrange to show them to you in a place that’s less tempting for you to kill me, if you wish.”
“That place may be difficult to find,” Valeran said with a feral grin. “However, I would like to see them and make sure they are real. If that bears out to be true, I may consider what you have to offer.”
The Duke was interrupted by a light flashing at them from his skimmer. The big man paused for a few moments before turning back to Count Stavix. “We are out of time. It looks like a large column of soldiers is headed this way from our dear friend, General Rhendu. It seems he wants to be included in this conversation, though I suspect his contribution would be swords and arrows instead of words.” Duke Valeran began walking back to the Skywitch. “If you ride quickly, you might be able to escape.”
Count Stavix cursed and decided that in this case, running was not uncalled for as he and his men dashed to their mounts. He did not get a definitive answer from the Duke, but at least he listened and was considering what the Count had offered. In addition to that, he might even be willing to meet again which provided Count Stavix with several other opportunities. If Valeran did not agree to ally, there might be other opportunities to kill him and get him out of the way which would please Stavix almost as much.
First, he had to escape General Rhendu’s men. His dancer kicked up a small dust cloud as he raced across the sand and passed underneath the massive skimmer that was already lifting into the sky. It was a beautiful, graceful flying machine and Count Stavix couldn’t help but think it would be a fitting prize for his reign.
Chapter 20
For a moment Ashrak felt like he was drowning. The air was heavy and felt strange as he tried to breathe. After a few moments of the odd feeling, however, his body began to adapt to the strange sensation. It was clear he was getting enough oxygen so after a few moments he stopped panicking and took account of where he was.
They were most definitely not in the cave they had just left. The air was thick and had a strange blue haze that made it difficult to see past twenty or so meters. The walls and columns around them were smooth and had an organic feel to them, arching upwards into branches that flowed into the ceiling. While uniform in placement, each column was original in its design. There were also strange carvings on the walls that depicted some language Ashrak had not seen before. Interspaced between those was the occasional figure that resembled the ones that were on the arch of the gate they had just entered. From what he could tell, they were in a spacious round room with a wide hall stretching off into the distance.
The light sources were equally alien, resembling glowing speckling on the upper parts of the columns. Individually, they were not bright, but there were hundreds of them which dispersed their pale blue light into the haze and giving the whole place a pleasant if alien glow. Ellian and Fallon had come through first
and were standing back to back with each other with their weapons drawn and their wide eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger. A moment later Daka came in behind Ashrak and slammed into him. Fortunately, it was hard enough that it triggered Ashrak’s armor, so he wasn’t knocked to the floor.
“What is this place?” Ellian asked with a hiss. “I could’ve sworn someone grabbed my leg and pulled me in, but I don’t see anyone here wherever this is. Gods, what is that smell.”
Ashrak paused, confused by what Ellian had said as he disentangled himself from Daka. However, once he concentrated he smelled something that reminded him of burnt leaves and ash though there was clearly nothing on fire in their immediate vicinity. Maybe it was something more distant that was causing this bluish haze. “It smells like something burning, but I don’t see anything on fire.”
“Burning?” Daka said. “I smell something, but it doesn’t smell like anything that’s burning. It smells more like wet dung to me. Wait, now it’s changing to mint?”
The Glimmer Steel Saga, Boxed Set, Books 1 - 4 Page 102
