Gray stone became marbled with thick black and silvery veins. Increasingly large chunks of metal ore surfaced in the smooth spiral design. When they reached the base of the stairwell, it opened into a second cavern covered in that same veiny pattern. The ruins of a massive building lay at the center of the cave. Its thick walls were little more than rubble, though a small building stood at the center of it like an indomitable fortress made of the purest gold. Unlike the broken stone around it, the structure was intact save for a single gouge in its large door where the humans had attempted to open it.
Is that the vault? Silver Fish asked.
Obviously, Serrendil replied. If my eyes don’t deceive me, they gave up on the vault and dug tunnels through the thin planar membranes beneath the palace. She pointed a claw to bestial demons and transports that moved in and out of these makeshift portals. That’s how they were able to continue excavating dragon metals.
This wasn’t the way your ancestors did it? Silver Fish asked.
Obviously not, Serrendil said. Why would we dig holes in planar walls when we had a special doorway for it? It was ten times as big and required no energy. It led to all the right places. These humans are fumbling around blind, trying to make the best of what we abandoned.
There are more than bestial demons here, Silver Fish said, his bottled anger bubbling up. They have collared initiates too. They worked alongside the Xia clansmen, though with lethargic movements and hopeless eyes. The sight of them was heartbreaking.
You have a job to do, Silver Fish reminded himself, suppressing his feelings. He turned his attention to the human personnel and their buildings in the cave and their positions relative to the vault. Everything here was largely unguarded, he noticed. He tracked their movements like he would the origin of waves, eventually locating the source of their orders. An old acquaintance.
It seems Killjoy is running the show, Silver Fish said.
The Xia Clan girl? Serrendil asked.
There, with that man from the Cao Clan, Silver Fish said.
Is this going to be a problem? Serrendil asked.
Maybe, Silver Fish said. Can you get me beside that building? I want to hear what’s going on.
I don’t see why not, Dashing Moon replied. He and his clansmen created an opening in the wall. They disappeared inside, covering the wall with false stone to cover their trail, just as they’d wiped away blood and stored corpses in their rings. Still, they hurried, because it was only a matter of time until someone discovered the guards were missing.
They tunneled quickly, with Dashing Moon leading the way and Serrendil assisting. They stopped when only a few thin inches of stone separated them from the command building.
Silver Fish didn’t pierce through the wall. Instead, he summoned inky-black water to fill their immediate area. Everyone could breathe, of course, but the water helped transmit sound almost as well as the thin stone wall did.
“…and reorganizing their terrible command structure was easy,” Killjoy said.
“I understand that the Li Clan knew nothing of discipline,” said a man’s voice. “We of the Cao Clan have a firm respect for good organization and management. Still, we never dared think so much was possible. I congratulate you on your success.”
“Keeping these people in line is nothing compared to managing thousands of transport drivers,” Killjoy said. “We both stand to profit a great deal.”
“Yes, indeed,” the man said. “I noticed something, by the way. I heard you’ve been less hard on the slaves and beasts. That seems counterproductive. Could you perhaps increase our efficiency further by being more forceful?”
“Maybe,” Killjoy said. “But there are limits to everything. I’m sorry to say this, but I’m not enthusiastic about working with slave labor. There are laws against this, you know. Why not hire workers? If you want better efficiency, that’s where you’ll get it.”
“But the cost—”
“Immaterial compared to the sale prices of dragon metals,” Killjoy said. “Plus, I’ll get to sleep at night. Win, win, win.”
“The demons are instrumental to the process,” the man said.
“Then we’ll hire demons,” Killjoy said. “Morality aside, do you really want to keep a huge legal liability around? I don’t know about you, but I’m here to make money. I don’t need to keep a bunch of demons in slave collars around to feel important like the Li Clan did.”
“We prefer enrichment, of course,” the man said stiffly. “Getting into the vault would be best.”
“I’ll have more time to work on that assuming the Cao Clan is amenable to my recommendations,” Killjoy said.
“I’ll consider it when I deliver my report,” the man said.
“Excellent,” Killjoy said. “Now get out of my office.”
The man’s footsteps faded as he left the building. Then a sword plunged into the wall just to the left of Silver Fish’s ear.
“Why don’t you come out and talk, Silver Fish? We’re old friends, aren’t we?”
Dashing Moon frowned and moved to break the wall down, but Silver Fish shook his head. He urged the power of the plane to change the stone to ink, and it did so, enabling him to walk through the wall like it was mud.
“Neat trick,” Killjoy said. She took a sip from a piping-hot cup of coffee. “Is that how you got all the way down here?”
“How did you know I was here?” Silver Fish asked.
“Please,” Killjoy said. “Don’t forget I was once your captain. It’s not my fault you never turned your pin in.” Then her eyes flickered to the wall. “You’re not alone, are you? Who is it? The monkey? No, she wouldn’t be here. Must be the dragon. The one you escaped with and who’s currently heading east, according to the Cao Clan’s reports.”
“I see you haven’t sounded an alarm,” Silver Fish said. “Not a fan of your new employer?”
“We’re business partners,” Killjoy said. “I don’t owe them any loyalty. But you’re right, I’m not a fan of the Cao Clan’s methods, and I very much hate my family for forcing me into this mess.”
Silver Fish thought for a moment. He could use this, couldn’t he? Killjoy was unhappy, and they were going to have a hard time since this place was literally crawling with potential casualties. “I want to break into the vault,” he finally said.
“Really now?” Killjoy said. “That is very interesting. And unfortunate. You should know that my family paid a hefty sum to buy this place. We get a significant share of what’s in that tiny golden building once we manage to get into it.”
“The Li Clan tried for a century,” Silver Fish said.
“The Li Clan was full of idiots,” Killjoy countered. “We’ll get in there. Eventually.”
“It doesn’t bother you that what’s in there isn’t yours?” Silver Fish asked.
“Oh, please,” Killjoy said. “Ownership is a fluid concept. We possess the vault now on paper, and we paid for it. Naturally, I’d like to see that we get something out of that transaction.” She tapped her fingers on her lips and smiled. “Then again, you do have the new matriarch of the Clockwork Clan with you.” Silver Fish didn’t react. “What? No hint? No tell? You’re really no better than a rock sometimes.”
“I was never the best at expressing my emotions,” Silver Fish said.
“Either way, I’m ninety percent sure she’s here,” Killjoy said. “That’s a good thing. Assuming she’s here, I’d like to propose a trade. With her help, I’d wager you could get into the vault very easily. How about this? I help you get to the vault, avoiding all these workers and slaves and guards, and you break in. You take half of what’s in the vault, your demon word on it, and then you escape, leaving the door open, obviously. That’ll leave half for our efforts, and we won’t have to mess around with a door for a decade.”
Absolutely not, Serrendil said from behind the rock wall.
“Assuming this was possible, we’d want more than half,” Silver Fish said. “And first pick.”
&n
bsp; “First pick is fine,” Killjoy said. “You’d have to get in first. But more than half? Come on. You probably can’t even carry away half.”
“In that case, you’re risking nothing,” Silver Fish said. “Two-thirds, to a maximum of what we can carry.”
Killjoy pondered for a moment. “Clear Sky’s not here, is he? I heard he was in Shimmerwing.”
“He isn’t,” Silver Fish confirmed.
“Well, that’s reassuring,” Killjoy said. “He has a hell of a storage treasure. If he’s not here, I’m less worried. Fine, then. Sixty percent, the maximum being what you can carry. We’ll go based on market valuation.”
“How do you know we won’t take more?” Silver Fish asked.
“Oh, please,” Killjoy said. “Even if you decide to go against your demon word and suffer the penalties, you don’t have a dishonest bone in your body. Oh, and one more thing: I’ll need you to swear not to kill any more of my men, and I sincerely hope you haven’t killed any on your way down here.”
“Unavoidable,” Silver Fish said. “What about those guards from the Cao Clan? The ones waiting to spring their trap?”
“It does seem like a trap, doesn’t it?” Killjoy said. “Well, I don’t care about them one bit. Kill away. Do we have a deal, Silver Fish?”
Silver Fish exchanged a few messages with Serrendil before nodding. “Fine. My demon oath on it.” Then he summoned his old bronze pin and crushed it. “Thanks for telling me about this. I wonder who else has been tracking me this way.”
“Since you can walk through stones, meet me fifty meters north of here near the maintenance shed in two minutes,” Killjoy said. “I’ll get you to the door so you can work your magic. No promises on how much time you’ll have when you get there.”
“Two minutes,” Silver Fish said, then turned around and walked back through the stone wall. They were making progress, but he could feel the net tightening.
Serrendil listened for any tells or deceptions as their transport moved along at Killjoy’s order. She didn’t trust the woman one bit. It wasn’t anything personal—no, wait, it was. She just couldn’t bring herself to work amiably with anyone who used her kin as chattel, no matter how reluctantly. She could sense them—the children of the Clockwork Clan. They walked listlessly through the ranks as they mined for their owners. Most were young. Too young to even remember what it was like before their enslavement.
Sense anything off? Serrendil asked Silver Fish and Dashing Moon.
The whole mission, obviously, Dashing Moon said.
I don’t sense anything off about this part in particular, Silver Fish said. I trust Killjoy. She’ll fulfill her end of the bargain.
If you say so, Serrendil said uncertainly. If this turns south, I’m out. Remember that. I can’t be caught.
Their wagon climbed up a ramp, a makeshift dirt road that had been layered onto the vault’s metal steps. Stairs were good for people and demons, but they were terrible for the various siege engines they’d tried to use on the vault door.
She suspected that the only reason those doors still stood was because they’d been frightened to use too much force and destroy the contents. Which was mighty smart of them—the Clockwork Ancestor insisted they probably had such fail-safes.
They damaged the mechanism in the gate when they tried to break in, the Clockwork Ancestor said. Why do these brutes never realize force isn’t the answer?
They probably weren’t very good at artifice, Serrendil answered. That, and it was probably some military commander who got first crack at it.
“Start setting up the equipment here,” Killjoy said from outside the wagon. “But don’t try breaking in just yet. I’ll go get the others. I want to try this before the day is over.”
“Yes, Miss Xia,” said another woman. The wagon backed up a little more before stopping. When it did, two people stepped over to the back tarp. Silver Fish immediately grabbed them, pulled them through, and put them in a chokehold. He settled their unconscious bodies onto a couple of crates. Serrendil imagined the ensuing headache wouldn’t be pleasant.
“The others are at the front, and we’re right next to the door,” Silver Fish said. “I’ll provide us cover while you break us through. How long do you need?”
“One minute,” Serrendil said.
Their group ran out under cover of dark waters and huddled near the center of the large golden doorway. Serrendil laid her hands on the locking mechanism and felt out at the various tumblers and springs. They rearranged under her efforts, and any broken pieces were either destroyed or reassimilated as needed. It wasn’t long before she had everything in place.
Your turn, Serrendil said to the Clockwork Ancestor.
Finally, the Clockwork Ancestor replied. She hemmed and hawed for a moment before sending a jolt of powerful gold-aligned energy through Serrendil’s body, activating the mechanism. The lock broke apart as the door opened, and the fail-safes remained inert. The vault wasn’t self-destructing anytime soon. Hurry, her ancestor said.
Serrendil didn’t have to be told twice. They slipped through the now-open doorway, leaving the humans none the wiser, closing it behind them as they entered the treasury. There, they saw treasures fit for a full-grown dragon. Piles upon piles of precious metals and stones, along with other well-crafted treasures.
There were artifices, blades, and armor. There were even things like talismans and paintings. Due to the various preservation runes in the room, everything was untouched by time and unblemished. They gaped for a few seconds, completely forgetting their mission.
Silver Fish snapped out of his daze first. “Dashing Moon, split up your men and look for anything,” Silver Fish said. “Serrendil, you—”
“I’ll get the item,” Serrendil said. Then she would get the dragon metals in the vault—those were the entire reason she’d agreed to this mission.
“Fine,” Silver Fish said. “I got a quest—I need to deny something from the enemy.”
They split up, ignoring most of the piles to facilitate their search. Serrendil’s heart ached at the thought of leaving any of these treasures behind. Unfortunately, they were baubles compared to the true treasure that lay in a much smaller pile than the rest. It wouldn’t look like much to most, but she could feel the power oozing from it.
It lay there, stacked and sparkling. A small pyramid of glittering silver and gold. Some bricks were colored, and others covered in a rainbow pattern. Atop them sat a small item, the thing that Clever Dusk had sent her here to obtain—a golden pear, bursting with power. How convenient it was that both the things she sought were in the same place.
Serrendil stowed the pair before turning her attention to the rest of the pile. Place your hand on one of the bars and begin absorbing, the Clockwork Ancestor instructed. Serrendil did so, and the spirit began to funnel the dragon metals into the music box where she stored all her power.
She looked around as her ancestor worked. The badgers weren’t messing around. They combed through everything for whatever would be more useful in a pinch, though they did stop to grab the most expensive things they could find.
As for Silver Fish, he stood near a silver fountain that gushed black liquid. He absorbed it through his anchor. He was building… armor? Yes, it was armor. Ancestor, how can a human-demon hybrid condense his own investiture armor? How is that even fair?
You call that armor? the Clockwork Ancestor scoffed. What a crude approximation.
Looks real enough to me, Serrendil said.
The Clockwork Ancestor coughed. Well, it is technically demon armor. I was just referring to the craftsmanship. Such shoddy work. But I suppose she was always that way, my sister. She was a writer, you know. She’d make a few imperfect drafts and then abandon her work for something else. She never bothered with perfection. I, on the other hand, made true works of art. Any suit of armor I made would be the epitome of craftsmanship. Both useful and beautiful, a seamless treasure.
Just keep absorbing, Serrendil said. He
r ancestor did so. The pile of dragon metals was disappearing fast.
The badgers had been busy. They’d donned greaves and gauntlets, and even full suits of armor that melded with their fur. A royal guard wouldn’t be so well equipped. They’d pillaged talismans and artifices that would explode on contact, among other items.
They were so busy with their gathering that they barely noticed when the door creaked open.
Seven hells, Serrendil thought. Armed men and women began to file in. Soldiers from the Cao Clan. Killjoy was there at their back with a few of her men, though she was strangely deferent and evasive. A familiar, impressive-looking man stood at their front.
I didn’t say anything, Killjoy said. Apparently, they knew you were here the moment you set foot inside the mountain.
Then why… Serrendil started. Then it clicked. They’d also wanted to get into the vault. Cao Wenluan had lured them here unlock it. Now that the vault was open, they were no longer required. He could dispose of them at his leisure.
Silver Fish, Serrendil sent, snap out of it. It’s fighting time. She pulled her hand away from the few remaining dragon metal bricks.
Silver Fish, snap out of it! Serrendil’s words ended his trance. This coincided with him drawing the last drop of ink out of the fountain. The item, an ancient gift from the Inkwell Clan to the Clockwork Clan, crumbled into pieces.
“Silver Fish,” Cao Wenluan said, a large grin plastered on his face. “How wonderful to see you again. And you too, Dark Requiem. Well done, both of you. I couldn’t have snuck in any better myself.”
Silver Fish eyed Cao Wenluan and his group. He’d brought along a half dozen rune-gathering elders and nearly a hundred men on top of that. “Cut the crap,” Silver Fish said. “You knew we were coming. You planned all of this.”
“I had hoped you would take the bait,” Cao Wenluan admitted. “But it’s not that easy catching a slippery fish like you.”
Claddings of Light : Book 12 of Painting the Mists Page 40
