Halcyon Rising_Bastion of Hope

by Stone Thomas

  Mamba held the fungi to her ears. “They don’t sound like portals.”

  “They will once you pull the stem from the cap,” Avelle said. “Throw the cap on the ground and it will take you forward a great distance in the direction of your gaze. It should help you get the farmers out of harm’s way and closer to Nola’s temple.”

  The sound of the cretins’ war cry grew louder.

  “Collect the farmers and go,” Avelle said. “Our time together has run out.”

  “The invitation to Halcyon is open, if you ever need it,” I said.

  Avelle nodded, then snapped her fingers. The sides of the pyramid, once shaped like steps that led to this high platform, now flattened out smooth.

  “Down you go,” she said, gesturing toward the twenty-story slope down the temple’s side.

  I laughed, but she wasn’t kidding. We walked to the platform’s edge and prepared to slide down it.

  “And Arden?” Avelle asked. I looked back. “Whatever you did to cross the lawmonger, make it right.”

  +26

  The air beat against our faces as we slid faster and faster down the newly smooth surface of the pyramid. Our bodies held a faint green glimmer from the boon of safe passage Avelle had given us, which was probably the reason our clothing didn’t snag on the stone blocks that formed the temple, and why our feet hit the ground with just enough force to compel us into a short run from the base of the building as we released the inertia we had built up.

  A wave of cretins emerged from the east, and for a moment I readied Razortooth and sort of panicked. We were only three people, caught against the onrush of two dozen creatures conjured by the war god.

  The wave of glistening black bodies charged toward us, then right past us. It was as if they couldn’t see us at all. They funneled into the open door to the temple and vanished inside its depths.

  A few whiffs of a stale, putrid odor hit my nose and made me want to retch. If the cretins smelled that bad from far away, I could only imagine how awful that bog was up close.

  In the fields surrounding the temple, more than two dozen men and women harvested food, pulled weeds, and watered crops. Now that Avelle didn’t count me as a threat, I could see them, glimmering the same way that Cindra, Mamba, and I did.

  “Attention!” I yelled. “Duul’s war with the gods will only get worse. Avelle has asked that you all come to Halcyon, a city with walls and growing defenses. She regrets that she cannot promise your safety if you stay here.”

  The farmers crowded closer and began to chatter among themselves.

  “It’s true,” Avelle shouted from atop her temple. “Safe travels, everyone. You’ll be in good hands in Halcyon.”

  “Mamba,” I said, “would you bring everyone back? I don’t know how far these mushrooms will go, but you can ask Larry to carry everyone after that.”

  “Of course,” she said.

  I put the portal idol in Mamba’s hands. “Make sure the portal mages get to work on this right away.”

  I turned toward the farmers. “No one has to come who doesn’t want to,” I said. “Halcyon is a frontier settlement and life is hard, but improving rapidly. Anyone willing to make the journey will go with Mamba. You can leave Halcyon at any time, but if you believe in the work we’re doing, you’re welcome to stay. It’s as simple as that.”

  Some of the men and women in this group had long, dark hair just like Mamba’s. One woman pointed toward the red-skinned half-elf and whispered behind a cupped hand to another farmer. If any of these people recognized Mamba as Loonlark, I’d have to make sure they didn’t carry that nickname into our home.

  “I don’t know where you hail from,” I said. “Perhaps you’re from the farthest corners of the world, perhaps you used to live among the gypsies nearby. Either way, you may have met Mamba before. Mamba has talents and insights that make her unique and supremely able. I count her among the co-founders of Halcyon, and I expect you to treat her with respect. I expect all residents of Halcyon to treat each other this way.” I scanned the crowd, making momentary eye contact with each farmer in turn. The group nodded in response.

  “Face forward, everyone!” Mamba said, turning north. She pulled the stem from the portalbella mushroom in her hand, then tossed the cap to the ground. A whirling green cloud erupted in midair, sending out a strong gust and a loud whooshing sound. It expanded to encompass the travelers, then shrank down again, leaving no one behind. Every last farmer was willing to move to Halcyon, or at least to give it a shot. I’d have to work hard to make our budding little city a place they’d all choose to stay.

  “Shall we?” Cindra asked.

  I nodded and turned south. I activated one of the mushrooms Avelle gave us, then put the other in my pocket. A whirling cloud of mist enveloped us, completely clouding our vision. When it dissipated, we stood a good walk from the front gates of a massive, sprawling city.

  “That’s really it, then,” I said. “Landondowns. The city Nola grew up in.”

  “A shame we aren’t here to sightsee,” Cindra said.

  “Yeah,” I said.

  We walked in silence for a time before Cindra said, “Something’s bothering you.”

  “I don’t like being away from Nola for this long,” I said.

  “Especially when Brion gets to stay?” she asked.

  “Is it that obvious?” I asked.

  “He shows up out of nowhere and now he’s at Nola’s side,” Cindra said. “I’d be upset too. You have another cock in your henhouse.”

  “That’s not how I would have put it,” I said. “He’s no better than a mental patient, I shouldn’t be worried. With any luck, he’ll realize he’s not welcome there and just leave on his own.”

  We passed a stone arch as we approached the city. A small idol shaped like Avelle sat atop its capstone. Ahead of us, a beige stone wall extended as far as we could see to the left and right, with gigantic blue doors forming an entry gate in front of us. The doors themselves were open, and one was off its hinges.

  “The city is so large it had multiple entry points,” Cindra said, pointing to another set of blue doors further down.

  “That must have made it difficult to defend,” I said. “Walls are designed to keep people out, but entry gates need to let people in. They’re a weak point along the defensive perimeter.”

  “Come,” Cindra said, taking my hand and walking toward the city. “Judge the city’s defensive strength later. We don’t know how long this boon will last us.”

  As we approached the city, the sound of metal against metal got louder. It had been weeks since Duul slayed Sajia, yet the fighting continued. “There are people here strong enough to hold out against Duul’s forces,” I said.

  “Let’s hope it stays that way long enough for us to find Biddy and the bastion stone,” Cindra said.

  It was strange, walking into a warzone. Men with gray-tinged skin and hate in their eyes stalked through the streets, armed. They were certainly cursed. Other men, with natural olive skin and hazel eyes, ran from side alleys for sneak attacks against their former neighbors.

  Entire neighborhoods were dark, their white sandy walls and blue tiled roofs either empty or shielding citizens who cowered inside in fear and silence. They were right to be afraid. If the men still ran cursed through the streets, Duul’s minions were nearby. It was only in their presence that their magic maintained its effect.

  We stood apart from it all, walking the long central road to a towering temple in the heart of Landondowns. We were the only two afforded safe passage through the besieged city.

  Now I saw why Avelle reserved these boons for people whose intentions she understood. Any old thief could abuse her safety to stalk into someone’s home and make off with all of their jewels, or into a bank. Or a weapons shop…

  I looked through the broken glass window of a shop in total disarray. Blades, bows, and other weapons lay in heaps on the floor beneath overturned weapons racks.

  “Cindra,” I
said, “let’s check this out.”

  The front door to the shop was ajar, so I pushed it further open with the bent end of Razortooth. This poor spear had seen better days. We stepped over a bundle of polearms that had spilled by the door. The room was a disaster, with no shopkeeper in sight.

  “This,” Cindra said, “is a very nice bow. At least, I think it is. I’m not quite sure how to evaluate it.”

  “Carzl would know,” I said. The bow was a dark wood with a small blue gem inset in the middle. The bowstring had a golden tint to it.

  “And this quiver!” she said. “It’s a hip quiver on a sexy little belt. I swear, the quiver I’m wearing now must be meant for men with small breasts because it just digs into me in the worst way.”

  “Look at this,” I said, setting a spear upright next to Razortooth. “It’s a few inches longer than mine.”

  “It’s not the size of the pole that matters, honey,” she said. She was right. The spearhead was too simple. It lacked the fine edge mine had on one side, and the serrated teeth on the other.

  “What do you think of these?” Cindra asked, holding a pair of high heels in her hand.

  “They look impractical,” I said.

  “You’re not the one that has to run in them,” she said, “but I wasn’t thinking for me. If Mamba’s going to keep kicking like that, she’s going to need better footwear than those flimsy sandals she wears.”

  “You’re right,” I said, “but we can’t carry around extra supplies right now.”

  The sound of glass crunching drew our attention to the store’s window. Three cretins had climbed in, carrying shiny black swords in their hands. They began rummaging around in the pile of weapons on the floor while Cindra and I stood there, motionless.

  They didn’t see us, but I worried that they might soon. The magic boon that glimmered from our skin was starting to blink out, the light ceasing for a split second before resuming. Those split seconds were getting closer and closer together the longer we stood there, staring.

  These cretins looked larger than the ones we had faced off against in Halcyon. Their bodies and limbs were thicker, the horns that stuck out from their elbows and shoulders were longer and sharper-looking.

  Eventually, the cretins found small blades to add to their arsenal and climbed back through the window, now armed with dual swords to fight with. They were halfway down the block before our boons winked out for good.

  “Gotta be careful now,” I said.

  “Sweetie?” Cindra asked.

  “Yes,” I said, bending down to pick up another spear. This one had a blade that forked at the top, making it look more like a “V” than I thought it should.

  “Maybe we should stop browsing,” she said. I looked up. A man stood behind her with a sword in one hand and a mace in the other. A war hammer swung from his side, and a bow hung from his back.

  “Don’t make me defend my shop,” he said, his voice wavering. “I’ll do it, I’ll kill you both. I even know how to.”

  “Okay,” I said, “hold on. We haven’t stolen anything.”

  “Yet,” he said. He eyed my scofflaw’s curse. I rolled my eyes.

  “We’re already armed,” I said. “Back away from her and let’s talk.”

  “Armed,” the man said, “ha. That flimsy Titan steel spear won’t stand up to my weapons, and you know it. You’re here to take something better, like the Orry Halberd I’ve been saving, but you have to pay for it!”

  “We don’t have any coin,” I said. “We’ll just be going. Although… Can I at least see the halberd?”

  “Arden!” Cindra said.

  “Fine,” I said. “We’ll just go. But we’re in town looking for someone. Her name is Biddy.” The man just stared blankly back at me as I continued. “The old woman that ran the temple?”

  “What do you want with that old Biddy?” he asked.

  “She served Sajia here,” I said. “I serve Sajia’s daughter, Nola. I’m here to rescue her.”

  “Not possible,” he said.

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “Once she got back inside the temple, she’s had the place locked up tight,” he said. “She’s protecting people in there, for now. She’d die before she left that temple behind.”

  “But you’ve stayed here?” I asked. “This place can’t be secure.”

  “This shop is my livelihood,” the man said. “I can’t stop the cretins from looting the place, but I refuse to let able-bodied men and women take what’s not theirs. These weapons are valuable and I want my money for them.”

  Just then, every weapon in the shop rattled as the walls and floor shook. The air cracked open with a sound that boomed throughout the entire city.

  “What the hell was that?” I asked.

  “Explosion,” the man said. “It’s been happening all day near the temple.”

  “That’s bad news,” Cindra said.

  “Have you seen any bunny rabbits?” I asked. “I know how that sounds, just bear with me here.”

  “No…” the man said.

  “What about awkward moments,” I asked. “Have any of those?”

  “Like what?” he asked.

  “Like, someone waves, and you wave back, only to realize they were waving at someone behind you?” I asked.

  “No,” he said.

  “Okay,” I said. “Good. In that case, we’re heading to the temple. You should come. None of this gear is worth your life.”

  “You say that,” he said, then trailed off. Cindra and I headed for the door.

  The second we stepped into the street, another explosion rocked the city. A mob of angry men with ashen faces crowded the temple’s front door in the distance.

  A blast of silver magic snaked through the air and touched one, two, three of the angry men. They vanished entirely.

  Cindra and I stopped in our tracks. Descending on the road between us and the temple was a god with silver skin and silver hair. Two long tendrils extended from each heel like whiskers waving lazily in the air behind him.

  He turned to face us, a devilish grin creeping up his face.

  “Ah,” he said, “we’ve got a live one. Come play with me.”

  +27

  “What did you do to those men?” I asked.

  “Ask them yourselves,” he said, “they’re right behind you.”

  Crashing down the road toward us were the same three men that had been beating at the temple door a half mile ahead of us.

  I stood, bracing myself for battle. “You teleported them?” I asked.

  “No,” the man said, “that’s too fancy for me. I sent them back in time, that’s all. The name’s Akrin. I’m the god of passing time.”

  As the cursed men of Landondowns charged toward me, another volley of silver magic sent them backward again. They reappeared at the far end of the main road that led through this section of the city.

  “It’s not all fun and games to pass the time,” Akrin said, “but I do prefer when it is. What’s your poison? Cards, dice, dominoes? No time for a board game, but word games are a hoot.”

  “There’s no time for games,” I said. “Whose side are you on, the Great Mother’s or Duul’s?”

  “Neither,” he said. “They suck the fun out of everything. So dire all the time. I’m on my own side. Now that this city is all but lost, I offer you a new place to live. Come to Roseknob! Soon we’ll have the largest population in the world, and then we’ll win. Take that, Imperial City!” He sent another spell to force our would-be attackers back in time once more. “In case it isn’t clear, I’m a bit competitive.”

  “If you can travel through time,” I said, “you can stop this war. You could save thousands of lives, including those of the gods that died.”

  “Wrong,” he said. “Lose one point for improper inferences. I don’t send people back through time. I mean, I could I guess, but that sounds exhausting. It’s much simpler to send people back along time. I sent these men back along their own timeline. A
while ago, they were running down this street, so I sent them back to that point and here they are, doing it again.”

  “You have beautiful eyes,” Cindra said to the god. “Like mirrors.”

  “Beautiful?” Akrin said. “I’ll take it.”

  “The most beautiful,” Cindra said.

  “Now we’re talking,” Akrin replied.

  “We need to get into the temple,” I said. “We’re not interested in moving to Roseknob.”

  “Suit yourselves,” he said. “I have more recruiting to do.” With that, he rose through the air again and drifted toward some other part of the city.

  The three men that charged at us came full speed now.

  “These poor souls,” Cindra said. “They don’t even know what they’re doing, do they?”

  “Probably not,” I said. “I’ve never given into the curse fully, but when it did try to steal my mind away it was… awful. It’s not their fault. Let’s get to the temple before we have to face off with them.”

  Cindra and I ran. My boots clacked against the smooth paved roads while Cindra’s ample body swayed with each footfall. She clutched her bow while I held Razortooth in both hands. The temple wasn’t far now, we just had to get there.

  And then fend off the rest of the men who banged angrily on the temple’s front doors.

  We stopped short when that mob caught sight of us and turned away from the temple. We were trapped now, poised between two groups of cursed men that wanted to tear me apart and steal Cindra away.

  “Cindra,” I said, “Heartstringer might buy us some time. Aim for anyplace that’s too armored to hurt but might still bring them to our side.”

  “I’ll try,” she said. She pulled back her bowstring and released an arrow. It sank into a man’s boot. He hopped on one foot for a moment, but wasn’t charmed from Cindra’s ability.

  I thrust Razortooth forward. Its bent tip pushed flat against a man’s chest and forced him backward without doing any damage. This was no way to fight, but the alternative would be hurting, perhaps even killing these men. There had to be another way.