The Hammer's Fall

by Summers, Derick

  “Sounds like a plan,” he said. “So, now, all I have to do is get myself arrested and thrown into the mine,” he grinned at the others. “Shouldn’t be too hard.”

  As the rest of the group continued going over the details of their entry into Tael, and Logan’s options on how to get arrested, El quietly moved away from the camp and out into the darkness of the plains. Logan watched her go. He was concerned about her, but realized that he needed to give her space and allow her time to calm down. Of course that didn’t stop him from tracking the elfin maid with his sensitive ears.

  She didn’t go far and Logan eventually heard the soft sound of her rhythmic chanting. His attention focused back to the conversation at hand.

  A short time later, El returned to the fire. Logan heard her approach, his acute night vision catching her form as she neared the camp.

  “Logan,” she called, her voice soft in the night.

  Logan doubted that any of the others around the fire had even heard it. He rose to his feet, excused himself and moved away from the fire. As he approached El in the darkness, the flickering of the campfire cast strange shadows across the elfin girls face.

  “El?” he questioned quietly.

  Silently, she took his hand in her own and led him away from the camp. As they walked Logan felt the curiosity mounting inside him, though it felt somehow wrong to break the silence between them.

  Logan estimated that they had walked to the place he had heard El stop at before, when she finally turned back to him. Without a sound, she took his other hand and gently pulled him down to the ground as she knelt before him. Cautiously, Logan followed her lead and knelt on the ground facing her.

  “El?” he began.

  She placed a finger against his lips and slowly shook her head. A serene smile crossed her lips.

  “Trust in me,” she whispered.

  Logan fell silent and watched the maiden before him. He felt her hands slip down to his chest and slowly push aside the tunic he wore. She dipped her fingers into a small pouch on the ground before her and slowly began tracing lines and shapes across his chest. Her touch was soft and warm on his bare flesh. And somehow, as she touched him, the noise from the camp seemed to fade away into the distance.

  Her strange writing continued for several minutes and she re-dipped her fingers several times. In the end, Logan’s entire chest, shoulders and face were covered in the strange symbols. Finally, El stopped. Logan opened his mouth to speak, but again she held a finger to his lips and shook her head slightly. He sighed softly, she had said to trust in her and he was going to do just that.

  Even so, Logan watched with some apprehension as she drew the dagger he had given her. She saw his concern and flashed him a reassuring smile, even as she drew the knife across the palm of her hand. Logan sat in stunned silence as he watched. Slowly, El reached out for him.

  She sat, hand extended waiting for something, waiting for him. Hesitantly, Logan reached for her hand. Again she smiled her reassurance before gently taking hold of his wrist. She laid the blade of the knife across his palm and looked deeply into his eyes. As the knife cut deep into his hand, Logan found himself lost in the eyes of the woman across from him.

  El took his bleeding hand in her own, their fingers entwined as their blood flowed and mingled. She pulled him towards her.

  “I love you,” she murmured as she kissed his lips.

  He felt himself pulled out of himself and into her. The world around him lost substance and form as he felt himself filled with the essence that was El. Electricity seemed to flow through him where he touched her, his lips, his bleeding palm. And, as her essence flowed into him, his flowed into her, the bond strengthened as the blood mixed and at that moment he knew that she truly loved him. As his heart filled with joy from that knowledge, he finally released the feelings that he himself had been constraining within himself.

  El felt the power flowing between them. She knew from her studies that the binding of two people was an intense and powerful experience, but as it took place she realized that she hadn’t been prepared for the actuality of the event. She had taken a major risk in performing this ceremony without knowing for certain if her love for Logan would be returned and as she felt the bond strengthen and felt him finally release his own emotions, she knew that she had been correct. He loved her. And as his essence flowed inside her she knew that she would never regret her actions this night.

  In the moments of complete oneness that followed, El learned more about the man she loved than she ever could have in ten lifetimes. She saw his soul, felt the magic that went into his creation. She knew at that moment that he wasn’t human or elfin or dwarven, or any of the other races. Yet, at the same time, he was all of them. She saw the pain and the joy that was his past, and the uncertainty that was his future. She felt the fear and insecurity that rose up inside him and she told him that whatever the future might bring he would never be alone again.

  As the fire of his forge flared, Hephaestus knew that something unexpected had taken place. He stopped what he was working on and studied the flames before him. He felt surprise. Then, annoyance as the image of his tool was blurred from him. He focused his own considerable power on the flames and the image slowly cleared. He studied the two figures before him.

  “Interesting,” he said to himself.

  As he watched his tool in the flames of the forge, he realized that he could no longer tell where Logan began and the elfin maid ended.

  “Very, interesting indeed,” he repeated.

  Chapter Forty-Five: The Emissaries Arrival

  Magnus had sent a runner ahead of the caravan to let the palace know about the elfin emissary’s imminent arrival. When the great walls of Tael slowly pulled into view, the city guard was on watch for them. Even from their distance away, the friends heard the call go up. Lan and El looked to each other a shared reassuring smiles before pulling the curtains on the carriage. There was no going back now.

  A flurry of activity followed as the guards hurriedly went about the business of clearing the gate for the emissaries’ arrival. Clearing the gate, apparently involved armed guards forcing peasants from the road leading to Tael and forcing them into the ditch. The gates themselves were opened and the first of the mounted soldiers rode through to meet them.

  In all, six horsemen thundered through the large southern gate and down the dirt road. As they neared, Magnus and Raeth watched them closely while Lan and El prepared for the role of dignitary in a strange land. Raeth, as the only surviving servant, clung to the back of the carriage, occupying the position of footman. Magnus occupied the seat next to the driver towards the front of the carriage, while the rest of the merchant train spread out ahead and behind them.

  As the riders reigned in, Raeth noticed that not all six men were soldiers. Five of them were dressed in gleaming armour with weapons hanging casually at their sides and definitely looked the part, but the sixth man was unarmoured and unarmed. The soldiers slowed to a stop a short distance from the merchant train. They spread out from each other forming a loose semi-circle around the train that allowed them to cover the entire caravan. Their postures made it clear that they were alert for any signs of trouble. Not wary exactly, thought Raeth, just alert.

  The riders were close enough that Raeth was able to tell that even amongst the armed men there were differences. The two soldiers to the right and to the left wore simple, polished steel breastplates, while the figure in the centre next to the civilian, as Raeth had started thinking of him, wore polished steel accented with gold trim. It was this man who came forward at a walk and neared the caravan, watching the dwarves in the train warily. Slightly back and to the left, the civilian followed suit.

  The leader of the soldiers studied the caravan carefully, his blue eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts, while the wind whipped his blonde hair around his face. Magnus returned the man’s steady gaze with his own.

  “On behalf of his royal highness,” proclaimed the civilian. �
�I would like to welcome the Emissaries from the Elfin Kingdoms to Tael.”

  Magnus’ gaze shifted from the soldier to the civilian, a slight smile spread across his lips.

  “Gods! Samuel, they got you playing tour guide now?”

  The civilian raised a hand to block the sun from his eyes as he looked up at the seated dwarf.

  “Magnus,” the main replied. “I’m not used to having to look up to you.”

  The dwarf’s laugh was deep and sincere as it rumbled from his chest.

  “Who’re your friends?” Magnus inquired, nodding toward the mounted soldiers.

  “I’m sorry, Magnus. I would have thought you’d met. Please, allow me to make amends, Magnus Shalebreaker may I present the Captain of the Royal Guard, Laird Sonin.”

  The captain returned Magnus’ nod.

  “Master Shalebreaker, your reputation precedes you,” said the captain, his voice low and deep, a voice accustomed to giving orders.

  “As does yours, Captain,” Magnus replied. “As does yours.”

  “We are here to escort the emissaries’ party to the palace,” continued the captain, turning his horse back in the direction of the city. “Shall we?”

  Magnus nodded and gave the command to his drivers to proceed. The soldiers took up positions around the caravan, with Captain Sonin in the lead. Samuel slowed his own horse to keep pace with Magnus and the emissaries’ carriage. Raeth knew the two spoke, but was unable to here anything specific. She contented herself with watching her surroundings. She had always been taught that there was no such thing as too much information.

  The caravan approached the southern gate of Tael and as they got nearer, the gate seemed to become more and more massive. She guessed that the stone walls of Tael rose at least one hundred feet into the air. She saw movement on the walls and knew that besides its height, it was also patrolled. The gate itself consisted of two enormous metal doors that opened outward to the south. Both of these doors were now open to allow the caravan and its entourage to pass easily. As they did, Raeth noticed a smaller human size door built into one of the metal doors. She imagined that this was how regular foot traffic gained access to the city. It would be much easier to control and guard.

  The wagons in the merchant train veered off to the left after passing through the main gate. She remembered Magnus telling them that the dwarven warehouses were located to the west in Tael, near the ports. She guessed that the merchant train would proceed there while the carriage would continue on to the palace. Raeth continued to study her surroundings.

  Tael was an impressive city. In the distance, she could make out the spires of the main palace and though that was fascinating to behold, it was the main streets and market area that drew her attention. To the assassin’s well-trained eyes, she saw what many would not. Alleys and small streets that provided discreet access to the city proper, pick pockets plying their trade as pedestrians scrambled to get out of the way of the horses and carriage, and discrete symbols etched in the stonework of several buildings.

  The symbols spoke volumes, if you knew how to read them and Raeth did. She passed a couple of safe houses as well as a building that appeared to belong to the assassin’s guild and one that apparently belonged to the thieves guild. She made a mental note to check out these buildings when she had a free moment.

  Chapter Forty-Six: Hello? Could Someone Arrest Me Please

  Later that afternoon, a single peasant approached the gate. He was wrapped in an old cloak and smelled of manure. He quietly stood in line with the rest of the peasants begging entrance to the city. When his turn finally came, the guards weren’t particularly interested in interrogating the odiferous peasant and with a disgusted look they motioned him through the gate. The peasant ducked his head and nodded pleasantly to the guards and shuffled on through the gate.

  Once inside the city, the peasant wandered the streets aimlessly. He attempted to enter a tavern he came across in his travels, but the large bouncer at the door made it clear that his presence was not welcome. This was to be the case at all the establishments he came across.

  Eventually, he stumbled into the market square and the slave pens that bordered its western side. The peasant stared with interest at the various creatures gathered in the iron cages. Almost every race in Tir’an seemed to be represented here. He saw elves, humans, gnomes and a few dwarves. One pen even held a couple of very irate goblins. As much as he hated the creatures on general principle, he still didn’t like seeing them penned. Somehow it just seemed cruel, even to so nasty a creature.

  Slowly, he shifted his attention from the creatures locked in the pens to the humans gathered around the square. He realized that he was one of many studying the poor unfortunates. Apparently slaves were of great amusement to the city in general. He sighed in resignation and after a time, he shuffled off, making his way past a variety of stalls in the square. He stole a loaf of bread from one merchant and found a quiet corner in which to eat it.

  As dusk fell, the market began to empty and the various merchants began closing up shop. The peasant kept to the shadows as he watched them go about their business. After about an hour, the majority of the merchants were gone. He slowly wandered over to the large stone fountain in the centre of the square. With the wealthy long gone and the stalls now closed, the city guard had also left the area.

  The peasant stripped off his dirty robe and washed himself in the fountain. He took great comfort in letting the water clean the worst of the manure from him. As he bathed, some of the few remaining citizens gave him a dirty look. He paid them no mind as he used his battered robe to dry himself.

  Clean and feeling more like himself, Logan looked around the square. It was finally empty and he was alone. Slowly, he made his way back to the slave pens trying his best to stick to the shadows as Raeth had shown him. Earlier in the afternoon he had selected the pen he was going to open. He would have been happier if it had been filled with people from his village, but that was too much to hope for. After so long buyers would have been found for them or they had been sent to the mine. What he’d found was a pen comprised of females, four elves, two gnomes and a pair of humans.

  Logan had been surprised at first by the lack of dwarves in the pens and the complete absence of dwarven women in them. Then he remembered that dwarven women rarely left their underground cities and besides the dwarves were too great a trading partner to risk offending them, at least openly anyway.

  Although he moved as quietly as he could to the side of the pen, one of the elfin girls heard him coming. She watched him warily as he moved toward the lock on the pen door. Silently, he thanked El and Lan for teaching him the elfin tongue.

  “When I open this all Hades will break loose,” he whispered.

  The elfin girl rose to her feet and moved towards Logan, the other elf girls slowly followed suit. The others in the pen watched closely.

  “I want you to disappear into the shadows,” he stated with a broad smile. “If you think you can still do that.”

  Warily, the elf closest nodded.

  “We can,” she replied cautiously.

  “Good,” Logan continued. “And, I want you to take the others with you.”

  His gesture included the other women in the pen. The elf nodded again and helped the other girls to their feet. Logan heard the guard returning. Quickly, he gave the women the instructions he had been given as to where the dwarves would find the girls and get them out of the city.

  “You there,” interrupted the bellow from the guard. “Get away from that cage!”

  Logan ignored the guard as he finished speaking with the elfin girl. He heard the guard’s steps grow closer. Winking at the elf girl, Logan slowly reached into his tunic. The guard’s hand came down heavily on his shoulder.

  Almost before it touched him, Logan was in motion. Spinning towards the guard he brought the heavy iron bar he’d hidden in his tunic down on the man’s shoulder. The pop as the guard’s sword arm left its socket was audible
, followed immediately by a bellow of pain. Logan pushed the man away and turned back to the cage. The women stared open mouthed.

  Logan placed the iron bar in the lock and pulled down with all his strength. The lock snapped and fell to the ground. A piercing siren began wailing.

  El was right, he thought. The cage is magically alarmed.

  Logan opened the cage door, but the women hesitated.

  “GO!” bellowed Logan over the din of the siren.

  The captives got the idea and bolted from the cage like freshly freed rabbits. Logan watched their fleeing backs and prepared himself for the next stage of his plan. As the last of the captives disappeared into the maze of city streets, Logan heard the shouts of the guards and the fall of many boots. He smiled grimly to himself.

  Here we go, he thought.

  Chapter Forty-Seven: Settling In For The Night

  El flopped down on the massive bed, sinking deeply into the feather mattress. She was exhausted and worried.

  Worried over Logan, their bonding from the other night had left them closer than before and she could still feel his presence. She knew that he had made it into the city and that at least for the time being he was all right. Unfortunately, that did little to ease her mind. He hadn’t told her what he had planned, but as she lay in the large feather bed, she felt his heart rate increase as adrenaline began coursing through his body. She knew with absolute certainty that Logan was preparing to do something incredibly stupid, undoubtedly something she would never have approved of if she were there to stop him.

  The worry only added to the exhaustion that came from playing the role of ‘emissary’. She had been more arrogant and condescending in the last few hours than she had been in her entire life. Their arrival at the palace had been an occasion, and apparently every noble in Tael was anxious to get a glimpse of the mythical elves. Lan seemed to handle it all in stride and quickly became the man she knew before Logan had come into their lives. Thankfully, she knew it was an act and not the real person.