I mean, obviously I’d assumed she was taking Vix to the castle because it looked all creepy and evil. But, it was comforting to have visual verification. We were maybe a couple of minutes away from the castle entrance and the Lich couldn’t have been more than a quarter of the way up. We’d definitely closed the gap between us. Time for a little ninja sprinting as I pushed myself faster and Freddy followed suit. The closer we got to the waterfall the louder the roar. In fact, as we passed under the broken arch towards the entrance to Castle Falls, it was so loud we couldn’t hear our own voices. This was a huge bonus for stealth, as we wouldn’t have to move slow and avoid making noise as we followed the Lich. Or at least I hoped not.
As we got to the entrance and started to squeeze through, I found myself wondering why there weren’t more fortifications down here to protect the castle. Or I guess the remains of more fortifications. But as I stepped inside and looked up at the stairs carved into the side of the cliff, I was pretty sure I had my answer. I couldn’t imagine an army of knights ascending these stairs and then being able to fight at the top. Plus, back when the towers were in fighting shape, I bet they provided the perfect perches to rain down a shower of arrows upon any army dumb enough to charge the gate. I had to give the Lich credit, this was going to be a very interesting place for her to make her last stand. Which returned me to the unhappy thought of how many stairs we were about to climb.
We couldn’t see all the way up the castle from here. There was a stone floor, mostly intact, about five stories above us. I’d guess it aligned with the top of the first tower. I had a feeling we were going to discover a floor at every point there was a tower or spire. While I didn’t like the fact that I wouldn’t be able to see the Lich ahead of us, it also meant she couldn’t see us approaching from the bottom. So, we’d call that a win.
I paused briefly at the base of the stairs so Freddy and I could catch our breath and look things over. While I didn’t expect the Lich to be laying traps behind her as she went, it never hurt to be a bit cautious. The room itself was pretty sparse, nothing more than the stairs and plenty of debris. There were the scatterings of at least two old campsites, burnt logs and small animal bones. Apparently people occasionally used this place as a safe haven during the night. The roar of the waterfall echoed so loudly in here however, you’d never be able to talk or hear anyone approach. Not a great defensible spot.
The stairs were plain and fairly well maintained considering the rest of Castle Falls. They were carved into the solid stone of the cliff face, weaving back and forth on their way up. Since it was too loud to talk, once I was ready I gave Freddy a look and he nodded in response. In the interest of possible traps and the danger of crumbling stairs, we moved as fast as caution allowed.
We made it to the first landing with ease. It was just as I’d suspected. The floor was a place to set up and access the top of the tower. There was more campfire trash up here, but nothing worth slowing down to look at. I was mostly concerned with occupants or guards. Since there weren’t any of those, we continued. Looking up as we climbed, the design followed the same pattern. I could see another floor a few stories up and I assumed it was also positioned at a tower. The steps being carved out of solid stone meant they were in far better shape than the rest of the structure. So far we’d only had to leap over a few that had crumbled away.
As we’d been running up towards Castle Falls, I’d guessed the floor count to be between forty and fifty. In the abstract, that number didn’t seem so bad. But, after pushing through that magical barrier and running a mile or two before climbing, my legs thought it was a fairly high number. It was in that moment, I realized the elevator might be the greatest invention of all humankind. We’d pushed ourselves without a break to about the midway point when I knew we needed to stop. I could see pain on Freddy’s face and if I was being totally honest, I was really hurting. Even with the aid of my rapid healing factor, I was starting to feel spent. Not a good sign.
More times than I can count, I’ve pushed my body past the limits of human endurance. Back at the temple and even with the ninja clan. I’d always performed better than everyone around me. It’s a by-product of my healing factor. My body just recovers very quickly from fatigue. Now however, I was really feeling the burning in my muscles. My body was tightening up. I could see that Freddy was breathing heavy and in a ton of pain, but I didn’t expect myself to be feeling the same. Apparently, Freddy was in far better shape than I expected and I was in far worse. So, we both took a moment to catch our breath and stretch out. While we did, the echoing roar of the waterfall was now dulled down enough so we could speak. There were things I needed to know, and jokes I wanted to make. Sadly, I could only laugh to myself, as I knew Freddy wouldn’t get it yet. He looked up at me with confusion.
“When you come over and watch Ghostbusters, there’s a part of that movie you’re going to appreciate more than you ever wanted to,” I breathed.
“Oh good. I would hate to think our only reason for climbing these stairs was to save Victoria,” he labored.
We both attempted to laugh, which was kind of pathetic given how hard we were trying to catch our breath. While our bodies battled the lactic acid build up, I thought of the other things I’d need to know for this fight. I’d never fought a Lich before, and I couldn’t fail. Luckily for me, my friend Freddy was a walking library. So, it was time for a few questions.
“All I have to do is smash the gem right?”
“To destroy the Lich, that is correct,” he said, “however, if the ritual has started we must be careful not to harm Victoria while stopping it. There will be moments where she could be injured if we act in haste.”
“And you know when those moments are right?”
“I shall do my best to make an educated guess.”
I could see there was actual fear on Freddy’s face. He was worried about being wrong. Heck, I was worried about him being wrong too. But we both knew his best guess was going to be worlds ahead of whatever I could come up with. So, we’d go with it.
“That’s all I can ask pal. You ready to keep moving?”
“Ready,” he said, his face stern and focused.
The next twenty flights or so didn’t go quite as quickly as the previous. Fatigue was definitely hitting us hard. We were now also encountering the occasional large chunk of rubble on the stairs, which we had to navigate around. In a few places, falling rocks had destroyed a handful of stairs leaving gaps that were more difficult than they should be because of our current state. On the plus side, light hadn’t been a problem at all. The consistent damage to the castle walls meant the moonlight was streaming in with ease. Due to our quick departure from the cathedral, we hadn’t been able to grab our supplies. That meant all we had on us were the weapons we carried. No torches or lanterns of any kind. So, I was very thankful for the illumination. I couldn’t imagine trying to make this climb in the dark.
I won’t bore you with the repetition. After what seemed an eternity, we finally found ourselves at the top. Words cannot convey the relief I felt as my foot hit the final step. Freddy was a couple flights behind me, but still moving up. I took a moment to make sure no one was going to attack before he got to the top. The top was a small room, most of the walls intact. Even though it no longer had a roof, it provided enough cover for us to plan our next move. A cursory scan of the area didn’t reveal any obvious threats, so I just held position until Freddy arrived. He stepped up the final step and collapsed onto a pile or rubble against the far wall. We were both breathing too heavy to say anything, but we managed to share a weak smile.
I was still fairly confident the Lich wouldn’t think anyone was in pursuit. Between the Veil barrier and this insane climb, who would be? Freddy and I each stretched, twisted, and did our best to shake our muscles out. My whole body was tight and stiff and burning in pain. I was in slightly better shape than Freddy, so I could only imagine how much he must be hurting. I had an enhanced healing factor and the motivation t
o save the woman I loved on my side. Freddy had neither of those. Frankly, I had no idea how he was still standing or at the moment, sitting. I looked him over carefully and I realized Freddy was the kind of guy who would run himself to death before letting a friend down. He was amazing. I knew he was a far better man than me and I probably didn’t even deserve to call him friend. But, as exhaustion made me sappy, I vowed to myself, right then and there, to always have his back. I’d give him a couple more moments as I more closely examined our surroundings.
The stairs opened out into a large courtyard, open air and well lit under the moonlight. Crumbling walls outlined a space large enough for a pickup soccer game. The floor was mostly cut stone and very unlevel as tuffs of grass grew out of every crack. This place definitely felt deserted.
The main entrance to Castle Falls was to our right. The rotted wooden remains of a drawbridge lay across a small river. A heavily rusted portcullis separated us from the other side, although the holes in the walls next to it were big enough to allow passage through. I could make out an old road in great disrepair leading up to the entrance. Although it didn’t seem to be heavily traveled anymore, I did notice a small makeshift bridge across the river. Someone was still coming and going here. We might have more company than we thought.
The river was a manmade tributary off of the main body of water and it was being used as a makeshift moat. It flowed quick enough to be troublesome for anyone trying to swim across. It was a pretty clever way to create a moat. But we weren’t here to admire the architecture, we were on a rescue mission. I noted the crumbling towers and walls around the entrance, but there wasn’t anything of interest. I didn’t see any occupants or the red glow of our prey. So, I turned my attention to the main structure to my left on the far side of the courtyard. The safe bet said that’s where the Lich took Vix.
The main structure of Castle Falls was insanely impressive. It was built across the mouth of the falls, spanning the entire distance. It was massive and easily twice as big as it looked from the bottom. The castle was built just high enough to allow the raging river to flow underneath and cascade down the cliff face. I couldn’t imagine how such a feat of engineering was accomplished with the Veils primitive technology. But then I remembered what the Veil had no shortage of, magic.
The layout of the castle was fairly straightforward. It was a series of towers and walls, each five stories high. I could only see one entrance and as one might expect, it consisted a thick wooden door and portcullis. The portcullis however wasn’t a problem, as it was lying prone on the ground. The entranceway was easily big enough for a two-lane highway, and the door itself was mostly intact. In fact, it was probably in the best shape of any of the wood we’d encounter up to this point. Maybe being above the falls provided some protection from the elements. But, even it was far from perfect. There was one hole on the bottom right corner, just big enough for a grown man to walk through.
Behind the walls there was a giant keep. We could see the top of it sticking out above the high walls. It seemed likely our Lich headed into there. As it was taller than the surrounding towers, I was just praying we didn’t have to climb any more stairs. The coast looked clear, so I walked over to Freddy and put my arm on his shoulder. My facial expression must have been telling because I didn’t even get to say anything before he replied.
“Nonsense. Of course I am accompanying you,” he insisted.
I knew there was no point in arguing. He was committed. So, I just nodded and smiled while he got to his feet. After scanning the area one more time, I guided us across the yard and up to the gate. As we walked, we could feel the slight rumblings in the stone as the water rushed under our feet. Occasionally we passed holes in the floor revealing the white water below. It was loud here, yet again helping our stealthy approach. Once we reached the gate, we both flattened against the wall and examined the opening. This hole hadn’t been caused by years of rot, but rather carved by someone on purpose. I could make out the marks of an ax blade around the opening. It was definitely starting to feel like the Lich might not be the only one home. As we peered into the opening we learned that feeling was correct, we weren’t the only ones here.
CHAPTER 23
We could see at least four of them from our current position, but I was betting we’d find more. They were goblins…I think. It was actually hard to tell as they were burnt to a crisp. If I didn’t know better I’d guess the Storm Troopers got here before us and were looking for Luke. Sadly for these little green guys, they did not posses the Force.
These goblins were probably the creators of the makeshift bridge at the entrance. I’m sure the Lich was looking to perform her ritual in privacy, and squatters were not welcome. I actually felt bad for the goblins. They probably thought they were so lucky the day they stumbled upon an abandoned castle to call their very own. But, possession being nine tenths of the law didn’t hold true when dealing with a sorcerer. It was difficult to hear over the sound of the falls, but I could just make out noise coming from inside of the tower. Even though none of these goblins were going to be a problem, we still moved stealth-fully through the door, just in case other threats lingered about.
The courtyard beyond the door was very spacious and mostly empty. The keep was a huge, dominating structure, sitting against the left wall. It was an interesting defensive design, using the waterfall as natural protection for its back. I could think of several pros and cons to the choice, but they didn’t matter right now, so we continued to look around. The rest of the space inside the wall was very sparse. The remains of old wooden and thatch buildings lined the walls, and there even appeared to be the framing of an old stable. But besides the giant keep, there wasn’t anything else of note. I found myself wondering how many people lived here back in its heyday. It seemed to be built solely for war with very little room for townsfolk. It occurred to me this castle would be a perfect spot for a Lich to command an army of undead who didn’t need sleeping quarters. With that unhappy thought, I eyed the dead goblins suspiciously.
Earlier Freddy mentioned the Lich would head somewhere familiar, so I had a weird feeling this was in fact her former home. I wondered if she ruled here before or after turning herself into a magical mummy of death. Maybe I’d ask her. One thing was for sure, she’d returned to Castle Falls to conduct her ritual and I was planning to make it a very unhappy homecoming.
The keep itself was slightly taller than the surrounding walls, coming in at around six stories or so. While it was definitely an imposing structure, it was kind of boring. Shaped like a hexagon, each of the six corners morphed into towers towards the top. I guess you can never have too many places to shoot arrows out of. The keep looked completely seamless, almost like it had been carved out of a huge block of stone. The front door was also made from thick, solid stone, although it looked far less imposing as it lay on the ground in front of us. Judging from the dirt and weathering, it had been laying there for quite a long time. I guess our friend the Lich hadn’t needed a key.
Just inside the doorway, we could make out a small antechamber. It was fairly dark and shadowy, with hardly any moonlight sneaking past the threshold. The room looked clear, so we stepped carefully inside and were happy to find the entrance chamber deserted. The sound of the waterfall was surprisingly loud in here as it echoed off the walls and made hearing anything a challenge. Even so, there were definitely cries of agony coming from inside. While I wouldn’t wish pain on any creature, I couldn’t help but feel relief, as the sound was not human. I figured the Lich must have been dealing with more of her unexpected houseguests. Good news for us. As long as she was busy with them, she wasn’t hurting Vix.
The antechamber was big enough to hold a dozen people or so and it led into the larger room via two doorways, one on each side. Both doors were identical, each allowing a bit of light to creep in from the room beyond. As there were no discernable differences, we followed the always-helpful advice of Beyonce, and headed to the left, to the left. Peering a
round the edge, we could see the rest of the keep.
The room was fairly open and simple, lacking furniture or decorations. It was divided into an upper and lower level with the majority of the space taken up by the lower portion we stood upon. The upper level was a semi-circle dais, centered against the far wall, and making up about a quarter of the room. As you might expect, it was also carved from solid stone, twelve large steps running its circumference and leading to the top. Frankly, I thought we’d already met our step quota for the day and the Lich was showing bad form. I’d have to mention it once we talked.
Up upon the dais sat a huge throne carved from white and black swirly marble. The backrest was easily twenty feet high and pitted with holes that I imagined used to contain jewels. There was room for hundreds of them and I bet it was quite the sparkly chair in its day. But, once the castle was deserted, I’m sure an army of thieves descended upon this place and cleaned it out.
With the exception of the missing jewels, the throne itself was in fairly good shape. Such is the lasting power of marble. The wall behind it however, wasn’t quite as fortunate. The majority of the wall was actually missing, leaving a hole big enough to give us an impressive view of the night sky. This also explained why the waterfall sound was so much louder in here. I imagined if we were standing next to the throne, we’d have a breathtaking view of the falls and the valley down below. But the Lich didn’t strike me as someone who would appreciate that sort of thing. She was standing in front of the marble chair, Vix still floating unconscious in the red glow next to her. The Lich’s attention however, was on something short and squealy.
G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 3) Spirits Page 23
