by Adam Drake
She went silent and Rob took the hint. He'd just have to wait.
The tunnel twisted and turned, occasionally branching off in other directions. Soon they arrived in a small cavern, lit by glow rocks and crystals.
Several trogs were here, all armed and gathered in groups. They tilted their heads to look at Rob he passed by.
They walked to the other end of the cavern to a small entrance that led into a smaller chamber. Two red-guard trogs stood on either side of it.
Ynette turned to Rob. “Wait here, please. This will only take a moment.” She vanished through the small entrance without another word.
Rob looked at the trogs who clustered around him. They made odd grunting sounds or rasped loudly. He realized they were speaking to each other in their language.
He felt a little bewildered by all this, but kept his expression calm. Even if he really didn't know what he was doing there, he didn't have to show it.
A couple of uncomfortable minutes passed and Ynette reappeared. “The Council has granted you an audience. Please come inside.”
He followed her into the small chamber and Rob noticed none of the Trogs came along with them.
Inside, he found three trogs sitting cross-legged on plush mats, against one of the walls. They appeared to be older than the ones he'd seen so far, but he couldn't be sure.
Ynette motioned to an empty mat on the floor before them. “Please sit.”
Rob did. Figuring it would be a good idea, he pulled his legs cross-legged like the trogs.
Ynette sat on another mat facing him.
The old trog in the middle suddenly erupted into a bout of rasping and burping. Ynette listened with interest. When the being stopped making rude noises Ynette turned to Rob.
“The Council wishes to welcome you into their realm, although they hoped it would be under different circumstances.”
When he realized she was waiting for a response, Rob said, “Tell them I'm happy to meet them, and I, too, wished it was under different circumstances.”
Ynette nodded then turned to the trogs. Suddenly, she burped and hissed and growled like a trog.
Rob raised his eyebrows in surprise. It was an odd scene watching such a beautiful woman make such juvenile sounds. He tried not to laugh.
The old trog spoke and Ynette translated.
“We heard of your arrival to this realm shortly after the great walls vanished. Was that your doing?”
“Yeah, it was,” Rob said.
“For that, the Council thanks you. The walls created chaos along many of their main trading tunnels. Profit were lost and contracts were put at risk. But with the walls gone, business has begun to recover.”
“I'm glad to hear it,” Rob said, feeling eager to turn the subject to his people. But he knew this was a formal meeting and decided to play along for a while.
“You have the mark of the Chosen One.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“To which god are you bound?”
“Bound? I don't know.”
This seemed to confuse the three trogs, including Ynette. “You are not bound?”
Did she mean bound to the Resurrection Chamber? Rob decided that honesty was the best policy. “Please tell them I don't know. In fact, I don't know who any of the gods are. I'm new to this world.”
After Ynette translated, the three trogs gibbered and burped amongst themselves for a long time.
Finally, Ynette said, “They are confused by this, but since this is a matter beyond the tunnels, they will not bother you further about it.”
“Okay,” Rob said, confused. “So can we talk about my people now?”
“The Council has logged a trespass offense that occurred in one of the tunnels. The pech slavers will be fined and punished for this infraction. However, because your people were with them against their will, they will not be fined or punished.”
Gee, thanks, Rob thought. “I appreciate the Council's kindness with this matter.” There, he could sound officious, too.
“This has nothing to do with kindness, this is a business decision. The Crimson Council wishes to enter into a trade deal with the Kingdom of Anika. By forgiving the trespassing of the subjects of Anika, it is hoped this would work in favor of an agreement.”
Trade? Trade in what? Rob said, “I understand. But what do they want to trade for?” Rats and mud?
“They understand that your kingdom is young and lacks a viable economy. But we know that this is how all kingdoms start. Eventually, trade between your kingdom and others will occur. When this happens, the Council wishes to offer the use of their tunnels, to speed and safeguard the transport of goods and people.”
To Rob this was some serious forward thinking. These were things he hadn't spared a single moment considering. But these trogs did. “I'm interested,” Rob said. “But could you please tell them I don't know when I'd be in need of their tunnels. It might be awhile.” If at all. Who the hell would he even trade with?
As if reading his thoughts, Ynette said, “There are many kingdoms and lands beyond the western mountains. It stands to reason your kingdom will interact with them in the future. The Council feels their tunnels would make these interactions more appealing. They would simply like for you to consider that, when the time comes, they will be happy to discuss something more formal. For now, they only want you to be aware of the option.”
Rob wanted to throw his hands up. This was a waste of time. These guys are just businessmen hoping to secure a deal. What was he doing here?
Then he had a thought. “I might consider such a future deal on one condition.”
“And that is?”
“They help me free my people from the pech.”
Ynette frowned, but translated anyway.
The three trogs burped and gurgled up a frenzy over this, and Rob watched impassively.
Finally, Ynette said, “This isn't possible. Matters beyond the tunnels do not concern trogs. But, the council would like to offer something of value in your endeavors to free your people.”
“What's that?” Rob said, already feeling disappointed.
“Passage through the tunnels back to your kingdom. Free of charge. They will also arrange for any ooze to be sequestered away, so your movement will not be hampered.”
Rob wanted to sigh. He looked at the trogs who watched him intently. Nope, no help here.
To Ynette he said, “Between you and me, is this the best I'm going to get out of them?”
Ynette looked uncomfortable at the question, but she said, “They won't send fighters outside the tunnels. It's never happened before. So, yes, it's the best you're going to get.”
Rob nodded, he wanted to wrap this up and be on his way. “Okay, then. Please thank them for the free passage. Hopefully, me and my people will live long enough to make use of it.”
“So you will consider working with the Council in the future?”
“Yeah, sure.”
The trogs coughed and spit and licked their faces at this, which Rob took to mean they were happy.
Ynette stood and motioned for him to do the same. “The Council bids you good luck.”
“Thanks,” Rob said. Assholes.
Ynette led him out of the chamber. The throng of trogs were still here as if they hadn't moved a muscle.
“What now?” Rob said, still befuddled at what happened.
“We will take you to the tunnel exit that leads to the valley where your people are,” Ynette said.
Feeling utterly deflated, Rob could only nod.
They retraced their steps back up the tunnel, flanked by red-guard trogs.
Rob knew pressing his case with the woman was hopeless, but he was curious about her.
“Can I ask you a question?” he asked as they navigated through the tunnel.
“Of course,” she said.
“How did you hook up with these trogs? Are you a slave?”
To his surprise, she laughed, a pleasant sound. “No, I'm not a slave. I'm a contrac
ted translator from Carro. The tunnels the trogs control are vast and cross into many lands and kingdoms. As a result, deals must be negotiated in many languages.”
“So you speak a lot of languages, then?”
“Forty-one at last count,” she said.
“How did you learn so many?” Rob said, amazed. She looked so young.
“My family paid for me to learn from the Language Tablets at the Carro library. It took several years, but once I had enough memorized, I was able to offer my services to the trogs.”
“Language Tablets?”
“Yes,” she glanced at him. “Nearly all the languages in the world have a tablet from which you can learn them. Pay a fee and you commit it to memory.”
“Wait, like instantly? Like a learning a spell from a scroll?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“But it took you several years to learn them, why?”
“Access to each tablet is expensive, and my family needed to raise the money for me to learn from each one.”
“Ah,” Rob said. “Cool.” Maybe he should take a trip to this Carro place. Trenton, the builder dude, was from there, too.
They arrived at a tunnel exit and Rob blinked against the bright sunlight. There wasn't a forest here. Instead, it appeared they were high up the mountainside. A rocky ledge extended beyond and vanished around a bend. More mountains stretched out of sight.
They were in the mountain range.
Ynette said, “This is where we must leave you. As per the Council's agreement, you and your people can return through our tunnels without any hindrance.”
Rob managed to smile. “Okay, thanks.”
Ynette extended a hand, and he shook it.
As he turned away and stepped out into the sunlight, she called after him.
“Please be careful, Robert Barron of Anika. There are dragons about, and they can be very temperamental.”
He stopped to look back at her in surprise.
But she didn't say more. She turned with her escort and vanished into the tunnel, leaving Rob to look up at the sky with apprehension.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
With no other direction to go, Rob followed the narrow trail along the side of the mountain. It dropped off steeply to his left, vanishing from view. On his right, the mountainside vaulted upwards.
His people had been brought along here, he thought. Ynette said they were camped in a valley nearby, so he assumed he wouldn't have far to walk until he found them.
He felt frustrated. The trogs' refusal to help made his situation all the more futile, but he tried not to dwell on it. Maybe these trogs aren't meant to be allies, just traders.
Yet, letting him go on to what could be certain doom irked him. Maybe he should have pleaded his case harder, been more insistent.
He sighed and shook his head. Whatever. This was a problem he'd have to solve on his own. Not that there was much choice in the matter.
After an hour of hiking, he came upon a split in the trail. The new path dipped downward along the mountainside. He could hear the faint rumbling of water echoing off the rock.
Well, go down, or keep going? He checked the ground for signs of footprints but the trail was made entirely of rock. No hints as to where his people went. If he took the wrong path, he might miss them completely.
Annoyed, he took out his waterskin and took a drink. He had a brief image of his manor and Castle Hill in his mind. What sort of progress had Trenton made on the castle, and would Rob live long enough to see it?
The downward path looked pretty steep. Difficult for one person to climb, let alone a large group of prisoners. Wouldn't it make sense to keep them moving on the even level trail? He checked his map, but it only showed both trails unfinished at where he stood.
“Damnit,” Rob said. They could have been taken in either direction.
Grumbling, he decided to keep to the trail he was on for at least a while. If things changed, he could always come back.
He moved on. Below, out of sight, he could hear the water getting louder. Definitely sounded like a river.
After another hour of hiking the trail became more and more rocky, forcing him to climb over boulders or navigate the steep terrain to keep moving forward.
Okay, maybe they hadn't been taken this way, he thought. But, again, he couldn't be sure.
Cursing, he decided to take a quick break and settled down to eat. As he chewed on trench lizard, he contemplated what to do. Go back to the other path? Keep going? He could also hike all the way back to the tunnel and ask the trogs to give him a guide to the slaver's camp.
A shadow passed over him.
Startled, Rob looked up, blinking against the sun. Something large had flown past.
Shielding his eyes, he stood and looked in the direction the shadow had been moving. At first, he couldn't make out anything against the varied terrain of the mountains. Then, movement caught his eyes.
He gasped.
A large winged creature flew high above. It banked, giving him a good look at its profile. Huge leathery wings, long tail, and the head like a mutated crocodile.
A dragon.
As his brain tried to process this information, he saw the dragon turn around to fly back in his direction. Had it seen him?
He looked around for a place to hide, but other than jumping over the edge, there wasn't any place else to go.
The dragon was flying closer, and he could see its huge eyes looking directly at him.
Oh, shit, Rob thought as panic welled up inside him. What should he do?
With instinct kicking in, he turned and ran in the opposite direction. But the terrain was treacherous and he couldn't move fast.
Not that it mattered, the giant creature was flying faster than he could ever run. Its massive shadow scudding over the terrain as it dropped lower to the ground.
Quickly, he moved to a cluster of large boulders for cover, axe in hand.
Just as he reached the boulders the dragon whipped by like a high speed train, kicking up wind.
Rob dove around the boulders, slamming against the mountainside. Spinning around, he could see the dragon turn away from him and across the valley.
The terrified part of his brain hoped it would just keep on flying.
After a distance, the dragon banked again, to come back. While it turned through the air, it glanced in his direction.
Oh, god, Rob thought. What should he do? There was no where to go. Trapped in the moment he couldn't think. All he wanted to do was cram himself between the boulders and hide from the monstrous thing.
The dragon soared back, its gaze pinned to him.
As it sped closer, Rob tried to put as much of himself behind the boulders as he could, but it wasn't enough, he was too exposed.
The dragon suddenly roared, the sound piercing his ears and thundering off the mountainside.
Just before the creature seemed about to crash into Rob, it angled its wings and flapped them hard, slowing itself down.
The wind the wings created battered at Rob and he turned away.
The thing was all around him, covering the sky and darkening the world. It reached forward with a massive foot, huge black talons stretching wide to grab him.
Rob screamed and without thinking, cast Sun Bolt. For whatever reason, he had the presence of mind to aim at the dragon's head. The beam struck just below one of its eyes.
The dragon screeched and suddenly pulled away. In the next moment it was flying upwards.
Stunned at what he'd done, Rob watched as the dragon flew off.
As much as he wanted to think he hurt the thing, he doubted it. The Sun Bolt only did so much damage, and this was a giant dragon. He must have only surprised it.
The dragon repeated what it did before, flying out across the valley, then banking around. It was coming back for another run at him.
Rob still couldn't think of what to do. Run? Stay? Did it matter? This beast would get him, whatever he did.
Crap, crap, cra
p, he thought as he'd run out of time. The dragon swooped in again, same as before.
It descended at the boulders, flapping its massive wings to slow it down. Again, it reached out with its talons.
The Sun Bolt cooldown was still on, not that he thought it would save him now. Jamming himself into the cracks of the boulders he held his buckler out in front in a desperate bid to protect himself.
