Shifting Planes- The Complete Box Set

by Jeff Sabean

  As they discussed the possibility of manufacturing more bullets, Tiane returned with his rifle slung across his back again. Grinning sheepishly at being the center of attention, he stepped to the side of Heishi and waited patiently for the conversation to end.

  “Let us continue before anyone discovers this mess. We have been lucky so far, but I fear it will get very bloody very soon,” Heishi said, gesturing to Shenroc to again take the lead.

  Di’eslo dimmed the light of his shield and waited for Shenroc to lead them to the tunnel on the right before proceeding. As they walked across the remainder of the cavern, Heishi asked, “What were you yelling at the beginning of the fight?”

  “’Galad’ is the elvish word for ‘light,’ and 'dain’ is elvish for ‘silence.’ As I explained, there are no ‘magic words’ or ‘incantations’ necessary for the Art, however, some of the more difficult abilities I have learned take more focus than others. In the heat of battle, I often revert to the elvish tongue and speak the words to help me focus on what I want to accomplish, and it has served me well.”

  Heishi walked in silence for a few paces, then nodded. “Do you think that could help me learn how to use the Art?”

  “It cannot hurt, my friend. But do not rush, it may take some time for you to discover what you are capable of. Many are never able to at all, so do not be discouraged. Just be patient and learn what you may,” Di’eslo replied with a sense of finality. “Now we must be silent, sound carries long distances down here. If we are lucky the initial battle cries will echo so no stupid orcs are able to follow the sound. But in the depths, orcs and goblins are the least of our concerns. Let us hope nothing hungry comes looking for us...”

  Chapter 10 – The Nasty

  For several uneventful hours, Shenroc lead the team through twisting and turning tunnels in the dark. The tunnels were wide and the ceiling high, so they remained on guard for more bat riders, but their caution seemed unnecessary. As they traveled, it became more and more difficult to remain vigilant, and each member began to wonder if they were on a wild goose chase. After clearing yet another cavern uneventfully, Shenroc signaled the group to come in close.

  “I will stop here to take a rest,” he began, looking at each man for confirmation of his plan. “There is only the one entrance and one exit to this cavern, so we can alternately stand guard and rest a while. This could still take some time, as I have seen plenty of evidence of goblins or orcs but do not know where they may be.”

  “We are headed in the right direction, the stench of goblinkin grows the deeper we descend. If we do not find them soon, I will be surprised,” Di’eslo confirmed, then moved forward to the exit tunnel to stand guard, dousing the light from his shield as he moved.

  Shenroc volunteered to take the first rear guard shift, and silently crept back the way they had come, leaving the other three to eat a quick meal.

  Sitting in darkness, the silence of the cavern pressed in on the companions. As Heishi sat eating a loaf of bread and some rat meat he had acquired from The Portal; he felt a slight vibration in the stone. Unsure if that was possible, he paused, stopped chewing, and waited. A few heartbeats later, he felt the vibration again, and it was stronger this second time. When he felt a third vibration, he pulled Tiane close so he could whisper in his ear and explained what he was feeling.

  “Top,” he whispered back, “I don’t feel anything.”

  “It is definitely getting stronger and more consistent, almost like footsteps, but heavy enough to shake the ground. Are you keeping visual contact with our sentries?”

  “I can see everything, they are both at the edges of the tunnels,” Tiane replied, looking from Di’eslo to Shenroc in turn.

  “Go relieve Di’eslo and send him this way. He is more in tune with the darkness and tunnels than Shenroc is. If I could see anything without his shield, I would have had him on point this whole time. Quickly and quietly get him back here, the vibrations are getting stronger,” Heishi ordered, attempting to keep the worry out of his voice.

  Tiane slipped away, relieving Di’eslo at his post and sending him back to Heishi. As he slid to the floor next to his new friend, Di’eslo whispered "galad,” and his shield glowed dimly. “What is the matter?”

  “You will want to extinguish that light. Something is coming toward us: something big. I can feel vibrations in the stone; they were faint at first, but are getting stronger as I sit here,” Heishi replied in a hushed tone.

  Looking at Yutri, Di’eslo gave the dwarf a questioning look. “Dwarves are more in tune with rock than most races, have you felt anything, my large friend?”

  “I am embarrassed to admit I feel nothi-” he broke off in mid-sentence, his face screwing up momentarily. “Yes, there it is. It is faint, but there is a rhythm to it. It is not something large, it feels like an army marching.” He paused for a few more moments, then smiled, “Do not worry, my friends, it is above us.”

  “How can you be certain,” Heishi inquired. “I can feel the vibrations in the stone and can tell now that it is a large group marching mostly in step with each other, but I cannot tell the distance or direction.”

  “A dwarf knows what a dwarf knows, human,” Yutri stifled a laugh. “If you live a few centuries, you too will be able to tell.”

  Accepting that answer, Heishi nodded and turned to Di’eslo. “What do we do? Are we in the wrong location? I have no desire to run into an army down here, as I do not even know where ‘down here’ is anymore.”

  “We are still going the right way, my friend. If the smell in the air signifies anything, I have a feeling we will find this cavern of Sgel shortly after our break. Ensure you eat, I do not know when we will be able to again.” With that, Di’eslo winked a red eye at Heishi and stepped into a shadow, disappearing immediately and extinguishing the light simultaneously.

  Having enough of the dark, Heishi slid his katana from its saya, placing it on the rock next to his leg and activating the blade. The green electricity sparked up and down the blade, casting ominous shadows around the cavern, but it was better than the pitch black he had been unable to grow accustomed to. He ate quickly as Tiane returned, having been relieved by Di’eslo, then asked Yutri to relieve Shenroc. “The sooner we find this Sgel, the sooner we get back to sunshine and fresh air.”

  “And rain and ekastatu,” muttered Yutri as he moved away to relieve Shenroc.

  “Is it just me, or does he seem to like it better down here in this hole?” Heishi asked, looking at his friend.

  “What do I know, other than watching some movies and reading books about dwarves and elves when I was a kid,” responded Tiane.

  “Fair enough. Make sure you eat something, these vibrations in the rock above us are making me nervous and I am ready to be done with this place.”

  ◆◆◆

  After each member of the group had finished eating, Shenroc lead them into the next tunnel. This one was different, as it narrowed considerably as they moved along, and the stench of rotting meat and unwashed bodies became evident to the entire party. A short time later, the winding tunnel came to an end at the top of a stairway leading down. The steps were roughhewn stone, but it was obvious a crude stoneworker had made the steps purposely.

  “It would appear we are close to the throne room of Sgel. We are vulnerable on the stairs, move quickly and quietly, but be cautious,” Di’eslo advised. “Heishi, you should use your sword for light again, I will lead us down the stairs, cloaked in shadow. Shenroc will come behind me, Yutri in the rear as he is the least stealthy of us...even without a need for a light.” He smiled at Yutri, who did not appear to understand the joke at his expense, then doused the light of his shield as Heishi activated his blade. When the party was set again, he stepped forward and allowed the shadows to embrace him, obscuring him from sight entirely when he was not moving, even in the light of the sword.

  Creeping down the stairs, the companions maintained a heightened sense of awareness, but it was unnecessary as the stair
way was empty, ending in front of a massive stone door. Yutri made his way to the door and spent some time checking for traps, as Shenroc quietly explained to the humans that Dwarves could find flaws in any construction, which is where a trap would be hidden, thus making them experts at finding them.

  “The problem is when the oaf tries to disarm traps,” Shenroc explained, putting his hands together at the fingertips, then spreading them out, mimicking an explosion.

  “The good news, my funny friend,” Yutri started, “Is there are no traps.” He paused for a few moments, building the suspense and clearly enjoying the attention. “The bad news is there is no way to open this door. If the tunnel was worked properly, I would guess a dwarf king had this door built, but an orc? I do not understand how this door is here, but it will not open.”

  “Let one of us have a look if you are sure there are no traps,” Shenroc said as he moved toward the door. “You remember the last time you tried to solve a puzzle? I almost died fighting guards while you tried to figure out to write ‘six’ on the tablet to open the door.”

  Stifling a laugh, the four remaining members of the group began to scour the face of the door, searching for any possible way to open it. Concluding there was no mechanism to open it, Yutri grinned in triumph at the other four. “You are not so smart now, are you? Would you like to see a trick to open this?” Before another word could be spoken, he lifted his massive war hammer and smashed it into the door three times in quick succession.

  “WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING?” Shenroc annunciated every syllable as he stared at Yutri.

  “Opening the door,” he replied, looking rather proud of himself.

  “That did not open the door...” Shenroc began, then stopped as the door silently slid upward, revealing a large cavern lit by torches beyond.

  “Come in here, trespassers, and let me see you,” boomed a voice from the other side of the cavern. The voice was deep, spoken in the common tongue, and without the broken language typically associated with orcs.

  Cautiously, Di’eslo stepped through the door, his shield in front of him and his other hand on his flail for ease of access. Behind him followed Yutri, also keeping his shield ahead of himself, war hammer still in hand, and still grinning at his own cleverness. Heishi deactivated his blade and slid it back in the saya, not wanting to start a fight unless it was necessary, then followed Yutri through the door. Tiane and Shenroc brought up the rear, both walking cautiously, and as they passed through the door it slid noiselessly back into place behind them.

  The cavern was the largest they had yet encountered, at least 300M long, with stone pillars running down the center, creating a walkway to approach the throne in the center. The pillars were built with the same craftsmanship as the door and were out of place in the throne room of an orc king, as were the straight walls engraved with what appeared to be hieroglyphics of ancient battles. Orc and goblin guards milled around the outside of the pillars in mismatched armor, holding rusty weapons, and attempting to look important.

  As they approached the throne, they got their first look at the dirtiest orc any of them had ever laid eyes on. Sgel the Nasty was appropriately named, and the smell that assaulted the senses of the companions brought tears to even Shenroc’s eyes. He sat on a throne covered in animal skins that clearly had not been tanned properly, as the rotting smell emanating from the throne was unbearable. As they approached, he stood up to his full seven-foot height, expecting his massive bulk intimidate all in the room. His guards cowered before their king, with scalps of every imaginable race living on Kartos hanging from his belt. He wore no shirt, preferring to let his fat stomach hang out over the loincloth he wore as his only covering. Dirt and dried blood covered every visible inch of his body, both his skin and the little clothing he wore. A gigantic tusk protruded from the left side of his mouth, and a second broken tusk hung loosely from the right side.

  “I know what you have come for, and you cannot have it,” Sgel stated smugly as he held out the orb in his left hand. It appeared black in color, with a constant swirl of red making its way around the interior of the orb. The black of the orb was dark, absorbing the light of the torches around the throne, but the red swirls glowed with an internal iridescent quality. “It is mine and will continue to be so.”

  Taken slightly aback by his speech and willingness to present the prize they sought; the companions could do nothing but look at each other with confusion. “Why would you allow us access to your throne room if you knew what we came to retrieve?” a stunned Heishi asked.

  “You are strong, this I have seen. Yes, human, I have watched the five of you ever since you entered my domain. But you cannot match the power I hold in my hand any more than the one who sent you could. Make no mistake, if you do not leave with a message for Puny Jim to never enter my home again, I will kill you all and send the pieces back to him in a box. This I have seen,” Sgel grinned smugly as he replied, drool hanging from the edge of his broken tusk.

  “If I may ask, mighty one, what is this orb, and why does Jim want it so badly?” Heishi asked, feigning subservience and averting his eyes.

  “Ahh, yes, the smooth-talking leader of the other-worlders. Yes, I have seen you, the one they call Heishi. You may feel free to stop the act; I have been watching you and your companion since you arrived. I am Sgel the Nasty, and I know all and see all!” he stated, flatulating loudly as he completed his exclamation.

  Raising his gaze to look the orc in the eyes again, Heishi nodded once and grinned. “Fair enough, Sgel the Nasty. But my question remains, what is this orb and why did Jim send us to take it from you? He simply said it was stolen from him by orcs and to retrieve it for him. I did not expect to hold a civil conversation with the orc king and would very much like some answers as I do not appreciate being played like a fool.”

  A tense moment passed as Sgel stared at the human before him, then he let out a deep laugh before answering. “The orb is one of many items of power in this world. Where did it come from? I do not know. What I do know is that when I took possession of it, my mind was opened to the secrets of Kartos. Nothing is hidden from my sight, and I will not give it up. For too long, you humans and elves have ruled this world, looking down on what you consider ‘lesser races,’ but that day has ended. Maybe you heard my army marching forth to conquer as you descended to my halls. So be it. There is nothing you or any other human can do to stop the destruction that is coming to your world, and when it is turned to ash, it will be remade to my desire. Go now, tell Puny Jim what I have told you, and let him know that my orb is protected in this throne room! None may enter unless I allow it, and none may leave without my blessing.”

  As Sgel continued his monologue, full of himself and not giving credit to the warrior before him, Heishi inched closer to the throne and the wind bag standing before it. So confident was the orc king in his own power that he was not even looking at Heishi as he spoke, he was looking into a large mirror positioned on the closest pillar to the throne. As he crept slowly forward, Heishi tried to feel the room around him. He could feel the air currents, and as he focused, he felt the world around him slow down as he continued to move.

  Faster than any in the room had ever seen, his right hand slipped across his body, pulling the first throwing dagger and releasing it before any eye registered the movement. Sgel continued his boasting, unaware of the danger until the first dagger pierced him in the hand, forcing him to drop the orb to the floor. His surprise was complete as the second and third daggers pierced his throat and left eye split seconds apart. Before the gurgle of air mixed with blood could be heard, Heishi had already slid his katana from its saya and leapt forward, igniting the power in the blade and swiping across, beheading the filthy orc king. He spun back on the room as the head of Sgel the Nasty fell from his shoulders and his throwing daggers reappeared on his wrist, prepared to defend against retaliation, but a stunned silence held in the cavern.

  “That’s one way to do it, Top,” Tiane breathed. “I�
�ve never seen anyone move so fast.”

  With the silence broken, the companions rushed the throne, taking up defensive positions around Heishi and the orb. The guards of Sgel stood with mouths gaping at the intruder who had dispatched their god-king so quickly and easily. For a few moments there was a standoff, with the guards staring at the intruders surrounding the corpse of their king and the companions waiting anxiously for the response of the guards.

  With a primal scream, the first guard took the first step toward the throne, huge battle axe raised above his head. He was instantly stopped, the fletching of an arrow protruding from his eye socket as Tiane smoothly slid another arrow from his quiver and to his bow with a sly grin. That was all the rest of the guards needed to be urged into action. The larger orcs commanded the goblins to rush the throne and avenge Sgel the Nasty, while they waited behind the swarm of goblin fodder. In a blink, a score of goblins appeared from all sides of the room, attempting to take the powerful companions down in a horde of flailing clubs and spears.

  Arrows rained on the first wave of the beasts, Tiane grinning and taunting as he fired. “Little guy, you’ll have to do better than that! Ohh, that one didn’t even make it five steps! Hey, Top, how many have you got so far?” Tiane laughed maniacally as he unleashed death on the monsters rushing toward him.

  As they came, Heishi threw his daggers repeatedly, instantly recalling them to himself as they connected with his targets. Goblin blood flowed like a river before the throne as the beasts were whipped into a frenzy at the audacity of these intruders to attack their king.

  Di’eslo and Yutri stood side by side in front of the rest creating a shield wall to protect their companions from the arrows and spears flying toward them as the goblins charged. Yutri sang a Dwarvish battle song, laughing and reveling in the carnage before him.