Broken Bonds (Mortal Intervention Book 1)

by Loftis, Nick

  “Who are you bringing into our home, Grund? A large goblin asked, seated in the center of the circular room. “Humans!” He exclaimed, slamming an armored fist down on the armrest. “I hope there’s a reason for them not being restrained.” He settled a dirty look on Winter.

  “Why should the High King’s Shadow answer a nameless goblin with no respect,” Winter spat.

  It could have been entertaining to watch the massive goblin’s eyes widen and think of how to continue if the situation wasn’t so tenuous.

  “S-sorry, Shadow; his Royalty did not tell me he was sending a party ahead of his arrival,” the goblin finally graveled.

  Winter didn’t skip a beat, “He trusts so very few. He asked me to ensure your incompetence hadn’t cost us.”

  “But you said something about treasure,” the first goblin interjected.

  Winter pulled out Wil’s revolver and shot the goblin in the eye. The bullet exited out of the back of his skull and embedded itself in the wall. Before the body dropped, its head burst into flames. Winter threw the revolver to Wil.

  “My humans carry their own weapons,” he said, throwing Gwen her crossbow. “They are to be treated with the same respect as I am. They are more goblin than your trash ever was,” he kicked the burning body toward the scared goblin. “Clean this mess.”

  A goblin who hardly came to Wil’s waist move toward the body. Winter kicked his legs out. “Not you; him.” Winter turned his jaw toward the seated goblin. “In the name of the Goblin King, I deem you unfit for rule.”

  “You can’t!” The monstrous goblin finally spoke up. The threat in his voice was small, but he was a head taller than Winter now that he was standing.

  The torches lighting the room dropped to embers and the temperature dropped to below freezing. “Are you going to be fool enough to try and replace the King’s Shadow?”

  The goblin knelt down with his hand raised in apology. “You are the greater goblin,” he conceded.

  Winter waited several long moments before letting the spell go, ignoring the goblin’s hand. “Which of these Drow are your’s?”

  A young man stepped forward and bowed. “I am, Shadow,” he said, bent over.

  “Good,” Winter answered, motioning for Wil and Gwen to leave the room. “You’ll give us a tour of this forsaken hole. I wish to see what I just saddled myself with. Let’s go.”

  The trio regrouped down the tunnel with the young Drow behind them.

  “Can we continue safely?” Gwen whispered. “We can’t afford another run in with the Goblin King.”

  “How long ago was that?” Wil asked, looking back at the Drow who had his head down as he traveled behind them.

  “Fifteen, sixteen years ago,” Winter answered. “He’s promised to kill the two of us the next chance he gets.”

  “What did you do to him?”

  Winter just smiled and said, “Exist.” He stopped to address the drow. “What’s your name?”

  “Sygyl,” he answered without raising his head.

  “Alright, Sygyl,” Wil interjected, “is there a chamber or cavern somewhere below that might be protected by ancient magic?” He knew the question was blunt, but figured the artifact would have protection spells around it to keep it out of most hands.

  Sygyl shook his head. “The main road ends at a wall at the farthest point down. Everything else has been carved by us.”

  “Are there any kind of marks on the wall?”

  “No. But nothing can scratch the wall. Pick axes break and magic fizzles against it. Would you like to see it? It really is fascinating.”

  Wil nodded and stepped aside for Sygyl to take the lead. The trio fell in step behind him quietly.

  Word of Winter’s actions must have traveled fast because the street was almost empty. The few goblins and drow that were still out bowed to the group while trying to back out of sight.Wil couldn’t track the time it took to get to the wall because they were underground. It finally loomed over them. It stood out from the rest of the cavern. It was a massive stretch of shiny silver, perfectly smooth, that almost looked metallic, but not quite.

  “Gwen, do you know what kind of rock it is?” Wil asked, running his hand over it.

  She was doing the same thing he was. “No. I’ve never seen it. The scroll didn't mention it?”

  “Not that I could tell,” Wil answered. He took out his wand and began tapping it. Small pinpoints of blue light were left where his wand tip touched. “I’m going to try an identification spell on it.” He finished the one movements and focused on the point of light until fine lines of flight interconnected to create a large rune, about a foot tall. It began to hum loudly.

  “Is that supposed to happen?” Winter asked. He took a step back hesitantly.

  Wil pulled Gwen away from it. “Only if something counters it.” He sounded concerned.

  “I told you nothing could harm it,” Sygyl said.

  “That wasn’t an offensive spell.”

  The rune exploded in bright light, temporarily blinding everyone.

  “What did you do?” Gwen asked, rubbing her eyes.

  “You’re a dragon!” Sygyl exclaimed. The dark elf was moving his attention between Winter and the wall.

  On the wall were four silouhettes opposite of each person. Sygyl’s and Gwen’s were obviously themselves and Winter’s was a dragon.

  Wil’s was something else entirely.

  “What the hell?” he muttered, studying the tall, slender form in front of him. The shadow didn't give enough detail to identify it.

  “What does that mean?” Winter inquired, ignoring Sygyl’s statement.

  “He isn’t human,” Gwen observed absently. “Whoever Crell took a body from wasn't human. I don't know what that could be though.”

  “You’re going to free us, right?” Sygyl nearly shouted to get Winter’s attention. “That was my grandmother’s prophecy,” he exclaimed.

  “Um, sorry?” Winter asked, turning his attention toward the man.

  “It’s prophecized we’ll be saved by a dragon,” he repeated fervently. “Are you here to finally set us free?”

  Winter was saved the awkwardness of having to answer by a goblin who was running toward them.

  “Shadow,” it huffed at Winter, ignoring the wall and other three. “The mountain is under attack.”

  Winter blinked slowly at the goblin. “What army would attack the largest goblin colony out of the north?”

  “I’m not sure, Sir,” the goblin took a step away from Winter, afraid of reprimand. “An armored man with glowing eyes is leading them.”

  “Well what are you doing here then, not fighting?” Winter spat, freezing the air around the goblin.

  The goblin didn’t take the time to apologize, but turned tail and ran, drawing his sword.

  Sygyl watched the goblin run back with growing fear.

  “You have family?” Wil asked, recognizing the look and realizing a chance to get rid of the dark elf.

  Sygyl nodded.

  Wil unholstered his revolver and shot the goblin.

  The bullet took him in the back of the head and slammed the body into the ground with bone crunching force that they could hear even at the distance.

  “Take his sword and get anyone you can out,” Wil ordered, turning back around and holstering his gun. “If you can, make your way to the College and let them know we sent you.”

  Sygyl looked at Winter expectantly.

  Winter cocked his head toward the dead goblin. “I’m not a savior; but it doesn't mean you can't be.” Winter morphed back to his normal avatar.” We’ll do our best to help after we finish here.”

  The drow bowed deeply. “Thank you. May Talgun guide your feet.” He ran back up the path, picking up the sword on his way.

  “You don’t think Talgun orchestrated the attack, do you?” Winter pondered. “The drow are his favorite race after all.”

  Wil shrugged. “We don’t have time to worry about it. Brax is here. He’ll fi
nd us sooner or later.” He banged his fist against the wall. “Why do the gods have to interfere with our fucking lives so much?”

  “They would be boring if we didn’t,” Crell answered behind them. The god of light and magic strode toward them, alone. He had taken on the form of a large Crellian. He was easily over seven feet tall, with a burly chest and slender legs. He wore an outfit that matched Brax's, but in a silvery-blue.

  Wil, Winter, and Gwen spun with their weapons raised.

  “What the hell are you playing at, Crell?” Wil demanded, walking toward the god angrily; he kept the revolver raised. “Why is the patron god of mortal magic suddenly trying to squash it out?”

  “The voice in my head demands it,” Crell said simply. “If I do, I will be awarded beyond my dreams.” He didn’t seem to be aware of the weapons raised against him; or he didn’t care. They couldn’t harm him anyway. His eyes had drifted over to the wall that was blank again. “It’s in there. Calling me. Demanding me.”

  “Sorry?” Wil lowered his revolver. Something wasn’t right. “What’s calling you?” He squinted at the god, noticing a fevered haze over his eyes. Something definitely wasn’t right; gods didn’t get sick. They weren’t susceptible to mind-control either.

  Crell ignored him and walked forward, mesmerized.

  “Don’t block him,” Wil ordered the other two. They side-stepped Crell.

  “Wil?” Gwen asked for an explanation.

  “I don’t know what he’s doing.” Wil answered. “Keep your weapons out, but stay back; don’t confront anything if you don’t have to.”

  Crell raised his hand and the wall exploded.

  “Oh, what the hell?” Wil whined while following Crell into the newly opened tunnel. “Some things just aren’t fair.”

  “This is not a safe place for us,” Winter stated flatly. He was spooked more than Wil had ever seen him.

  “Of course not,” Wil snapped. He squeezed his gun harder. “I told you that already. Or was the crazed god the proof you needed to realize it?”

  VII

  The three of them followed Crell at a safe distance. The rock that made up the cavern was immediately familiar to Wil; it was where the Devourer lay. This wasn't good, Wil thought. What was Crell doing here?

  “I’m here father!” Crell exclaimed madly to the cavern. He led them to the edge of the giant hole.

  The picture was suddenly clear to Wil. He stopped the other two behind a rock. They were on the opposite side of the hole from when Liv had brought him. “Be ready to run,” he whispered harshly as the monster below struggled to a sitting position, swaying sleepily. “Crell has been possessed and controlled somehow by the Devourer.”

  The three of them sat huddled around their weapons, watching helplessly.

  “Come here, Child; so that I may bestow the promised gift.” It didn’t actually speak. Not out loud anyway. The deep gravely bass of its voice still reverberated madly through Wil’s chest and thoughts. Both Gwen and Winter’s faces were bloodless and sickly pale.

  “Did you...?” Gwen trailed off weakly. The other two nodded as Crell slid down the hole to the entity and dropped to a knee.

  Before Crell could speak, before he could move away, the Devourer pushed its arm through the god’s chest. There was a brilliant flash of blue light and a deafening whoosh of wind.

  Wil saw the giant being squeezing itself into the impossibly small hole it had made in Crell’s chest before he had to shut his eyes against the growing light.

  “Carry the word of my return and the death of their brother to my doomed children,” a voice rumbled in the group’s heads.

  The three of them were suddenly the only things left in the chamber.

  “What did we just see?” Gwen asked slowly. She rubbed her eyes.

  Wil hit the rock next to him with his metal fist, causing a rune to light and cracking the stone. “Fuck, fuck, fuck! He killed Crell. It fucking killed Crell and took his body.”

  “We’ve killed a god before,” Winter said. “What’s one more?” There wasn't any certainty in his voice.

  Wil rubbed his stubble. “We killed one that had already been replaced; one that wasn’t high in the Pantheon and hadn’t been worshiped for centuries. Crell is one of the Triplets- the most worshipped- and one of the primary suppliers of power to magic users and clerics. Anyone who drew their power from him are going to notice something happened to him immediately.

  “How could we have been so fucking stupid?” He began walking briskly back to the goblin caves. “'The Cult of the True God'. They're followers of the Devourer. Crell had to of been involved somehow.”

  “That doesn't make any sense,” Gwen said, struggling to keep up with Wil's and Winter's longer gaits. “Why would Crell help doom the world? He wasn't personable, but he's one of the Triplets.”

  “That's his point,” Winter piped in. “Nothing short of possession and mind control could have turned Crell against mortals and his siblings. Wil, what are we going to do now? Are we going to look for the artifact still?”

  They were back in the goblin caves now, the sounds of fighting getting louder as they moved closer to it. “I don't know. I don't think there's an artifact here anymore. It wouldn't make sense for the Devourer to be here with the artifact being so close. My guess as of right now is that the 'artifact' was that chamber.” He stopped them so he could check around a tight corner.

  There was a pair of goblins fighting a single human. The man was good enough to keep them from killing him, but little else. Wil took aim and shot both goblins. The man who had been fighting them turned to Wil in surprise. They stared at each other for several long seconds before the man nodded his appreciation and ran back towards the opening of the cave.

  “We can't talk about any of this right now,” Wil said, reloading his revolver so it was full. “Let's get out of this and regroup at the College. We have information that can't afford to be sat on.”

  “Right,” Winter agreed.

  Gwen cocked her crossbow. “We're right behind you.”

  Wil nodded and followed the man he had saved at a slow jog. It didn't take long to get into the heart of the chaos. Goblins, humans, and drow all fought each other. Dead and injured clogged doorways and walls. Wil did his best to only take aim at goblins, but a few battle weary humans and drow decided he was their enemy as well.

  The three of them made their way through the battle cautiously, with Winter on defense and Gwen and Wil holding off attackers with lethal force. They were able to see the cave opening when Brax approached them.

  “Why am I not surprised to see the three of you here?” he asked calmly. He stopped a few yards in front of them, outlined with sunlight. He held his rapier at his side, coated in green goblin blood and the red blood of the drow.

  “You don't have to do this anymore, Brax,” Gwen pleaded with him hopefully. “Surely you felt Crell's death.”

  Brax's eyes darkened to a purple that was almost black. “You cannot kill the immortal. What you say Gwen is heresy.”

  “God damn it,” Wil roared. He was sick of his friend's ignorance. “Grow a fucking pair and decide on your own beliefs. You've helped us kill a god, so you know it's possible. There's so much more going on here that you don't know because you won't let yourself see it.”

  “I know only what I need to know,” Crell answered solemnly.

  “That's it,” Wil breathed. He'd had enough. He raised his revolver and fired at Brax before anyone could react. The runes on the gun's barrel burst into flame, morphing the bullet into a ball of condensed fire that sped toward the Crellian.

  Brax didn't have time to dodge and the fireball caught him just below the waist, vaporizing his legs. He dropped to the ground silently in shock.

  Wil pulled the trigger two more times, adjusting his aim slightly each time. The runes ignited each time, creating smaller balls this time, and destroyed Brax's arms.

  “Wil!” Gwen screamed, trying to run to Brax.

  Wint
er grabbed her and held her against his chest watching Wil carefully.

  Wil walked slowly to Brax's charred body. His clothes had burned away, revealing the beautiful metal underneath.

  “You're a barbaric animal,” Brax accused from the ground.

  “Maybe,” Wil admitted softly. He wasn't proud of what he had just done to the man who was supposed to be his best friend, but he would do it again if given the chance. “I knew you wouldn't die as long as your chest and head weren't damaged, but you're too dangerous to leave with arms and legs since you're coming with us.”

  “Why would I come with you?” Brax asked scathingly.

  “Because you don't have a choice,” Winter said, stepping next to Wil. “I don't agree with what you did and how you did it, but I can't argue with the outcome.”

  “Don't worry,” Wil replied, “I'm not happy with it either. How do you want to leave? I don't think we're going to have long without any one trying to interfere.”

  “I just contacted Liv,” Gwen said on Wil's other side. “She'll be here any moment. Did you have to do it that way?” She looked up at him with tears running down her cheeks.

  Brax laughed. “Do not cry for me Gwen. My place in death has already been earned.”

  She looked at him, almost surprised to see him conscious. “I wasn't crying for you.”

  “Ooh, this is lovely,” Liv said cheerfully from behind them. “What are you doing with the broken metal man?”

  “He's coming with us this time,” Wil said. He didn't return her banter.

  “Really?” she asked incredulously. “I'm happy to hear he changed his mind. Off we go then.”

  VIII

  Wil sat behind dozens of stacks of books, looking for any information he could find on the Devourer. So far three solid weeks of research had turned up nothing. He set the faded tome he was currently combing through on the pile next too his chair, toppling the stack of ancient texts to the ground. One pile became six, covering the floor around his desk.

  He stared at the mess hopelessly. Nothing had changed in three weeks. They still didn't know how to kill the Devourer, who was still masquerading as Crell. Minotoa, the last third of the Triplets, wasn't sure if he could believe what Talgun had told him. The rest of the Pantheon was split as well. Some were ready to accept it and others refuted it, deciding to side with Crell if it turned into a war.