by Brindi Quinn
Kantú was now awake, and our game was just the sort of thing she was interested in. Leaving Grotts’ side, she bounded ahead to join us.
“Ooh! Ooh! And if I go like this,” – she swished her tail up and down – “it means we need to get out because The Mystress is about to lift her veil and reveal her hideous under-face!”
“Ah!” Darch and I let out unanimous cries.
Ardette shook his head. “Funny that you three should be the ones making plans, when you three are the ones that are going to stay be-”
Like hell! Like hell, I’ll stay! If you make me stay, I’ll never forgive you!
Respecting my raging inner command, Ardette halted his blasphemous sentence.
“We’re going to ‘stay be’?” Kantú wiggled her nose at him. “What’s that mean?”
“It means leave me alone, all of you.”
“What I wish to know,” said Nyte, smirking at Ardette’s annoyance, “is what you mean by ‘at the doorstep’.”
“Oh Creator! Have I not already explained this? How many time-”
“No!” Nyte threw him a distasteful and begrudging look. “I mean how far are we from reaching the fortress? Two days? Three?”
Ardette’s answer was delayed, and when it finally arrived, it was quiet.
“Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?!” Scardo had been eavesdropping on our conversation. Or maybe we’d just been that loud, and our voices had drifted to him. Either way, he let out a cry. “Tomorrow? B-b-but, on here it clearly shows that-”
“Your map’s wrong.” Ardette wasn’t at all gloating. If anything, he seemed apprehensive. “We’re close. Very close.” His demeanor then suddenly switched into nonchalant mode. “Actually, my cherry pit, you might want to put that light of yours out, or more of them will be stumbling upon us.”
“Why did you not warn us!?” demanded Nyte.
Ardette shrugged. “To spare you. What? Was my kindness not good enough for you?”
“Never mind that.” Kantú swished her tail and looked around in scurried trepidation. “You’d better drop your song, Aura! I don’t want more of those bad guys to find us! Grottsy! Come quick!”
“Yes, Miss Heart, please!” Scardo’s swiveling head nearly matched Kantú’s own timid animalist nature.
“Okay.” I waited until Rend and Grotts were close enough before closing my eyes and letting the light sink back into me. “There.” I opened them back up.
But the surrounding world didn’t look any brighter than it had from behind my closed eyes. We were immediately engulfed in smoggy darkness.
“Er?” Grotts’ whispery voice cut the fog. “Shoot, guys. What’re we gonna do now?”
The night mist was dizzying. Disorienting. I looked up at the sky and there was the eastern moon, but though it was there, it didn’t lift any of the darkness. I looked again, and it was fogged over, and my eyes wouldn’t let me focus on it.
“Whoa,” I muttered, taking a step back to balance myself.
I backed into someone.
“Ugh!” said Rend from another part of the mist. “See what happens when we leave the Daem in charge? Cousin? Where are you? Shall I cast a light?”
The someone was breathing abnormally.
“Grottsy! Where are- Oh! There you are.”
The someone’s hand was on my waist.
“Ardetto? Should Aura sing her light back until we can find shelter?”
The someone pulled me back into them. They weren’t warm, so it wasn’t Nyte.
Ardette, is that you?
A hand slipped over my mouth.
Ah! Ardette what are you- wait, this isn’t Ardette! WHO ARE-
A wheezy, ancient voice whispered in my ear, “They keep your sister in a special cell near the top. The eastern staircase will be cleared for you tomorrow night. I will find you when you need me.”
“KYAAAAAAAAAH!”
By the time I screamed, Elder Pietri was already gone.
Chapter 18: The Plan
The darkness had lifted slowly after the encounter with Elder Pietri.
Hearing my internal cries, Ardette had been by my side in a flash, but he’d failed to catch sight of the sneaky Elf.
“What is Pietri thinking?” Nyte punched the floor. “I do not understand!”
Once again, we’d found a shelter-offering cave to settle in for the night. This cave was much deeper than the suitable cave, but its ground was perpetually wet, so any hopes of sleeping in comfort were cast aside. Wood was built up over a pile of stone and a fire lit at the deepest part of the cave, far enough in that we’d be hidden from passing Druelcan eyes.
Outside, mist leavings traveled as freely as the air itself, but rather than offering refreshment, they offered only gloom. Throughout the surrounding rockylands, groups of Druelcans patrolled, waiting to stumble upon the greatest prize of all: us. Their Mystress was only a short ways away now, most likely at the top of her castle keeping a watchful eye over her treacherous kingdom.
Amidst all of this, there we were, circled around the fire: two Elves, a squirrel girl, a Magir, a Daem, two Sapes, and a songstress about to face off against an entire evil regimen.
Thinking that way was . . . overwhelming.
Ardette had said that we’d reach the fortress tomorrow, but would I really be able to see Illuma in a day’s time? Would we be able to enter Druelca on a rescue mission without alerting The Mystress? Would it play out so easily? Or would the western moon’s ad’ai finally come? Maybe if we were discovered, I’d be able to release the Song of Salvation and be done with it all. I couldn’t decide if that thought was comforting or terrifying. Either way, one thing was certain. Something would be happening tomorrow.
“How can we be certain she was not just hallucinating due to her ‘condition’?” Rend studied me like I had the some horrible disease.
Let’s not forget your little ‘condition’, Rend.
Ardette snorted.
“We should be concentrating more on what he said,” urged Scardo. “It sounded like his Excellency was being helpful, didn’t it?”
In Scardo’s mind, the mysterious appearance had pardoned any sins that the elder had so far accumulated. I didn’t agree with his way of thinking at all. One utterance of advice was not enough to pay for lying, brainwashing, kidnapping, and Creator knows what else! But I didn’t take my aggressions out on Scardo; with newfound hope, his mood was better than it had been in a long time.
“Helpful?” said Ardette, rubbing his collarbone. “Not at all. To me, it sounded like he was setting a trap for us all. But I doubt your precious loyalties would allow you to see that which is so clearly obvious.”
The two men entered a silent stare-off. I hated to be the one to break it, truly I did . . . no, actually, I hated such pointless bickering. Throwing a loud piece of briar-stock into the hungry fire, I gladly broke the stare-off.
“WELL,” I said, “regardless of your oh-so-valid arguments, we need to decide whether or not we’re going to follow his advice.”
Grotts, who’d been silently warming his hands before the fire, nodded. “That’s fer sure. It does bring up at least a few curiosities. Like, what’s at the top of the eastern staircase, anyhow, Ardette?”
Ardette took a drink out of his canteen before answering,
“A door.”
“Door?” asked Kantú. “Like just a regular old-”
“A door rimmed in gold.”
“Ooo!” Kantú’s eyes grew wide.
“Gold?” said Nyte. “Is that the customary material for door adornment within the fortress?”
Ardette glared at him and then took another drink of canteen water, disrespectfully stalling the answer to Nyte’s question, but it would not have the desired annoyance he’d been seeking. There was someone else present who knew the answer.
“Nope!” said Darch excitedly. “It’s a special door. Isn’t that so mysterious?!”
“Ha!” scoffed Rend. “Pray tell, how do you know?
”
“Ardette told me, of course! He’s so good at laying things like that out. I have the whole fortress pretty much memorized by now!” He placed a fist of determination in his opposite hand. “That gold-rimmed door is one of the only places Ardetto never snuck into. That means that’s got to be where your sister is, Aura!”
For once, Ardette, Rend, and Grotts looked equally annoyed.
“Well that’s great!” said the gruff man in a growl. “But would ya mind, sharin’ the layout with the rest ‘o us? Ya know, that’s kinda helpful knowledge, seein’ as we’re stormin’ the place tomorrow!”
“My, my, a bit testy tonight, are we? Fine. I’ll tell you, but just know that all you have to next time is to ask nicely.”
“That is humorous coming from you,” said Nyte. Though he said so, he didn’t sound amused in the least.
“Shut up.”
Ardette threw the canteen at Nyte’s head, but Nyte reached out and caught it before it could make contact. The Daem then picked up a cinder from the fire’s edge and blew it out. While it was still smoking, he put it to the wall and started to draw the outline of a map.
“Now then, pay attention. Something like this is incredibly tedious, and I will not be showing you again.”
For the next several hours, Ardette had our attention, and together we all formulated a plan.
There are many things that can be said about ‘the plan’. It was a plan that was well thought out and cautious. A plan that considered a multitude of obstacles, both natural and random. A plan that was ready for anything. A plan that even Scardo approved of. A plan that should have worked.
. . . If only it had worked.
~
Our night was uninterrupted, and the next morning came in a blink.
Phase one of the plan was to continue south non-Elf’s pace for five hours to a small abandoned quarry on the coast, about an hour’s walk from the castle of Druelca. Once there, we’d drop off our packs, wait until late dusk, and then set out under the cover of nightfall in three groups to minimize detection from any thugs that might be keeping watch at the top of the eastern tower. Much to their chagrin, Kantú and Darch were to stay behind at the quarry and ‘guard our things’. While it only served as disappointment for the pair of them, it was a decision that made Grotts especially wary.
So as not to leave the two non-fighters behind without protection, Ardette placed a bit of himself inside of Darch. That way we’d be able to keep tabs on them at all times. Rend lacked the power to set up an elder barrier around them that would block anyone unaccompanied by Elf, but she did use her magic to place an elemental barrier blocking out natural dangers. Darch and Kantú were to keep a lookout at a high point beyond the quarry. Should any ‘unnatural dangers’ approach them once we were at the castle, I’d throw a ground-level mist bomb song in their direction while being coached by Darch through Ardette on where to move it., or if that was too complex, I’d simply sing a rainsong powerful enough to send any patrolmen back. All of these precautions, assured Ardette, would be unnecessary, as he claimed that the quarry was abandoned for good reason, though he wouldn’t share exactly what that reason was.
Darch’s staying behind would also serve another purpose. He and Kantú were to watch the road ahead and telepathically inform Ardette of troops moving in our line. Rend would be Ardette’s partner, and together they’d take out the smaller groups. On larger ones, they’d shift course to avoid contact. Rend would leave scorchings behind for Nyte and Scardo to read, letting them know when to shift. Grotts and Nyte would be in the second group, and Scardo and I would take the rear. Should anyone happen to fall, I’d heal them when we came upon them.
We’d regroup in an old drainage pipe just outside of the eastern castle wall. I hadn’t the slightest idea what a ‘drainage pipe’ was, but the Yes’lechians assured me that it was something that one could hide within. That’s when phase two of the plan would start. I’d set a furious rainstorm in motion that would send even the hardiest Druelcans for shelter. During this time, Ardette would slip up his Druelcan cloak and, in the chaos, move into the eastern camp. He’d scout out the security and then snag five more cloaks for the rest of us to wear.
If everything was still going well for Darch and Kantú, we’d start phase three. I’d lighten the rainsong but set off a few light bursts in the western sky. This, I discovered, could be done by combining lightsong with mistbomb. From Ardette’s time with Druelca, he knew that protocol would force twenty to thirty percent of each station to examine something deemed a ‘large unusual occurrence’. Once twenty to thirty percent had left the eastern camp, I’d set off another few light bursts in the southern sky. Ardette predicted that only another twenty percent of the remaining members would leave, but that it would clear out enough for us to make contact with the eastern barracks’ commander. That’s when Ardette would entice the commander with andap, get him to fess up about any ‘surprises’ waiting at the top of the eastern staircase, and then slip into the fortress with Grotts and Scardo. I was to wait outside with Rend and Nyte – a part of ‘the plan’ that I entirely intended to break.
Once inside, phase four would begin. Ardette, Scardo, and Grotts – and me, if I could manage it –would sneak up the eastern staircase and rescue Illuma. If Pietri had been telling the truth, it would be that simple. However, if he’d been lying . . . we’d fight our way out. I’d have my most powerful ariandos on hand. Should a signal be given from one of the other members, I’d be ready.
Phase one, phase two, phase three, phase four.
Four phases were all that separated me from my sister. That was all I had left. I was so close – closer than ever before, but for some reason it still felt like we were separated by the wiles of ‘forever’.
This unapparent and yet apparent trickery of endless time stayed with me all through the first phase.
Scardo and I stole across the land, slinking and fluid, utilizing the uneven landscape as a covering advantage. By making use of Darch’s viewpoint, we only had to switch course once to avoid patrolling Druelcans. Other than that slight detour, it seemed Ardette really did know the best, most undetectable way in. We traveled silently, watching for scorch marks and listening for Druelcans that might have slipped through the plan’s preparations.
For the most part, phase one went off without a hitch. However, by its end, things were already starting to stray from the rigid path I’d expected.
Not wanting to draw attention from any patrolling men during the day, we’d all refrained from climbing the quarry’s high point – saving that responsibility solely for a night-clad Darch and Kantú. At the time, it had had been a valid precaution – something necessary for ‘the plan’ – but as I neared the castle known as Druelca, I really wished I’d used the opportunity to take a peek. Just one glimpse from that towering survey point would have readied me for the puzzling, fascinating, unlike-anything-I’d-ever-seen fortress waiting ahead.
It would have saved me from several lost moments of mouth-gaping.
“Scardo!” I whispered when it first came into view. “Wha . . . ?!”
His eyes were as wide as mine, and it took him an awkwardly long time to answer. When he did, his eyes only grew. “M-mekanix, Miss Heart. Lots and lots of steamed mekanix.”
It was dark, so I couldn’t clearly see the world around me, but the fortress before us was BRIGHT, lit with enormous bonfires atop each of its four towers. The fires danced, huge and intimidating, while licking the misty sky, but they weren’t the spectacles that made my jaw drop.
That honor was saved for the castle itself.
The castle had a sort of symphony coming from it, but it wasn’t a symphony made from instrument. It was a symphony comprised of the moving and grinding of metal, and the shooting of hot steam – white steam that was puffing out of it at various places, wheezing and coughing. That sickly, hissing release reached far, even to where we were, but it was only the introduction to many more thundering thuds and clank
s to come.
Jagged metal wheels on all sides of the castle were turning and cranking and creaking. Chains were going up and down, pulling things – massive things.
“What are those?” I whispered.
“Lifts,” explained Scardo.
“Lifts,” I repeated in a daze.
Wheels and knobs, steam and fire . . . and the castle fortress was huge. Even larger than Yes’lech’s fortress. It wasn’t one massive building, it was a massive building connected to six or more smaller – but still huge – buildings via moving metal platforms.
“Sliders,” explained Scardo.
“Ah.”
To add to this imposingness, the ‘wall’ that surrounded the castle was not made of stone as I’d imagined it, but of thick metal sheets lined with rusty spikes, visible from even hundreds of paces away.
With the eastern moon high above, cutting through the misty air, the entirely thing truly looked impenetrable . . . and ferociously enchanting.
Though I was given ample time to take in the peculiar and frightening sight, it wasn’t enough.
I was still speechless when we reached the eastern wall’s drainage pipe.
It tuned out to be a large metal tunnel poking from the wall between a cluster of spikes – each of which had turned out to be as long as three standard-size cottages, and as thick at their thickest parts as Miss Danice’s larger-than-average house.
I ignored the ankle-deep green water and followed Scardo inside.
“Hello?” I whispered, squinting. My eyes hadn’t fully adjusted.
“We are here, Miss Havoc!” came Nyte’s hushed reply. “I am so glad you are all right!” He flitted through the water to me.
“He’s been parading about like a lunatic,” said Ardette from somewhere within the pipe’s mouth. “Quite emasculating if you ask me.”
“Ha!” scoffed Rend. “As if you have been behaving any less fitfully!”
Nyte and I ignored them and exchanged a fervent cloak grab in place of a hug, but it wasn’t nearly enough to quench my thirst. Luckily, Grotts offered contact.
