Clearing the Web

by Cary J Lenehan

  A sentry stands on a watch platform high above the gate. We didn’t even notice that it existed when we were here. There are no stairs up to it that I can see, so unless Dwarves have learnt to fly, this means that it is accessed from inside. The sentry is heralding our approach with another short tune on his horn, and Dwarves working below on the platform stop and stare up at us as we approach. It seems that we are expected as there is no apparent fuss about our approach.

  Gradually, Theodora brought the carpet down to the main platform, stopping in the middle of it in front of the door. They took their time getting off the carpet and ready. Theodora and Rani moved towards the door each holding one of Fear’s hands. Striding behind them as guard was Harald, looking around as he went.

  Ayesha and Lãdi were left with the carpet. Ayesha had her bow strung and was making moves to unpack the carpet, ready to take things inside, but she stayed alert in case there was trouble. She needn’t have bothered. Thord was already hurrying out of the gates with his hands outstretched in welcome. Behind him they could see some more Dwarves approaching.

  We are greeted by one who is tall for a Dwarf and broad with it. He has a grey beard and hair. “Welcome, again I believe, to Dwarvenholme ’n’ t’Race will t’ank you forever for what you’ve done here. I am T’orgrim Baldursson, t’Mayor of Dwarvenholme, at least until t’findin’ of t’King.”

  “T’smilin’ fool who greeted you first is livin’ happy on our t’anks. One day he may come to his senses ’n’ rejoin us, but in t’meantime you’ll be pleased to hear t’at he serves your interests well.” Thord’s face takes on a look of exaggerated hurt and wounded innocence, which fools no-one.

  He continues: “You come to clear t’relics of t’Masters, I believe, ’n’ we’ll be glad. Our Druids tell me t’at safely performin’ such task is beyond t’eir ken at present, but t’ey be keen to learn. In t’meantime come ’n’ see what we’ve done to restore Dwarvenholme. We still ha’years of work ahead of us, but it be work t’at any Dwarf’ll be glad to do.”

  “T’roads’re priority ’n’ Thord would not tell us how you arrived here ’n’ spirited away some of the treasure without our permission.” He smiles at that. “When you let us know which path you ha’used, we’ll clear it so t’at we may trade with you for food, ’n’ I believe, gems ’n’ metal.”

  “We thank you for your welcome,” said Theodora, “I am Princess Theodora, and this is my husband Rani, and our daughter Fear.” This statement elicits no response at all from the Dwarf…something to store away for later thought. Theodora waved a hand: “Our guard here is Harald Pitt.” Harald interrupts waving at Dwarves he knows to give a short bow. “He was brought up among Dwarves in the Hills in the Northern Plains. Behind us you see Ayesha and Lãdi, who were brought up in the Caliphate.”

  “Please show us the wonders you have here. We saw only a pale fraction of the glory that will again be Dwarvenholme on our last visit, and we look forward to seeing it more properly now that the Dwarves have returned and have begun restoring its glory to the way that it once was and should be again.”

  They were taken inside and shown what was to be seen. I note that many of the nails we left have been moved, although they are still being used. Now they are placed in the roof. Thorgrim notes my look.

  “Aye, we still use t’nails, ’n’ we t’ank you for’em. T’ey ha’made our task far easier. Eventual t’ey’ll be replaced with somethin’ grander, but just now t’ey let us concentrate on lightin’ areas t’at you did not visit.”

  In the entrance hall, it was easy to hear, and indeed to smell, that the rooms of stables along it were now in use, as were the guard rooms. Dwarvenholme is coming back to life.

  In place of bats and dung, the grand concourse is now full of light and scurrying Dwarves. The smell is even gone, although from the strength of the incense being burnt in several places, it may be merely banished for a while. It may be some time before it leaves the rocks completely.

  Looking around and up they could see that the balconies were being repaired and some of the alcoves, mainly those at ground level, already had shops in place in them. It seems that there are eight levels here in this immense space.

  Around us rises a clamour. In this huge empty void, it is a little thin compared to Pavitra Phāṭaka. I have quickly grown accustomed to the quiet of the village, broken only by Norbert’s hammer and the cries of children. Next to that, this is almost a continuous din.

  They stopped and stared around them. Eventually Ayesha and Lãdi, together with other Dwarves carrying their belongings, joined them and they also just stared.

  “It is already as big as Yarmũk,” declared Lãdi, naming the village she grew up in.

  “And Yãqũsa,” added Ayesha. “It seems so much larger now that we can see all of it.”

  Thorgrim and Thord are both beaming with pride. “T’rest of t’Land must be wonderin’ what is happenin’ to t’Dwarves,” said Thorgrim. “Near half of us’re either here or bringing t’ings here. It is a great time.

  “All we need is t’King to make it complete, ’n’ if we lack him, t’en we will ha’ more time to ready it for him. Who knows, perhaps he’ll be born here. T’at would be good ’n’ would save many arguments. T’Finder insists he does not yet know him, ’n’ on t’is we must trust him.”

  Lãdi and Ayesha went off with their attendants and, after some more looking around Thorgrim said: “I will allow T’ord to show you to where you’ll stay. It is on the T’rone Level, where t’Masters were, ’n’ I presume, where you will be workin’.

  “I notice t’at you ha’ brought food. It is as well; our supplies here tend more to t’portable ’n’ t’storable t’an to t’palatable. T’ord probable told you t’at. He never stops complainin’ ’n’ missing your cook ’n’ her work. T’is is one of t’t’ings t’at will change ’n’ at least t’fungi fields ha’plenty to grow on.” He sighed and then politely took his leave and they began the long walk up the stairs.

  This time it is easier. The stairs are now well lit and we can lean out and look far up and down the shaft. We can even hear others using it. Coming towards us are living Dwarves, rather than the animated remains of their ancestors. It is still, however, a long climb.

  Fear, as children do when the exercise they are doing is not of their choosing, is complaining well before we reach the top. As they went, Theodora explained to Harald and to Fear what had happened and where. Her explanations attract attention and, while our arrival may have been expected by some, it is obvious that not everyone has heard about it.

  That night, on Harald and Thord’s advice, they held a small feast for the Mayor and a few others among the leaders of the Dwarves. It is lucky that Lãdi expected that, and brought the portable stove and more food than we would have otherwise needed.

  Theodora

  29th September

  The next day, they got to work on dismissing the pentagrams working into the floors of the nearby rooms. It is slow work, but getting safer and safer as we grow accustomed to the spell. The first casting had been the riskiest, but now it is getting to be an almost routine enchantment.

  “The surviving Masters, wherever they are, must be feeling this,” said Theodora. “There is always a feeling of pain and anguish when something you have made is dis-spelled. Losing them at this rate must hurt—even for them.”

  When they were not working, they were taken on tours of Dwarvenholme by Thord. Now we can use the carpet to travel up and down the stairs. Seeing that we are just going up and down and there is no wind, if we leave most of our stuff behind, and are all careful and take it slowly, it is safe to fit an eighth person on board.

  They still did not return until what might be night. Thord took them to the base of the stairs and the workings there and back. As we go, I can see envious looks coming from those who are trudging up and down the hard way. Dwarvenholme turns out to hav
e twelve main levels and many smaller ones.

  When they reached the bottom, it was revealed to be a mine. The level above it was still being built when Dwarvenholme was lost. It was to have housed smelting and other smelly trades that would have been brought down from above. It is obvious that once this city held many more people than any city now in the world and it was intended to have room for many more.

  Vast ventilation shafts interlace the levels and the spells there are being restored, slowly, to keep the air fresh so far beneath the ground. You know when you are near those shafts as the roaring wind in them seems able to be heard even through the rock. Eventually spells will be used to calm the noise, but for the moment, those enchantments are less important than making it possible to work everywhere in Dwarvenholme without Dwarves passing out from stale or foul air. It is a lot of work.

  Theodora

  6th October

  Eventually, the work was done. It has taken a very long time; the largest Pattern is left until last. Christopher was unsure if his standard miracle would be able to handle it. He has to modify the one he has been using, but he is so familiar with them now that it is possible. With the diagrams gone, it seems that there is almost a perceptible lift in the spirit of the city. There is no reason for this, but looking round, that is the way it seems to be.

  That night the Dwarves hosted them for a dinner, although it turned out, from the fact that a Dwarf in an apron kept coming and talking quietly to Lãdi, that she might have had a hand in it as well. There are a lot of mushrooms, of different sorts, among the dinner dishes, even as sauces on the pork-like meat.

  “When you get that road down to us built, we will work out how to trade. I think that we may have some greens and herbs that your cooks will appreciate, and even some hot spices and drinks. As well, I think that we had a good year for onions and root vegetables. You do seem to have plenty of dried pulses though.” I tried as hard as I could to make that sound like a compliment, but I fear it was not a success.

  Rani

  7th October

  In the morning, they were bidden farewell and they headed back to Mousehole. The last of the nearby visits have been made. The next visit that we make has to be the trip to Darkreach. We will wait at least a month for that one, and leave Mousehole much closer to the onset of the real winter. It is unlikely that there will be any threat to the village when the snows lie deep and it will be hard to get the dragon to stir in such weather.

  On the trip back to Mousehole, and before they headed down the northern flank of their valley, with the mountain of the dragon very visible on their right, the carpet rocked suddenly and violently, and an excited Theodora said: “I have an idea. If you can make some sort of weapon, I think that I can give our people a chance to get close enough to use it, and still have a chance to stay clear of its breath. It will be dangerous, but it should work.”

  She will not be drawn any more on details, and we have to land and let Lãdi take a turn controlling the carpet as Theo-dear is soon too distracted to steer properly and keeps veering off course and rocking the carpet.

  Chapter XLII

  Hulagu

  7th October

  Well, the carpet is back, but Theodora’s mind is not. She has just jumped off and called for Stefan. They are in a heads-together conference as they are walking to his workshop and Stefan is already jumping about. From up here on watch I can see covered objects going into his workshop and everyone else being kept out.

  Now Dulcie has been called in, and the sound of hammering and sawing comes from her locked workshop as well, and she and Tabitha then start carrying things draped with cloth to Stefan’s workshop, where there is more hammering. No-one will say anything, just grinning when asked and we are all just told to wait.

  Hulagu

  13th October

  It is a week later that Theodora has brought out the old jars from wherever they were kept, and started going around collecting hair and nails, and other things, from everyone. The carpet has even been sent to collect from Thord, taking food with it.

  I guess Theodora is brewing a major spell again. She will not say what it is, even to us apprentices, but is humming happily as she goes around the village. Sometimes she can be very annoying, just like a small child with a hidden treasure. She has even collected from all of the children.

  The next day, word came out that everyone was banned from casting or even using spells in the village for the next few days.

  Hulagu

  16th October

  Theodora has called everyone together outside the hall. Stefan, Dulcie and Tabitha are standing there proudly in a row. Behind them is a large covered lump. Theodora smiled and eventually spoke as she looked around them. “Hulagu has told us that the dragon will be coming to Mousehole after winter is over.”

  So that is what it is about. She looks around her. They all know that by now. Was she expecting to keep that secret in a community this small? She sighed.

  “Several of you have asked about how we might deal with major threats and others have complained that we need another carpet. We cannot make one of those yet, but we may have something even better for what we need.” Her voice is sounding almost smug. “Behold,” she waved a hand, and Stefan and the others moved away and whipped the cloth off what they had concealed so far.

  What in the name of the spirits bastard children is that? It looks a bit like a saddle and has obviously started out as one left over from the bandits. It can never be used on a horse again. It stands on three carved wooden legs a short pace off the ground. It has a bow case and two covered quivers attached to it and a small projection out of the front of it to which short reins are attached.

  Is it meant to train people how to ride? I have heard the people of the khanatai gazar have toy horses for children, but it has no head at the front nor the rockers that I hear such horses usually have.

  Astrid is almost bursting out laughing, but the four up front look proud. No-one else is saying anything, and the makers are looking fit to burst. People are looking at each other in puzzlement. I don’t want to be the first to ask. It seems that everyone is the same, even Rani. “All right,” Astrid, predictably, asked, “what is that?”

  “I am very glad you asked,” said Theodora. “Hulagu, please come here…please put this on. Make sure it is tight and secure around your waist.” All right what is this? She has given me a leather thing. It is a belt with a large metal ring on each side of it. Once it is on, she continues.

  “Now please sit on this as you would sit on a horse.” He did this. “Now think of it as if it were a horse, a horse of the air. Be gentle with it, and think of slowly walking a horse, but as if it were in the air.” Hulagu concentrated.

  The saddle is rising. By the Sky Spirit, it is flying. “Turn it with the reins,” said Theodora. “You should be able to use your knees as you do on a horse, but the reins will be easier to use for now.”

  “I want everyone to move up on to the roof of the Mouse Hall, quickly. Hulagu, just stop there until we are all upstairs.” They are all rushing upstairs, now they are all excited, but not as excited as I am.

  When they have reached the top, Theodora looks at me and calls down. “Now, Hulagu, you will see that on each side of you there is a strap and a buckle. I don’t want you to feel insulted, but please make sure you fasten yourself on tightly with the belt—as tight as you can.”

  Curious, and looking around and finding straps and buckles, Hulagu obeyed. “Now, do what you want with it. You can go as fast as you want and, if we have done it right, you should even be able to fly on your side. I will urge you to be cautious when you try something new. I think that this will be a skill that is different to anything that anyone has ever done before. It may look a little like riding, in some ways, but I am sure that it will take near as much learning to master.”

  Hulagu, in reflex, dug his he
els into where a horse would be. It is as if it is alive. It has taken off. Faster and faster he flew, faster than the fastest horse, and then far faster still. I am flying faster than the fastest birds.

  He started moving it around and, at one stage ended up flying upside down over the watchers making ‘whooping’ noises with the quivers hanging down past him. It is lucky that they are lidded. I must bring it back. Theodora is beckoning at me.

  “We will be making as many of these as we can,” said Theodora. “I am thinking we will eventually need at least twenty. Everyone that can learn to use one will get one. We think that we can now out-fly the dragon. Now we just have to work out how to use these to get us in a position to kill it.”

  “Best of all, no-one who is not of Mousehole can use them. Even those children we now have can eventually be taught. I thought that I was not going to be able to do this, but I thought only about carpets and brooms, which for some reason are traditional for flying.”

  “Eventually,” she said looking from one to another of the trainee mages, “I thought, why not use something that is meant to be ridden on, and that wants to be ridden instead of something that was meant for another purpose. That will reduce the cost of the spell…and it worked. Adding that, to making it so that only the people of this valley can use them, well, I was just able to perform the conjuration.”

  Rani ran up and kissed her. “This will give us an advantage in any battle, let alone against a dragon. We need molotails when we go to Darkreach. We can drop those on armies from above them and only magic will be able to touch us, and we can cope with that as well.”

  Hulagu

  30th October

  I may not be much use yet, but so much magic is being made that Harald has begun digging out one of the largest empty spaces of the mine, to be used for the storage of items that will take several days to complete otherwise only one item can be made at once.