An Adept's Duty: The Scepter of Maris: Book Two

by James R Barnes

  "Ungh. I will make certain to... educate them."

  Choss could understand his hesitance. Females were for breeding and recreation, nothing more. It was disturbing to see that, not only would the Human men arm them and send them into battle, they also fought with impressive skill. At least this one did. Choss had seen her kill three Goblins and an Orc with his own eyes, and that was only after he had turned his attention that way. There were a few more bodies at her feet even before slaying the others.

  He smacked Seval on the shoulder as he passed him and headed back into the courtyard. He had no doubts of the outcome of the war they were now bringing to the enemy, and could foresee much glory for his clan. To see the ability some of these Humans could possess actually made him feel encouraged. He knew they would lose men, and maybe even a battle here or there, but they would win the war and it appeared that it would be against a somewhat worthy opponent. Much Glory and Honor for the Wolf!

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  No Easy Task

  They were three days past the first Respite, and had not been able to go even one without coming across something that was intent on eating them. Usually more than one something. Though the drake, even by itself, had taken eight of them to put down. Apparently she was a little angry at them for killing her young. Dhuren had told them that was what the two purple lizard-like animals were. He had also said they were fortunate that the females always drove the males away after a successful mating. Meric was happy to take him at his word.

  The few seconds that passed while these thoughts skimmed across his mind were enough to get him within fifteen feet of his party. That space, however, was swarming with spiders ranging from a foot high to one that was waist high and about seven feet across. Most of them were no bigger than knee high, with only a few slightly larger. There had to be twenty-five, maybe thirty of them crawling over each other to get at his friends.

  He had not gotten buried by the swarm, but that was only because of some quick reflexes and a lot of luck. He and Maikus had been walking at the front of the group, relieving the Guardian that was walking point so he could take a water break. Maikus, holding his light high overhead, was telling Meric about the time he found a much younger Fastil hanging upside down from the window of a certain noble House's daughter.

  "So the daughter is struggling to hold her red-faced father back and screaming at Fastil to 'run my love, run'". Maikus almost could not speak for trying not to laugh. "All the while Fastil is frantically trying, in vain I might add, to unhook the trousers bunched at his ankles and caught on the trellis just under the window."

  "A most undignified position, my Lord," Meric said, throwing a grin over his shoulder at the Dwarf they were discussing. When he turned back he had to wipe tears of laughter from his eyes so he could see where he was walking.

  "Right? So I'm standing there, confronted with his pale..." the Guardian cleared his throat. "cheeks, when he stops struggling, cranes his head around and finds me standing there. He looks at me straight-faced and says 'Ahh. Good day Captain. I seem to have had a mishap with my wardrobe. Would you be so kind as to lend me a blade? Or maybe-'. That last bit turned into a girlish scream as he dropped on his head. You see, the girl's father finally shook her off."

  "Oh no!"

  "Oh yes." Maikus barked out a sharp laugh. "If Fastil had actually seen how close the axe that split his trousers came to making sure he never fathered any children... well, I would bet he would have sworn off the ladies forever."

  "Not damn likely!" Came Fastil's indignant cry from just behind them.

  Fastil then began an impassioned speech to Brody, explaining how he came to be in such a situation. That had Meric chuckling again before forcing himself to calm enough to take a normal breath.

  The warm, moist air of this part of the tunnels was not uncomfortable, but after laughing so hard he found himself wiping sweat away from his brow, constantly. The water seeping from the various sections of the walls had pooled a bit where the floor dipped in spots, and he had had to side-step more than once to avoid these puddles, along with the steady drips coming from overhead vent shafts. He had become accustomed to these holes, some of which were three feet squares that Dhuren explained were also used during construction to bring materials in and out, and he had stopped checking them before they had even made it to Doanimar.

  Meric had just leaped ahead to clear a larger puddle, and was turning back to look at his companions, when the attack happened. Spiders came boiling out of the overhead shaft he was standing under. Not having his feet fully set actually helped him. Legs still bent from landing, he was able to push off with the foot he planted to spin around on. Instinct and reflexes from years of training kicked in even before he registered his left arm swiping away the large spider that had collided with his head and shoulder on that side.

  He was somehow able to maintain his balance as he backpedaled hastily. Continuing the motion of drawing his sword to slice through an attacking spider. Whether it was luck or just the fact that there was more 'food' in the other direction, he never knew, but only seven spiders came after him as he backed up. He did not go too far, since he did not have his light crystal out and glowing. About every other member of the party carried one of the lights, and when combined together they gave off plenty of glow. However, it only reached about thirty feet or so down a narrow space like a tunnel. Any further away and it would be too dark to see what he was fighting, so he slowed his feet while keeping his sword arm moving.

  The need to swat one of the creatures as it jumped at him, kept him from pulling his dagger even as he whipped his sword back around. He got lucky with that swing as it took two out, and he watched the one that was swatted tumble back behind the others. Another arc of his blade missed the intended target, but clipped two of the legs on the one next to it. The one he missed actually jumped to his right and clung to the wall, before scurrying up overhead. That pretty much raised every hair on his body. Trying desperately not to panic as he lost sight of that spider, he stomped down hard on the giant bug that was now missing two legs, crushing its head under his boot. Two spiders jumped at him next, even as he saw the one in back right itself and crawl forward, the pattering of their feet was not quite drowned out by the noise from his companions and his heavy breathing. The angle his sword was at would never allow him to catch both of the jumpers, so he directed a killing strike at one and caught a leg on the other, even as he felt the wall climber land on his lower back. Bringing his sword to the ready and shifting his feet to turn, he prayed that the ground was not too slick from spider blood and guts.

  Meric spun fast and sliced down by his right side, taking three legs, the head, and a quarter of the body off of the knee-high spider that lunged at him. During the spin he whipped the other spider, attached to the limb he gripped in his left hand, around to smash it hard against the sharp corner of the cross-tunnel he found himself fighting at. Hoping the disgusting, wet crunching was the sound of the creature's death, he did not even pause in his movements before he lunged backwards, shoving hard into the wall. The horror that had been climbing up his back made a similar crunch, as well as a very high pitched squeal that made his skin crawl. A violent shiver racked his entire body, but he did not stop. He lurched away from the wall and took the time to make sure the two spiders he had crushed were actually dead. That accomplished, he spared a moment to pull out two crystals and his double holder to gain some extra light. Dropping the light at the crossing, he had then moved back in the direction of the others.

  Now, as he came close to the outer edge of the mass of spider limbs and bodies, he tried to think of a better way than just wading in with his sword swinging. If the mob turned on him, he would not make it. Seven of them had almost gotten him, he shuddered to think what twenty could do.

  In the few seconds he paused to take stock, he noticed that the biggest spider was not attacking, and that it had several of the others waiting around its larger legs, also not trying to get at his frie
nds. The swarm's leader or mother maybe. If it died would the others flee, or go into a rampage? He did not have enough information to know the answer, and mentally kicked himself for not trying to learn all he could about the things they might find in the tunnels.

  He looked across the spiders to his friends in time to see Fastil snatch Maikus back out of the way, and stepped into his place next to Brody. The two of them were doing a good of job keeping the big bugs at bay, but there were just so many. Movement above the group drew his eye, and he could see that there were more spiders along the tunnel coming out of other vent holes. The rest of the party had spread out some and were fighting spiders as they dropped in among them. He watched the bugs above Brody's end being pierced by arrows, and also saw many of the bigger spiders falling from the ceiling pierced through with some kind of white spike. The flight of another of these spikes drew his eyes to Alyssa. Both of her hands had mist or steam pouring off of them and he watched her flick another spike into a clinging attacker.

  He breathed a little easier when he found no more in her immediate surroundings. This apparently gave her time to concentrate, and she closed her eyes while taking deep, even breaths. Deciding that he had stood by long enough, and that there was nothing else to do but wade in, he pulled his heavy dagger and looked for a target. Wishing that he had his bow to take out the biggest spider from a distance would do him no good, so he focused on where to strike with his sword for a fatal blow. He thought he could leap far enough to get within reach, and if he was going to have the whole mob turn on him, it might as well be for a good reason.

  Just as he was taking a step back to give himself more room for a running start, he saw the spiders crawling above the group start scurrying away, back to the vent holes. An invisible wave seemed to follow them and as it reached the spiders in front of Brody and Fastil, they paused as well and then tried to move away. Whatever it was the giant spider that had been watching did not want any of it either. That one leaped straight up toward the big vent hole it had come from, knocking any other bugs out of its way. Alyssa and Malina must have both been watching, because just as the creature's front limbs reached the hole it was pierced by an arrow, a white spike twice the size of the others, and one more arrow a second later. The giant spider crushed several of the smaller ones as it crashed to the ground, but the ones that did not get hit ignored their leader's plight, crawling for the hole as fast as possible.

  It was only a minute or so after the big one died that the tunnel was completely free of living spiders. It was also about that time that Meric realized that these spiders must not like the cold. He was looking at an equally wide-eyed Brody standing across the mound of dead bugs when his friend grinned, huffed out a laugh along with a cloud of mist to match Meric own. The temperature had dropped so much that he thought his sweat might freeze, and his shiver this time was not from revulsion.

  "Meric, if you don't marry that woman, I will." Then Brody and Fastil busted out laughing, followed by a loud whoop from the Dwarf.

  Meric just shook his head at them as he tried to work his way through all of the spider parts crowding the passage.

  "Do we have any injured or dead?" Dhuren's voice was easily heard above the celebrating crowd around him.

  Meric left him to sorting that out and did not even slow until he had reached a tired looking Alyssa, who was being propped up by Malina. The smaller brunette patted him on the shoulder as they traded places. He must have let the slight worry he felt show because Alyssa immediately gave him a wan smile and tried to reassure him.

  "I am fine. Just a little fatigue, I will be good to go in a moment."

  "Well, I just wanted to get to you before Brody knocked you over the head and dragged you off."

  She gave him a real smile then and took the water skin he offered, but before drinking she reached up with her other arm and used her sleeve to wipe something off his cheek. She then gave him a thorough kiss before going for the water. The hand she had rested on his chest pushed him back a step as she lowered the skin.

  "You are covered in spider blood and viscera. As soon as we pass beyond the cold, you should see about cleaning up. You stink," she said, and her pretty nose wrinkled.

  "I love you, too." He said dryly and turned away. A coughing fit overtook Alyssa, and he was in the middle of turning back to check on her when Brody, Fastil and Dhuren arrived.

  Dhuren looked them over quickly, focusing most of his attention on Meric.

  "Did you get bitten?"

  "No, but it was a close thing. I will be having nightmares about spiders crawling up my back for a month. Anyone else get hurt?"

  "Nothing too major. A few bites, luckily from the smaller ones. All were Dwarves, and we have a natural immunity to the venom. The bite will hurt like mad, and there could be some nausea, but otherwise we are good."

  "You sure you're alright?" Brody asked looking at Meric.

  "I am. Tired, covered in spider bits, and cold, but I think I might survive."

  "We tried to get to you... Maikus is a little upset. Thinks it was his fault for not keeping a proper watch. I told him no one would have seen that coming, but..." Fastil shrugged after he quit speaking.

  "I will talk to him. Nothing any of you could have done different. We all made it, so let us be happy with that and move on."

  "I'll drink to that." Fastil already had a flask halfway to his lips when he started that sentence. He passed it on to Alyssa after a hearty swallow.

  "We should get going. I will let the cold dissipate slowly, on its own. That should keep them in the holes for now. Well... these holes, anyway." Alyssa looked mostly recovered by the time she was done speaking, from the fatigue and the coughing, so they all agreed. She took a small sip of Fastil's mead and started forward, tugging Meric along by the arm.

  Maikus and his Lieutenant had everyone sorted out and ready to move as well, so they just continued on where they were in line. This just happened to put them with Malina, James, and Silas.

  "This is a bit troubling," Dhuren said, glancing up at each of them so they were included in his conversation.

  "You mean besides the obvious, right?" Brody looked at the Dwarf like he thought he had missed some of the conversation.

  "I do. I have never seen, nor heard of spiders attacking a group so large before. Even in the numbers they came with, they usually only hit much smaller parties. Especially in the higher levels where we are."

  Fastil was nodding along with his cousin.

  "I hate to say it, but it probably means something must have driven them out of the depths." Fastil looked thoughtful as he stroked the thick black braid hanging to his belt.

  "It couldn't be Orcs trying to find another way in, could it?"

  "No. It is too dangerous in the Deep Black for all that. No matter how bad they want us." Dhuren said, and Fastil agreed.

  They were beyond the range of the cold within a half hour, and came across a Respite another hour after that. This one had an artesian well at the center, so Meric took a bucket full of the cold water, several skins and a change of clothes into one of the small lavatories to rid himself of the filth. He returned feeling clean and refreshed. An opinion Alyssa must have shared, because she pulled him aside as soon as he exited the room and wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his neck. After a tight squeeze, she loosened her arms just enough to lean back and look at him.

  "Much better," she said.

  "It certainly feels that way."

  "When those Spider started coming out of that hole, I thought... I thought you had gotten buried..." She was whispering hoarsely by the time she trailed off and pulled him closer again.

  "Hey, I am alright. All my skin intact and no more holes in me then there were before." He was cupping her cheeks as he finished so she would look him in the eye.

  She gave him a weak, yet relieved smile.

  "Never a dull moment with you Rennick boys around, is there?"

  He laughed and pulled her back in.
There never was, he agreed silently.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Ghosts

  Alyssa was certain that she could spend the rest of her life in the Dwarven Realm and never run out of new things to study. Her latest discovery came as they exited the passage they were just in, through a bronze arch that was lined with runes. Before she could even ask, her current companion spoke. Shaya, very slender and tall for a Dwarf, was smiling slyly at Alyssa and shaking her head slightly as she spoke.

  "Just wait. You will love this, I think."

  A little vexed at having to wait for the knowledge she was seeking, she quirked an eyebrow at the pretty redhead and tried to be patient. Her wait was not too unbearable. There were about twenty people in front of her; Silas, James, Woodard and the rest of the Dwarves gathering on a landing in what had the feel of a large cavern. Shaya glanced over her shoulder and then looked back to Alyssa.

  "About twelve more, I think."

  When Alyssa looked a question at her, she got a grin and another head shake in return. The fiery red hair, tied into a topknot that reached Shaya's waist, was swaying slightly with the motion. Knowing from past experience that a narrow-eyed stare would be useless against the woman, she choked back another impatient huff and waited. Again.

  She was finally rewarded a few moments later. Shaya had pulled her aside, over to a stone platform about knee high and four feet in diameter. Her new friend directed her attention back to the arch just as the runes lit up, flaring bright yellow and then dimming down to just visible in the light from their crystals. About to turn back to her companion, she felt the magic released by the arch travel up a previously unnoticed bronze strip embedded in the wall above the entrance. The energy went up through the darkness, lighting runes along the way, and arced off into the cavern's center. Seconds later, the space began to brighten from three of the giant crystal suspended from the ceiling.