by Paul Heisel
"Owori," he called out into the inky dark. "Kara, Gargam, TeBroo! Owori!"
No response. It was so quiet he could hear his heart pounding in his chest. Feln came to his feet carefully, hands outstretched and feeling for the tunnel walls to gather his bearings. The wall was rough and felt cold to the touch. He untied his sheathed katana from his waist then used it to poke in the dark. The mound of earth that had trapped him was impenetrable and he gave up finding a path back the way he had come. Ahead of him was the only path that was unblocked. Before he departed, Feln yelled for his companions twice again, waiting each time for a response. When there was none, he began walking in the darkness, using his sheathed katana like a blind man would use a cane. It was enough to guide him to where the tunnel branched. As he recalled, he had searched the four left most passageway without finding the entrance to the dungeons. That meant there were five others for him to explore in the dark. That was assuming he reached the end of the tunnel. If the tunnel had collapsed in multiple places, he would be trapped here until he died of thirst.
As he walked in the complete darkness, his thoughts centered on his companions and their fates. Mostly thoughts of Owori consumed him, and he kept hope in his heart that she had survived the collapse. If they survived, their only way out was the burning church. It would take hours for them to get out safely through the fire; Feln presumed they would abandon the mission and leave the city. If he made it through the dungeons and the castle, he would go to the meeting place in the courtyard. From there, when they didn't show up, he would leave the castle and make his way back to Waskhal or head for Sabrin to join the army. Briefly he considered searching the burnt monastery for his companions, but decided against it unless he could determine that it was safe. There were too many ifs. It pained his heart to think of Owori buried by the dirt, suffocating to an improbable death - he was certain she had envisioned dying only in battle. They were warriors and expected a warrior's death. An empty feeling struck, sickening him, and it was terrifying to think that Owori could be dead. Could. They all could be dead! Could. Or they were trapped and trying to dig their way out. He tripped over his feet, stumbling forward, and he cursed. First he had to get out of this tunnel alive! That needed to be his focus.
His instincts told him to fly ahead through the darkness, to run as fast as he could so he could escape through castle. Owori - he had to find her - he had to save her if she was trapped. That fueled him, yet he didn't run. Rushing in the darkness wasn't what he needed to do. He needed to get to the intersection, explore the branches, and hope for some luck. If he found his way into the dungeon, he could navigate the castle using his skills and knowledge, and go to the meeting point. If they weren't there, he'd go to the burned monastery, scout it, and if it was safe he would find his best friend. They had to be alive!
He forged ahead in the black, taking care so he wouldn't trip again. Dirt caked his hand from running it along the wall for guidance, and he shook the excess away when needed. He was anxious, but wouldn't give in to the urgency. There was a way out through the dungeons, all he had to do was find it. Time passed as he walked, how many steps and miles he had traveled in the dark he didn't know. One thing that worried him was without light he wouldn't be able to see any junctions or side passages that he couldn't detect with his left hand. If the tunnel branched off to the right, he wouldn't know it.
A sense of duty crept in as he considered the mission, reminding him that they had come here to stop a war, or in the least, chop off the head of the serpent. If they accomplished this task, they would save hundreds if not thousands of his fellow monks and Accord of the Hand soldiers. Was the greater good worth a desperate attempt? By himself he had zero chance of success. Yes he could remain invisible and could theoretically get close enough to Jakks to hold him prisoner. It would be him against hundreds, and without support, they would take him when he became too tired to stay awake. It was that simple. Despite this, he contemplated it additionally, wondering if there was an angle he hadn't thought of that could bring the conflict to a halt. They were at war. They had killed Taawn. Worst of all, Borgard had sent an army in secret to attack Sabrin, to destroy the seat of their government and send them into chaos. All of this infuriated him. They had killed the Spirit Ones to provoke the attack and lure them away from their lands so another army could strike a weakened Accord of the Hand. Now he was here, survivor of an earthquake, soon to be inside the castle with a slim opportunity to end this war. If he blinked, stayed hidden, and used his skills, he could get to Jakks and force him to surrender. Yes, he could do it, perhaps.
Owori was on his mind and it concerned him how visions of her interrupted his thinking. He had to concentrate on getting through the darkness ahead of him. This daydreaming had to end for his own good, yet he couldn't stop thinking about her. He could see her in the dark outfit with the ribbons spinning in the air as she moved. With her dark hair pulled back and perfectly straight, not one hair out of place of course, and her dark eyes flashing, Feln didn't know how he had kept his sanity around such a beautiful woman. Their connection was so obvious, yet his lacking attention toward her was shameful. He had taken their friendship for granted, assuming they should only be friends and treating her no better than another monk. Now, with the prospect of her being dead, he cursed himself for wasting so much time. He was in love with Owori, probably always had been. Their love as friends had developed into a greater connection. He should have seen it. He should have known!
For some strange reason he remembered Suun. He had forgotten! She would return to the monastery to find it burnt to the ground. Would she assume he was dead? It was another reason he had to survive, he had to find out what Suun knew about his mother and find out more about this belt she wanted. But where could he find Suun? Would she return to Pyndira, use her magic belt to go there? He imagined the hand movements he had read about in his research to Pyndira, unconsciously he did them as he walked in the darkness. After he tripped over a rock for the second time, he decided he should concentrate more on getting through the tunnel and less on transporting to a mythical land via magic.
The wall and floor changed and Feln came to a halt, running his hand over smoother stone brought from a forgotten quarry, hewn straight and set long ago. He knew where he was, the chamber where the other tunnels began. Hand over hand he searched the walls, finding the left most passageways that he had explored without finding the dungeon entrance. He went to the fifth passage, figuring he needed to be methodical, and entered with his hand running along the wall. Minutes passed as he felt along the walls, using his katana to keep him from running into dead ends. He thought he had turned around and was headed back to the chamber, wishing he had light. He had a toolkit that he was saving if he found a torch or a lantern. Using his hands and katana, he confirmed he was back in the chamber. So the first five leftmost chambers were dead ends. Perhaps six would be better. After ten minutes of meandering in the maze, his hand brushed by something attached to the wall. It was what he had been looking for, a sconce, and set in it was a torch. With his toolkit, he lit it. The flare of the fire felt like the brightest light he had ever seen, and he shaded his eyes. For the next several minutes he rested, revitalizing his nerves while he took time to become accustomed to the light. The castle dungeons were near, he knew it, and he would need all of his strength and magic he could muster, as the walk in the dark had taken more out of him than he realized. Given his state of tiredness, it would be foolish for him to continue without taking more time to relax, recharge his mind, body, and spirit. Yet he felt as if he didn't have that luxury, time was running short no matter what he decided to do. He had to escape and get out of the castle. He had to find what happened to Owori.
He thrust the torch forward and breathed in dank air, stepping on the stone floor. Silently he moved along the smooth corridor, stopping often to listen to his surroundings. It was quiet except for animal squeaks; rats he presumed that had found their way through air vents. This was a good sign
- life - a conduit to the outside world was nearby. The corridor ran straight for a time, then it started to twist and turn like the others had. Perhaps this would be another dead end. He hoped not, because the torch wouldn't last forever. There were other corridors going in different directions, each concluding at a stone wall or a heap of rubble. It was then that he saw signs of Taawn having traveled here, and a surge of energy encouraged him forward.
At the end of the corridor, Feln found what looked like the backside of a door. It was made of a solid slab of stone and well-crafted, with the long ancient hinge flaking off rust that had gathered in a pile on the floor. There was a small handle made of metal, it too had rusted. He pulled the door open with effort and the hinge creaked. Once the door was ajar Feln pushed his outstretched hand into the space; it was an old dungeon cell with a broken rusted door in front of him. He went through and on the opposite wall he could see there was another unlit torch that he could use to replace the one he had. A voice called out to him.
#
Footsteps echoed and Kara became rigid. She could see Owori walking back, the Waskhal monk's eyes were narrowed with determination. Kara admitted that she was impressed with Owori. This monk had proven her worth ten times over since escaping from the tunnel. It was no wonder Caleth spoke so highly of Feln and Owori, and Kara was curious why Caleth had kept their talents hidden from Accord of the Hand leadership. If she believed her eyes, she knew why Caleth kept them as scouts - the girl could disappear using magic. Owori had convinced them that she could get inside the castle grounds and find a way to get them over the wall or through the gates. The girl had delivered, despite the guards, despite the heightened situation. Now they were here, inside the castle grounds trying to manage the rest of the mission. Without her they would be dead, captured, or still making their way through the mountain caves.
Kara's mind was elsewhere and she knew that wasn't good. If she didn't start focusing on the task at hand, she would make a mistake that would cost them their lives. It couldn't be helped, as there were too many secrets in jeopardy. She had already committed to a grander plan, but this monk, Owori and her ability to vanish, gave her reason to reconsider those plans. Caleth could have sent monks to spy on Bora to learn what they were doing. It was too late, though, for her to turn back. Change was inevitable, unavoidable. Breathing deeply, Kara settled her mind and focused. They had to find the king and end this war first, before it ended them or the Accord of the Hand empire.
Owori approached and Kara could see perspiration on her face. Work had been done. Deadly work. Kara was beginning to like this girl, even though she was certain they would never agree on much. She smiled at the thought of getting Owori to relocate to the Bora monastery. Then Owori would learn true magic, and she would find chi she never knew existed. Maybe it was a good thing that Feln was dead, smothered in the collapsed tunnel. An emotional woman always made rash decisions, and that's what it would take to get her to come to Bora. Now she was more motivated to capture Jakks and end this war. She wanted Owori for herself.
#
"The way is clear," Owori said. "Feln isn't at the meeting spot." She could see that the others were anxious. Kara was looking at her intently, studying her, and it wasn't so much unsettling as it was endearing to have another leader look upon her as a great asset. Owori knew Kara admired her because of her capabilities.
The memory of seeing Feln disappear when the tunnel collapsed kept playing in her mind. There was a drive so strong to find him that she couldn't contain herself. She wanted to run nonstop to find him despite their mission. Had Kara and the others not been here, she would have made her way into the depths of the castle by now. With the three companions, though, she had to scout ahead, eliminate resistance - quietly - and clear the way for all of them. They had to go quicker now, as missing guards would eventually cause the alarm to be raised.
Owori led the way, stepping past where she had hidden two unlucky guards. She kept her chi under control, resisting the urge to disappear into the ample shadows the castle courtyard offered. It would be so easy for her to do this alone, yet it wouldn't make things better by wishing she was alone. She was dwelling on it too much. Thinking too much. One way or another, they would find Feln. The quicker they ended this, the better.
The path they were taking led them through a lush courtyard appointed with hedges, plants, flower, and statues. The marble visages were daunting figures in regal poses, brandishing blade and scepter alike. The tarnished plates named them the Borgard Kings of old. One statue, disfigured and hacked apart, looked as if someone had pounded on it with a sword. Owori detected the odor of urine as well. So much for respect. She stopped and read the damaged nameplate.
Frederick Borgard.
This was the last king to have ruled, the father of the three brothers, Jakks, Puran, and Makison. As Owori recalled from talking to people while she had been inside the city, Makison had gone missing and was presumed dead, this happening right after Frederick had died, giving way for Jakks to become king. It was extraordinary that one family should have such misfortune at the same time. Owori felt it was too coincidental, and that meant they were up against ruthless people who would kill their own family for gain. No doubt this meant that they couldn't be trusted should any bargains be made.
Clouds covered the moon and Owori felt better as the darkness deepened. The night would provide them additional cover until they could get inside the primary structure undetected. She told Kara that the two guards she had dispatched would go missing, explaining that she had no other option, it was either dispatch them or be caught. Owori estimated they had an hour until the bodies were found. That left them little time to get inside, find the staircase, and get to the king. Kara acknowledged with a nod that they had to get moving.
The courtyard became darker. The only lights were flickers from various windows both high and low in the castle. Owori signaled the others, they darted forward and all of them jogged until they came to an iron fence covered in leafy vines. Owori melted into the darkness and slithered ahead of the others, found a door, and opened it. She was inside moments later and greeted by a dark empty corridor. Good, she thought. She imagined if they had entered through a more prominent area, they would have had copious light to contend with. This area was dark and cold, only a glimmer of light was in the distance, coming from a junction. Owori signaled and her companions followed, then they shuffled inside single file. The door shut behind them with a clank. They were inside the castle at last. A sense of relief came as they had made it this far without being detected or meeting significant resistance. Now came the difficult part, finding Jakks Borgard and ending this.
Looking at her companions, Owori could see they were on edge. None of them were as relaxed as she, perhaps it was because they felt exposed no matter where they were. They weren't like her, accustomed to sneaking around and patiently waiting in the shadows. The three opposite her were fighters who battled in the open. She could do that as well, but she knew how to hide and stay hidden, with or without her magic. Infiltration took unwavering patience and iron nerves, attributes she had in abundance.
Kara motioned to her. She responded with a slight nod. Owori strolled down the hallway with the others in tow, heading toward the junction in the distance where the light was. It was plain here, cold and indifferent, and Owori thought this area saw infrequent use. There were a few signs of traffic, clumps of dirt were here and there, and she was certain the hallway wasn't swept regularly. Owori could see someone had scraped their sword along the plastered walls, leaving deep gouges. Bits of white residue lined the base of the wall, with a few chunks of plaster every few feet. This person had been here recently, had walked this same path, and had forgotten to take the torch with them upon departing.
They came to the junction and Owori led them to the right, which would take them deeper into the castle. They left the torch burning in the sconce, not wanting to disturb anything they didn't need to. Their intended search would tak
e them higher, so they needed to locate the stairs. To get answers and find the king, they would have to be thorough in their search of the living areas. If the maps they had were correct, they would have a chance to find him within the hour.
Owori led them through a door. They entered a large forty foot by forty foot room filled with empty casks, some were broken, some were cut in half. It smelled musty and moldy in here, and rats scurried away when they entered. The sour smell of spoiled wine was overpowering. Tools were on a bench along with pieces of new wood. Other barrels were in a state of half repair. They closed the door, leaving them in complete darkness. Owori could hear the others taking deep breaths. Then there was a noise as Kara tried to light the lantern they had brought.
"I should go and determine the location of the king," Owori said. "It'll be faster if I go alone." There was a long pause, and Owori wished they had more light so she could see Kara. She was positive Kara had an unpleasant expression on her face.
"You'll need our help," Kara said as she finally got the lantern going. The minimal light illuminated their faces.
"Once I find where he is, I'll get you and we can take him together. I have to go alone. I won't be detected, you have to trust me. I will find the king."
"Then what are you waiting for? Find the king," Kara ordered.
#
After Owori had gone through the door, Kara pretended to shut it and lingered, watching Owori. The monk slipped along the wall in the darkness, then without warning vanished into nothing. So it was true, her eyes hadn't deceived her. There were a thousand reasons for Owori to come to her monastery in Bora, and the hardest part would be convincing the girl to do so. The question was, what would motivate Owori enough to come study with her monks and discover the true meaning of her magic?
