Liostro took up the rear again. Behind them he heard the telltale signs of pursuit but he declined to turn and look. Ahead of him he could see his three charges, Nina he knew could outpace all of them without question. Rose was tired and drained from her earlier expenditure and it was obvious that Avreel didn’t run often because she was beginning to tire. Out on the streets so exposed with a trained assassin on their tail was not exactly the definition of low profile so Liostro’s mind began to work. He was catching up to them rapidly and he was sure his assailant was close because the nimble killer wasn’t wearing metal armor. Though his armor was light and vented it was still heavier than what most would wear since metal was somewhat rare. Before he knew it he was within arm’s reach of Avreel again, who was ushering Rose onward with Nina’s help. Instinct saved him as he dove forward to avoid a sweeping blade.
Now pressed to turn and fight Liostro positioned his feet underneath him and braced his body for the coming blow. Crouching down low he launched himself backwards, ramming the metal armor against his opponent as he carried the blow through and landed heavily on top of the assassin. Twisting himself around he locked his hands around his foe’s throat and squeezed as hard as he could. The struggling assassin beneath him had a slender neck so it was easy to apply pressure. His foe gasped dropped his weapons to grab at his arms. The struggling assailant hit his shoulders, armor and even his head once but the blows were becoming increasingly pitiful.
Even after the body stopped moving he continued to strain and crush until he felt a slender hand on his cheek. Rose tugged on his shoulder weakly. “Liostro we have to go.”
Liostro turned to her and indicated the other two with his chin. “I’m right behind you, go I’ll catch up.”
~~~~
Liostro had rid the assassin of a few choice items and left the rest to the scavengers that lived on the streets. The edge of the city was easy to reach but on the outskirts was what Avreel called ‘the academy’. The infernis elf was obviously on edge because her attention only left the structure long enough to eye the guards they were approaching. The two were guarding the exit of the city. She approached the post warily and stopped when ordered.
“State your business.” The left guard said in a rather formal tone.
“We’re not going far.” She explained simply as she tossed the guard a jingling bag of their last coinage. “Just headed to the mushroom fields.”
“We’ll see you when you return ma’am.” The guard said with a flourish of his hand indicating the doorway.
Rose eyed the city behind them as it diminished with each step. Her gaze fell to Liostro who looked increasingly troubled and to Nina who was fiddling with something in her pack. Weakly she limped along trying not to lean on anyone. She had insisted that she walk on her own up to the gate but her legs gave out and she hit the ground hard, causing a sharp pain in her knees. “I can’t go any further, I’m too weak.”
Liostro quietly squatted down next to her and lifted her up into his arms and with a silent nod to Nina and Avreel he walked on carrying Rose close to his chest. She was so light it was almost frightening; the energy she had expended had taken a toll on her body in more ways than one. “How far must we travel before I can get us away from his place?”
“It’s almost a two day strong walk; with Rose as weak as she is it may take three days or more. We have to cross several caverns and an underground ocean before we reach the astral fade.” Avreel replied as she cast her gaze back to Liostro. “And we’re not out of the woods just yet, patrols stop at the edge of the water.”
“What’s the astral fade?” He replied inquisitively, noting that Nina had the same look on her face.
“It is a wondrous sight my friends! It is a place of thought and memory. It is the home of the gods themselves, at least what’s left of them anyway. The heavens and the hells are linked to us through the astral fade. I cannot describe it more than that; you have to see it yourselves.” Avreel continued walking as she talked. “If the gods hadn’t sacrificed themselves to save us we would have been scattered to the astral fade and the continents wouldn’t have survived the way they did.”
“There’s more than one?” Rose asked curiously from her perch in Liostro’s arms. “I had heard but I did not know for sure.”
“Yes, beyond the sandbox you call a home there are several other lands. I’ve not been to any of them unfortunately but I know they’re there.” Avreel winked back at them and grinned. “You’ll see.”
~~~~
The walking was a blur to her along with everything else so time passed in sporadic bursts and vague memories. Though she felt bad for burdening Liostro with her weight she was enjoying the feeling of being so close to him. Her head rested on his armored shoulder somewhat uncomfortably and she let her thoughts drift in and out as she gained and lost consciousness several times. Sleep was fitful with the moving and shifting as they traveled from cavern to cavern. She vaguely remembered Avreel requesting that they remain quiet while traveling through this particular set of caverns but she didn’t know why. As she drifted between dreams and reality Rose realized something was not quite right with her. “Liostro.”
“We must be quiet Rose.” He said softly and kissed her forehead.
“Something’s wrong.” She whispered, drawing the attention of all of them. “I feel magic at work.”
“We mustn’t stop.” Avreel pleaded to Liostro urgently, motioning for him to continue walking. She fell into step with them and placed her hands on the half-slumbering naarabi, casting a simple spell by whispering its words and making slight gestures. A soft light poured itself over Rose contrasting with the moving lights the three of them had conjured to see. “She’s right; someone is affecting her from afar. It would take someone or something very powerful to cast such a spell without being able to see their target.”
“A moment’s peace is all I ask the gods and yet we get none.” Liostro whispered harshly as they continued walking. “Can you do anything about it?”
“Not without stopping, Rose just hang on alright hold just a while longer.” Avreel began gesturing over Rose and rubbed a white line of a sweet-smelling substance across her head. “May the watchful lord look over you in this troubled time.”
Once she was through with that Avreel opted to pick up the pace rather than go with the stealthy option. Nina could keep the pace without much noise and Avreel was quite silent but Liostro’s armor was a detriment. Though it was light and strong it clanked every now and again as he struggled to carry Rose at the fast pace and stay quiet at the same time.
As they ran Liostro began laboring with his burden, he could feel the strain of carrying his armor plus Rose at the same time. Thankfully Nina took his pack which helped a little. After rounding the last bend in the long blank stone cavern Liostro finally called for a halt and set Rose down gently, collapsing next to her. “I can’t go on, I need a rest.”
“We aren’t out of the silent catacombs yet but we’re close, let me see what I can do for Rose while you catch your breath.” Avreel knelt down next to the fitful woman and opened her eyes wider, inspecting each of them. After that she cast a few minor spells and pulled a few strands of Rose’s fine fur out then burnt them in a small stone depression. “This is powerful magic, I don’t think I can stop it but I may be able to skew it a little.”
“Do what you can, we have to travel on.” Liostro managed through deep breaths. He sat for a moment and pulled his legs in, sitting down cross-legged on the ground. His breathing leveled out and he closed his eyes, attempting to regain his composure.
“We have to keep her awake, if we don’t she might not wake up again.” Avreel pulled a small vial out of her pouch and waved it under her patient’s nose. She was satisfied when Rose yelped and pushed it away from her.
Rose put a hand over her mouth at the outburst and then whispered. “That smells awful.”
“That’s the point, it shocks you awake.” Avreel went through several gestures
as Rose fought to keep her eyes open and alert.
Nina was standing by the far corridor where they had come from watching the caverns. Since she was an elf her eyes were very keen as opposed to Liostro’s and with her training as a ranger she made the best lookout. A scraping sound down the long dark corridor caught her attention. At first it was either light or distant but as time wore on it grew louder and more pronounced. Anxiety grew as a large creature stepped into view; its body was covered in bulky brown plates almost the same color as the stone around it. The lizard-like being was long, about the size of two men put together walking on their arms and legs, disturbingly enough it had the same number of limbs too. Its head ended in a long flat plate that cupped its skull and left two beady eyes staring out over a long snout with a row of large fangs.
Nina walked backward slowly trying not to make much noise and approached Avreel. Leaning forward she whispered the description of the creature to the hooved elf and then to Liostro. Rose began to speak but Nina shot her hand out and covered her friend’s mouth tightly and put a finger across her lips. The nod she got was all she needed.
Avreel backed against the wall and leaned over to Nina and Liostro. “It’s a plated basilisk, they can’t see well but they have very good hearing and they’ll eat anything. Don’t say a word and don’t move a muscle. If it comes down to a fight they’re only vulnerable between the plates. And whatever you do don’t meet its gaze.”
As they all doused their lights Liostro drew his long blade. He held it against his chest then bent down and picked up a rock from the ground then stood tall and still against the wall. All of them followed in suit and backed up close to the rock barrier at their backs and waited as the creature waddled into view. The basilisk walked by them and it unintentionally gave them a wide berth, wisely Liostro held his breath instead of huffing out a sigh of relief. For a long time they watched the tunnel where the large lizard creature had disappeared before resuming what they had been doing.
Rose was fighting with the blackness that threatened to take her in. Someone knew what she had done and was attacking her in her moment of weakness. She could barely hear Liostro and Avreel whispering as Nina walked the perimeter staying alert. Rose did not know how long it had been since she had drawn so much power into herself but she was fast growing tired of people attacking her and using her for their own ends. As Liostro bent down to pick her back up she pushed his hand away and shook her head, her voice just a whisper. “I must walk on my own, it will keep me awake.”
“Just do so quietly.” Avreel said in reply with a nod. She indicated that Nina should take point with an imperious wave of her hand and took up behind the stealthy young elf letting Rose walk behind her and leaving Liostro at the rear.
Even though they walked silently there were sounds still ever present made by the stone around them and the denizens scampering about just beyond their sight. Rose could almost feel them eyeing her as if she were a meal on legs. Each step held a certain amount of dread that sent a cold shiver up her spine. Every now and again something would cry out in the darkness as a superior survivor or hunter closed in for a meal. The clomp of stone on stone made her turn her head to the side quickly only to see a set of small hairy legs edging just out of her radius. They walked for some time, each step counting for several beats of their hearts. Rose knew they could all sense the growing dread around them, something was wrong. She whispered as lightly as she could but even that felt like an intrusion. "There is a presence here."
"Quiet." Avreel replied while still walking, she did not even bother to turn around to Rose.
The air around her felt as if it was going to solidify and trap her at any moment. Even Avreel seemed on edge in this place regardless of her boasts of having been through the cavern several times. This stretch of the tunnel seemed more menacing than the rest of the entire journey from the city. In the distance the sound of water caught her attention. It was low at first, barely a whisper brushing up against the stone but as they traveled it became more pronounced and overpowering. The last turn was up ahead and she could see illumination breaking the usual dark curtain that had been in front of their eyes for so long.
Nina and Avreel arrived first and Nina sucked in a startled breath, her eyes going wide. Fearing the worst Rose peered around the corner and leaned against the slightly damp rock next to her. She also felt a shock to the system as she beheld the vast underground sea that Avreel had mentioned earlier. It was massive, so vast that Rose could not see the other side of the cavern. The roof of the cave sported massive stone pillars that had been worn down and shaped by the churning waters. She watched the shifting waves play around the exposed bases of the columns for a moment before movement caught her eyes. Leaning forward she spotted the strangest creatures; they seemed to be transparent and floating just above the surface of the water dangling long tendrils below lazily. "What are those?"
"Dangerous creatures, we call them Plasmorphs." Avreel turned her attention to her feet as she began to descend the slippery stairway that Rose had missed at first glance. It was carved into the side of the stone wall. "They float just above the water and catch any unfortunate fish that come too close to the surface."
"Fish?" Rose echoed, not understanding the term.
"Fish are creatures that live underneath the water." Avreel replied looking back at Rose with surprise, it didn't last long. "You've never left the desert have you?"
"There are things living under the water?" She said in amazement as she attempted to walk down the steps carefully with Liostro's help. Just as she was forgetting the darkness behind her a long, earth-shaking howl erupted from the catacombs they had just exited. The sound was otherworldly, as if a chorus of spirits were howling in agony. Rose stood still for a moment as she listened to the gravely bay echo across the waters and further. Noticing that everyone including Avreel was quiet she spoke up. "What was that?"
"I... don't know." Avreel said after a moment of pure shock. "I think it would be best if we hurry."
None of them wanted to argue the point so they all remained quiet and focused on descending the slippery slope. Behind them Rose could feel something stirring deeper within the caverns. Though it felt familiar the powerful presence scared her down to the core. She was startled to feel the beginnings of arcane energy building within her as the drained the unseen creature from afar.
"Rose is that you?" Avreel called from the head of the line as she and Nina nearly danced down the last few stairs and hit the narrow sandy shore.
"I'm not doing it on purpose, something is chasing us and it is forcing me to draw from it." She huffed through excited breaths and stair stepping. "It feels incredible."
"Quickly then, we must reach the harbor and hope one of the smaller crafts lay within." Avreel grabbed Rose's hand and made her run, somewhat hesitantly on Rose's part she noticed. "Tell me what it is Rose."
It took a moment for Rose to collect her thoughts. Though she was stemming most of the stream of forced power she could still feel a steady trickle creeping into her system. The intoxicating feeling was making it hard for her to stanch the flow. Each step that she took away from it made her burning need for it increase. She wanted to turn around and face off of with the creature. It was so close now that she could feel it calling to her; she had been the one to awaken it. "It is a dead godling.”
"That’s impossible, a dead god down here?" Avreel said in a heated tone. "The gods of the old pantheon all drifted off into the astral fade!"
"This is something different, something more primal and feral. It is the beast that lay dead and asleep in the silent catacombs." The sound of ecstasy in her voice frightened even her so she pressed them forward. The power she was drawing from the approaching creature had revitalized her body and more. "We need distance, I don't know what will happen if it gets too close."
"This isn't worth it; I should have just let my lord take my worthless hide and yours!" Avreel shouted angrily. "There, in the distance make for the doc
ks and I will attempt to ward the area from evil, go!"
Rose wasn't one to argue, Avreel began casting immediately. In the back of her mind she knew it wouldn't hold the ancient creature long if at all but anything was worth a shot. Ahead of them they could see a long dock constructed of what seemed to be large mushroom caps with a path carved into the center of them. They were lashed together using a green rope of some kind and at the end of the dock was a huge vessel that was foreign to her eyes. It was brownish red in color and large enough to house a small army of elves. It was built using some sort of long planks and it was carved by the hands of an infernis elf from the look of the filigree. The vehicle was floating atop the water and moving with it simultaneously. The only way on was a long rope ladder hanging from the side. The strange craft was moored with two thick lines tied to the dock. A small contraption with a long arm and a rope was affixed to the side of the ship presumably to load cargo. As a whole the ship was a work of art that was curved and angular all at the same time.
Rose balked a little. "What by the hells is that?"
"Aye, are we to traverse the water in it?" Liostro said as he approached and followed Nina up the rope ladder.
"It seems to be the only one here so I guess we have no choice. I've heard of ships and boats before but this is the first one I've seen." Nina replied to him as she crested the deck and attempted to get her bearings. "I have no clue how to start this thing off!"
"We need Avreel." Rose said as she looked around the deck curiously.
"You don't seem afraid." Liostro said with an arched eyebrow. When Rose didn't respond he deliberately stepped in front of her. "Rose! I said you don't seem afraid."
"There’s no need to be afraid." Rose replied almost mechanically. "The death eater merely wants to merge."
"What by the gods and demons is a death eater?" Liostro replied while he shifted his gaze from Nina to Rose alternately. When neither of them responded he sighed and raised his arms. "Well?"
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