by Levi Samuel
After dinner, the children got ready for bed.
Inyalia stared out her window. She could see the pyre of Largar’Thor’s lighthouse, guiding ships into the harbor. Lost in thought, her eyes closed and she began to drift into an adventure that would carry her to sleep. She wanted nothing more than to become a ranger. In doing so she could protect the lands she loved so much. Her skills were sharp. She knew that. But she was too young to apply to the corps. Imagining herself running through the trees, bow drawn and at the ready, sleep claimed her.
The scent of elven spice bread and fried eggs wafted through the air. Inyalia’s eyes shot open. Jumping up, she threw her clothes into place and ran down the stairs. Turning the corner at the last minute, she lost her footing and crashed into the wall.
Baal’s laughter echoed from the kitchen table.
“Inyalia, slow down before you hurt yourself!” Melaena’s tone was firm but comforting.
Picking herself up, Inyalia entered the kitchen and took the seat beside Baal.
Melaena gave a loving smile, watching Inyalia climb into her chair. Turning to the stove, she removed the last of the food and sat it on a quilted pad at the center of the table. Taking her own seat, she gestured to the kids, granting permission to fill their plates. Melaena sat quietly, watching them dig in as if they hadn't eaten in weeks.
Vera groggily strode into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She was still wearing her night clothes. Unlike the others, she had difficulty climbing the stairs. For that reason alone, she was allowed to sleep in their parent’s bedroom.
Getting to her feet, Melaena scooped her youngest daughter into her arms and gently sat her in the previously occupied chair. She wasn’t quite able to climb into it by herself. Quickly fixing a plate, Melaena sat it in front of Vera and pulled another chair for herself. “I need you to try to stay clean today. Your father will be home early with a wagon.”
“Ooh, can we go to the theater?” Baal asked between bites.
“What makes you think we’re going to Cammrun?” Fixing her own plate, Melaena surveyed the remaining food. There wasn’t much left, but that had been by design. Experience had taught her the formula to feeding them without excess waste. Cooked food didn’t keep long, and it wasn’t as if she could simply store it for another meal.
“The only time dad brings the wagon home is when we’re going to the city.” Inyalia offered, scooping the mashed over-easy eggs onto the toasted bread.
“I’m glad your powers of perception are so keen. Perhaps you should employ them during your chores.” Melaena smiled, seeing the distasteful glare upon her daughter’s face. “Yes, we’re going to Cammrun. And if we have time, I’ll see what we can do about attending the theater. But that’s a big if. Your father has important business to discuss with the king’s council.”
“Yay!” Baal exclaimed, stuffing his mouth. His father’s business never lasted long, and even when it did, they were never expected to wait for him. That meant they’d have plenty of time to see a show.
Rapidly finishing her breakfast, Inyalia rushed out the door before any objections could be heard. She knew she wouldn’t have much time to explore the forest today, especially with her father returning home so early.
On the nights he spent home, he was always gone before sunrise the following morning. It was a three-hour horse ride to the Dragon Sanctum, and he would usually return right at nightfall. Calculating the time, she had maybe four hours to explore before he’d be back.
Inyalia had never been to the sanctum, but the stories made it sound marvelous. Trendensil was supposedly protected by a huge white dragon, which was honored in the form of a grand statue erected atop the outpost. The stories fascinated her, though many seemed too farfetched to be real. Dragon Sanctum was headquarters for the second battalion of the Rangers Corps, and it served as the first line of defense against an in-land invasion, though no such thing had ever happened. The elves were too powerful. Nobody would risk such devastation.
Inyalia had once asked her father why he left so early. Even with the long ride, he was always the first to arrive. He’d explained that it set a good example for those under his command. Leading by example made them respect him. And that meant he could trust them. She still didn’t understand, but he’d assured her that it would make sense one day.
Returning her focus to the path, Inyalia spotted a strange set of tracks in the dirt. They looked like the paws of a dog, but they were much wider. Larger even than those of a wolf. And stranger still, they were grouped in sets of two instead of four. This was an opportunity to practice her tracking skills. Altering course, Inyalia followed the tracks. It took only a moment to realize she was headed back into Highlor.
Just beyond the first row of buildings, Inyalia paused, searching the ground. It was more compact here, but just enough loose dirt remained to be impressionable. She was barely able to make out the imprints. Had she not seen a full print already, she had no doubt she would have lost the trail. Approaching the butcher’s shop, the scent of meat filled her nostrils. The tracks circled the meat house several times, seeming to linger around the door. She even found scratches in the dirt on one side, as if whatever she was following had tried to dig its way in.
“Hey, Inyalia, what are you doing?” Baal asked, approaching his sister.
“Following some tracks. They came here, and they go back that way.” She said, pointing south. “They seem pretty fresh. Probably made just before daybreak. Come on. If we run, we might be able to see what they belong to.” Without another word, Inyalia was sprinting through the trees. She made very little noise considering how fast she was moving.
Behind her, Baal ran just as fast, trying to keep pace. “I don’t think this is a good idea.” He panted through labored breaths.
Ignoring his objections, Inyalia raced on. She had a mission. She desperately wanted to see it to completion, with or without his aid. Running as fast as she could, she flew past an old fence post that had nearly rotted away. This was the boundary. They weren’t allowed beyond this point. But she couldn’t stop now. She’d come so far. And she couldn’t continue alone. Baal would tell on her. She needed a challenge. If she could taunt him into following, he wouldn’t dare tell. “Bet you can’t beat me!” Jumping one of the fallen runs, Inyalia charged on, abandoning all grace.
“Inyalia!” Baal cried, slowing to a stop. He didn’t want to follow, but he couldn’t let her go alone. They’d both be in trouble if they got caught, but it’d be worse if something happened and he didn’t report it. Sighing, he climbed over the fence and charged after her, giving it everything he had. His gut told him to stand down, but he couldn’t deny the pleasure such a race provided. Inyalia disappeared over the hill. He was gaining. Just a bit further and he’d catch her.
Unable to see the tracks anymore, Inyalia slowed, trying to find the trail. She’d allowed herself to be distracted by the race. They had to be around here somewhere. Hearing Baal approach, she turned just as he came into view. He was out of breath, and a layer of sweat beaded on his forehead. "I told you, you couldn’t beat me!" She taunted.
"I would have if you hadn't cheated at the beginning. I wasn't ready! Besides, you didn’t set a finish line. Without that how can either of us win?"
“Oh yeah? Let’s go again. I’ll beat you fair and square. Unless you’re scared—.” Inyalia froze mid-sentence.
Noticing the expression on his sister’s face, Baal turned to see what she so enamored with.
They were standing just a few yards from the mouth of a large cavern. He hadn’t noticed it until now, but the cool subterranean air lingered around them. Some of the other kids had spread rumors about a few caves in the area but they hadn’t seen one for themselves until now. It was much bigger than he imagined.
Inyalia pulled the crudely crafted short bow from her quiver. She’d made it herself last cycle, and while it did everything she’d asked, there were a few things she’d wished she’d done differently. For
starters, a removable string would have been nice. Constantly being under pressure made it difficult to store, and the wooden arms were weakening with each shot. Drawing an arrow, she nocked it to the string and slowly approached the cave. Reaching the moist clay at the entrance, the strange tracks reappeared. This had to be the place.
"I don’t think we should go in there." Baal’s voice echoed into the darkness.
"It’ll be fine. I just want to check it out. You're welcome to join me. Unless you're too scared." Inyalia quickly added.
He didn’t want to follow, but he also didn’t want her to go in alone. Taking a deep breath, Baal stepped forward and entered the cave. Maybe, if by some miracle, he could talk some reason into her before they got too far. “Remember what mom said. We have to be home early. And without getting dirty.”
It was useless. Inyalia kept walking. She was always confident no matter what situation she found herself in.
Baal on the other hand preferred a more careful approach. He usually had a plan in mind before jumping into action. But those plans often forgot to account for Inyalia’s impulsive nature.
Once inside, the cavern seemed much larger. It was nearly forty feet from wall to wall, the ceiling was well beyond that. The outside light shined just past the entrance, leaving the deep hole wreathed in darkness. But they were elves. So long as minor light was available, they’d be able to see. It was when they reached total darkness that their vision would fade.
Tearing the old hem line of his tunic, Baal searched for anything to wrap it around. Their clothes had been made long and hemmed over, allowing them room to grow. This particular tunic was nearing the end of its lifespan, having been hemmed three times before. With the removed section, it was just barely long enough to cover his stomach. Light was fading rapidly, and Inyalia didn’t show any signs of stopping. He needed to ensure they at least had a torch. If he could find a large stick, or even better, a decent section of bone, they’d be set. It wouldn’t last as long as an oiled or waxed torch, but it would grant them sight for a while longer.
Inyalia stopped, noticing her brother had fallen back. It became obvious what he was looking for. If it meant he was staying, she’d aid in the search.
Little more than rocks and dirt littered the cavern floor. There were a few small pieces of wood, broken from various crates, or end pieces of firewood that hadn’t burned. But nothing suitable to their desires was present.
Coming up empty handed, Inyalia sighed. “If we’re going to find anything, it’ll be a matter of luck. Let’s keep going. Maybe we’ll find something a little deeper.”
“Or we could turn back.” Baal added, hoping she’d see reason.
Half an hour passed and nothing useable presented itself. It didn’t take long for their sight to completely fail.
With no other alternative, Baal scraped a piece of flint against his dagger and lit the cloth. It took a few tries, but he got a small flame going. Though mostly, the fabric just wanted to smolder. He held it out to the side, letting the strand dangle near his knee. The speed of their pace created just enough airflow to keep the embers working their way up. It wasn’t much, but it provided just enough light to see their immediate surroundings. Unfortunately, with the constant movement to keep it going, the cloth was burning fast. Feeling the heat upon his hand, Baal dropped the rag. The smoldering embers disappeared no sooner than it hit the ground. Once again, light faded, leaving them in total darkness.
Inyalia slowed to half pace. Keeping her arms extended, she felt for the wall. So long as she stayed in contact, she could remember the way out. The last thing she wanted was to get lost. Unfortunately, she feared it was already too late for that. They hadn’t passed that many turns, but she’d forgotten to account for the ones they’d passed when she could see. Doing so from memory had messed up the count.
Trailing behind, Baal crashed into the back of his sister. Unprepared for the sudden impact, he stumbled and fell on his butt. “Hey! Let me know when you do that.”
Inyalia caught herself against the wall. The stone was rough and cold. And the slight dampness that coated everything was making her cold. “Do what? I didn’t do anything?”
“Stop. I can’t see you.” Picking himself up, Baal inched forward, placing his hand on her shoulder. By staying connected, he couldn’t lose her. “Okay. I’m good now.”
They proceeded deeper into the cavern. The lack of sight made it feel like hours had passed. Though, in truth, there was no telling how much time had passed.
“Come on, Inyalia. We need to turn back. Mom’s going to tan our hides.”
She didn’t want to admit it to herself, let alone her brother, but she’d already tried turning back. Her fears were now a reality. But it did no good to panic. It wouldn’t change anything. Wherever this cavern went, it was much deeper than she’d realized.
“Come on. We’re already going to be in trouble!” Baal nagged, knowing that was the only way to get her to concede.
Inyalia let loose her emotions. Spinning to face her brother, despite not being able to see him, her mouth opened, spilling thoughts before she could stop herself. “Quit griping at me! I’m trying to turn back! I lost count of the tunnels a while back and now we’re lost!” Out of nowhere her sight returned. For an instant she thought they’d found the exit, but that thought passed, realizing they weren’t moving. “Um, can you see?”
“Yes.” Baal searched the walls, looking for the source of light. There was a faint glow off to the side of a smaller tunnel, but it hadn’t been there before. “As much as I’m glad to see, we need to go the other way.”
“I agree.”
An overbearing odor drifted toward them, smelling of wet dog and urine. It grew stronger, as did the light. Shadows began to dance on the wall. Yapping echoes carried, like overgrown puppies excited for attention. They didn’t have to see the beings to know they didn’t want to meet them. A low growl echoed at their backs.
Slowly, the siblings turned to see a dog-like creature standing on its hind legs. It stood six inches taller than Baal and was thrice as broad. Fur-covered paws shot out, slamming their heads together. A sharp pain erupted, and their vision went black.
Chapter II
The Great Escape
The stench of feces and mold lingered in the air, rousing Inyalia’s senses. The pounding in her head made her want to go back to sleep, but it was too late for that. Slowly, she opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the orange firelight dancing across the walls. Groggily, she picked herself up, impacting the top of the iron cage. The rusted strips rung out, but they were too tight to create much noise. Rubbing the crown of her head, flashes of memory fell into place. Inyalia recalled the creature in the cave. On alert, she ducked low, searching for the beast.
A fire burned at the center of the cavern chamber. Several of the dog-creatures sat around it, speaking their racial language. To Inyalia it sounded like a series of chirps and barks. It would have amused her if she weren’t in such a predicament. They were disgusting. They walked up-right like elves, but their bodies were more beast than anything else. Shaggy matted fur covered them completely, and they wore scraps of crude hide as clothing. She watched them closely. They were little more than wild dogs. Though the fact they’d caged her suggested some level of intelligence.
A painful cramp erupted in Inyalia’s stomach. She doubled over, hoping it would pass. It was one thing to miss a single meal. That caused little more than the annoyance of stomach growls and gurgles. It didn’t even hurt. But this, this was unlike any hunger she’d ever experienced. It felt as if her midsection was angrily trying to eat the rest of her body. How many meals had she missed to cause this? Holding herself, the hunger pains finally passed. Inyalia unfurled, taking a few moments just to breathe. How long had they been gone?
They? The word reminded her that she wasn’t alone. Baal had been with her. Where was he now?
Frantically searching, Inyalia’s fears settled, seeing her brother laying in a c
age not far from her. He was covered in mud, and a thin stream of dried blood ran down his face, but his chest moved. That meant he was alive. That in itself was a relief. She would never forgive herself if anything had happened to him. Now, she just had to find a way to get them out.
Searching their surroundings for anything of use, Inyalia’s eyes locked onto her bow and quiver, lying atop a pile of garbage not far from their cages. Sadly, it’d have to wait. The iron lattice was too small to get her arm through, not that her bow was close enough to reach as it was. She’d be lucky if her hand alone could fit through the square openings. Sudden movement near the fire drew Inyalia’s attention. Throwing herself to the floor, she hid behind the heap of refuse and pretended to be asleep.
One of the creatures stood, shouting a mixture of growls and barks over the fire. Immediately, it pulled a crude tomahawk that was closer to a sharpened rock tied to a stick. Swinging at one of the others, the wild swipe missed.
The intended target jumped from the rock it’d been using as a seat. Bringing a piece of driftwood, doubling as a club, to bear, it brought the wood down atop the other’s head. Its own growls were louder and deeper than the first, demanding submission.
A solid thud echoed, and the first creature whimpered in defeat. Avoiding eye contact, it released a passive howl and returned to its seat.
