The Hollow: At The Edge

by Andrew Day

  “But this might be the last chance you get.”

  “In that case, maybe it’s better that I don’t see her. I mean, when we last spoke, we ended it well enough.”

  “You gave her a knife, and then you ran off when we weren’t looking,” Serrel reminded him.

  “I gave her my best knife, and then I retreated before things got awkward.” He shook his head. “I’d just mess things up for her,” he said unexpectedly.

  That surprised the other two.

  Mouse tried, “You know-”

  “I’m tired,” Victor cut her off. “I’ll see you both in the morning.”

  He went off without another word.

  Mouse sighed loudly. “You see what I mean?” she said. She slapped the end of her staff in her palm pointedly. “They can be so aggravating.”

  “I know, Mouse,” Serrel patted her shoulder consolingly. “I know.”

  Part 6: To Leap, or to Fall.

  The elf called Vharaes stood on the very top of the fortress tower, looking out over the black and unlit city below, seemingly oblivious to the wind and rain, as well as the forks of lightning that could have cooked him to a crisp. With every flash of lightning, he had a glimpse of the Legion outside the city gates.

  Right on schedule.

  At the sound of footsteps, he turned to find the Ferine Ghoraes approaching.

  “Lord,” the Ferine ducked his head reverently. “We are making preparations for the attack.”

  “How soon will our people be ready?”

  “The mages assure me all will be set by sunrise.”

  Vharaes wondered if that was fast enough. No matter, he supposed.

  “Ghoraes,” he said slowly. “That matter we discussed earlier, I’m afraid it is time.”

  The Ferine looked unhappy. “I am prepared to lead your forces into glorious battle. I am ready to return to the earth a true elf.”

  “I know. But this is more important. If the Patrician is with the Legion, he will tell them of the secret passages, and that stuck up bastard never did tell me all of their locations. You need to leave, now, before they’re all blocked.”

  Ghoraes opened his mouth to argue.

  “The Master needs you to do this,” Vharaes cut him off with the one argument the Ferine couldn’t win.

  Ghoraes sighed. “Very well. I shall go.”

  “The package is in the war-room. Take it, and go north. Do not make contact with anyone, and do not get seen.”

  “I will not.” The Ferine lingered. “Good luck, My Lord.”

  “You too, Ghoraes. When the sun rises, we’ll either stand in a free and properous Elsbareth, or we shall all return to the earth.”

  Vharaes turned back to the black landscape as the Ferine retreated. He looked out to the Legion beyond, and silently dared them to come and get him.

  Sorry, Arch-General, he thought. I have other plans.

  Serrel drifted in and out of sleep. It was hard to relax, unsurprisingly. The Hounds had managed to get a hold of a tent to themselves, and took the time to rest there, out of the weather. The rain had started up with a vengeance around midnight, and drummed on the roof of the tent angrily. And just to top it off, Serrel found himself next to Dogbreath, who snored the same way he did everything in life, as loud and as obnoxiously as possible.

  When he finally did drift off, he was awoken not long later by Caellix once again prodding him roughly with her boot.

  “Rise and shine, Fresh Meat,” she said. “Death or glory awaits.”

  “Death or glory can’t wait five extra minutes?” grumbled Brant.

  “Look at it like this,” said Dogbreath. “Maybe the elves will be too tired to fight us.”

  “I should think so. Who wants to fight at this time of day? Crazy people, that’s who.”

  “Where do you think you are, Brant?” asked Caellix.

  “Oh, right. With crazy people. Must have slipped my mind.”

  They ate a brief breakfast of cold porridge, and made last minute preparations. Caellix passed around another bowl of woad for them to put on.

  “Need help?” Caellix said with an evil grin as it reached Serrel.

  Serrel dipped his hand into the dye, and painted a simple, thick streak across his face. He looked at her expectantly.

  “Now you could be a true Norwen raider,” Caellix said sarcastically.

  Mouse was watching them. “Can I have some?” she asked.

  Caellix held out the bowl. When Mouse dipped her finger in the woad experimentally, she rolled her eyes.

  “Come here.” Caellix slapped her hand in the bowl, then slapped Mouse on the face, leaving a giant blue handprint.

  “How do I look?” Mouse asked.

  “As if you weren’t scary enough,” replied Serrel, to which Mouse smiled in satisfaction.

  It was still pitch black and raining heavily when they went outside. That was good thing, in that it made being spotted that much harder. But it also meant yet another day that Serrel had to spend soaking wet. He was having a hard time remembering when he had last been properly dry.

  Snow and Jurgen were waiting for them with Dhulrael.

  “Last chance for anyone to change their mind and turn away from this act of pure foolishness,” said Snow. “No one? Jolly good. Well then, Patrician, lead on.”

  Dhulrael lead them away from Vollumir, to an ancient oak tree growing unmolested in a nearby field. He searched about the roots of the tree, then started digging through the mud. It wasn’t long until he unearthed a thick wooden trapdoor. With Snow’s help, he heaved it open to reveal a dark space below.

  “There is no ladder, but there are rungs cut into the stone wall beneath us,” explained Dhulrael. “It is a fairly straight run into Vollumir, but I am afraid it is rather narrow. We will have to go single file.”

  Snow nodded. “Caellix, take point. Hawthorne, you next. Give us some light. The Patrician will follow after you and give you directions.”

  Caellix nodded. “Dogbreath, take Vost with you.” Then she lowered herself to the ground, and slid into the hole. There was a quiet splash as she landed.

  Dogbreath and Vost exchanged distrustful glances.

  “Don’t try anything,” Dogbreath warned.

  The dog cocked his head as if to say, Right back at you, you weirdo.

  “Seems solid,” Caellix’s voice hissed up at them. “Fresh Meat.”

  Serrel lowered himself over the ledge and dropped down. He fell two metres or so, and landed up to his ankles in water.

  “Light,” Caellix ordered.

  Serrel lifted his staff, and weaved a tiny pinprick of green light that emanated from the tip of his staff. It was very dim, but more economical than a flame, and hopefully wouldn’t be seen from outside.

  They stood in a square chamber, with rough stone walls. A very narrow tunnel led off into darkness in front of them. In the dim light they saw the tunnel was partially flooded, but not a great deal. There was just enough room for one person to walk comfortably, but not enough room should they run into any trouble, especially with sixteen other people coming up behind them.

  Caellix pursed her lips. “We’re going ahead,” she whispered upwards. “Send the elf, then the others one at a time once every two seconds. Everyone keep moving, we don’t want to get blocked in here.” She turned to Serrel. “One pace behind me at all times, you move when I move and step where I step.”

  Serrel nodded. He followed Caellix into the tunnel. He walked fairly easily, but she had to stoop slightly to avoid banging her head on the ceiling and on the thick roots that broke through from the tree above. Behind them, Serrel heard a loud grunt and a splash, followed by several muttered words in elvish that Serrel assumed correctly were swear words.

  The ground beneath the layer of water was rough and uneven. Serrel could feel ruts in the stone, carved by the wheels of countless small carts, running up and down the tunnels in days past, carrying all manner of illicit goods. He stumbled a couple of times, but fort
unately didn’t fall and have to be on the receiving end of Caellix’s scorn.

  The dim light from his staff didn’t progress far into the darkness ahead, but there wasn’t that much to see. The tunnel continued in a long steady progression, with just a slight curve to the left. His magical light gave everything that creepy green glow of the ether. It reminded him of shining eyes in the shadows.

  Behind him, he heard Dhulrael grumble, “I should have let Huirril fix these tunnels. If those fools on the council had not been so mean with their money...”

  Caellix shushed him irritably. Apart from the thud and splash of Legion issue boots trudging through the tunnel, they continued their journey in edgy silence.

  They came to a fork in the tunnel. Their original way led to the left, and began to slope upwards, whilst a second tunnel diverted off to the right. From there came the faint sound of running water.

  “To the left,” Dhulrael instructed.

  “What’s that way?” Caellix asked, nodding towards the diverging tunnel.

  “Sewers.”

  Caellix went left. The upwards slope thankfully left the water behind. After a while, they emerged from the tunnel into a wide chamber. Serrel let the light on his staff increase in luminosity, revealing a nondescript stone room. Besides the tunnel they had come from, there didn’t appear to be a way out.

  Dhulrael walked around the perimeter of the room, examining the walls.

  “Well?” asked Caellix.

  “I think... Yes, here. Give me a hand.” He pulled out his knife, and wedge it into the cracks between two otherwise identical bricks. With Caellix’s help, the two of them levered it loose, and pulled it from the wall.

  Dhulrael slid his hand into the gap in the wall, and felt around. He smiled, and activated some hidden switch with a muffled click. A section of wall about a metre or so square slid out of place. With a heave, Caellix pulled it out, and swung the hidden passage open. It revealed a short crawlspace ending in what looked like a wooden doorway.

  She crawled inside, and pressed her ear against it. When she heard nothing, she glanced back inquiringly at Dhulrael, who made a pushing motion with his hands. Caellix placed both hands on the flat piece of wood, and pushed. The barrier shifted with a squeak of rusty hinges. She paused and listened intently, but when only silence met her, she pushed again. The barrier moved on carefully crafted bearings, and opened wide enough for her to slip out. She gestured for Serrel to follow her.

  Serrel doused the light on his staff, and crawled through the passage to join Caellix in a new room. It was someone’s cellar, transformed into a cosy little office. The barrier hiding the hidden passage was a large and heavy bookshelf that occupied one wall. A large section of it opened like a door, and when need be closed without showing a trace.

  Apparently they took their smuggling very seriously in Vollumir.

  Caellix pushed the door wider, and waved the others through. Dhulrael crawled in, and dusted himself of.

  “Where are we?” Caellix asked.

  “We are in the house of my friend Huirril. Let us say, he had quite the interest in keeping these tunnels operating.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “He is... You found him the forest when you found me.”

  Caellix nodded in understanding. “Is there anyone else here?”

  “I do not know.”

  “Stay here.” Caellix crept up the stairs to the upper floor, and checked the door. It opened without resistance, and she slipped out without a sound. Serrel waited at the foot of the stairs, as the rest of the group came in through the passage.

  Vost pushed his way past, and took the opportunity to shake his coat dry over everyone.

  “Really?” Serrel hissed at him.

  Vost just stared back in amusement.

  The door opened, and Caellix poked her head down, and waved them upwards.

  At the top of the stairs, Serrel found himself in the nicest house he had ever been in. The furnishings were clearly expensive, and interestingly, decorated in the style of the Empire, rather than with elven aesthetics.

  He joined Caellix where she peeked out of a window.

  “Anything out there?”

  “Looks quiet,” she commented. “How far to the Illudin?” she asked Dhulrael.

  “Not far,” the elf replied. “Several streets. I know a few shortcuts that might give us some cover.”

  Serrel pulled the seeking crystal Grimm had given him from his pocket. He held it in his hand, and weaved a connection with it. There was nothing really dramatic about it, but Serrel did feel a strange pull in a certain direction. That was the best way he could describe it. Not so much a force as much as a vague compulsion in his mind. He turned in a circle until he faced the direction the feeling was strongest.

  “That way,” he said.

  Dhulrael frowned. “Are you sure? The Arch-Magus said it was at an intersection that way.” He pointed to his left.

  Serrel shrugged. “Well the crystal says it’s that way.”

  “Are you using it right?” asked Caellix. “Do you even know how to use it right?”

  He sighed. “This is the first time I’ve ever tried this, so no, I can’t be entirely sure I’m doing this right. But I made a ship move by myself, and I jumped off a cliff while weaving a shield and being attacking by a wolf monster at the same time. By comparison, this thing is rather simple.”

  “No need to get tetchy, Fresh Meat.”

  Snow and Jurgen joined them.

  “Well?” said Jurgen shortly.

  “We may have a problem,” said Caellix. “The elf says the Illudin is one place, but Fresh Meat’s little glass things says its somewhere else.”

  “Maybe they moved it,” suggested Serrel. “What’s in that direction?” he asked Dhulrael, gesturing in the direction the seeking crystal indicated.

  Dhulrael consulted some mental layout. “I think... A few houses, maybe a temple... The market district. Hmm... They could have moved it to the market square,” he mused.

  “Why?”

  “I do not know. Perhaps it is better defended. The intersection I told you about was good for transport, but the market is deeper in the city.”

  “I don’t want to waste time running around this damn city,” said Jurgen. He looked at Serrel square in the eye. “Are you sure?”

  “If the Fresh Meat says it is, then it is,” Caellix said coldly. “I trust our mage, Captain,” she said to Snow.

  Snow nodded. “But we don’t know where it is for certain. In could be in the market, or it could be somewhere else.”

  “What if we stick to the sewers?” suggested Caellix.

  “They might not have those as thoroughly guarded,” said Jurgen.

  “And sewers are right in your element,” Caellix added nastily.

  “Unguarded tunnels are always a plus in my line of work.”

  “I can point us in the right direction,” put in Serrel. “As long as we move towards the Illudin... Provided we can get back to the surface again...”

  “There are access hatches all over the city,” said Dhulrael. “My predecessor had them installed after the city’s plumbing kept getting backed up. I will find us a way.”

  Annabella, who had been listening, muttered, “Sewers. Why do I always end up in a bloody sewer?”

  “Poor life choices, Kincade,” said Caellix. “Let’s head back down.”

  She stopped Dhulrael as he moved off and asked him in a suspicious tone, “Why is it that a school teacher turned politician knows all the secret tunnels and hidden passages in the city?”

  “Two reasons. One: I was responsible for paying for the upkeep for all these places, and two: history shows us that any politician who values his skin being attached to his body should know how to get into and out of his city undetected.”

  “Elf,” said Caellix with a small smile. “Were you planning on running away with the city treasury?”

  “Dear Sergeant,” Dhulrael replied innocently. “I
honestly do not know what you mean.”

  They backtracked down into the smuggler’s tunnels, and then took the second tunnel into the city’s sewers. A hidden door disguised as brick wall took them into the main line.

  It was as disgusting as Serrel had thought it would be, but at least the constant fall of rain overnight meant that the majority of the fluid coursing through the thoroughfares was stormwater run off, and not something else. Still, it stank, and there were things floating down the fast coursing water that Serrel didn’t want to think about.

  Serrel and Caellix led the way, with Dhulrael behind them, offering the best path. Serrel let the seeking crystal point them in the right direction. Fortunately they seemed able to stay with the larger sewer lines that ran under the main streets, and at least had access to a raised pathway running alongside the fast flowing sewage channel, so no one had to wade into anything unseemly. Vollumir’s sewers, Dhulrael declared proudly, were a technological marvel, far ahead of their time when they were constructed, and a true wonder even in these modern times. Caellix offered to throw him in the water, so he could have a closer look.

  As they progressed, the pull of the crystal became stronger and stronger as they neared their goal. Finally Serrel came to a halt when the crystal began to point almost directly above them.

  “It’s there,” he said. “And... I don’t think it’s moving.”

  “If memory serves,” said Dhulrael slowly, “that should be in the center of the market. Strange. From their previous location they had access to the city walls, and the gates. From here, they are too far away. They could not have line of sight to weave spells at us.”

  “I guess they have something else planned for us,” said Caellix darkly. “How do we get up?”

  “This way.”

  Dhulrael led them down a side tunnel, to a ladder leading up to a metal hatch.

  “It should open up in an alleyway not far from the market,” he said. “I think.”

  “You sure it doesn’t open up in the middle of a busy intersection, swarming with Ferine?”

  “Well, when I go out to buy vegetables, I do not usually travel via this route, Sergeant, so I cannot be completely sure.”