by Ben Hale
As Shadow followed her through, he realized two things. First, the reason the receiving area was guarded by three sentient cats was not for the safety of the Raven, it was to protect the Gate, and second, the Gate was hidden over an actual door, so one would always see the opening and assume it was merely that.
The room on the opposite side of the Gate was very different from the manor. Stark stone walls greeted him, the material faintly illuminated by a blue light orb hovering at the center of the circular chamber. The room was completely enclosed, without any windows. Instead it contained more Gates around the exterior wall, each with a symbol above that marked the destination. A glance back revealed that they had entered through one of them, and the symbol above the Gate was of a bird. A raven.
Four corridors extended away from the central hall, but they too lacked windows, the light emanating from ensconced light orbs. The smells of earth and stone were prominent, suggesting they were deep underground.
Lady Dentis was focused on a Gate across the room, and Shadow used the opportunity to slip to one of the shadows next to a supporting beam. From there he watched Lady Dentis withdraw a letter from a pouch at her side. She reached the center of the room and came to a halt, and a moment later the Gate across from her opened.
Shadow expected a human or elf. Instead the individual that stepped free looked vaguely humanoid and had grey skin and black eyes. Shadow recognized him immediately as Relgor, Wylyn’s son, and examined the krey with interest. A dark elf stepped into view beside him, and both strode to meet Lady Dentis.
The Raven inclined her head. “The fragment of Water is on his way. It won’t be long now.”
Relgor unrolled the parchment, a scowl appearing on her face as she read. “This is all the information you have? A copy of a map? I cannot build a Gate without the right material.”
The Raven motioned to the parchment. “That map shows the location of a mine in the dwarven kingdom, where I believe they have the material you seek.”
“Let me pursue the Gate material,” the dark elf said, casting a sneer at the Raven. “I will not fail.”
“After your failure in the Deep?” Relgor scoffed. “You aren’t fit to accompany me.”
The dark elf flushed. “The fragment of Water was more powerful than Serak described.”
“You failed,” the Raven said, a touch of smugness in her tone.
“And you think to use the Dark Dwarf to trap Water?”
“Gendor has faith in Thorg,” the Raven said. “His fire magic will contain the fragment.”
The dark elf growled and jerked her head. “What of the other fragments? We have been preparing for them for ages.”
“All will discover their fate soon enough,” Relgor said. “Now go below and prepare for Water’s arrival. Shadow will undoubtedly be dispatched into the Deep, and you must have your trap ready.”
“He is the weakest of the five,” she said. “He will not escape.”
Shadow grinned at that statement and resisted the urge to reveal himself and strike at all three to prove them wrong. The light at the center of the chamber would not allow his magic, and he guessed there was more to learn.
“See that it’s done,” Relgor said. “I’ll take my journey to what you call the dwarven kingdom.”
“Long live the ancients,” the Raven said.
Relgor smirked. “Long live the krey.”
The Raven bowed to Relgor, and then retreated the way she had come. The dark elf and Relgor departed as well, leaving Shadow alone in the crossroads. In the empty chamber Shadow waited, wanting to be certain the Raven would not return. When he was satisfied, he detached himself from the shadows and looked to where the Raven had departed, pondering what he’d learned.
The existence of the crossroads, and Relgor’s presence, confirmed that the Ravens served the Order. It also revealed how the Order had kept themselves hidden from Elenyr and the fragments, for they could go and depart with ease.
The knowledge that the Raven took orders from the krey made it clear that Relgor already had access to the ancient map, altering Elenyr’s assignment. Shadow mentally altered the assignment to stopping Relgor from getting what he wanted.
Shadow resisted the urge to explore each of the Gates and reminded himself that he needed the map first. Making his way to the four corridors pointing away from the Gate room, he followed each.
The first contained private quarters and offices, likely those reserved for the leaders of the Order. The second led to an armory large enough for a king, with a host of weaponry that had not been made on Lumineia. Shadow spotted a crate of the explosive weapons used at the Assassin’s Guildhall and couldn’t resist dipping his hand into the treasure, stealing one. The side of the crate had strange runes, but someone had written words in the common tongue.
Deton Spheres. Use with caution.
The third corridor led to a balcony, likely the only outside entrance to the hidden crossroads. The tiny ledge contained a railing and a shocking view. A mile off the earth, Shadow looked out over an endless vista of snow and ice, of great mountains that resembled foothills. It seemed he stood on the tallest mountain on earth, and when he returned to the crossroads he saw it with new eyes. It had not been built by the Order.
It had been built by the krey.
The stone was old, ancient even, probably as old as the Dawn of Magic. The Gates connected throughout Lumineia, and then he spotted the inscription circling the light orb in the ceiling, marking the location as the Forge of Light.
A chill washed over Shadow as he realized he stood in the birthplace of magic, where a spread of power had touched every soul in Lumineia. His curiosity mounted, but he made his way to the fourth and final corridor.
He expected a dead end, but instead it led to a set of stairs. Shadow descended to another balcony, only this one overlooked the largest cavern he’d ever seen, as if the entire mountain was hollow. The balcony contained an assortment of bookshelves.
Shadow stepped to the railing and looked out over the giant cavern, feeling the cool air against his face. It was so large that, even with Shadow’s vision, he could not see the opposite side. He would have marveled at the krey structure if they weren’t trying to kill him.
Turning away, he stepped to the bookshelves and worked his way along. The archives contained few tomes, and instead it was memory orbs and strange objects that stood on the shelf. All were protected by curses, so he kept moving until he located what he sought.
The map did not look like much, only a flat piece of smooth white with an assortment of runes. He retrieved the anti-magic knife he used for such purposes and cut threads of light that surrounded the map. Then he gently lifted it free and stuffed it into his bag. With a final, wistful look, he left the rest of the items behind and made his way back to the crossroads.
Although he heard no one, he kept his pace slow, his caution proving necessary when a man appeared through one Gate and disappeared through another. Shadow grunted in irritation, feeling like he was surrounded by treasure with no time to steal.
He returned to the Gate leading to the Raven’s home and activated it as he’d seen the Raven do. The silver liquid flowed into shape and hardened into a mirror, and Shadow stepped through, expecting the room to be long empty. He was wrong.
The Raven stood in the receiving room, all three of the cat sentinels arrayed around her. She smiled like she’d cornered her prey, and the cats went up on their hind legs, a chilling snarl escaping their lips.
“Hello, Shadow,” the Raven said. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Chapter 17: Lady Dentis
Shadow gestured to the woman. “With one so beautiful as you, the pleasure is mine.”
The Raven smiled, but it did not touch her eyes. “I assume you know we have your brother trapped in the cellar.”
“How is he faring in Thorg’s cage?”
Her eyes narrowed at his knowledge, and she motioned the cats to surround him. The beasts cir
cled him, the hackles on their backs rising as they herded him to the center of the room. Shadow did not resist, unperturbed by their presence.
“Relgor and Serak want you alive, you know.”
“That’s reassuring,” he said.
“They think they can cage you, but we both know the truth. You would escape, and so you cannot be permitted to live. I will do what must be done and kill you here and now.”
“You assume you can,” he said.
She shook her head. “Always so arrogant, but I suppose that is part of your fragment.”
“You seem to know a great deal about us.”
“Serak knows your identity,” she said. “And we follow him.”
“And the ancients?”
“We knew they would come to claim this world eventually,” she said. “So we made sure to prepare for their arrival.”
“You invite a scorpion into your bed.”
“A scorpion with more power than all the races combined,” she said.
Shadow glanced to the cats, but they rotated around him, always moving, their eyes never leaving his body. They’d grown, and were now as large as wolves, their claws scraping the carpet, their powerful limbs coiled to attack.
“Does your husband know of your . . . hobby?”
Her features hardened. “My husband is a fool and lacks the vision of the Order.”
“Why not kill him?” Shadow asked.
“You think to judge me?” the Raven asked, taking a step forward, a dagger appearing in her hands. “You’ve lived for ages but know nothing of life.”
“I know he finds comfort in the arms of other women,” he said. “But living with you would probably drive anyone into the arms of others.”
Her eyes widened with fury, the cats slowing, as if sensing the coming order to kill. But the anger in her expression gradually cooled and she cocked her head to the side. She regarded him with curiosity.
“Did you know that under krey law, infidelity is tantamount to murder?”
“Is stupidity also punishable by death?”
She ignored him, and motioned north, towards the poor section of town. “Under krey rule there is no poverty, no sickness, no ignorance. Mankind lives in peace.”
“Slavery is not peace.”
“We are all slaves,” she said. “Some to poverty, some to pride. Others are slaves to their carnal cravings, while others are slaves to ambition.”
“Do you talk all your intruders to death?” he asked, groaning in annoyance. “Why tell me all this?”
“Because I want you to die knowing you chose the wrong side.”
“I won’t,” he said. “I’m too arrogant.”
She snorted in disbelief. “So be it. Goodbye Shadow. Know that the other fragments will suffer a worse fate.”
“As fond as I am of cats ripping my throat out, I’m afraid I must decline.”
She laughed lightly, the sound causing the cats to drift forward. “Your magic is useless against my pets, and we both know you are not as fast as the fragment of Light.”
“I don’t have to be,” he said.
He opened his hand to reveal the krey explosive he’d taken from the crossroads storeroom, and the light was already blinking. The Raven registered the weapon and her eyes widened. She shouted an order just as Shadow dropped the deton sphere. It struck the ground and detonated, the force of the blast catching the three cats and slamming them into the walls. One struck an ornamental sword, the blade cleaving the sentient in two. It burst apart, the light disappearing into smoke and dust.
Standing on the chandelier above, Shadow dusted himself off and spotted the Raven, who’d dived into her bedchamber to avoid the blast. She pulled herself to her feet, smoke rising from tiny fires on her armor. Ash and dirt covered her face and littered the receiving room. Couches were gone, their supports burning, the tapestries also on fire.
“I would say send me a bill,” Shadow said. “But I never clean up my messes.”
He smirked and darted to the door, slamming it shut as the remaining cats lunged. The first clawed at the door, the second ripping into the wood with its teeth. As Shadow sprinted away, he listened to the Raven’s furious shouts.
Shadow reached the stairwell at the end of the corridor and leapt, catching the bracket holding a light orb against the wall. Then he dropped to the lower floor, landing before a trio of guards. All three stumbled to a halt and drew their swords, but Shadow was already among them.
He kicked one guard in the chest, knocking him into a second. Then he reached for the third man’s sword, catching the hilt as the man pulled the blade free. Twisting, Shadow spun and hurled the man into the wall, where he crashed into the floor. Then Shadow drew his small crossbow and took aim.
One of the men stumbled to his feet and laughed at the tiny weapon. “You think that’s going to hurt us?”
“Of course not,” Shadow scoffed, and fired.
The tiny bolt launched into the air, the charm causing it to swerve and aim for one of the light orbs bracketed against the ceiling. It shattered the orb into tinkling glass and passed on, hunting another target. One by one, the bolt shattered the light orbs, piercing the last orb as the two soldiers got to their feet.
The corridor plunged into darkness, causing the men to shout—until the gags formed around their lips. Shadow slipped through them, ropes of darkness coiling about their legs, yanking them to the ground. Silently struggling, they fought to break free, but in the absence of light, Shadow was king.
More guards appeared at the end of the corridor, only to be met by more ropes and more gags. The floor grew crowded so he lashed some to the ceiling, others to the walls. Shadow picked his way past the struggling men and left a handful of traps behind. Lightning crashed outside, briefly illuminating the line of struggling men. Then Shadow descended into the lower level of the manor.
Over the crashing rain, the sound of struggling guards did not reach the lower levels, and Shadow sauntered towards the cellar door. It was open, so he slipped into the darkness beyond and leapt the railing into the darkness below.
The cellar was the size of the manor and contained barrels and crates along the walls. The center of the room had been cleared, allowing for an unbroken view of the cage. Instead of steel, the bars were made of fire chains. The enchantment spit sparks, the heat warming the cellar. The cell contained two occupants, Lira and Water.
Around the room, dozens of Ravens leaned against the walls or sat on barrels. The thieves were dressed like mercenaries, and wore light armor and carried swords. In their midst, two dakorians stood, their hulking figures towering over the humans in the room. Shadow recognized them from Lira’s description and gave them a wide berth.
Next to the cage, an unknown man stood beside a dwarf, and Shadow recognized the dwarf as the assassin that had escaped with Gendor, the Dark Dwarf. The conversation had grown heated, commanding the attention of the spectators. Shadow slipped between the dark barrels and ascended to a high perch to listen to the conversation.
Serak may have been a mystery before, but his identity quickly became apparent. The way the other Ravens and Order members showed deference, the way the dakorians stood, as if ready to receive orders. Serak wasn’t just part of the Order.
He was its head.
The conversation itself proved very interesting and supported what Water had implied in the Shark’s Tooth. Serak had lived for as long as Draeken, an unseen adversary that had fought against the fragments since the Age of Oracles. A smile spread on Shadow’s face as he realized the identity of their foe.
“How intriguing.”
His murmur caused a woman to turn, but he had already let the shadows swallow him and flitted along the outer wall. The assassin Thorg stepped away from the cage and returned with a brand, and Shadow realized he was out of time.
He spotted a collection of small barrels containing various paints. Apparently the Raven had been preparing to repaint the walls of her manor, but Shadow saw a diffe
rent purpose. Collecting several, he threaded his way through the group of enemies, his leaving a patch of pink here, a swash of purple there.
A woman spotted him leaving a bright pink smile on a man’s helmet, so he sent a thread of darkness over her mouth. Her shout went unvoiced, and her body was yanked from view. Shadow slipped behind her companion, lashing him to the stone wall as well. A Raven turned, his eyes going wide. He yanked his sword free but Shadow closed the gap in a rush and silenced him with a single blow.
He spotted Water through the bars of the cage and noticed his stance. Although he seemed calm, Shadow noticed his hands, the tension to his palms and fingers. Shadow had seen that tension before, when Water gathered his magic, summoning unseen water. By now Water knew Shadow was present, so what was his intent?
Shadow noticed the moisture gathering inside the cell, the air in the cellar turning dry. It wouldn’t be enough to destroy the cage, but the water would become steam on the bars, darkening the room from the light of the fire. And giving Shadow power.
Realizing Water’s intent, Shadow smiled, and spread his arms wide, readying himself for the battle to come. The steam would not last long, but it would give him tremendous power for a few minutes.
“Before you mark me there’s something you should know,” Water was saying.
“What’s that?” Serak said, raising a hand to stop the Dark Dwarf from branding Water.
Water released the magic he’d gathered, and moisture expanded into the bars of fire. The water burst into a plume of steam that engulfed the cage, obscuring everyone from view and plunging the room into darkness.
Serak’s chuckle was mocking. “Your attempt to escape is woefully disappointing.”
“I wasn’t trying to break free,” Water said, his voice triumphant. “I just wanted more darkness.”
