by CM Raymond
She stood and took a step back. “They’re unconscious and will be for a while. I made sure of that. They haven’t killed anyone, but they don’t deserve to go. Call in whatever authority you have and have them thrown in prison. This isn’t the first place they’ve hit, and it won’t be the last. For the most part, I think they’re just idiots.”
“Thank you,” the bartender said. “Thank you so much. Here, take this.”
He reached inside a drawer, and she could hear coins moving. She quickly shook her head. “No, no thank you. I grow my own food and find my own water. You keep that. Maybe use whatever you were going to give me to pay for a meal or two for someone who can’t afford it.”
He smiled and nodded. “Yes! Thank you!”
She nodded and turned, leaning down to pick up the magitech weapons. “I’ll be taking these. I’ll melt them down.”
She stood and nodded to the bartender before walking out.
“Everything okay?” Cathillian asked as Arryn arrived.
She tossed the rifles to the ground and held out her hand. Cathillian quickly returned her bow and quiver.
“Yeah. Everything’s good. The two guys inside were idiots, potentially dangerous idiots, but they weren’t murderers. I knocked them out and let the authorities take care of it.”
Bast pointed toward the tavern. “Seems they’re moving quickly.”
Arryn turned and saw the men she’d confronted being carried out, bound at the wrists and ankles. “Yep. Seems that way. Good.”
“How are you feeling?” Cathillian asked.
Since Arryn’s trip to Kemet, her magic had changed. While the ancient Kemetian book of magic she’d found had given her more range, it also took its toll. She could do little tricks, like the one she had used on the ship to toy with Cathillian, without much effort at all, but others, like the one she had used in the tavern, took quite a lot of focus and made her tired.
It sure beat having the mood swings she’d had when she first started out, though.
“I’m okay. I used a spell, but it turned out okay. I’ve been mixing spells with my own magic lately, and it’s been working better—but it’s still exhausting,” she said.
“You can rest on Snow. Meditation usually sets you right,” Cathillian said, swiping a stray lock of hair out of her face.
She nodded. “Let’s load up. We need to get going. Did you guys get the horses ready?”
“Yep. They were safe and sound with Remy,” Corrine said, referring to the man they had paid to keep their horses stabled while they were traveling across the sea. Not-Rodney the rabbit sat in her lap, though he was entirely too big to do so. “Just like he said they would be.”
Snow made her way over to Arryn and knelt, Dante following suit, allowing Arryn and Corrine to climb up. Everyone else found their own horses as Echo’s shadow circled above. Arryn could sense how happy the golden eagle was by how she played in the open sky without worry, no longer forced to stay close to a ship while stuck out at sea.
“Okay, everyone,” Arryn said. “Let’s get to that summit and figure out exactly what the hell is going on.”
The rest of their trip went without much issue. Arryn was worn down for several days, and so were the rest of them. Parker, who had no magical talent, was the only one who had regular, good old-fashioned fatigue that was cured by a single night’s sleep. While Arryn was glad for her magical abilities, she was also a little envious of his ability to recover so quickly—which was odd, considering the branch of magic that was her specialty.
The trip to the summit was long, but beautiful. The land along the way was unlike anything she’d ever seen. Rolling dark green hills, beautiful creeks and rivers and waterfalls, beautiful wide-open skies. It made her feel at home, even though she was far from it.
A mountain came into view, and she turned to Parker. “This is it?”
He nodded. “Yep. Should be.”
She looked at him incredulously. “Should be?”
He winked. “It is. Don’t you worry.”
With a sigh and a shake of her head, Arryn turned forward again. “You’re just as bad as Cathillian.”
“You must think he’s incredibly smart and good looking then,” Parker retorted.
“She does,” Cathillian said with a smile. “Just the smartest and the sexiest.”
“I’m really starting to think Hannah and I have far more in common than I thought. We even have the same ridiculous taste in men,” she said.
Both Parker and Cathillian laughed. “You’re gonna love her,” Parker said.
Arryn smiled. She hadn’t told Parker, but she really had been waiting a long, long time to meet her. She was more than excited to tell her thank you for setting her on her path.
As they drew closer, Arryn could see a large castle atop the mountain. She smiled. She loved them. Like those in Brenin, this one clearly predated the New Ancients by centuries. It was beautiful and worn down. It was in need of upkeep, but it looked just as sturdy as all the others she had seen.
“Incredible,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” Parker said. “Its beautiful. You guys ever see anything like it?”
Arryn nodded. “Brenin is full of them.”
“Maybe I’ll have to go there one day after all.”
They started up the path in silence, passing through several worn-down gates. It was obvious the castle had once been an incredible fortress, certainly something no one could easily take down. It would have taken a great army to storm their walls.
As they reached the top, they were greeted with a lot of faces that were unfamiliar to them. Parker knew several—those that belonged to his own group—but Arryn and her group didn’t know any of them.
Taking a deep breath, she climbed down off Snow. “Time to get this show on the road. Do you think Hannah’s here yet?”
Parker laughed. “Oh, no. She’s not. Trust me. You’ll know when she arrives.”
“Why’s that?” Arryn asked.
Parker looked to the sky before looking back at Arryn. “Just trust me. You won’t be able to miss it.”
Chapter Twenty
“This is more like it,” Karl shouted, stomping his feet on solid ground. He surveyed the mountains around him and felt a bit closer to home. “This is how a person is supposed ta live.”
Even though they’d taken a small vessel capable of navigating the inland waterways, this was as far as the boat was going to take them. From here on, boots would carry them inward and upward.
Dustin laughed. “Please, you barely spent any time on the water. Try spending months at sea! That’s truly living.”
“I’d rather eat me hammer,” the rearick retorted. “No more blasted waves and no more blasted drag—”
Before he could finish his sentence, Sal roared past him with Abbey on his back. The dragon had taken a liking to the young warrior, and by the way she hollered the feeling was mutual.
“Never mind about me hammer,” Karl muttered. “I’ll cook the lizard.”
Abbey and Sal swooped back around and landed with a thud. Sal scratched at the dirt with a loopy smile on his face. Karl couldn’t help but grin at the beast.
“Looks like you’re not the only one who’s glad to be done with the ocean,” Abbey smiled as she dismounted. She scratched Sal under the chin, and the large creature wagged his tail.
“Aye, I’m glad he’s happy, but we should probably get movin’. I don’t know much about this land, but I’ve spent enough time travelin’ wi’ the dragon ta know that he tends ta attract attention—an’ not the kind we need on our way ta a secret meetin’ about the fate of the world. The three o’ us are not exactly helpless in a fight, but we wasted ‘nuff time gettin’ here. No use keepin’ the Founder waitin’.”
Without another word, they headed toward higher ground. On the ocean, Abbey and Dustin were the undisputed experts, but Karl had marched across Irth for half a century. The two young stormship sailors had the good sense to defer to his wisdom,
and Karl was happy to be their guide.
Miles passed under their feet, and Karl spotted no signs of human life. It was as if this part of Irth had been kept pristine. Still, his experience told him to keep his head on a swivel. Abbey, too, kept her hand on the hilt of her sword. Smart lass, he thought.
Sal, on the other hand, galloped around like a dog who had just been freed from its leash for the first time.
They camped for the night, but did so without a fire. An eerie sound echoed around them and in the canopy overhead, playing tricks on their ears. Karl could have sworn he heard laughter, but chalked it up to the strange winds in this new land. The sky was peaceful enough, and Karl wondered if the Storm Caller had had anything to do with it.
Eventually, the rustling leaves calmed him into a gentle sleep, his hammer lying close by his side.
They broke camp just before dawn. There were still miles to be covered before they would meet up with the others, and Karl knew that morning miles always came easier. His company walked in silence. Even Sal seemed to tiptoe through the dew-covered grass.
Ezekiel had given them good enough directions that Karl was confident they were on the right path, but he had no idea what to expect when they arrived.
It certainly wasn’t a giant freaking castle on top of a hill.
As they exited a stand of thick trees, they laid eyes on the imposing stone structure. The thing was ancient. It clearly predated the Age of Madness, and if Karl had to guess, it was even centuries older than that.
“Gods be damned, that’s what I call a fortress,” he muttered in reverence for the stronghold that had managed to stand through the end of the world.
The remains of a thin path zigzagged its way toward what was left of the castle. As far as Karl could see, it was the only way up other than climbing. Several crumbling gates with high walls crossed the path, ensuring that any army that attempted to break their way in by force would be fighting an uphill battle, literally and figuratively.
“That’s insane.” Dustin’s voice was filled with awe. “You’d lose men by the hundreds trying to take a castle like that. Hell, you’d lose men by the hundreds just trying to make it past the first gate.”
“Maybe you would,” Abbey retorted with a smile. “Personally, I’m one for one when it comes to infiltrating supposedly impenetrable castles. Karl, you want me to fly up and scout out any potential threats?”
He considered her plan for a second, then shook his head. “Nah. On a day like this, there’s no way o’ doin’ it without lettin’ the whole valley see ya. If we’re gonna fight, I’d rather try ta keep it quiet if I can.”
They moved out with their heads low. Even Sal seemed to recognize what they were doing. He kept his wings furled tightly and tried his best to crouch as he marched along on his powerful legs. Dustin had to fight not to laugh loud enough to give their position away.
They made it past the first gate without incident, but as they neared the second, a loud booming sound rang out around them.
“Halt! Who dares disturb my ancient slumber?”
The voice was low and gravelly, but it had a strained quality.
Karl’s hammer was in his hands, but he wasn’t as fast a draw as Abbey with her sword. Dustin took a step back behind them and gripped his staff tightly. Karl could feel the temperature change almost immediately. That damned boy was useful in a pinch.
“Ah, listen,” Karl stammered. “We’re here on a quest o’ great importance. We don’t mean ya any harm.”
The voice echoed again. “The last travelers who set foot here said the same thing, and their bones now lie beneath your feet.”
The ground beneath them started to rumble as if the bones of the dead were trying to rise.
“Shit!” Abbey took a step backward.
“Easy,” Karl shouted, this time letting his anger show. “Enough tricks, or I’ll bust yer damned head in.”
“You’ll die, you tiny runt!” the voice rose higher. “Unless you follow my commands. Drop your weapons...and...and take your clothes off.”
“My what?” Karl was taken aback by the request.
“You heard me, rearick. Drop your clothes or die a painful death.”
Karl had opened his mouth to speak when a violent thought pulled him up short. He recognized the voice.
Abbey cried, “Dammit, rearick, what kind of creature are we up against?”
Karl shook his head. “The worst, most vile prick I ever had the misfortune of meetin’. It’s a Baseeki.”
Karl dropped his hammer and stood up straight as the menacing voice broke into a cackle.
“By the gods, you should have seen your faces,” Aysa laughed as she stepped out from behind a large rock.
“Shut your damn trap, girl. I knew it was ya the whole time.”
“Bollocks. You shit your pants; I can smell it from here. I almost thought you were gonna do it. That tall guy in the weird robe was already unbuckling his belt.”
Dustin’s cheeks turned red. “I was not.”
Abbey sheathed her sword and turned toward Karl. “Let me guess—this is one of the mighty warriors you were telling us about?”
“Yes!” Aysa shouted. “The mightiest of the mighty.”
“I thought we were joining with champions,” Abbey wondered. “Not children.”
The smile disappeared from Aysa’s face, and she reached for the bolas at her side. She took a long step forward.
“What did you say?” Her eyes narrowed.
“Easy, easy.” Karl laughed. “As fun as it would be ta see ya get yer arse kicked by this pirate here, we’re all on the same side. Speaking o’ which, tell me ya completed yer part o’ the mission. Or have ya just been dickin’ around here the whole time?”
Aysa’s smile returned. “Oh, I did my job, and more.” She put her hand to her mouth and whistled, then turned toward the gate. A half-dozen people stepped into view, led by a woman nearly twice as tall as Karl with arms that looked like they could bend steel.
“Who...who the hell is that?”
“Forgive me, rearick,” the large woman began. “If I had known what the girl intended, I would never have let it go so far. I’ve heard stories of your skill and nobility. I am happy to make your acquaintance.”
This time, it was the rearick’s cheeks that burned as red as a magician’s eyes.
“Think nothin’ of it,” he grumbled.
She held out her hand and shook his with a firm grip. “My name is Astrid,” She paused for a moment, then thought, Why not reclaim my title? “I’m a Knight of the Wellspring.” She hadn’t thought of herself that way for quite some time, and it made her smile. “Welcome to the Summit of Champions.”
Astrid stood in a corner, watching as the newcomers acquainted themselves with the rest of the group. The castle hadn’t seen use for years, but the bones of the ancient building were strong. They were gathered in a large room that must have been a dining hall of some sort. It was missing its roof, but the clear, cobalt-blue sky made the space expand into the heavens.
The two seafarers were young but carried themselves with the bearing of experience. Whatever life they lived on the waves, it clearly didn’t leave much room for childish ways.
Aysa, on the other hand, seemed to contain a well of youth inside her. She bounced between people, as excited to be around newcomers as she was to reunite with her team.
Astrid, Julianne, and their group had arrived two days earlier and waited without incident, but the druid and her band had shown up only hours before Karl and his crew. From all corners of the world, they had all managed to arrive with precise timing. Clearly, this Bitch and Bastard’s Brigade were experienced travelers—and they were in earnest about their quest.
“Garrett!” Karl’s powerful voice boomed. “What the bloody hell are ya doin’ here?”
“Saving the world, I guess, same as ye,” the young rearick replied, clearly proud to be in the same company as his older friend.
“Scheisse. Ya l
ook like ya’ve aged ten years. And yer arms! Last I saw ya, them toothpicks could barely swing yer hammer straight.”
“Bullshit, old man,” the younger rearick snapped. “I’m an experienced warrior now, keepin’ things safe while ye’ve been off picnickin’ in the east or whatever the hell ya been up ta. The way Aysa told it, I figured ya’d be usin’ a cane.”
“That blasted Baseeki. Don’t ya trust a word she says, boy.”
Astrid smiled as she looked over the strange gathering. Wildly diverse, all of them, but she knew better than to judge them on their looks. If they were here, they carried the same skill as the others she had met on this strange journey. Whoever this Ezekiel was, he clearly knew power.
The only question was, how did he know?
Julianne’s words had made sense. She’d once fought alongside the old man. And the sailors had legends about him, so it made sense that the Founder would have some knowledge of them.
But how did the old mage know about her and her team? It was a question she would be sure to ask him.
She headed outside to replace Gormer on lookout duty when she stumbled across Arryn standing with her feet planted in the grass and her eyes toward the sky.
The young woman had been growing more and more anxious as the day went on.
“Something worrying you?” Astrid asked. “Does your power let you know when danger’s near?”
The young druid smiled. “It’s not danger I’m worried about, not quite. It’s just, if Parker’s right, I’ll soon meet someone I’ve wanted to meet for a very long time.”
“The Founder,” Astrid assumed, once again impressed by how much weight this man’s name carried.
“Oh.” Arryn nodded. “Yeah, I’m excited to meet him too, but he’s not who I’m waiting for.”
“Then who—” But as Astrid spoke, Gormer came barreling down from one of the castle’s remaining towers. His eyes were wide with shock.
“They’re coming,” he shouted as he tried to catch this breath.
