by Wil Clayton
Chapter 20
Hassa pulled back the curtain as Shaol woke, her leg was covered by knee-high boots. Raphtune looked up from his book.
"We need to move," said Hassa, "the enemy is moving towards us."
Raphtune wrapped his book as Shaol pulled himself from the shack with the box in hand.
"We need cloaks," said Shaol.
"I know," said Hassa, "my man are ready to hold the enemy. We go through the store room, there's a way up beyond that."
Hassa started to walk down a path.
"Where are the Grey Men?"
"The towers are lit, they're doing something."
Raphtune was beside Shaol.
"Do you know what?" asked Raphtune
"Something is forming above the fortress, ask Ystari what it is."
"We have to hurry," said Shaol, "how's your leg?"
"I've fought with worse," said Hassa with a nod, "your chest?"
"Seems quiet."
"Good."
The shacks parted and a red square stood in front of them, Unders stood around the oven each had crossbows in hand and weapons hanging from their belts.
"Hulguun," barked Hassa.
A man with pure white skin and a large, broad body turned from the oven and jogged over to Hassa.
"We're going into the tower," yelled Hassa to the crowd, "Hulguun, will lead you now, I will not be returning."
Hulguun grunted and nodded, the others behind silently rose their hands to their chest and nodded.
"Only distract them as long as you can, nothing more," barked Hassa, "no one does anything stupid. Retreat to the store at the first sign they're getting the upper hand, the others are barricaded in the ballroom, get to them through the servant access. Do not go by the main halls, they have been blocked. Do not lead the enemy there."
The crowd looked on silently.
"I love you all," said Hassa and then look at Shaol, "I'm sorry, I could not have done more."
The crowd cheered without words and clapped. Hassa placed her hand on Hulguun's shoulder.
"Do not give up," whispered Hassa to him, "someone is coming."
Hulguun nodded, took Hassa's hand in his and kissed it softly. Hassa smiled and nodded and then pulled her hand away.
"This way," said Hassa quickly to Shaol.
The three moved through the square and back into the shacks.
"I am sorry I am not the one you wanted," said Shaol an anger accidentally coming into his voice.
"I knew what I came back for," said Hassa quietly, "you?"
Hassa struggled with her words.
"I thought there was something I could do about this," she continued, "but you wouldn't leave Pysuun, you won't forget me, you turn back for Raphtune? Sulla knew many thing but he didn't know the strongest man in Tarlnath won't pay the cost that was needed for this to be done."
"You don't have to come with me," said Shaol, "you're free to stay, if you want, I will leave without you."
"There's no reason to stay, no one is coming. Tarlnath will stand another thousand years, at least I will see my family again."
Hassa had lied like he would have to the kids at the water caravan. An empty dream that he hoped would give them one more day of peace. And then another lie and then another until they stopped caring and became the Old Ones who would then beat the kids who needed the same lies.
"There could be another," he lied.
Hassa laughed the broken laughter.
"The Saquaari is right," said Hassa darkly, "it's just a dance. A dance of blood, death and suffering and there will be plenty more before it's done."
A bright beam cut through orange and black of the scrap city. Shaol turned, in the distance a beast was kicked something into the air. Raphtune vanished down the path as fast as he could move. Hassa and Shaol quickened their pace after boy but held back from a run.
"Can you run?" asked Shaol.
"Do not jar your chest," replied Hassa, "my men will keep them back."
More beams cut through the gloom as more rounded the corner and then came the sound of drums, joined by the shouts of the Unders that fought for a dead dream. There was sound of wood breaking and stone grinding as the beasts leapt forward.
Shaol recognised the rough tunnel ahead. The three were through it, leaving the sound of destruction behind them. Raphtune was ahead, scouting the area, the boy had armed himself with another small piece of metal. Hassa and Shaol followed watching the small shadow slip again through the space, peer around the thin pillars and over the piles.
As Shaol looked around at the goods and he saw the space in the temple. After thousands of years, the same had happened here. Why wouldn't they leave this place to rot?
Because Tarlnath must stand. That was the only answer he had even after all he had seen.
The steps turned with the fortress and ahead was another arch, outside the sun burnt a deep orange as smoke rose from the other arch across the opening. And then Shaol saw it, water fell across the stone outside, he had never seen anything like it.
"What is it?" asked Shaol.
"It seems the Clerics have brought a storm," replied Hassa.
"Is it water?"
"Yes."
"Is it poison?"
"I don't know."
The pile of goods ended and the cavern became bare. Raphtune was waiting behind the last pile.
"Are you sure your men have the creatures distracted?" asked Raphtune.
"Yes."
"Do you know how to get to the Clerics?"
"What about the water?" Shaol interrupted.
"It's just rain," said Raphtune.
"It could be poison," said Shaol.
Raphtune stopped.
"What does the water do to you?"
"It burns the colour from your flesh, it dries your insides if you drink it."
"Can it get through leather?"
"No."
"There," said Raphtune pointing at some sheet of leather in a pile, "will they do?"
"Yes."
The three pulled the sheets from the pile and quickly wrapped themselves in the leather. Raphtune pulled a white mask of a long, shrivelled face from his bag and covered his face before wrapping the leather around him like a cloak.
Shaol pulled his leather tight around him, he had felt the sting of the poison water and he did not want to feel it again. He looked at Hassa who held the sheet at her side, she noticed him looking at her.
"I'll use when I need," she said flatly.
The three set out from the piles the water crashed hard against the stone outside the arch.
"Are you able to run with that?" asked Raphtune, his voice muffled behind the grizzly mask.
"Don't worry about me."
"It's not you I'm worried about."
"I can run," insisted Hassa.
"Where are we headed?" asked Shaol.
"There's a servant's entrance just through the forest," said Hassa, "we can get in through there."
"Then we go fast and straight, we don't stop until we are inside," said Raphtune, then a small hand appeared from under the leather and pointed at Shaol, "you don't stop, keeping the box safe is the most important thing now."
"I know that," snapped Shaol.
Raphtune's cloak whipped threw the air as the boy turned and flew towards the arch. Hassa was kept to Shaol side as the two followed behind.
Raphtune was at the arch, the water fell against the leather as he peered out and up the steps. The box slipped under Shaol's leather as he moved across the stone. It was awkward to hold the leather sheet and the box both at once. He got it under his arm, on the side away from the loose bone, and held it tight.
Raphtune became orange as he leapt in the light.
"We should keep with him," said Hassa
Shaol nodded and the two ran for the arch. The water crashed on the stone outside, overhead Shaol could hear the wind howl, he pulled the leather around him and braced himself for the pain of the water. Hassa was throu
gh the arch and up the steps, the leather lazily pulled over her head.
Shaol ran after her, from above came the sound of the metal leaves crashing against each other. He felt the water whip against the leather sheet, he pulled it further over his head as some water got under the leather and hit his face, it stung and burnt his cheek as it he knew it would. He bit down on his lips desperate to keep the water away.
As Shaol got to the top of steps, the forest was now a roar of screeching and screaming metal, the wind slapped the leather against Shaol's body.
The small masked figure was waiting for him under a golden tree which burnt in the light of the dying sun.
Shaol ran to meet Raphtune and the leaves above kept most of the water back. Shaol dared to look up, black, dark clouds, larger than he had ever seen swirled overhead, green lights sparked from inside the bubbling mass.
Hassa was coming across the yard after him the leather sheet hung loose around her. Then, Shaol saw the face come from the forest behind her, the green face that had come for him in the mist, its green claws reflected in the gold and silver of the forest but, unlike the other beast, this thing had a body wrapped in tight brown cloth. Its face locked itself onto Shaol, his time was up and the Grey Men had found him.
Somehow, the thing screamed above the roar of the wind and the metal of the trees started to shake at the sound.
"Hurry," cursed Raphtune from under his mask.
Hassa turned and dropped the leather to ground, her hair started to fall to ground as the water fell across her.
"Which way?" yelled Raphtune over the storm.
Hassa was passed them and into forest, her blades drawn and ready. She did not speak, she just swept between the trees and the two kept with her.
Shaol looked back, the creature was closing in one them, its legs were strained under the tight fabric, allowed only to take a single step and no more but at a pace that propelled it forward faster than Shaol could run.
And then it was gone, the fabric of its body started to unravel and a mist escaped the cloth and was swept away in the wind. A black figure in a purple cloak stood in its place, its burning orange eyes locked onto the three. Then something roared above, a bright, green crack appeared in the air and struck the black figure which exploded into a hundred pieces.
"What is that fool doing?" came Friend's voice through the roar.
Shaol spun around the winged woman was looking up at the sky. There was another green face reflected in the metal of the forest. Hassa was opening a door in the side of the fortress and she disappeared inside, Raphtune tumbled in after her. The box bounced under Shaol's arm as he gripped it as best he could as something orange flashed between the trees. There was another roar and a flash of green.
Shaol pulled himself through the door as Raphtune slammed it shut behind him.
"They've come up," said Hassa her grey skin stained with splotches of white where the water had burnt her, half of her wispy hair had fallen away, the rest clumped together in thick strands.
"Which way to the tower?" yelled Raphtune from behind the mask.
Friend was beside them.
"Leave the stone," she barked.
"What?"
Shaol dropped the wet, stained leather to the ground.
"We don't have time," yelled Raphtune, "which way?"
"This way."
"Leave the stone."
"How many levels?"
"We need it."
"Find me at the red stones by the lake."
"Two, three."
There was another scream from the forest outside the door.
"Drop it and go."
Shaol took the stone from from his pocket and dropped it to the ground.
"I will find you soon."
"Good."
The three ran through the hallways of the fortress until they found some stairs. Raphtune kept himself wrapped in the stained leather and white mask.
"Up here," said Hassa and started up the stairs.
Raphtune kept beside Shaol as they both followed Hassa. There was an explosion from below, much larger than the others, the walls shook and the unseen windows rattled.
"Keeping going," ordered Raphtune as Hassa stopped.
The stairs continued for two more flights until they end at a hallway, blue carpet covered the floors, vases holding with green tree with brilliant flowers between heavy, wooden doors. The hallway was lit by the golden light of the setting sun which poured through a window at the far end, water slapped against the glass causing it to sing.
"Where are we going?"
"The forest tower is closest," said Hassa.
"Go then," cursed Raphtune.
A green form was at the end of the corridor throwing a shadow down the hall.
"Back," hissed Raphtune.
"Wait," said Shaol, "it only hunts magic."
The green formed stepped towards with a single, bound step, but it was not quick like the one in the yard. Its bare, green foot took another slow, restricted step. The thing stopped moving, only a few feet from them, it paused for a few moments and then it face twisted and screamed.
"Get in the room," yelled Hassa.
Shaol swung around and saw the orange eyes behind the black stone mask. The green thing ran forward. Shaol jumped aside and as the vicious claws swung forward at the end of bound arms. The green thing grabbed the other and without effort flung the thing in the purple robes through a wooden door into another room, black blades flew through the air as the creature lost its grip on its weapons.
"We can go," said Shaol to Hassa and Raphtune who were in the room.
The three ran down the hallway, leaving the two things to fight in the room at the end of the hall. Shaol looked through the wet glass and onto the metal forest, green and orange lights danced below as the leaves the continued to sway and screeched above them.
"The ones from the temple are winning," said Shaol as the three ran down the hall lined with windows.
"Then, we don't have long," replied Raphtune.
"The base of the forest tower isn't far."
Hassa led the way down another hallway and then another lined with more wooden doors. The corridor ended at a large, circular room with more hallways leading off in all directions. A set of stairs spiralled upwards to the roof, a dense fog started to roll down from the opening and drop slowly down the metal stairs.
Down one of the many hallways Shaol saw a green glow. He looked behind, orange eyes looked back at him. Hassa and Raphtune were already climbing the stairs. Shaol ran after them, taking the steps two at a time.
At the top was another large room, hallways stretch off here as well. A bound, green form struggled past them and down the stairs kicking up the mist with its wild feet. Another scream came from below.
Hassa was off down another hallway. Shaol followed, doors and vases of flowers continued to fly past him in a blur of colour.
Hassa came to a stop in another large, circular room, empty except for a fountain in the centre from which rose a pillar of solid, fog that exploded upwards until it hit the high ceiling. The fog rolled and boiled in on itself while the mists flowed like water from the side of column and across the floor.
The walls were decorated with the green and brown vision of a forest. Beasts of all kinds danced amongst the trees while birds soared across the ceiling in a brightly lit sky filled with clouds made gold and silver by a dawning sun.
Something moved in the mist that flowed from the pillar. Shaol looked closely, he saw the half existence of a small creature shaped that looked like a long, fat dog covered in thick fur with a snout lapping at the pool with its long tongue, the water did not ripple where the misty tongue hit the water.
"What is this?" said Hassa as she laid eyes on the large pillar of fog.
"No more large rooms," snapped Raphtune.
"This is the only way, unless you can scale sheer walls," barked Hassa.
"Hurry, then," order Raphtune as he head towards the only other
doorway.
The animal lifted its head and turned to look at Shaol, then it pushed away from the pool with its fat legs and skittered away across the floor as it reached the edge of the mist it turned to strands of nothing. Shaol turned his head to see the orange eyes at the end of the hallway.
"It's coming," barked Shaol.
Hassa ran towards the doorway. The light which came through the windows in the hallway vanished as the sun dipped below the horizon, the torches on the walls burst alive with the green light that sparked and crackled.
The robed figure was in room, Hassa pulled out her knives and spun to meet the black stone blades, her legs whipped up the mist up around her, her clumped, dead hair spun around her body. Hassa's attack knock the creature off balance and with her shoulder she had the creature on the ground as the mist started to rise.
The pillar sparked as something green danced within. The face with claws swam through the fog, it screaming madly as it followed at the robed figure a few feet in front of its prison.
"Hassa," called Shaol, "get it into the fog."
The robed creature was standing again, Hassa dropped her knives and flew at it with all her strength. She let out another cry as she knocked it back with a kick and then, fearlessly, leapt on top of it. The beast stumbled as the Hassa's weight came onto it and pushed it back into the fog, Hassa jumped clear and fell to the ground on the far side of the pool.
The green and black forms became tangled in the mist. Scraps of purple robes flew from mist as the green claws cut deep and fast. The thing made of nothing but black stone struggled as it was held fast in the green claws lifted it in the pillar. The struggle became less and less until finally the stone figure became limp and the blades slipped from it hands and splashed into the water of pool, the green face in the fog was gone.
Hassa was running back to the group collecting her blades as she went. Raphtune was already down the hallway as Shaol and Hassa followed. The tunnel they found themselves in was bare made of rough stone, there were no more vases or doors, only torches that sparked and hissed with the green light that now flooded the world, the mist in tunnel had risen to the waist.
Hassa led them to another room, above a circular tunnel was cut into the roof, a large hole on the floor sat below the tunnel. Hassa walked around the room to a small pillar.
"This'll take us to the top," puffed Hassa, "be ready."
There was the sound of rushing air from above and Shaol felt a strong wind hit him, in the distance he heard a steady beat.
Hassa was next to Shaol, she held out the hilt of the one of her blades.
"You'll need it," she said with nod.
"Thank you, but I have my hands," he said simply.
"Your chest will not let you use your hands this time."
Shaol nodded, Hassa was right. He took the blade, it felt awkward and heavy into his hand, he balance the long blade the best he could. The box started to slip from under his arm but he held it tight with his elbow.
There was a rush of air as a large, flat stone dropped from the roof and lowered itself to sit inside the circle cut into the floor. Shaol stepped onto the stone and felt the beat enter his mind, it was erratic like the chair below the fortress.
Shaol turned and saw the beast of black stone at the doorway without its purple robes, it eyes burnt a brilliant green.
"Pull the lever," shouted Hassa as she tossed her blade between her hands and focused on the creature.
Raphtune ran to the stick that sat on the stone, the steady beat came and stone started to rise. The beast lunged forward, jumped and slid through the small gap between the stone and the roof. The walls of the tower roared around them as the green eyes pulled itself up from the ground.
Hassa charged the beast, it spun dodged out of her way and leapt towards Raphtune, the boy slipped around the space with single motion and when he was clear of the beast he froze in place. Shaol found the beat, it became unfocused as he command and the stone started to drop. Raphtune cursed as the floor fell away. Shaol lost the beat and it regained its focus. The stone started to rise again and all four bodies crunched onto the floor.
Shaol ignored the pain and made the stone drop again and then again. Soon, the circular room was visible. Hassa lunged at the beast and it tumbled from the stone but as it fell back it grabbed her boot in its grip and pulled Hassa from the stone. The stone hover for a moment. The beast had Hassa, it took her head in its hand and crushed it against the stone floor.
The green eyes burnt as the body jerked beneath it. The stone was rising again. The beast leapt across the pool of blood and grabbed the edge of the stone. The stone jolted and stopped as the smooth, stone fingers caught between it and the tower.
Shaol was numb then came the low hum from the blood that jumped for attention and he let it take his thoughts.
Time passed as it and the three pieces of stone fought each other and Shaol waited as he always did. At some point, the fingers cracked, flew through the air and a crack echoed as they hit the far wall. The stone rose swiftly and the walls of the tower roared again.
He had helped another into the pits.