by John Mangold
With no way to tell the time in the windowless cells, Maluem could only surmise that she had just received the mid-day meal. Climbing back into her bunk, she knew there were several more hours to go before the evening meal and Nia’s return. She should be well rested by then. The last span of sleep had been joyfully dreamless and possibly the best she had gotten for quite some time. With any luck, the next few hours would be the same. Maluem felt the weight of sleep fall upon her almost the moment her head hit the bedding. For as much rest as she had gotten, she sure seemed tired.
Perhaps I am sleeping too much, Maluem thought as her eyelids grew heavier. I had not felt this weary since Volo and I were in Estel… She never completed the thought.
***
Maluem found herself standing on a large spit of land framed by a tumultuous sea. The temperature was quite warm, as a thin layer of sweat on her brow attested to. Yet the ground around her was blanketed in a thick sheet of white, which she first took to be snow. However, when she scooped up a sample of the odd material in her hand, it disintegrated to dust in her palm. It felt like ash, yet it was strangely heavy, falling to the ground with the substantial weight of lead. The air itself felt malevolent to Maluem, as though the vapor was burdened with some loathsome disease. She could not explain it, but it almost felt as though every breath she took was a further dose of acid, eroding her very soul with its corrosion.
Her eyes flowed up the landscape before her, rolling over many strangely formed rock outcroppings as it went. Their misshapen forms jutted garishly from the surrounding powder with an odd rhythm. Maluem got the impression that these formations had once been placed with precise intent. She approached a nearby outcropping, noticing its surface had a melted texture, as though it had been caressed by a volcano’s excretions. Looking closer, she could almost see the remnants of seems and fasteners, but their forms had been so twisted that Maluem could not discern what purpose these artifacts might have served.
As she moved up the island, she approached its center, marked by a single, decrepit structure perched on the crown of the island’s lone hill. The age of the roofless construction could not be discerned from its exterior, but its current state spoke a millennium of neglect at the cruel hands of the local climate. She quickly realized that there were many entries to the ruin, but only one held Maluem’s interest.
More bones than flesh, a lone sentry guarded the passage, tattered rags clinging to its weathered frame, a metal cap protecting its cadaverous head. Maluem moved to get a better look at this macabre guard to better understand its nature. However, as she drew close enough to make out its decayed features, a mysterious wind flowed up around her. With the whirlwind came the white powder that blanketed the island, forcing itself into her nostrils and eyes. She moved reflexively to defend herself from the choking onslaught, but in a pulse, she found there was no need. The white powder was gone, taking the island, the structure, and the lone skeletal guardian with it.
***
When Maluem awoke, it was to the sound of raised voices. Though she could not make out the conversation entirely, it was clear Nia and Sergeant Mitchell were having a heated discussion just outside the office door. As Maluem drew close, she could begin to make out the details of their discourse. They were discussing Maluem and her place in the local garrison’s cells. Her blood froze as she listened intently to Kym’s latest outburst.
“Nia, I am through discussing this! The scouts have returned from Ortus, of this, I am sure you are aware. You know what they reported, just as you know what I must do!”
“Yes, Kym, I am fully aware of the tales they told. But I am sure it was not that bad-”
“Not that bad? Everyone is dead, Nia! Every single citizen on either side of the border! Everyone! Do you understand what that means? Your patient is the only one who managed to walk out of there alive, the only one!”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean that she had anything to do with-”
“Nia, are you daft? Right now, her guilt or innocence means nothing. She is the only witness we have as to what happened on that river! You know her story doesn’t wash. She knows something, and I will find out what. By Azbel woman, as of right now, Estel and Ortus no longer exist. Do you know where this could lead? The reports I have heard so far have all the earmarks of a mystic assault. We may be looking at a full-blown war! For all we know, that woman may be the cause of all of this!”
“Kym, if she had done what those soldiers are saying, she could have walked out of here any time she wanted. So why hasn’t she? If Maluem killed all those people, who would we be to her? Do you suppose she suddenly developed a guilt complex? Or, maybe she really had nothing to do with it. Maybe she really didn’t see anything. We don’t know. But if you go barging in there right now, threatening her this way and that, I guarantee you we will see exactly what the lass can do!”
“Nia, what would you have me do? You know my orders as well as me. My hands are tied, woman. I must take her in! She is a material witness to-”
“Just leave her with me for one day, please! I can’t explain now, but I know she could not have done what those soldiers reported. Let me talk to her and-”
At this point, a third voice burst in. Maluem had no idea who this was, but he was young, excited, and from the way he spoke, military. Possibly one of Kym’s soldiers.
“Sergeant Mitchell, we have a situation in the southern part of town, and the lieutenant has not come out of the mayor’s office yet. A few hours ago, a security guardian was found on the Anterim Basalt Mines grounds, trapped in an enormous varmint hole. He is telling some wild tale about a Wyvern, a Gargoyle, and being saved by Musk-Squirrels! He is talking gibberish, but word from high brass is we need to check it out. They think it might have something to do with the border massacre.”
A tense silence stretched out before the sergeant finally barked his response.
“Very well, get some transportation, and we’ll head out immediately. Send Corporal Dunn and Lance Private Ryke down here to guard this office. Nia, I am leaving her with you for now, but you will hand her over to my custody when I return, with no arguments. We both know our places, Nia. It’s past time we both acted our parts.”
As the sergeant’s footsteps faded off down the hall, Maluem backed away from the door. How long had she been out? How much had transpired? He said the border towns had been wiped out, but how could that be? No mere storm could have done that! At least, non she had ever seen. There would have to be survivors, at least a few witnesses. How could everyone be dead? Could there have been no hiding space, no sanctuary from the raging tempest? It could not have reached them all!
The door swung open suddenly, admitting an ashen-faced Nia into the room. Without a word, she turned and locked the door behind her, then brushed past Maluem to enter her private chamber. In a flurry of movement, she had her single bag packed. After glancing under her bunk, she looked back up at Maluem.
“Gathered your things, have you?” Nia asked.
“Yes, I reclaimed my items,” Maluem replied with a note of defiance.
“Good,” Nia replied, turning to face Maluem properly. “Ready yourself, girl. It is time we got you out of here.”
10.
The Shadowy Path Ahead
Before Maluem could think to reply, Nia had removed a small satchel from her pocket and placed her flat palm against its top surface. With a muttered word, she lifted her hand to reveal a glowing rune that had not been there before. In an instant, the satchel popped open to reveal rows of small pockets within, each holding a long cylindrical glass container. Each had a little white label wrapped around it, but the scrawled text on them was far too thin for Maluem to decipher from where she stood. Nia quickly ran her finger along the rows of bottles before stopping at one holding a small quantity of small, pink pellets. With a quick series of motions, she removed the container, procured two pills, and replaced the vessel back into its pouch.
“Now, I am going to need you to take these p
ills,” Nia said after turning to face Maluem again. “They will taste horrid, I know, but they will put you in a better mind for the task ahead. Quickly now, we have much to do.”
“Why would I need to take these? Are you trying to drug me?” Maluem demanded with an arched eyebrow.
At that, Nia adopted a rather odd grin.
“No Maluem, quite the opposite. There is no time to go into it now. I will explain everything as soon as conditions allow. For now, know that I need you in top form if we are to evade the good sergeant’s grasp. Now, swallow those quickly. Their effects should be almost instantaneous.”
Nia brushed past to confront the odd metal chest of drawers, leaving Maluem to consider the strange items in her hand. They were about as large as her smallest finger’s nail, round, and had a tiny rune etched on them that reminded her of an awakening spell.
Why would I require these things? Maluem wondered. How much more awake could I possibly be?
A low metallic screech broke Maluem’s concentration, causing her to turn to see what Nia was about. As she watched, the doctor shoved the chest of drawers aside to reveal a small, metallic hatch beneath it. As Nia swung the hatch open, a dank, musty smell flowed from the dark passage below, filling the small chamber with a damp odor.
“This Hospital was not the first structure on this foundation,” Nia said as she observed Maluem’s stare. “There is an ancient array of tunnels running beneath this building, leading to every corner of the town, save the mines. I don’t know why they exist, but I had a feeling they would come in handy one day. Quickly now, we must-”
“Why are you doing this?” Maluem interrupted, still holding the pills in her open palm. “I heard your conversation with Sergeant Mitchell. You have every reason to suspect me of whatever occurred at the border. At the very least, I could be an accomplice to a mass murderer. Why would you help me escape? Why risk yourself over me?”
Nia gave out a long sigh, shaking her head as she regarded Maluem with a tired look of resignation.
“Maluem, I have more than every reason to suspect you. I know you were at the border around the time of the catastrophe. You see, I have a friend within the ranks of Kym’s unit, a scout who goes by the name of Marcus.”
At the mention of that name, Maluem’s mind flowed back to the night of her visions to a loathsome voice that somehow made her feel violated, even now. Her feelings of contempt must have been evident on her face, for Nia gave a tight smile and nodded.
“So, you remember Marcus, do you? He was the one who found you, and he would have been the one to relieve you of most of your equipment had I not come upon him when I did. He is a scoundrel and a lout. However, he is also a gifted scout, and in that capacity, he is quite adept at finding items others would miss. For instance, I was able to barter a fascinating item from him just this morning. He claims to have found it in the town of Ortus.”
As she said this, Nia produced from an interior pocket in her outer garment an ornate knife. Maluem recognized it immediately. It was the sacrificial dagger she had cut herself with while retrieving the staff. Maluem’s eyes grew wide. She opened her mouth to begin her explanations, but Nia cut her off before she could start.
“I am sure you would deny ever seeing this dagger, but you needn’t bother. You see, the infection you had in your hand was very unusual. I have never seen one quite like it in my entire medical career. It was completely resistant to every spell or chemical I applied to it. It took a very complex mixture of my healing ability and alchemy to produce an antidote. I knew it had to have come from a cursed item, something marked by a potent spell. When I examined this blade, I found that very source. If I had possessed this earlier, your recovery would have been much faster. But that is no matter. The fact is this item alone puts you at the border in the town you claim to have avoided. This weapon is all the proof I would need to condemn you.”
“But this proves nothing,” Maluem said. “I could provide an innumerable number of explanations as to how I came to cut myself with that blade and then lost it. But, these could all be the lies of a murderer desperate to escape. So, the question remains, why would you assist me when you have every reason to want me jailed?”
“First off, there is the practical explanation,” Nia began. “If you could do what those soldiers reported, escaping from these confines would have been simplicity itself. I doubt we would have even gotten you to this town before you would have made short work of us all. But I am sure you heard this argument through the door.
“So, we come to the Mystical reason for my assistance. As I said before, Maluem, you have not studied healing arts. If you had, you would know that it is an intimate craft. You reveal more of yourself than in any other type of casting, make yourself more vulnerable than in any other Mystical practice. This applies in the other direction as well. Gaining an intimate knowledge of your patient’s spirit is unavoidable, as this is critical if any true healing is to occur. Therefore, it is impossible to truly practice the healing art without one’s soul becoming familiar with those of your patients. It is both the blessing and the curse of the healer’s vocation.
“To mend your wound, I had to work with you for some time. In fact, I nearly put myself in the infirmary in my attempt to break that hideous curse. I was forced to delve quite deeply into your psyche to root out all the affected areas. During your procedure, I may have become more spiritually familiar with you than even your father. Of course, that does not seem to be much of a boast from the emotions you harbor towards him.”
Maluem shifted uneasily at this and opened her mouth to protest, but Nia spoke right over her.
“I see many wounds within you, Maluem. Many old scars mark your soul that will take a great deal of effort from you to heal. I also sense there is much within you that remains hidden. Secrets you seem quite adept at concealing, possibly even from yourself. I cannot say I know you entirely, Maluem, but I know you could not have committed that massacre.
A slaughter that horrid, that complete would take a meticulous mind devoted utterly to malevolence and destruction. It would leave permanent stains upon the soul of the one who committed it, either of depraved joy or the most profound remorse. I saw no such traces in you. Your mind may be shadowed in places, but you do not hold the pure malice such an abomination would demand.”
“So, you believe me to be innocent,” Maluem summarized.
“Innocent? No,” Nia replied with a grin. “As I said, your mind does have its dark passages. However, I simply know you did not commit this particular crime. But that will not mean a hill of dak if we don’t move quickly.
“Do you remember what Kym said, about the destruction of two cities being an act of war? That was a hint to both of us, Maluem. Those in charge will try to avoid major conflict with Camilos if possible. That would mean finding a scapegoat, a foreigner preferably, to blame the massacre on. Given that you are the only witness and likely have a shady history with the Camilos crown, that scapegoat will probably be you. So, for your sake and ours, you need to disappear quickly. We can do this, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”
After a moment of thought, Maluem gave her reply by swallowing the pills Nia had handed her.
“It seems I have little choice. My list of allies has been growing ever shorter of late. But Nia, what of my clothes?”
“I have procured a few garments and hidden them near the rail station,” Nia replied, beckoning Maluem towards the portal in the floor. “Come, there is little time. We must move before Sergeant Mitchell returns to make good on those threats. He may not wish to arrest you, but he will follow his duty if we are still here to greet him.”
Nia climbed through the open portal in the floor, disappearing into the darkness below. The beckoning escape route was before her, yet Maluem could not bring herself to follow. As she stared into the murky passage, she struggled to decide on the proper path to take.
I could try to fight my way out, Maluem thought. I certainly have been in ti
ghter spots than this. But still, how much damage would I have to inflict to gain my freedom, and how long will my power hold out? If she wished to trap me, she could have picked a more straightforward way than this. Besides, if she starts acting odd, it will just be her and me in that tunnel. That is a whole lot easier than facing down an entire garrison of troops!
With that final thought, Maluem took a deep breath and stepped down onto the floor. Once again, she was walking blindly into the unknown, following the advice of someone she did not honestly know. This was becoming a habit most unseemly of a full-fledged Sorcerer.
Old Dominic used to say, trusting in others foolishly gets one in far more trouble than it gets one out of, Maluem thought. Perhaps I should have listened more closely to the old ferd. He is proving far more prophetic than I would like.
As soon as they dropped down to the passage floor, Maluem got a very eerie sense that she had somehow stepped into her past. The walls, the darkness, the dank odor of the rot of ages all stirred up layers of unwanted sensations in her head. Lifting a finger, Nia touched an ancient rune on a panel set in the wall, causing a string of glass bulbs lining the ceiling to spring to life, illuminating the way ahead and behind. That feeling of familiarity grew a thousand-fold as the light flowed forth. Maluem had walked through caverns much like these a short time before.
There was no denying it, the tunnel walls were the mirror image of the ones that lay beneath the lost city of the Aragina River. They had all the markings of the same craftsmen. The only differences were the lights above and the floor below. These catacombs had a raised metal catwalk that lifted the traveler above a nest of large cables streaming along the length of the cave’s floor. Some even draped from the walls like crafted vines. Maluem could not even guess what the purpose of these might be.
“Amazing, aren’t they,” Nia remarked as she led Maluem down the passage. “I have no idea where the energy comes from to power these lights as I am certain very few even know these tunnels exist. I cannot imagine what they are doing here in Enox. I have only seen their like in my home country of Santilis. From their looks and the state of these wires, they must have been built ages ago, but I can't imagine by whom or for what purpose. I wonder if there are other places like this in the wild, possibly even in Camilos…”