Kyyle glanced at Finn. “So, what’s our next move? You’ve been quiet since Kalisha mentioned the Forge…” He trailed off, letting the implicit question hang in the air.
“It’s probably a trap,” Julia muttered.
Kyyle nodded slowly. “The guilds could have pandered to the Emir and struck a side deal to send us on this ‘field trip.’ That would help ensure their own survival. And it’s clear that the Khamsin aren’t all on the same page. As Eldawin said, if you were to die, the clans would likely fragment or retreat. Bilel has to know that, which gives him a strong motive to lay a trap for you.”
Finn grimaced. They were echoing the same thoughts that had been bouncing around his head since meeting with Kalisha and Malik. Although the rebuttal was obvious. What Eldawin had said was true. Sometimes, you had no choice but to pick between the lesser of many evils.
“Unfortunately, we have to take the risk. We need to defeat Bilel and retrieve that staff if we’re to have any hope of bringing Rachael back,” Finn said, rubbing at his temple.
“Which means we need allies,” he continued. “Even Eldawin had to admit that the Khamsin alone won’t be enough to face Bilel. Although he was also right that the guilds are vulnerable. And that, in turn, means we need to find a way to protect our new allies against the relic. You all saw firsthand what Bilel did to those guards in the throne room. We can’t afford to have our own soldiers turn against us in the middle of a fight.”
“We can minimize our risk,” Abbad interjected. “However, I suspect you have already considered our best option for how to proceed.” He looked pointedly at Finn.
They were now all focused on him.
“What does he mean?” Julia asked.
“We need to split our forces,” Finn answered slowly, meeting Abbad’s gaze. “Abbad will go with Kalisha and Malik back to Lahab. He will need to ensure that the Mage Guild joins the alliance and help cover the guilds’ escape from the city. The illusions needed to deceive Bilel will be complex and will most likely take a unified effort of the guild’s water mages. It will also give Abbad the opportunity to keep an eye on the guilds.”
“Assuming you trust me,” the librarian added.
“Assuming I do,” Finn echoed, the pair staring each other down.
Finn didn’t detect even a faint ripple in Abbad’s mana. Although, whether that indicated his resolve or simply reflected Bilel’s training, Finn couldn’t be sure. Either way, he was going to have to roll the dice there.
With a sigh, Finn continued, “As for us, we need to investigate this Forge – trap or not. We could have Aerys send a decoy party north and then sneak south toward the mountains.”
“Who exactly are we trying to deceive with the decoys?” Kyyle asked.
“Everyone,” Finn replied softly. “We can’t fully trust the Khamsin or the guilds.”
“Are you really suggesting that the Khamsin might try to attack us?” Julia asked in an incredulous voice. “I don’t care what our new grumpy desert grandpa just said, most of the people here idolize you.”
“You heard Eldawin,” Finn replied. “Right now, the Khamsin are united behind me – behind a prophet. Aerys is using that influence to help unite the clans, push an alliance with the guilds, and convince her people to wage war with a demon. However, there’s an easy way to unravel all of that…” he said, trailing off.
Eldawin would just need to take Finn out.
Silence hung in the air as they all digested the plan that Finn had sketched out. It was risky. They would be forced to trust Abbad – that he wouldn’t go back to the Emir and that he wasn’t playing a deeper game. They would have to trust that Kalisha and Malik were telling the truth about the guilds – that the Forge was real and contained secrets that might be helpful in the battle against Bilel. They needed to trust that Aerys would put their larger goals ahead of her personal ambitions and that Eldawin wouldn’t attempt to tip the balance of power among the Khamsin.
That was a lot more trust than Finn felt right now.
Yet he didn’t see another option.
“Well, shit,” Kyyle said, breaking the silence. “This got muddy fast. No wonder you’ve been working like a madman. Better than dwelling on this mess.”
“No kidding. What exactly are you guys making in here anyway?” Julia asked, eyeing the nearby worktable table, and jumping on the chance for a more lighthearted topic.
Finn let a small grin drift across his face. He lifted a dark metal helm from the table, twin horns spiraling from the metal. He held the helmet out to Julia. “Well, I’m missing an arm now, so we’re going to need you to pick up the slack. Kyyle and I have improved on the armor I created down in the Abyss.”
Julia’s eyes widened as she accepted the panel. “It’s… light.” She tugged the helm over her head. “And it fits perfectly!”
“Daniel actually performed a full-body scan so that we could get precise measurements,” Finn replied with a nod.
“I also discovered some interesting details from my scan,” the AI interjected, his glowing form flitting around Julia. “Did you know that your nose is slightly crooked, and your ears aren’t perfectly symmetric. Also, your thighs are rather muscular for a woman your size—”
Daniel was cut off as a helmet was sent sailing in his direction, but the AI neatly avoided the metal missile. “Shut it!” Julia snapped at him.
“What’s wrong? I thought I was helping,” Daniel said, his body dimming slightly.
“Well, uh, some people can be a little sensitive about that sort of thing,” Kyyle offered, side-eyeing Julia in case she decided to start throwing things again.
Daniel spun toward the earth mage. “But when you were designing the greaves, you were complaining that her thick ankles made it difficult to design the hinge. How is that—”
“Hey, now!” Kyyle interrupted, his eyes widening. “I didn’t quite say it that way!”
“Oh, really? What exactly did you say then?” Julia growled. Daniel quickly raced away to the other end of the chamber, flying high overhead and out of reach. However, Kyyle didn’t have that option. As Julia wheeled on the earth mage, he backed away quickly, raising his hands.
“Uh, so anyway, we made a bunch of improvements to the armor,” Finn added quickly to forestall a fight. “The panels are thinner than the full platemail back in the Abyss. The original design was overkill with the natural density and tensile strength of the metal. Kyyle also improved on the design, creating reticulated joints around the elbows, shoulders, and knees. That should give you a better range of motion.
“As you’ve heard, we also made sure this set fits better,” Finn continued. “Of course, you can thank Daniel and Kyyle for that.” He couldn’t resist just a little teasing.
Kyyle gave Finn a pleading look as Julia turned her glare back toward him. Finn’s smile just widened, and even Abbad let out an amused snort as Julia stalked toward the earth mage. Kyyle was right. Finn had been trying to distract himself from the decisions they were facing. Luckily, trolling the earth mage and his daughter was always at the top of his list of favorite activities.
And it worked. Watching the pair bicker helped Finn forget the risks they were taking, the odds they faced, and what was at stake.
At least for the moment.
Chapter 7 - Well-Traveled
Finn strapped down the last pack on the back of his beetle, tugging at the rope to make sure it was secure. His work finished, he wiped at his brow. Dusk had fallen only a short hour ago, and the desert sands still hadn’t relinquished the heat stored during the day. Even the surrounding stone pillars were still warm to the touch. But it was still infinitely better than trying to travel while the sun was in the sky.
His gaze shifted to the area around him. Several beetles filled a small enclosure among the rocks, their bulky bodies barely lit by the faint starlight and thin coating of glowing algae that covered the stone pillars. They had waited until nightfall to depart, planning to use the cover of darkness to
mask their movements. Finn suspected that even the most experienced tracker would struggle to follow them at night and hidden deep within the desert.
But, then again, he supposed that depended on who they were hiding from.
Finn leaned back against a nearby pillar, his attention trailing upward, and his vision shifted as he activated Mana Sight. A river of energy drifted across the night sky, the mana rippling and contorting in his vision. It almost looked like water, the way the motley collection of colors created intertwining streamers that flowed and tumbled through the air.
Although, he couldn’t fully appreciate the beauty. At least, not anymore. Not now that Finn knew what it was – the collective energy of every human traveler and player in the game. A torrent of mana that was feeding a group of celestial parasites that tweaked and fiddled and poked and prodded at this world for their own advantage. He could only imagine that the Seer was watching him now from that windblown tent – sitting in her imposed purgatory and staring out of her cell at the world beyond those canvas walls.
No. There were plenty of potential enemies out there besides Bilel.
Finn heard a clank of metal grinding against stone and turned to find Julia approaching, tugging at her newly minted armor. The metal glowed a stark emerald in Finn’s vision. Another shift of his sight and his daughter was suddenly illuminated in blue, and the details of her face came into focus. Teasing aside, this version of the platemail was a significant improvement on his hasty creation back in the Abyss. Daniel’s measurements had helped them form thinner sheets and panels of the dark metal that now hugged Julia’s form as she moved and twisted experimentally.
“Okay, I’ll admit this does fit better,” Julia offered grudgingly, her voice echoing slightly within the dark helm. It gave her an imposing look – like a dark metal juggernaut.
Finn chuckled. “The movement feel okay?”
“Yeah… although, I’m not sure how stealthy I’ll be wearing full platemail,” she replied, her feet clanking dully against the stone with each step.
“Hmm, well, we’ll make do. Besides, worst-case scenario, we can always send Daniel to scout,” Finn offered with a grin. “Maybe a bit of revenge?”
This earned him a laugh from Julia. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“You certainly look formidable,” Aerys spoke up from behind the group, approaching through the rocks. She was robed in dark cloth that blended in seamlessly with the rock and flanked by two guards robed in similar attire. The Khamsin clan leader traced Julia’s armor with her fingertips. “Although, this isn’t exactly normal attire for our kind. You would stand out harshly against the sand,” she added, a hint of judgment coloring her voice.
“We are all being forced to evolve,” Finn interjected, meeting Aerys’ gaze. “The Khamsin included. We left a full prototype of Julia’s armor below. Make sure you deliver it to Abbad and Kalisha when they return from Lahab. They should be able to manufacture the armor in bulk using the softer metals available to the Khamsin. It won’t have the same durability, and the fit might be slightly off – but it should still give us an edge. We’d like the merchants to prepare at least a few dozen sets before we get back from this Forge.”
Aerys arched an eyebrow. “You plan to give away the armor freely? For our people to simply give up their raw ore? What do we hope to gain for such… charity?”
“It would probably be easier to show you,” Julia answered, gesturing at Finn.
He understood her meaning but winced internally at the unnecessary use of mana. With a twitch of his fingers and an uttered incantation, Julia’s platemail was suddenly bathed in flame. The fire seeped into her limbs, turning her flesh and bone into a fiery inferno as her natural mana absorption kicked in. Within seconds, an elemental creature of fire and metal stood upon the rock, tendrils of flame leaking out from between the plates.
Aerys took an inadvertent step back, her normally stoic expression cracking for just an instant. Her guards followed suit, reaching for the weapons at their waists automatically. However, as fast as the transformation had occurred, it ended just as abruptly, Finn extinguishing the spell with a sweep of his hand. There was no sense in drawing attention to themselves before they set off toward the Forge. Darkness soon covered the rock island once again as Julia’s skin and armor reverted to normal.
“This is what happens when the Khamsin and the mages work together,” Finn said pointedly. “We are going to create a new contingent of the Khamsin – pairing each of your fighters with a fire mage. The metals mined by your people likely can’t withstand the higher heat ranks of Imbue Fire, but even a rank 1 version of the spell will make them stronger, faster, and much more resilient.”
Finn could already see the interest shining in the eyes of Aerys’ guards, their caution turning to curiosity as they inspected Julia’s armor. He waved at the nearby soldiers. “It would be helpful if you could identify those of your people who are more gifted with their natural absorption ability and help train them in our absence. They’ll need to practice to learn to withstand the sustained fire damage.”
“It seems my list of tasks keeps growing,” Aerys replied in a dry tone. “Help the guilds flee Lahab, find them a new home, and conscript a miniature army of Khamsin to act as these… metal demons.”
“And work to bring the clans together under a single banner,” Finn added, earning him a sharp look from Aerys. “I suspect that will be your most difficult task.”
A pause before Finn continued. “Speaking of which, we were approached by what I can only assume was one of the other clan leaders earlier. He called himself Eldawin.”
Finn saw Aerys flinch at that name.
“I take it he’s a friend of yours?” Julia quipped.
“Not exactly,” Aerys replied tersely. A sigh. “Eldawin is a member of the old guard. He has seen generations live and die among rock and sand. As I said before, people respond differently in the face of adversity. Instead of hope, they foster anger and hate. At the mages, at the Emir, and at the guilds. There are even some among the Khamsin that have pledged to rid the world of all magic – claiming that the practice of arcane arts and the gods themselves are at the heart of our hardship.”
“Does Eldawin share that view?” Finn asked, his brow furrowed.
“I’m not certain. As you’ve no doubt experienced, he is circumspect with his words and goals. However, I can assure you he will not forget the wrongs committed against our people – no matter what treaties are signed or gifts exchanged.”
“Is he a threat to us?” Julia asked pointedly.
Aerys hesitated, her eyes drifting to the nearby rocks.
“I’m guessing from that long pause that the answer is probably,” Kyyle observed as he approached, having finished packing up his beetle.
Aerys let out a grunt. “I would watch your back,” she answered simply.
“Fantastic,” Kyyle muttered.
“It just means we need to move quickly to explore this Forge and return to the colony,” Finn said, pushing away from the rock pillar he had been leaning against. “We’re safer with witnesses nearby. Eldawin seems intelligent. He won’t attack us if any blame could be cast in his direction. He can’t afford to alienate the other Khamsin by killing their prophet openly.”
“But we could just disappear among the sands…” Julia trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air. If Eldawin were planning to strike, it would be at the Forge.
“My thoughts exactly,” Finn said.
Aerys met Finn’s eyes. “Which I suppose is why you requested that a decoy expedition be sent north. Clever. Although, I had thought you were hoping to distract Bilel and any other guild spies. That may not be enough to fool the other Khamsin.”
“That was partly our objective,” Finn replied with a nod. “Although, if Eldawin intends to send men to follow us, it may at least buy us some time.”
The Khamsin leader grimaced. “Indeed. The decoy party departed about an hour ago. We also made cert
ain to circulate word of the prophet’s departure.”
Finn nodded. “Thank you.”
Aerys just grunted. “Let us just hope that it works. Either way, I suppose you’ll also need these.” She turned and waved at one of the guards. Stepping forward, the man handed a cloth bundle to Julia.
Unwrapping the cloth, she revealed a familiar set of items – a glimmering lance and a dark metal shield. “Oh, my sweet little death machine,” Julia cooed, grabbing her lance and cradling it like a newborn. “Did the mean lady mistreat you?”
Aerys spared a questioning glance at Finn, and he just offered a shrug.
“At the risk of interrupting this touching reunion with your weapons,” Finn said, placing a hand on Julia’s shoulder, “we need to get moving. We’re burning twilight, and we have a long way to go. Kalisha’s waypoint marker has us heading a few hundred miles south, southeast.”
“Fair enough.” Julia gave her lance one final pat before grabbing her shield, strapping the weapon to her back, and looping the lance at her waist.
The group moved quickly to their mounts, leaping onto the backs of the hulking insects and guiding them toward the sands that encircled the rock islands.
Julia spared one final glance back at Aerys. “Please don’t kill any of our new allies while we’re gone.”
Aerys barked out a laugh. “I’ll try. Good luck to you and swift travels.”
With that statement, the group set off, the beetles lumbering away from the rock island and onto the sands, a thin cushion of air mana soon jetting from their feet and causing their bulky bodies to sway precariously for a moment until they regained their balance. Within seconds, the group was gliding across the sands and disappearing into the darkness, leaving only a faint trail of sand in their wake.
Which left Aerys standing upon the rock island, her eyes following the group’s swiftly vanishing outlines. Her good humor had vanished, worry creasing the lines of her face. “I suspect you’ll need all the luck you can get,” she murmured.
Awaken Online: Inferno (Tarot #3) Page 8