by Tiger Hebert
A sizeable pool of water was no more than a dozen yards away. The tremendous sound of rushing waters came from the massive waterfall on the far side of the cavern. As its cold waters plummeted the fifty-some-odd feet into the lake below, it caused the dark waters to ripple across the surface. The cavern itself was generally non-descript apart from a few braziers and the handful of runes that graced the walls. The cavern as one would expect, was massive. It wasn’t the diameter of the mostly round cavern that was impressive, rather it was the sheer height of it that made it all seem so grand.
“Yes, we will rest here for the night,” conceded Theros with a sigh. He didn’t want to spend another night outside the inner city, but he was completely drained. He needed the rest. “Be ready to go in the morning though, because we leave early. I need to find that book.”
12
The Pools of Arloss
Each stone shared the three prime aspects. In a way, they were like a self-governing law, designed to limit the powers of those who possessed one of the twelve stones. Make no mistake, the heightened powers of the council members were remarkable, but none of us were gods, despite what some thought...
In addition to the prime aspects inherent to the stones, each stone seemed to come with some other latent power. When the stones were infused with the Father’s essence, the magics flowing through them, it seemed that they unlocked something in the Seraphim who wielded it. This new dimension of...capability, was something to behold...
My brothers and sisters of the council were given a great responsibility when the stones were gifted to them. Not all of them could bear the weight of its temptation though. My brothers and sisters betrayed us all...
War in the Heavens, Jazren of the Seraphim Order
THE POOLS OF ARLOSS, as named by the runes upon the walls, was actually quite a splendid place. The group was thankful to have found this secret gem. It was indeed loud, what with the waterfall and all, but otherwise it was great. With multiple braziers lit, they had all the light and heat that they needed for the night. The plunging river supplied them with fresh, icy cold water. That water flowed through the main lake, then into a series of smaller pools, before it ultimately would find its way out through a large crack in the rock wall. However, some of the smaller pools held some of the water captive.
Kiriana dipped her toe in one of those pools and squealed with excitement. “It’s hot!”
“How is that possible?” asked Theros.
“Must be hot springs. How fortuitous,” answered Dom.
“Hot springs?” asked Sharka.
“It’s water in the ground that gets heated by the earth. They are usually too hot to use, but the cold river water must be cooling it down some,” explained Dominar.
“I don’t recall Dar Mar’Kren having any hot springs,” said Nal’drin.
“You’re right, not a one,” said Dom.
“Are they safe?” asked Sharka, restraining her excitement for the moment.
“If the water is safe to the touch, you’re good to go, my dear,” he said with a smile.
With that bit of knowledge Sharka and Nal’drin raced over to Kiriana, so they could check out this phenomenon for themselves. It was the first time any of them, save Dom, had even heard of such a thing. And they all needed baths sorely, so it came at the perfect time.
While the three youngest explored the heated pools, Dom turned back to his friend. “Thank God for you, Theros Hammerfist. I was prepared to meet my maker, and once again you have saved me.”
Theros shifted his eyes to meet his friend’s. He replied with a smile.
Kiriana’s voice echoed through the chamber. “I need you boys to look the other way.”
Sharka nodded in agreement and gestured that the men turn away.
Once the three had turned away, Sharka and Kiriana undressed in a hurry. As the layers of clothing were peeled away, Nal’drin’s curiosity grew.
“You need to become an honorable man,” said the quiet voice in his head.
Yes, and I will, he thought. Just not all today. Baby steps. He glanced over his shoulder.
Despite having the men turn away, the women still attempted to cover their naked forms before they climbed into the pools. It may have hid what some would consider the important bits, but their shapes were fully exposed. Kiriana was fully exposed. Nal’drin just grinned as he turned away, lest he be caught.
“Done yet?” hollered Dominar.
“Um—yep,” shouted Sharka as she submerged her body.
When the men turned, Dom’s eyes then moved across the cavern to the scattered remains of the mahlzur. “What do you suppose those rats are?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen a rat walk and fight like a man before. Those were an abomination. We are going to encounter strange things in these halls. I believe these are one of the mad king’s creations. Perhaps an experiment gone wrong,” said Theros.
“Aye, let’s hope they weren’t made on purpose!” said Dom with a shudder.
Theros’s gaze settled on Sharka as she sat contently in the warm churning waters of the pool. The subtle smile upon her pale green lips made him smile. As he stared at her, he lost himself for a moment. The conversation with Dominar was forgotten, the aches and the tug of exhaustion melted away. He studied her features carefully. She didn’t have the small button nose or high cheekbones that were commonly believed to denote beauty in women. Her face was round and her nose was wide. Even her full lips couldn’t hide the ivory tips of the fangs that protruded from her lower jaw. Her eyes were the typical tawny color, rich and warm—and common. Her hair was thick and coarse to the touch. Unlike Kiriana, her shoulders and chest were muscled and hard, her hips were wide. She was not just an orc, she was the quintessential orc in every way, and she was more lovely than anything he had ever seen.
“Why do you hold back?” asked Dom, as he broke into his friends daydream.
“You know I can’t, Dom,” said Theros, his voice sinking.
“I know you can’t, but I can’t believe you can’t,” said Dom with a wink.
“Maybe another orc can, not me. I can’t be chieftain and break the only law that we have from our ancestors,” said Theros as he shook his head.
“You said the same thing before you were chieftain,” parried Dom.
“When Ogron was still chieftain, the tribes were so divided. His support was fractured and tenuous at best. He couldn’t afford having his little brother screwing it up. If I broke the law, it would have given the other chiefs excuses to do as they wished,” replied Theros.
“And if you relinquished your role as chieftain? Would you then?” prodded Dominar with a gentle, but persistent tone.
“And leave it to who? Name one orc that is ready to lead? I don’t know Dom,” sighed Theros. “It is hard for me to even imagine that as a possibility. I have a responsibility, I can’t just abandon it for selfish reasons.”
Dom placed his hand on Theros’ shoulder and said, “When are you going to stop hiding things from me? You can’t keep lying to me like this, you’re gonna hurt my feeling.”
“Hurt your feelings?” asked Theros.
“No, feeling,” corrected the old dwarf. “I’ve only got one. Tread lightly.”
For a moment, the look of sadness departed. Theros chuckled.
“You really do need to stop hiding things from me, though,” reiterated Dom, while not too subtly tapping his fingers against the tin cup he held.
Theros’ eyes once again found their way to Sharka’s almost hidden smile. “What if it’s not real? What if we only want what we can’t have?”
“Ohhh,” said Dom in an exaggerated manner. “The old forbidden fruit idea.”
“Forbidden fruit?” asked Theros as he shot his friend a puzzled look. “What’s that?”
“How should I know?” said Dom.
Theros raised an eyebrow and then said, “You brought it up.”
“Oh yeah, I guess I did,” admitted Dom with a nonchalant s
hrug. “I think there is a human story about a wife who ate some bad fruit and then blamed it on her husband or something. I think the fruit had already turned, and after she ate it, well...you know she couldn’t stop—”
“I’m sorry I asked.”
Dom waved his hands and continued, “I don’t think the story is that important anyways. It’s more or less about eating your fruit. However, I think the point is that if the fruit was going to spoil, then it was going to spoil, whether you decide to eat it or not! So either eat the fruit or don’t eat the fruit, either way, what will be, will be. You see?”
Theros, mouth agape, stared at his friend dumbfounded. “That doesn’t make any sense at all.”
“Not my fault you went to orc schools,” said Dom.
Theros was incredulous. “We don’t have schools!”
“That explains a lot,” quipped Dominar as he turned his nose up at the orc.
The orc’s forehead fell into the massive palm of his uplifted hand. He shook his head and muttered, “How did I ever get stuck with you?”
“You love it!” said Dominar with a laugh, and subsequently clutched his ribs as he winced in pain.
Nal’drin worked at a snail’s pace preparing dinner, while Dominar and Theros discussed the nature of the mahlzur again. Had the young king not placed all of his attention on the lovely redhead that lounged in the nearby pool, he might have made some progress, but no one appeared to notice.
“All joking aside, earlier you mentioned something,” noted Dom. “You said that you think that these things were Duroc’s creations.”
Theros looked at the gory remains of his enemies and nodded. “In the communication log that we read, it mentioned that Duroc was creating an army. I’d say that those were at least one of his experiments, which means there could be a lot more down here.”
“What else do you think we’ll find down here?” asked Dom.
“I don’t know for sure, but I fear that there are more than just his creations down here,” said Theros.
“What do you mean?” asked Dom.
“I just can’t help but go back to what we were talking about before. I can’t shake the feeling that Duroc wanted to be found. If he understood the magics enough to manipulate them, then he must have known about their signature. I believe he was trying to lure or draw someone or something to himself,” explained Theros.
“And you think that he got more than he bargained for? That it found him, and that is what happened down here?” questioned Dominar.
“Perhaps. Maybe by the time he realized it, it was too late,” guessed the orc.
“And yet you still think the old boy is still alive?” asked Dom.
“I know he is. He is always offering advice, trying to direct my actions and decisions. Not in a malevolent way though. I think he genuinely needs our help,” said Theros.
“You do realize,” said Dom with a pause as he tugged on his beard, “this could all be a trap.”
“A trap for what? For who?” asked Theros. “Why would someone or something want us? What could we possibly have to offer it? None of us have powerful artifacts or magical powers.”
Dom let out a guffaw and shot his friend a glance that said oh really?
“Nope, no magical powers here,” snorted Dom with sarcasm. “Don’t mind the big gray oaf over here that leaps and twirls like a deadly ballerina, destroying all seven foes at once without so much as a scratch. Oh, and let’s forget about the swirly blue lights, yeah, forget about those too. No magical powers here, none at all!”
Theros imagined that his sometimes aloof friend would have leapt and spun in dramatic, mocking fashion, had his ribs not have been so sore still. Theros just shook his head and grumbled. Then the hint of a smile poked through the cracks of his hardened face.
“I think you’re supposed to be able to control magic. This—thing—I don’t have any control over it. I don’t even know when it’s going to happen. It just does. I really do need to find Keepers of the Flame. Once I start reading, maybe I can learn something useful,” said Theros.
“I agree. I think our first order of business inside the city is to seek out the library. Hopefully we can find it,” said Dom as he puckered up his lips for some strange reason.
You’re a strange little man, Dominar, Theros thought. His smile finally emerged, unscathed from the collapsing debris of his calloused face. “I will need you to help me when we find the book, though. I think you understand why?”
“I do?” asked Dom, clearly confused. “No, I don’t think I do.”
“I’ll need you to read it to me, of course. You know—orc schools and all,” remarked Theros with a grin.
“Well played, my friend, well played,” said Dom with appreciative laughter.
“I do think that he needs us, though,” said Theros, the playfulness fading quickly.
“For what?” asked Dom.
“I don’t know yet,” admitted Theros.
The girls had called out for the boys to turn away once more so they could emerge from the pools. The three men promptly complied. Nal’drin grinned and, of course, peeked once more.
Kiriana and Sharka dried off and pulled on clean sets of clothes. The women left their dirty clothes near the pools, where they would wash them later in the evening, and they moved toward the men.
“We’re good,” announced Sharka, letting the boys turn back around.
The grin was wiped off Nal’drin’s face when he turned to see a lovely face with a pair of bright green eyes just a few inches from his. Her expression was hard, at least on the surface. She seemed angry, but not just angry. There was something more, but he couldn’t quite read it. Then it came.
Kiriana socked him in the shoulder. Then she whispered, “I hope you liked what you saw.”
“Creeper,” accused the second voice as Sharka plowed her knuckles into the same tender spot.
“Oww!” he whined as he rubbed his shoulder.
The girls walked away laughing. Nal’drin rubbed his shoulder some more then he returned to preparing the broth. He stood there silently as he stirred in the ingredients. He had seen something in her eyes, and it wasn’t just anger. It was something else. He smiled.
“THEROS,” WHISPERED the voice in the night.
The large orc stirred in his sleep.
“Theros, help me,” it pleaded.
Somewhere in that lucid place between dreams and woken consciousness, he heard the voice.
“Theros.”
Who’s that? thought Theros.
“Wake up! You know who I am,” replied the voice, with a hint of disappointment.
Why do you haunt me?
“I’m no specter and I’m not haunting you. I need your help,” replied Duroc indignantly.
What do you want?
“I want what that which every man wants, once it has been taken. I want my freedom back,” said Duroc in a saddened, hushed voice.
What happened to your freedom? asked Theros.
“Ah, so many questions, good, good. I knew you were more than brute strength. You are perceptive, you are cautious, that is wisdom. I knew I was right placing my hope in you,” said Duroc proudly.
You didn’t answer my question, said Theros.
“It is a rather long story. I shall tell it to you in time, suffice it to say for now that I was imprisoned for protecting my people,” said the scratchy, but gentle voice.
Not good enough, grunted the dreaming orc.
“Very well, then, I will show you,” said King Duroc as he filled the sleeping orc’s mind with visions. The dwarven king narrated the tale as the story unfolded before Theros’ eyes.
“I was on the verge of a breakthrough, a great discovery of things from ancient times. I had discovered not only how to use the Elder Stones to enhance my gifts, but I learned that they could be used for so much more than that. Each individual stone served as amplifier of the magics, however when the stones were combined, the amplification of certain powers became..
. exponential, opening new pathways of power that otherwise lay just beyond our mortal reach. The power to manipulate time, the power of dimensional travel, the power to heal, and the power to restore were all within my grasp. It was all falling into place,” said Duroc as he projected visions of his younger self into Theros’s mind.
“With each stone I collected, I came closer to realizing the dream every good king has—the dream of protecting his people. My people thought me strange, reclusive, and eccentric. It hurt, but truth be told, I was, but I did it for them. I labored in my studies of the magics and all the histories of the world, in hopes of their mention. I searched high and low for the precious gems and paid dearly to acquire them,” shared Duroc.
Theros remained still as the visions continued to flow through his mind.
“I had recovered four of them; amethyst, sapphire, topaz, and emerald. I only needed a fifth stone to bring my plan to fruition. You see, with a construct resembling a portal and just a few stones a skilled sorcerer could open waygates, rifts in the very fabric of our own world, allowing a person to travel freely around our world without limitations. Once I learned this, I could travel from here to Jhakarta, or any other city, and back in an instant. It offered endless opportunities to secure the food, supplies, and medicines that my people needed,” explained Duroc while he shared images of travel through the magical passages.
“Soon, I discovered that with four stones, I had enough power to open the worldgates. This was done by peeling back the incorporeal outer layers of the world just enough to reveal the ancient pathways that connect us to the other worlds, of which there are many. I traveled the worlds for my people. I sought many things, such as advanced technologies and medicines, but above all else, I sought sanctuary—a place that might be our refuge if the world ever turned upon us,” he said.
Theros watched in awestruck wonderment as the vast array of strange new worlds filled his mind’s eye, as if it was he, Theros Hammerfist, that had been the one who ventured through each worldgate instead of Duroc. The rich palette of colors and textures that each world offered were diverse and spectacular.