“You ok?” Dracon asked.
Katlin pulled his hands down from over his head and sat up. He looked behind himself into the room with the golden plates, assessing his surroundings. Surmising what happened, he stood up quickly, brushing himself off.
“I’m fine.” Satana stopped and looked back down at the two men behind her, “It goes with the job of saving your ass all the time.” Satana looked at Katlin, “You’re a jack ass.” She said then continued up the stairs not waiting for a response from either of them.
“You know the way back to the horses?” Dracon asked, watching Satana limp up the stairwell.
“I was this close to leaving breadcrumbs for you to follow.” Katlin showed Dracon the distance between his thumb and forefinger, then started up the stairs ahead of him, “I wasn’t going to wait all day, you know.”
Dracon couldn’t help but smile, then followed Katlin up to the second floor. When Dracon reached the second floor, Katlin was already on the opposite end, in front of another opened door, to the stairs that continued up. Alyndra greeted Dracon with a kiss on his cheek while the others stood by awaiting his orders.
“That was interesting? Your sword destroyed my ice wall but could not destroy the ring?” Alyndra pondered.
“Yes, curious.” Dracon answered, considering the truth of why his sword was ineffective, he had a strange feeling that the sword was trying to make Dracon see what it would be like without it, “He’s suddenly fearless.” Dracon nodded over at Katlin, all by himself at the open door, examining it.
“He needs space from us, else we’ll be able to smell that he shit himself.” Satana commented, making the others chuckle.
“It was the blank plate!” Katlin surmised, “The only one without an etching, opened all the doors without a design. They were well hidden, look here.” He pointed at the designed door to the left and to the right of the actual opened door. “These were made to resemble doors, but here lies the actual door.”
“What’s he talking about?” Satana asked.
“Little man, talk much, to hide much fear.” Um’Vec declared.
“Well said.” Rayna glanced at Um’Vec, then started over to where Katlin was.
“Um’Vec eat?” he asked immediately looking at Alyndra with a childlike hopefulness in his eyes.
Everyone except Katlin laughed.
“Why not, we wouldn’t even miss him?” Satana chuckled.
“No, Um’Vec,” Alyndra said shaking her head through her own chuckle, “No eat.”
Dracon smiled pondering Um’Vec’s question and watching as the others moved over to Katlin who was still examining the door and entryway to the stairs. What would they lose if he gave Katlin to Um’Vec to eat? Would he win favor with the bugbear? Would they even notice the loss of Katlin?
“Lead the way.” Satana motioned forward with her recovered torch in hand.
“I think maybe someone else could do the honors, after all, I discovered the way?” Katlin looked around the group, “He should go first!” he exclaimed, suddenly pointing at Um’Vec, “He isn’t missing any weapons. Yes, I think he should go first!”
“You’re a piece of work,” Grik growled then pushed passed the half-elf and started up the stairs.
“Jack ass and a coward.” Said Satana on her way after Grik and also gave Katlin a shove.
Rayna walked by Katlin staying right on Satana’s backside. Alyndra was the last to follow, stopping next to Katlin.
“Are you a timid creature, Katlin?” Alyndra asked with a smirk.
Katlin considered her thoughtfully for a moment.
“Your grace, I have neither the magic, nor the brawn, to be as bold as those I choose to surround myself with. I have talents, talents that are not of might or bravery, but are quiet, and subtle. Therefore, go unnoticed by most. Honestly, I prefer it that way.”
“Well, my unnoticed little friend,” Alyndra smiled, “Let’s hope your talents become noticeable soon, before one of those you surround yourself with, eats you.” She finished in a whisper only he could hear, then quickly travelled up the steps to catch up with the others.
The next few floors of the underground tower consisted of the floor that circled the inner walls of the tower and another stairwell leading further up. Katlin looked over the railing down to the onyx floor at the very bottom, where not a single bone remained from their battle there. He wondered how far up the tower went, he could not see the top, only more floors above them and their railings. After the fourth empty floor, they came to a floor, where on the opposite side across from them, was a swirling black portal, in place of where the stairwell had been on the other floors. They could see a room clearly on the other side of the open portal.
“It’s a portal.” Alyndra announced, sensing every one’s curiosity.
“Yes, but to where?” Dracon asked.
After a pause and a long silence from the entire group, each wondering to themselves, what may lie on the other side of the magical door. Dracon started around the railing to the right, making his way toward the door. Alyndra followed him closely, while the others looked at each other with reservations about proceeding. Satana shrugged at Grik.
“You did say you ain’t leaving without your stuff?” Satana walked toward the portal, not taking her eyes off Grik, challenging him to follow.
He didn’t hesitate, he knew Satana would never let him live down a second’s hesitation. The group moved as one, behind Grik, reconvening in front of the open portal.
Dracon stepped through the portal, entering the large brightly lit room. The others followed quickly, worried the portal might close behind Dracon. It did not. Inside, the room was brightly lit with braziers that surrounded the large room. It resembled a great room in a palace, only lacking a throne. They stood on a purple carpet that created a path ahead of them. At the far end of the carpet stood a creature, peering into a large bronze bowl. It turned to face the group. A tattered black cloak with a hood, covered its head, revealing only a skull mask over its face. A golden crown sat atop its head, over the hood of the cloak. Dracon could see that under the cloak the creature wore dull black plate armor. In its right hand, it held a staff, two feet taller than it was. The top of the staff was adorned with a sapphire surrounded by golden tendril’s stretching out in the form of rays, like a sun with the sapphire at its epicenter. The creature leaned on the staff, like an old man.
“You see that?” Dracon asked Satana, just loud enough for only the group to hear.
“I do,” She said, “It’s a man, why else would it need armor. Remember Terrax?”
Dracon nodded slowly.
“Yes,” He turned to Alyndra and whispered, “He’ll no doubt have magic, be ready.”
“Dracon.” The man’s magically augmented voice bellowed from beneath his skeletal mask.
“That’s a familiar voice, now, isn’t it?” Grik asked aloud.
Dracon brought his hands together and his Unholy Reaver appeared, at the same time, his Armor of Fear covered him, materializing from head to toe.
“Yes…” The creature hissed in a long drawn out voice, “The Unholy Reaver...”
It lifted its staff, then tapped it twice against the ground, echoing throughout the room. Everyone around Dracon vanished, leaving him alone on the carpet to face the creature, who laughed a long hollow dusty laugh.
Chapter Fifteen
Alyndra blinked several times, her hand above her brow trying to block the bright noon sun. There was a sharp pain at her temple that made her wince. She was confused, disoriented, looking down to further shield her eyes from the intense brightness that shined overhead.
“Alyndra,” A voice called, she instantly recognized it was Talila, “Come along, you’re lagging.”
Alyndra squeezed her eyes tight, then popped them open again, it was not so bright anymore and she could see Talila, several yards ahead of her, walking slowly and glancing back at her expectantly. They were in a large field of daisies. It was a warm summer day.
Alyndra started to walk, catching up with her sister quickly. Talila took her, hand in hand, and they continued walking together.
“I think, tonight, we should put the children to bed early, right after dinner, and make sure he doesn’t spoil them with a tale by the fire. We’ll ply him with wine,” Talila took Alyndra’s hand in both of hers, “Then, when he’s suppled and quiet, we’ll feed on him while we make love. What do you think of that?” she asked, “It’s been since before your child was born that we had such a night?”
The laughter of children floated on the air. Alyndra felt numb, there was a ringing in her ears that accompanied the children’s laughter.
“That sounds nice.” Alyndra answered, still confused.
She could feel the flowers brush by her legs as they walked, making her close her eyes to the sensation.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes.” Alyndra opened her eyes.
In the distance, she could see a house. It was a modest house, not so big and fancy, just a nice house. There was a small copse of trees, several hundred yards behind the house, where Alyndra could see two children, with wings, flying about. Chasing one another around the treetops. One child had white wings, the other, black. Alyndra’s heart leapt in her chest, wanting to see the children up close. It brought a smile to her lips, a tear to her eye. A child, her child...
Satana found herself in the cave with all the whisperer’s tunnels. She held her torch high, illuminating the area. Instantly, she was wary of an attack, remembering the child sized creatures that attacked them in that very cave. Satana quieted her own breathing, that was the only sound in the darkness around her, then, she walked to where she thought the passage back to the room was. Instead, she found nothing, save for more tubular tunnels.
“Damn!” She growled to herself, she felt her waist for the dagger she took from the Deep-Dwellers and kept her hand on it as she scanned the room for a way back out of the cave. Again, she was unsuccessful. It left her to surmise that wherever she was, it was not the same cave she thought she was in.
Satana could hear whispers in the darkness and knew she had a decision to make. Stay, and fight an unknown number of little creatures, or pick a tube and try to traverse it, with her torch, if possible. The creatures were small. One at a time, they were no match for her. But, their lack in stature would not benefit her if their numbers were great. She knew, her best option would be to climb in one of the tubes and hope it would lead her somewhere closer to her lost companions. If she did come across any of the creatures, the confined quarters of the tube would benefit her. Which one? She pondered, looking around the vast cavern with her torch high over her head. The whispers became louder. She knew she only had moments before they filled the cavern. Satana picked the largest tube she could see and ran to it. She crouched and looked back around the cavern before she entered. When she turned back to enter the tubular cave, a creature, a Deep-Dweller, appeared at the opening she was about to enter. It hissed at her; its milky eyes glared up angrily. Satana acted quickly, stabbing her dagger from below, like an uppercut, into its jaw, travelling through its mouth and into its head. Killing it. Satana used the dagger like a handle and carried the creature back into the cave with her as she entered. She did not want to leave a trail for the others that would surely fill the area in a matter of seconds. She moved quickly, torch in one hand, Deep-Dweller in the other, dragging it along as she made her way deeper into the tubular cave. It was a gradual incline leading up. It was quiet in the tube, except for Satana’s own labored breaths from dragging the Deep-Dweller and climbing the rocky tube. She regularly checked behind her, pausing to listen for the whispers that signaled the Deep-Dwellers approach. She freed her dagger from the Deep-Dwellers mouth and head, then searched the body for anything useful. Other than a dagger, the likes of which she already had, it had nothing but lint in its pockets.
Satana moved up the tube, leaving the dead Deep-Dweller behind. It was hard for her to crawl with the torch in her hand without burning her face. Satana crawled until she came to a split in the cave, to the right, it became rockier, but to the left, it remained smooth continuing with the tube. An angry shout came from further down the rocky part of the passage. It was Grik! She knew his voice anywhere, even if he was just yelling Derro curses. Satana moved as fast as she could. She came upon the dwarf in the middle of seven Deep-Dwellers, each stabbing at him with their daggers. Satana could see a man standing on the other side of the room Grik was fighting in. He was partially hidden by a pillar where he was taking aim at Grik with a hand crossbow. Satana jumped out of the cave and threw her torch at the man by the pillar and yelled as loud as she could, rushing at the group surrounding Grik. The torch smacked against the pillar and nearly exploded with flaming debris from the torch head. The man turned away, to protect himself from the exploding debris, and ended up dropping the hand crossbow. Deep-Dwellers fled in fear from Satana, disappearing from the room into the darkness. Grik yelled at the fleeing Deep-Dwellers, joining Satana’s growling scream. Satana spun to face the mysterious man near the pillar, readying herself to get hit with a crossbow bolt. The mysterious man was gone and only her torch and the crossbow lay near the stone pillar. Satana ran over to the torch and picked it up quickly, holding it high to illuminate the room. She saw on the wall nearest to her were braziers she lit immediately. Satana lit every brazier in the room, fast as she could. She dropped her torch and rushed back to Grik who sat down on the floor holding his leg, rolling around, and growling. Satana knelt next to him and saw a crossbow bolt in the back of Grik’s leg.
“Move!” Satana snapped at Grik, slapping his hands out of the way so she could get a good look at the wound. Grik Growled and rolled over on his side to let her see. Satana stood back up and hurried over to the crossbow, then picked it up. She examined the bolt nocked in it; the head was smooth. Satana removed the bolt and walked back over to Grik kneeling once again. She showed Grik the crossbow bolt so he would know the tip was not barbed. Grik growled and shook his head, giving his consent for her to pull it out, then rolled away from Satana to his belly.
“Yank it out!” He said and his body stiffened.
“Are you sure you want me…”
“Yank it out, girl! Do ya want me ta beg! Ya seen it ain’t barbed!” Grik yelled, “Hurry!”
Satana put one hand on the back of Grik’s thigh and grabbed the bolt, Grik banged his forehead against the floor and growled, readying himself for the yank. Satana paused, she wanted to say something to him, to make light of his situation but in the heat of the moment she couldn’t think of anything funny to say. She yanked the bolt out of his leg and stepped back, letting the dwarf squirm on the ground a moment in his pain. She looked around the room, then spotted two chests near a door, they were the chests that were stolen from them. Satana took the crossbow bolt and slid it in her waist belt, then retrieved the hand crossbow from the ground. She knelt back down to Grik and grabbed his leg, lifting it. Grik was holding his leg in pain when she yanked it from him, sending him backwards on the floor, holding Grik’s leg up away from him, so she could examine the wound.
“Ahh!” He exclaimed.
“Quit your whining!” Satana knelt and examined the wound, “I’ve seen worse.”
Grik jerked his leg back.
“You’re a rough nurse, girl!”
“How did you get here?” Satana asked letting go of his leg, and walking a few steps away from him, scanning the room to make sure they were still safe, relatively speaking.
“Same as you!” Grik grabbed his leg with both hands, rolling back and forth.
“Can you stand?”
“Give us a hand.” Grik held a bloody hand up to Satana.
She took his hand and helped him to his feet. Grik kept his leg off the ground, he was hobbled. Satana looked at him a moment, then around the room, again, making sure they were safe.
“I’m going to check that door and those chests, keep watch.” She said in a hushed voice, handing
him the crossbow and the bolt from her waist.
Grik looked up at her panting, then took the weapons aggressively, still angry with Satana. Grik turned to face the other side of the room. Satana grabbed him, unexpectedly, by his collar and dragged him with her. He hopped backwards, reluctantly, to keep himself from falling.
“Damn! Girl! Let me go!”
Satana kept him standing, holding him up by his collar, dragging him backwards with her. He hopped backwards on one leg, if not for Satana dragging him by his collar, he would have fallen over. When she reached the chests, she set him down on one.
Dracon and the Edge of the World Page 29