Meta Gods War

by B N Miles

  “She does look good naked,” Cam said.

  Miuri raised her eyebrows. “You know that already? You move fast.”

  He laughed. “She came to me naked the first couple times,” he said. “Were, remember?”

  “Ah, right,” Miuri said. “Can’t change with clothes. Well, lucky you then. Guess I’ll have to find out the hard way.”

  Without another word, Miuri strode off to join Key and Felin.

  Cam stood and watched them, smiling to himself. Miuri introduced herself to Felin and sat down. Key said something and Felin laughed. Cam could already tell Felin was going to fit in with his girls.

  That was the most important thing. If she was going to be a problem for Key or Miuri, then he would have to find some other situation.

  But that worry was starting to fade as Miuri leaned toward Felin and said something that made the wolf girl laugh, blush, and look over at Cam.

  He smiled at her, nodded, then turned away. He’d let the girls talk without him for now. There’d be plenty of time for them to all get to know each other as intimately as he wanted.

  He strode off to get to work.

  42

  The column marched up along the switchbacks, climbing deeper into the mountains.

  Few pines were left. The grass was sparse and long, and wildflowers dotted the pass. The trail was covered in loose, rocky dirt, and getting the carts up was slow going and required several warriors to push. Cam walked at the head of the column with Dagan, Key, and Felin. Kraed lounged in the first cart, shouting insults at the horse, getting cursed at by the warriors, and drinking what Cam had to assume was the last of his alcohol.

  The Elves brought up the rear. Cam had suggested the idea and Haesar agreed. It would be best for the Humans to arrive first, so that Cam and Dagan could put in a good word for the Elves with Lord Remorn. The Elves would camp outside of the Mansion at a respectful distance until called upon and allowed inside. That way, they could avoid any misunderstandings.

  The journey up the switchbacks was slow and arduous, but Cam knew they were close. The midday meal came, but instead of stopping, cold porridge was passed down along the line. People ate as they walked, drank water from jugs, and talked nervously amongst themselves. The horses were given only a short break, watered, fed, and pressed onward.

  Felin didn’t speak much. She looked around like she’d never seen anything like the mountain before, and Cam couldn’t blame her. As they climbed the switchbacks, the forest they’d traveled through became smaller and smaller. He could see where the stream meandered and bent closer toward the cart path, breaking through the trees and cutting further into the distance. If Cam squinted, he thought he could see the battlefield where they’d left so many dead Humans and wolves, and beyond that, far in the distance, the walls of his own village.

  But no, that wasn’t possible. They were too far for that, and besides, he couldn’t imagine the village was still standing.

  No, even though he’d dreamed of returning to their village and giving his father a proper burial, he knew that was just a fantasy. They’d never return there again, and the thought sent a pang of regret through Cam.

  But he forced it away and kept going forward.

  Soon the path of the switchback’s widened. Cliffs jutted up on either side of them, enormous and dizzying. Cam looked up at their heights and could barely see the peak as the sun shone down, blinding and intense. There were crevices up in the cliffs, crevices where men could hide and fire arrows and rain rocks down on the heads of invaders. He knew there were tunnels in the rock that took people there, his father had explained it to him once when he was a boy.

  His fingers pressed against the cold rock and he watched dusty chalk drop down onto his boots. They moved up one more level then turned to the right, climbing a rise that crested with two large pillars of piled square stones, cut at perfect right angles and stacked on top of each other. They were ten feet high and three feet wide, looming over Cam as he approached.

  Carved in the center of the pillars were boar motifs. Enormous tusks jutted from wide mouths. He saw Humans and trees and what he thought might be wolves. They were the symbols of House Remorn, the Lords of the Mansion, and they kept watch over all those that passed between them. Anyone who brought violence to the Mansion risked angering the spirits that dwelled inside of them, or so the common folk said.

  Cam knew they were just stories meant to scare people.

  But he had to admit, they were impressive. The group moved between the huge stone carvings and entered into a wide, open expanse. To their left was a sheer cliff face, dropping down toward the misty forests below. To the right was stone, climbing high up toward the sun.

  And ahead of them was the Mansion itself.

  Enormous columns carved directly into the gray rock held up peaked roofs with crenellated decorations along their tops. More boar motifs flanked an enormous doorway, large enough for their four carts to fit through side by side. He knew a huge wooden door sat just inside the entry, ready to be pushed and pulled into position, blocking the Mansion from attackers. Above the doorway sat more columns supporting more intricately carved boars, trees, and geometric patterns. It was as if a palace had been chiseled into the side of a mountain over decades, or as if it had sprung up from the earth fully formed.

  Cam took a deep breath and glanced at Key. She was gaping at the Mansion, mouth hanging open. She’d never seen it before, and he had a feeling it would impress her. He looked around at Felin, at several of the other villagers. Even Dagan looked impressed, and he’d been to the Mansion many times over his tenure as Elder.

  The Mansion was an incredible sight. It was the sort of thing the average Human could only dream of, and yet it was right there in front of them, an entire palace carved into the side of a mountain.

  As they stepped onto a wide, flat, open area that led up to the Mansion, Cam spotted movement ahead. Five men came trotting out from inside the huge stone doorway. They wore gleaming interlocking suits of armor made from multiple circular strips around the midsection, a chest plate, and shoulder guards. The breastplate sat on top of three skirt plates that hung down to cover the lower body. Shin guards and vambraces covered the limbs, while a small rounds helmet with a long-plumed feather at the top protected their skulls. They held spear and shield and moved together in a loose formation.

  They stopped twenty feet from their column and Dagan called a halt. The men formed up beside each other, and the warrior with the largest plume on his helmet stepped forward, thrusting out his spear, the tip pointed upward.

  “State your business,” the warrior called out. “The Mansion is not open to petitions today.”

  Dagan walked forward and Cam caught up. They stood ten feet from the armored men, and Cam couldn’t help but admire them. The armor itself must have been bronze, and there were hints of dyed cloth at the joints, likely to pad the metal and make it comfortable to wear. He wondered how heavy a suit like that would have been, and he wondered how he could get one.

  “My name is Dagan. I am the village Elder. This is Camrus, the shaman of our village. We were attacked by Weres some four days ago, and our journey here was arduous, but we seek the protection of Lord Remorn and the Mansion.”

  The warrior frowned at them. “You’re refugees?” he asked. “You ran from the wolves?”

  “That’s right,” Cam said. “The road was long and hard, and I hope we can speak to the Lord himself.”

  The warrior gave them one more look then nodded sharply. “I’ll send word.” He rejoined his men, and one jogged off. The warriors that remained seemed less tense, and Cam thought it was odd that only five guards had been sent out and nobody else. If their village wanted to do harm to the Mansion, they could have easily overwhelmed those guards and walked right in through the front. The gate wasn’t closed, and nothing else moved around them.

  The last time he’d been to the Mansion, the entry field was littered with people and guards. He remembered gu
ards stationed up at the top of the carved entry, even some up on the cliffs above. This was strange then, that so few guards would meet them, and there were none posted above that Cam could see. If the wolves wanted to storm the Mansion, it didn’t seem as though they’d have much trouble.

  But Cam didn’t have long to think about that. The warrior soon returned, followed by two people. The first was a man, tall and broad, wearing intricate leather armor, a wide and beautiful cloak with fox fur at the shoulders and back, high gleaming leather boots, and gold jewelry on his fingers. His hair was ashy black, streaked with gray, and his eyes were a deep blue. His face was tight and lined, with a square jaw and a hooked nose, and he was just about Cam’s height.

  Behind him, a girl followed, maybe a few years older than Cam. She wore a long flowing dress that was cinched at the waist with a plain leather belt. The dress was colored violet and white, the top unlaced just enough to show her chest. Her hair was dark black and tied back, and gold jewelry hung at her neck, her ears, and on her hands and wrists.

  Neither of them carried anything in their hands, but the man strode out with a confidence that Cam could almost envy. He stepped through the warriors, and each man made a respectful salute as he stopped a few feet from Dagan and Cam, his eyes roaming over them before looking back at the village as it slowly filled the entryway. The girl stood just behind him, a small smile on her lips, and she locked eyes with Cam for just a moment. He felt a strange pang and smiled at her, which made her look away.

  “Welcome,” the man boomed out. “I am the Lord of this Mansion, Yann Remorn.”

  “Lord Remorn,” Dagan said, inclining his head. Cam mirrored the gesture, though he kept glancing at the young girl standing just behind Lord Remorn. “My name is Elder Dagan, and this is Camrus, the shaman of our village. We’ve traveled long and hard to reach here.”

  Lord Remorn frowned at Dagan then looked at Cam. “Shaman?” he asked. “Is that true? You’re a full shaman?”

  Cam nodded once. “Yes, Lord.”

  His eyes were hard for a moment as he appraised Cam. Then he turned back to Dagan. “You escaped the wolves,” he said. “I must admit, I didn’t think any other villages would arrive. My scouts say the lowlands have been overrun by the creatures.”

  “Truth be told, Lord, we almost didn’t make it,” Dagan said. “We had a hard fight and lost many good men on the trip. And we would not have made it without the help of some friendly Elves that saved us during one of those battles.”

  Lord Remorn’s nostrils flared and he leaned back with a frown. “Friendly Elves?” he asked. “What tribe do you speak of?”

  Dagan looked at a lost and glanced at Cam.

  “Swapine,” Cam said. “I believe their tribe is Swapine.”

  Lord Remorn let out a grunt and glanced back over their heads toward the valley below. “I see,” he said. “And they saved your lives?”

  “Yes, Lord,” Cam said. “During a battle with the wolves, they attacked from the rear and helped rout them. Without the Elves, we wouldn’t have made it here at all.”

  “Interesting,” he said and glanced back at the girl. She gave him an odd look, her head tilted to one side.

  Lord Remorn let out a sigh and turned back to them. “You’ve come a long way,” he said. “Other villages have made a similar trek, but I suspect none faced so much adversity. Come, we have room for you all in the safety of the Mansion. Bring your people inside, Elder Dagan, and I will have my Wardens show you where to set your camp.”

  “My Lord,” Dagan said, stepping forward. The warriors tensed, but didn’t come forward. “I know this may be a strange request to make, especially after you’ve offered us your hospitality. But my Elven friends wish to have a meeting with you, on your terms, within the Mansion if you so desire.”

  “Your… Elven friends,” Lord Remorn said.

  “Yes, Lord. Haesar of the Swapine Clan,” Cam said.

  Lord Remorn’s eyes swept to Cam. “And tell me, what does an Elf Lord want with me?”

  “I don’t know, Lord,” Cam said. “But if I had to guess, I’d say he wants to fight by your side. The wolves threaten us all, Humans and Elves alike. I believe Lord Haesar wants to reach an agreement.”

  Lord Remorn gave him a look for a long moment. Cam could see how stiff and angry he was, but he didn’t understand why. The girl stepped up before the Lord could speak, and put her hand on his arm.

  “Father,” she said. “Hear them out. We need the help.”

  He let out a sharp breath and shook his head. “Tell your Elves I’ll speak with them,” he said, though he didn’t sound happy about it.

  “Thank you, Lord Remorn,” Dagan said.

  Lord Remorn made to leave but paused and looked back at them. “You didn’t mention the name of your village,” he said

  “Our village is called Medlar,” Cam said.

  “Medlar Village,” Lord Remorn said, nodding. “I know it. You’ve brought very good tribute to the stores these last years. Well, I’m glad to have you then.”

  The Lord turned and strode back toward the Mansion. Lord Remorn’s daughter lingered for a moment, smiled at Cam again, then hurried after her father. He watched her go, slightly perplexed over why she decided to help them, but interested nonetheless. She was pretty and might make a good ally.

  The warriors saluted. Two stalked after the Lord, and the remaining three came to Dagan. “If you’ll follow us, Elder,” the leader with the plumed helmet said. His eyes were a dark brown and Cam noticed he favored his left leg when he walked. “We can show you where to go.”

  Dagan nodded and turned back to the column. He barked a few orders, and slowly the group began to move again, rumbling toward the huge doors.

  Cam followed beside Dagan and he felt Key and Felin slip up next to him. He smiled at the girls but they were too busy gaping at the Mansion’s carvings to notice him. He couldn’t blame then, the Mansion was incredible, and as they got closer it became clear how enormous the whole facade really was. The columns dwarfed him, and each of the motifs was twice the size of a normal man.

  Before they reached the doors, Cam turned and found a young boy lingering not far away. “Take a message to the Elf Lord,” he said. “Tell them Lord Remorn will speak with them.”

  The boy nodded, his dark eyes flashing, then turned and ran off.

  Cam paused just beside the entry to the Mansion. Key and Felin joined him, and he watched as Dagan and the guard began to guide people inside, into the huge cavernous entrance, into the gloom of the cave city.

  “What do you think?” Cam asked.

  Key spoke up. “It’s incredible,” she said.

  “I didn’t think anything like this could exist,” Felin said. “The wolves… we could never do something like this.”

  Cam laughed. “I’m sure you could. It just took hundreds of years and wealth beyond imagining.”

  Felin snorted and shook her head. “You don’t know wolves. We’d get bored after a year and never finish the project.”

  “But here it is,” Key said. “Uspirit, I can’t believe we actually made it.” She turned to Cam and slipped her hand into his. He held it tight and pulled her close. Felin smiled and clasped her hands behind her back, shifting from foot to foot as she stared up at the huge rock carvings.

  “I know,” Cam said. “It’s like a dream.”

  “Come on.” Key released his hand. “Let’s go inside. I want to see what it’s like.”

  Cam laughed as Key ran off, jogging in through the enormous doorway. He took a step then looked back at Felin. She was rooted in place, frowning at the doorway, her head tilted to one side.

  “Coming?” he asked.

  She looked at him and her face shifted a bit, turning softer. She smiled and nodded a little.

  “Yeah, I’m coming. It’s just…”

  “It’s a lot,” Cam said. “But you’ll be okay. Come on, if you think the outside is amazing, you’re going to love it in there.”
/>   She laughed and let him take her by the arm and lead her through the huge doorway, plunging them into the gloom of the caves.

  43

  The main entry beyond the enormous door was a wide, open space, nearly as large as the outside plateau. The floor was smoothed out by thousands of years of foot traffic. Cam marveled at the columns chiseled into the rock, at the motifs and statues scattered all over the area. Vines curled up the gray rock and lingered along the edges of the ceiling, wrapping around its perimeter.

  There were more people inside, some of them warriors, but mostly he found villagers dressed similar to his own people. A large group of them was camped on the left side of the cavern, and he saw a few duck back into their tents when they caught him staring.

  Dagan was herding their group off to the right. Cam saw Key run up to one of the columns and touch it with her fingers. Cam took a deep breath and could smell the stone dust and crisp air. There was a slight breeze from the doorway, and there were lamps lit at intervals all throughout the space. The stone ceiling was fifty feet above them at least, so high it seemed like it disappeared into the mountain, and every step and voice echoed, creating a strange bouncing cacophony.

  Felin stood close to him, her hand on his arm. She seemed tense, and he wondered if all the people made her uncomfortable. Before he could ask, a small man in a hooded cloak and a gray tunic came over to him. He had dark hair and a small dark beard, and his hands twitched in front of him, wringing together like they couldn’t sit still.

  “Camrus?” he asked. “I’m looking for Camrus, the, ah, the shaman.”

  “That’s me,” Cam said. “And please, just call me Cam.”

  “Ah, okay, yes,” the man said. “My name is Warden Maur, I was told to find you and show you to suitable rooms.”

  “Rooms?” Cam asked. “Where is the rest of my village staying?”