He could hear Ehren at his side, a soft exclamation whispered into the darkness. “Is there something on the other side?”
“I’m not sure,” Edric mumbled, reaching for the hole again. “Can you give me a boost? Maybe I can knock away a little more ice. It can’t be very thick if the light is coming through.”
In his excitement he couldn’t help laughing at their bumbling hands trying to find a way to lift him in the dark. Eventually they managed to position his foot into Ehren’s cupped hands, hoisting him into the air, the added height causing him to duck to avoid striking his head on the low ceiling. He could feel his brother’s arms shaking under the weight of his body, struggling to keep him up. They would have to work quickly. He wasn’t convinced they would be able to get him back up again if he fell.
Reaching for his belt he retrieved his knife, chiseling away at the snow and ice around the tiny opening. It gave way easily until a steady stream of light came through a hole wide enough for Edric to slide his arm through. Peering inside he could see what looked to be a continuation of the tunnel, a portion of the roof having collapsed, caving in most of the passageway beyond.
He could feel Ehren’s arms trembling worse, groans of pain echoing through the cramped space. Sympathetic of his brother’s struggle, he lowered himself back down to the ground, satisfied that he was able to touch the bottom of the hole where he’d managed to cut through. “Get your knife,” he said quietly, not wanting to risk Ewei hearing them from wherever he was hiding in the darkness. “Help me cut a bit more. We just need it wide enough that we can crawl through.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for the others?”
“Why?” he questioned, finding it hard to think of any reason. They were prisoners. The only person they would be able to reach before they were herded back to their confinement was Ewei and he would never listen to them. “If we find anything of note, we can try to convince Onuric to trust us. Right now I don’t suspect he would be willing to follow us anywhere.”
Begrudgingly Ehren nodded. There was no denying that Edric was correct. It had been difficult enough to convince Onuric to come into the cave at all under the urging of his sister. For a foreigner to try and direct him now… He would never do anything they said.
Carefully they went to work on the wall, their knives slowly cutting out the hole until it was barely wider than the tunnel they had spent most of their day crawling through. Down below the opening, he cut a foothold into the ice, making sure it was deep enough to grant them a solid foundation without having to rely on one another to lift them through. It would be a challenge on the ice. Getting a firm grip to pull themselves up wasn’t something he was looking forward to, but with the help of their knives, he had faith they could do it.
Taking the lead he slid his boot into the foothold, jamming his knife into the ice as hard as he could, forming a handle for him to grasp. The surface inside the hole was uneven, allowing him more places to latch onto than he expected. Bracing himself, he removed the knife, sliding it forward and out of his way. It wouldn’t be necessary at this point. He would have to rely on the sides of the hole to support him, at least until he was more firmly positioned inside.
It took all his strength to pull himself up, nearly losing his hold on the ice. If only he had his gloves. But that wasn’t important right now. They could collect the gloves once they had finished exploring and came back to find the others. Right now he needed to focus on the task at hand. The hole was a tighter fit than he liked, hearing the sound of his knife skittering along the ice as he slid further in. A dull thud was all he could hear from the other side where the blade collided with the snow on the ground. Damn. If he got himself stuck, he would have to rely on Ehren to cut him out. The thought did nothing to ease his discomfort.
The tunnel was only a few feet deep. His legs remained exposed at the opening when he was able to get his hands on the other side, pulling himself through. It was a short drop to the ground, padded only by a pile of snow and ice from the collapsed ceiling, doing little to break his fall as he wiggled through the rest of the way. Grateful for the light and fresh air he sat for a moment, inhaling deeply. It was a small miracle after being trapped in that cave for so long. If he could have sat there longer he would have, his thoughts broken only by the sound of Ehren’s voice calling from the other side. Picking up his knife he returned it to his belt, rising to brush the snow from his clothes. The extra snow on the ground made it easier for him to reach the opening, extending his arms to help guide his brother through.
Out of breath and giddy from their discovery the two of them stood for a moment, chuckling excitedly at what they had just done. They had managed to escape their prison. Edric couldn’t help feeling a wash of pride at their accomplishment, having required no assistance from the Ovatai to get where they were.
“Now what?” Ehren asked, sweeping their surroundings with his eyes. Edric followed his gaze, unsure of how to answer. They would need to continue forward. The tunnel was light enough for them to move for a while without having to worry about a source to illuminate the path. He just wasn’t sure what they were going to do once the sunlight ran out.
Climbing over the snow which had nearly filled most of the passage, they found their way to the other side, sliding over the edge to the flatter ground. It was about the same width as the area they’d been in before. No significant differences made it look like anything more than just an extension of their previous course. The only thing that drew Edric onward was his curiosity for why it was blocked off. There had to be something down here. Something that someone didn’t want anyone to find. The manipulation of the ice to form the barrier must have weakened the structure, causing it to cave on the other side. Edric wondered if the Ythes even knew. It was possible the collapse didn’t occur until long after the Ythes made their way out.
Lost in his thoughts he began to move forward, aware of his brother’s steps behind him as they crunched over the snow. In the pit of his stomach he feared that it would be nothing more than another dead end. He wanted so much for it to be more! They were so close, yet so far away, hindered by their lack of knowledge in regards to the area and history. He doubted even Emakai could have guided them through this place. No one could. All he could do was pray that they were heading in the right direction.
Gradually the light began to fade. Whether it was their distance from the opening or the setting of the sun, he couldn’t be sure. What he did know was that they wouldn’t be able to go much further without something to light their way. It was tempting to risk the use of his energy. If he used it sparingly, there was a chance he might be able to avoid depleting himself. But what effect would that have on his ability to infuse the weapon if they found it? He would need to be at full strength. A weakened spirit would do nothing against the Avaern. “I don’t know how much further we’re going to be able to go,” he frowned, pausing to take in the area around them. In the dim light that remained he could see a turn up ahead. Once they rounded it, the sun would cease to illuminate their path. It was too dark already. Nothing would reach beyond that point.
He refused to give up. If he couldn’t provide solid evidence that this was the way they needed to go, Onuric would never allow them to come back. The only way they would know is if they pressed on. They could hug the walls to guide them and if they were cautious on where they placed their feet, it was possible for them to keep going. An occasional use of their energy to check their surroundings would be harmless enough. “Stay close to the wall,” he motioned Ehren forward. “It will be a slow walk, but I’m not going back.”
They hadn’t gone far past the turn in the passage when Edric started to doubt his decision. What are you thinking? You could get lost in these halls and no one would ever find you. It was too dangerous for his brother. He never should have let him come along. His presence would only implicate him if Onuric chose to add Edric’s escape to the list of crimes he supposedly committed.
It was so foolish. After a
ll this time, they still weren’t able to work with the Ovatai. He was starting to wonder if they should have gone with Callum’s first instinct and just gone back to Tanispa when they had the chance. But no. He wouldn’t have been able to leave Neomi. She was worth getting lost in this damnable place. And as long as she was alive, he was willing to do whatever it took to make sure she was safe.
In the distance he saw what looked to be a light coming from somewhere. It was dimmer than he remembered from the collapsed ceiling in the tunnel, but bright enough for him to hold onto the hope that it was still the sun breaking through.
Quickening his pace he hurried toward the light, anxious to see where it was coming from. He slid along the icy ground as he reached another twist in the tunnel, gasping in surprise at what he saw there. To his right the passage opened into a massive chamber, reminiscent of the cavern they passed through earlier. Only this was far different. It stretched higher into the mountain, several chunks of the roof having caved to create natural skylights, illuminating the room with a soft glow from the sun. Stairs formed out of the ice and snow circled down along the side of the cavern wall, leading to a flattened surface down below, decorated with golden pots and candlesticks long forgotten by whoever placed them there. A finely crafted sarcophagus was positioned at the center, covered by a layer of snow which had drifted down from one of the openings of the high ceiling. It appeared to be a shrine of some kind. Created for someone of great significance, though to whom, he couldn’t tell from where they stood.
Captivated by the sight Edric stepped out onto the stairs, his hands pressed against the wall to keep from falling. No railing protected the outer edge, making the descent treacherous to anyone who tried to take it in haste. The sight was incredible. Never before had he seen anything like it, sculptures of ice positioned throughout the chamber, resembling the figures of people, their appearances remarkably clear in detail, the faces vivid. Their empty, icy eyes stared blankly into the distance as if guarding the grave of whoever rested in the sarcophagus at the center of what looked to be an altar, upon closer inspection. Reaching the bottom of the stairs Edric moved over to it, afraid to touch it in fear of disturbing the dead.
Images were carved into the stone along the side. The perfectly chiseled bodies showed a group of people standing behind a single man whose arms were raised toward the sky, holding a spear-like object in his right hand. Edric’s breath caught in his throat to see the creature carved in front of the man, although in less detail than that of the sketch in the Chief ’s journals. The Avaern. Its wings were spread wide, looking awkward in the small space provided for the carving, but unmistakable.
Letting his eyes trail over the image again they came to rest on the object in the man’s hands. It had the handle of a spear while the blade was much larger than what was typical. Like a sword with an exceptionally long hilt. Bulky and unconventional. Perhaps another error in the carving. The Ovatai were no amateurs when it came to making weapons. They wouldn’t create something of that design unless there was a reason.
“Do you think…” Ehren’s voice trailed off, his fingers moving to trace the image of the weapon. Edric slapped his hand away, afraid of what would happen if he touched it.
“I don’t know what to think,” he breathed. “Do you see an inscription? They must have marked this shrine in some way to pay respect to whoever lies inside that sarcophagus.” Excited at the prospect of what they had stumbled across, Edric circled around the stone, searching intently for some indication of who was inside. A nagging voice in the back of his head told him the answer but he didn’t want to let himself believe it. Could it be the shaman? The Ythes would have owed him great respect for the sacrifice he made for their people. To take his own life to save their entire race. But why would they conceal it in this way? Hidden in this mountain, forgotten by everyone. It seemed an insult.
Edric shivered to see his brother’s hand run along the top of the sarcophagus, pointing to something carved into the surface. “What about this?” he asked, looking up to Edric curiously. Holding his breath Edric leaned over the stone lid, waving his brother to move his finger away.
“You shouldn’t be touching it,” he scolded, shaking his head in dismay. “You know it’s disrespectful to disturb the resting place of the dead.”
“The only thing I’ve disturbed is the snow. If anything, I’m doing the dead a favor.” Disregarding Edric’s request he brought his hand over the lid again, wiping away more of the snow to reveal the carving in more detail. Tapping it gently with his finger he gestured to what looked to be letters written under a fanciful abstract design near the top, resembling an array of flowers with the way the lines curved and wove through one another. “It looks like… Ka’emai. Do you think it could be a name?”
It could be almost anything. They didn’t know enough about the Ovatai to determine what the writings on an ancient grave would stand for. Their practices could be different. Back home it was customary for a grave to be marked with the name of the deceased. Perhaps the Ovatai preferred to leave their dead unknown. Their custom of leaving the wounded behind to die alone didn’t exactly lead him to believe they had much care for the dead at all. Still, it resembled the structure of names he’d heard during his time in Ethrysta. Ka’emai. Even if it was a name, it did nothing to tell them whose memory was preserved within the stone. They had no way to know the name of the Ythes shaman, or any of the other ancient leaders. The only documented names he was aware of were those listed in the Chief ’s journals.
“I suppose it’s pointless to concern ourselves with the name,” he sighed, stepping back to look over the altar again. It was discouraging. They’d come so far and still they had nothing. The tunnel ended at this shrine and there was no weapon anywhere to be seen. Unless…
No. He didn’t want to consider it. Horrified at the thought, he lowered his gaze to the sarcophagus, shivering to think of the weapon being inside. Would the Ythes have disturbed the dead in order to hide the weapon? It was the perfect hiding place. No one would think to open the grave of a respected shaman. Especially one that no one knew was buried there.
Shaking his head he tried to push the thought from his mind. He didn’t want to open it. The gods only knew what they would find inside. The frigid temperatures had a way of naturally preserving the dead. He had seen that to be true in Isavo when they were investigating the resting place of the Avaern. Those bodies were in various stages of decay, some of which looking to have been dead for only a few days. And if this was the shaman… what had happened to him when his energy was taken into the weapon? He could be nothing more than a dried up husk. Or ash. It was possible there was nothing left of his body at all.
Why did it bother him so much? He’d seen dead bodies before. Although they made his stomach turn, he wasn’t afraid of them. So why did this particular corpse frighten him? Because you don’t want to see what will happen to you…
With a grimace he turned away from the sarcophagus. His heart was racing. It was uncomfortable, feeling the hard pulse of his blood through his veins. They had to open it. How else were they going to confirm whether the weapon was there?
Breathing hard, he made his way around the stone, coming to stand at Ehren’s side. He hoped desperately that his brother couldn’t see his unease. The last thing he wanted was to explain his reasons to Ehren. “Help me move the lid,” he said quietly, resting his hands against the cold stone slab, bracing his feet as best he could on the snow. He wasn’t entirely sure they would be able to move it themselves. It looked heavy. Maybe that would prevent them from disturbing the corpse. Stop it. They didn’t have a choice. One way or another, they had to get that lid off.
Ehren glanced at him, taken aback by the request. “Move it?” he gasped. “Weren’t you just chiding me about disturbing the dead? Cleaning the stone was one thing…taking the lid off is something completely different.”
“I don’t like the idea any more than you do. It’s just… there is nowhere else
for the weapon to be. We have to look inside in order to know if this is where it is, or if we just stumbled upon another dead end. I don’t know about you, but I would rather not have come all this way for nothing.”
“Just because it isn’t here doesn’t mean we came here for nothing. There is still the other passage we never had a chance to explore. We hadn’t made it far before we noticed you and Neomi missing. It could still be somewhere else.”
“Or it could be inside this tomb.”
“Then we should look everywhere else in here before we tear the top off the sarcophagus.”
Tensing his muscles Edric started to push at the lid. He was going to do this whether Ehren helped or not. It would just be easier if he did. Groaning from the effort he heard a soft scrape of stone against stone, pausing briefly, overwhelmed by a feeling of dread. What was he doing? This was absolute madness! He was about to disturb the grave of some prominent member of the Ovatai race who had been lying dead in this tomb for centuries. If the name Ka’emai meant anything to the others, they would be furious. What does it matter? He was already looking at possible execution. Maybe it was better for Ehren not to help him. At least that way they could still argue his innocence.
At Edric’s persistence in pushing the lid further Ehren heaved a sigh of dismay before leaning forward to add his strength to the effort. Immediately the stone began to slide, scraping loudly across the surface of the base, echoing through the spacious cavern. It moved faster than Edric anticipated, cringing at the sound of it slipping off the other side and onto the snow. He’d forgotten to account for the lack of support it would have once it was moved far enough. But there was no taking it back now.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 88