Horrified by what he’d just done Edric took a step back, averting his eyes from the coffin. The gods would never forgive him for this. He could tell by the miserable expression on Ehren’s face that he felt the same. “You didn’t have to help,” he said quietly, casting an apologetic look toward his brother. Ehren gave a slow shake of his head, his eyes never leaving the ground.
“I did. But you have to be the one to look. I cannot bring myself to do so.”
It was exactly what he didn’t want to do. The only thing which helped urge him to continue was the thought of finding the weapon. Callum was back in Nahedu waiting for them. With any luck he was still alive. They’d been gone for so long, it was impossible to know whether Nahedu even still stood. The Avaern had been increasing its activity, seeming to focus directly on the village with the animals sent in to attack. Don’t think about it. Callum is a smart man. He would find a way to help the others survive. The others. That was the frightening part. Callum was too noble. Smart or not, he would do whatever it took to save the others at the expense of his own life.
You’re wasting too much time. Before he could change his mind Edric stepped forward, gripping the sides of the sarcophagus tightly with his hands, afraid that if he didn’t hold on, he might run away. Prepared for the worst he peered over the edge, staring in awe at what he found. It was a man. No bones or decomposed flesh… nothing the way he feared. The features on his face were perfectly preserved, the contours of his nose and mouth showing no sign of age or decay. Edric feared at first that it was nothing more than a statue, his hand reaching out against his better judgment to feel the skin. It was stiff from the cold, but the texture was not that of stone or plaster. This man was real. His eyes were closed, giving him an almost serene appearance. Stiff strands of grey hair lay over his shoulders, the tips of his pointed ears protruding through its thickness. He was Ovatai. Old. The gauntness of his cheeks looked to be more from age than from death, making him look frail and delicate.
Edric’s eyes were drawn to the man’s hands, holding his breath, not daring to hope that what he saw there was what it looked to be. Clutching his abdomen, the man held a weapon resembling that of a spear. The blade was what caught Edric’s attention, crafted from some strange stone and sharpened to a deadly point. The stone stretched down further than a normal spearhead, reaching to about a third of the handle before the edges curved inward to create a notch, wrapped with a band of leather. Up close he could see that the entire weapon appeared to be made of the same rock. It looked different from the blade, lacking the same polish to the surface, though he couldn’t deny the same bluish hue.
Unable to contain his curiosity Ehren moved to Edric’s side, peering down to see what had caught his eye. He gasped, covering his mouth, glancing at Edric excitedly. “It is the same as the one in the carving. Do you think this is it? Is this what we’ve been looking for?”
“I wish I knew,” Edric breathed. Not wanting to jostle the corpse he tested the tightness of the fingers around the handle, relieved to find them easily pried apart. Its skin was a disgusting texture. The mere thought of knowing that it belonged to a man no longer among the living made it that much worse for him to accept, wrinkling his nose in abhorrence. Nausea welled up in the back of his throat, stinging his mouth as he forced it back down, anxious to free the weapon from the man so he wouldn’t have to touch it anymore.
Finally free of the man’s grasp, Edric lifted the weapon into his hands, observing it in fascination. It was surprisingly light. Given the size, he’d been prepared for it to weigh far more than it did. Along the handle he could see tiny scratches cut into the surface. Letters. Or so he thought at first. Bringing it closer to get a better look, he realized they were pictures. Symbols. If only he understood what they meant! Even if this was the weapon they sought, he still had no idea how to use it. What would he have to do in order to place his spirit inside it? Were these symbols directions? An incantation he had to recite? Sighing heavily he looked over the edge of the sarcophagus, mumbling quietly to the man inside. “What am I supposed to do? You have not left us much to go by…”
“Ah, so this is where you ran off to.”
Edric’s blood ran cold at the sound of Ewei’s voice coming from up above, lifting his eyes from the spear to look toward the entrance of the tunnel. This is going to make things more complicated… “We would have come to find you but I didn’t imagine you or Onuric would want to come along.”
The light of Ewei’s energy illuminated his figure as he made his way down the stairs, a devious smirk playing at the corners of his lips, setting Edric’s nerves on edge. He was up to something. If he believed Edric to have escaped, why didn’t he go find Onuric? His heart leapt to his throat at the fear of what Ewei might have done. Had he killed Onuric? Their group was separated. It would have been the perfect opportunity for him to strike. Calm yourself. He was being irrational. Onuric wouldn’t have gone down without a fight and with Neomi there, Ewei wouldn’t be foolish enough to try and take them both on at once. It was more likely that Onuric wasn’t aware that any of them had left the posts where he commanded them to stay.
“What have you got there?” Ewei inquired, holding his hand out to Edric expectantly. Edric didn’t want to give it to him. He didn’t trust this man.
“I’m still trying to figure that out,” he replied, pretending not to notice Ewei’s hand. Turning the weapon over, he examined the fine craftsmanship. His vision was obstructed by Ewei’s hand moving closer, hovering just over the handle of the spear between Edric’s closed fists.
“If you let me see it, perhaps I could tell you.”
“I think it would be best if we took it to Onuric.”
Snorting derisively Ewei grabbed onto the handle, yanking it with impressive force out of Edric’s hands. Edric released it, afraid of somehow damaging the weapon if he applied too much pressure in maintaining his grip. “Onuric should be summoned, I agree,” he mused. His fingers moved carefully along the carvings, seeming to mouth something silently to himself before continuing. “You,” he gestured toward Ehren with a sharp tilt of his head toward the stairs. “Go find Onuric and his whore of a sister. Tell him I sent you.”
“Shouldn’t you be the one to go get him?” Ehren asked, hesitant, his legs locked in place where he stood beside the sarcophagus. “He left you in charge. I suspect he would be displeased with you if I was to intrude on his sleep.”
In a flurry of motion Ewei brought the spear up, directing the tip of the blade toward Ehren, pressing it tightly against his throat. “Go find Onuric or I will kill you now and save him the trouble.”
Instinct took over at the sight of Ewei threatening Ehren, Edric’s body moving forward with lightning speed to push Ewei roughly out of the way. “Don’t you dare threaten my brother. If you ever go near him again, I will rip your throat out with my bare hands.”
“You?” Ewei laughed. “You couldn’t hurt a fly. Now, your Captain, I might have been concerned if those words came from him. You are just pathetic.”
Edric stepped closer to Ewei, his breathing heavy, adrenaline pumping through his body the way it had when faced with Onuric. This wasn’t going to end well unless someone was able to call Ewei off; and that someone wasn’t going to be him. Ewei wouldn’t listen to reason. “Ehren, I think you should go find Onuric and Neomi. Tell them it is a matter of great import.”
“Edric, I don’t…”
“Please, Ehren. Go quickly. Run if you can. We need to get this weapon back to Nahedu.”
He could sense the struggle his brother suffered in whether or not he should go. With a frustrated huff he took off toward the stairs, the soles of his boots slipping over the slick surface with every step. He only slowed when he approached the steps, hugging the wall carefully until he reached the top, disappearing through the opening from where they’d come. If Ewei was going to insist on a fight, Edric didn’t want his brother there. Ewei would go after him. He would try to lash out at anything
that might get under Edric’s skin. Edric simply wasn’t willing to take that chance with his brother’s life.
Shivers ran along his skin to hear Ewei whispering something, the words meaningless to Edric’s ears while at the same time they drove fear into his heart. Ewei had the weapon. Although Edric knew nothing of how to read the inscription on it, he had given little thought to the possibility that Ewei would understand the symbols. They looked like gibberish. Harmless pictures. When spoken by Ewei, the words sounded menacing. Evil. “What are you doing?” he asked, hoping to interrupt whatever incantation Ewei muttered under his breath. He couldn’t let him finish. They didn’t know enough about this weapon to know what it was capable of. To rush into anything would be unwise.
The weapon began to glow in Ewei’s hands, the light creeping along the handle up to the tip of the blade, growing brighter with every word he spoke. Edric swallowed hard, stepping away to put more distance between them. He was prepared to die for the sake of the Ovatai, but he wanted it to be on his terms. The thought of being taken by surprise made the sacrifice seem less honorable. More of an accident than a selfless offering. Beyond that, he refused to allow Ewei the pleasure of taking his life.
Silently he prayed Ehren would return soon. The look in Ewei’s eyes sent chills down his spine. He no longer looked sane. The blue glow of his eyes stretched outward from the iris until they looked like two brilliant blue flames staring emptily from his head. Edric wondered if he could see anything at all, the words still forming on his lips, repeating a single phrase over and over under his breath, tightening his grip on the weapon.
All at once he fell silent, the light around the spear fading to nothing more than a dull pulse ebbing along the blade. Ewei’s eyes dimmed, their light focused on Edric. “It seeks a life,” he announced suddenly, tilting the weapon upward to examine the strange coloration of the blade. “If I was able to return this to the Chief, he would have no choice but to absolve me of the charges you put on my head. But, you see… that will only work if I am alive to carry out the mission. So that leaves only one option.” A malicious grin spread across his lips, bringing the blade down to point it at Edric. “I heard your whore tell Onuric that you came here to die. That piece of information will make this a lot easier for me to talk my way out of.”
“I’m willing to die, but not by your hand,” Edric stated firmly. “Don’t you think it would look a little suspicious if you were the one holding the blade over my dead body? Rumors are powerful things, and right now the word is that you want me dead. For you to kill me would only hurt your case.”
“You would think that, wouldn’t you? You forget that your life means nothing to the Chief. After he hears that you violated his daughter, he would be grateful for me ending your pathetic existence.” Stepping forward, Ewei feinted with the tip of the spear at Edric, laughing wildly to see Edric flinch. “Neomi thought you so brave for your decision to die for our cause. Now look at you. Cringing at the possibility of death.”
“I already told you. I’m prepared to die by my own hand. If you give me the weapon, I will take my own life and you will not have to concern yourself with me any longer.” It was a lie. The last thing he intended to do was let Ewei win. And that was exactly what would happen if he died here, at this moment. They needed to take the weapon back to Nahedu and finish the job there. If he died here, alone, with no one but Ewei to witness, there was no way to know that Ewei wouldn’t then strike at Ehren. Even worse was the belief Edric clung to that Ewei desired Onuric’s death. He couldn’t leave the others in danger. There were some things that were more important than sacrifice. And making sure the others made it out of here alive was one of them.
Ewei looked intrigued by the thought. Pondering it. “You would take your own life?” he mused. The tenseness of his arms told Edric that he wasn’t convinced. He was testing him. Challenging his claims. “I don’t think you have the courage to go through with it. Your people are weak. You and your miserable brother wouldn’t be alive now if it hadn’t been for me and Onuric.”
“You don’t believe me?” Edric smirked, hoping his false confidence would convey as genuine. In a fluid motion he drew his sword from its sheath, turning the blade toward his chest, the hilt clutched tightly in both hands. “If it’s reassurance you need, then consider this. Either give me the weapon so I can do it, or I will end my life before you can, and then where would you be?”
“You lie.”
“Do I?” He pulled the sword back slightly, muscles tensed in preparation to drive it into his chest. At the motion Ewei stepped forward, waving his hand for him to stop.
“Not so fast, Vor’shai.” Ewei was torn. Edric could read the uncertainty in his face, considering the options laid before him. He didn’t trust Edric. Not that Edric could blame him. Edric knew he was being untruthful but the success of his plan relied solely on convincing Ewei that he meant what he said.
Raising his brow curiously in Ewei’s direction Edric paused, making no move to lower his blade. He wasn’t comfortable leaving it there, positioned over his heart. It would take little effort for Ewei to rush forward and thrust it into his chest before Edric could move it away. His only hope was in the fact that Ewei didn’t simply want Edric dead. He wanted Edric’s energy in the weapon so he could take it to Nahedu as a hero instead of the traitor he really was. “We don’t have all day, Ewei. My brother will be here with Onuric soon and you will lose this opportunity and you know it.”
Ewei’s shoulders relaxed, lowering the blade. It was working. His eyes drifted toward the tunnel at the top of the stairs. No one was there, but it was impossible to know how long it would take for Ehren to return. Edric wasn’t convinced that he would be able to convince Onuric to come. Onuric had proven himself an untrusting individual. The only thing which worked to their advantage was the unusual circumstances. Ewei was the one commanded to fetch Onuric if anything went wrong. Ehren’s presence would hopefully spark enough of Onuric’s curiosity to bring him to their location and stop Ewei before things got further out of control. Edric wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to hold Ewei off.
In seeing Ewei’s stance ease, Edric brought his arms down, returning his sword to its sheath. Expectant, he held his hand out, beckoning Ewei to give him the weapon. He was so close! Once he had it back in his possession, it would be easier to keep him at bay until the others showed up. A scowl contorted Ewei’s face when he finally gave in, stepping forward to place the spear in Edric’s outstretched hands. “Do it quickly,” he sneered. “We can’t have the wench trying to talk you out of it.”
Relief flooded every inch of Edric to feel the weight of the weapon in his grasp again. A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth, sliding backward across the ice to distance himself from Ewei. “On second thought, I think we should wait for Onuric after all.” His voice reflected the confidence he felt in his success. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. “If I’m dead when he arrives, it might be difficult to convince him that you didn’t somehow have a hand in it. I’ll just keep this until he gets here and then we can proceed.”
“You coward,” Ewei hissed. “I knew you weren’t man enough to do it.”
“Oh, I am more than man enough. But I’m not going to give you the pleasure of seeing me dead for your benefit.”
Filled with rage Ewei drew his sword, advancing on Edric with incredible speed. The attack was unexpected. Reflexively Edric parried the thrust with the spear, cringing at the clang of metal against stone. He wasn’t sure how strong this weapon was. They couldn’t risk damaging it. Without it, the Avaern would destroy them all. “Stop this, Ewei,” he commanded, bringing the handle up to block a second incoming strike. “You are going to break the weapon and then you will die with the rest of your people when the Avaern decides to finish what it has started.”
“That weapon was made by Ovatai hands. Do you really think it that fragile?” Ewei scoffed. “Follow through with your word or I will kill you a
nd feed Onuric to the blade.”
Onuric? So it was true. Ewei wasn’t acting upon honor the way everyone believed. He maintained his desire to see himself rise to power. But what good would it do him now? Okivra would never let him marry Neomi. Even with Onuric dead, he would still have to find a means of taking down the Chief before anyone would accept him as their leader. “You wouldn’t be stupid enough to kill Onuric,” Edric prodded. He wanted more information. If they survived this fight until Onuric arrived, he needed to have as much evidence to prove Ewei’s guilt as he could. “The Chief would reward you nothing for presenting him the weapon if you were unable to bring his children home alive.”
“I said nothing of killing Neomi. She might still have some use to me. It is her brother that is in my way.”
“Use? She isn’t going to help you, and Okivra certainly won’t grant your request for marriage.”
“He won’t have a say in the matter if he is dead!” Angrily he lunged forward again, the blade of his sword slicing through the fabric of Edric’s doublet, cutting into the skin of his left bicep. Wincing in pain Edric stumbled back, turning to one side to deflect another blow, his body shifting and twisting in rapid succession, the sound of their clashing weapons echoing through the cavern.
His words confused Edric. He intended to kill the Chief? If Okivra was dead, he wouldn’t have need for Neomi as a wife. No one would challenge the man responsible for striking down their leader. Neomi said it herself. If another Ovatai desired to take control of their people, he wouldn’t use subtle games and stratagems to accomplish it. He would simply fight the Chief for his power. “I don’t understand,” he exhaled, ducking under a wild swing of Ewei’s sword. “Why Neomi? She would only be in your way. You don’t need her to become Chief if Okivra is dead.”
Ewei laughed maniacally, sweeping his blade toward Edric’s feet. In a burst of strength Edric leapt over the sword, slipping on the ice when his boots connected with the ground. With a hard thud he landed on his back, knocking the wind from his lungs, inhaling a deep breath to try and regain his composure. He could see Ewei bearing down on him, the tip of his sword pointed at his chest. Hugging the spear to him, Edric rolled out of the way, the impact of Ewei’s blade connecting with the ice ringing in his ears, shivering at the realization of how close he’d come to death in that instant. Desperate for something to help him to his feet, he looked up to see the base of the sarcophagus at his right, reaching his hand up to grasp the open edge. The time it took Ewei to pull his sword from the snow granted Edric just enough time to find his footing, reset and ready for anything Ewei thought to try.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 89