Aelianna shook her head; eyes squinted against the driving rain. “This is way. We must go down.”
“Down?” Aldrick blurted. “We cannot make it down this, even in good weather. The cliff face is much too steep!”
Garrick joined them. “We should follow the ridge! We may find an easier way down!”
“Which way?”
“North,” Garrick decided, gazing in that direction. “I believe we should go north.”
“All these bloody feelings and guesses are gonna get us bloody killed!” Dathan blurted. “We’re bloody doomed!”
Warren nodded in agreement, eyes tightly shut against the storm.
Aelianna simply nodded to Garrick, so they grabbed the reins of their drenched horses and started north, after retracing their steps back away from the edge of the cliff. They trudged along in silence, wet and miserable as storm winds continued to buffet them from the west, whipping them hard enough to sting.
Before long a dark patch loomed ahead, obscured by rain and fog. The shadow slowly coalesced into a large grove of trees and flora, many with thick leaves despite it yet being early in the spring season. Although the trees were primarily young and grew sparsely, they would at least provide some shelter from the raging storm. And so they carefully crossed a fast moving stream, and led their horses as far in under the budding trees as they could.
The young leaves were still scarce enough that some precipitation found its way into their impromptu shelter, yet towards the center, they were able to find a spot dry enough to clear an area and build a small fire. The relief they felt from the cessation of driving wind and rain was palpable enough for even Warren to smile.
Only small kindling hidden under leaves and fallen branches proved dry enough to burn, but they were soon huddled around a small crackling fire, smoky though it was. They were not entirely successful in their attempt to dry off, but the warmth of the meager fire was still pleasant and cheering, and the shelter provided by the fortuitous grove blocked all but the harshest winds and precipitation.
Later that afternoon the storm began to die down, and Warren dozed off while the others finished a quick meal of bruised apple slices and boar strips cooked over the small smoky fire. Before long, they began to hear a rolling, booming sound approaching from the east.
“Sounds like bloody thunder,” Dathan noted, as Warren started awake.
“From the east?” Aldrick stood and gazed towards the sound. “The storm is from the west.”
“I don’t believe that’s thunder,” Garrick surmised, as the booming amplified. “Let’s take a look. We’ll leave the horses here.”
Dathan extinguished the fire while they gathered their belongings, and Warren grabbed his satchel. They left the grove the way they had come in, and although it was still raining, it was now a mild drizzle rather than the torrential downpour from before. Nearby, a fast flowing river churned past where only a small stream had been earlier, its flow disappearing behind them in a thunderous roar over the edge of the cliff.
The tumult from the nascent waterfall only served to demonstrate just how loud the mysterious booming in the east truly was. No one spoke as they gazed towards the approaching thunder. They instinctively realized that if this unknown cacophony could be heard over the nearby rushing river and waterfall, it must indeed be the product of something quite enormous, and most likely dangerous.
Sounding like nothing but a rolling earthquake, the din continued to approach, growing louder, until the very ground beneath them began to tremor and shake. When it seemed the land could take no more, a small cluster of trees on the horizon ceased to exist as four massive round shapes appeared.
Like four giant transparent balls, their form was discernible by the light rain cascading off their rounded shapes as they rolled towards them. Although they shed water like globes, they were clear as if made of nothing but air, like a bubble. Yet even translucent, they shook the ground and trampled everything in their path, leaving four giant swathes of destruction in their wake as if they were made of steel.
“What in the name of the All Father...” Aldrick murmured. With the rushing river and cliff edge at their backs, they had no choice but to stand their ground and face this unexpected doom.
The giant balls incongruously began to slow as they approached, until coming to a complete stop before them. The silence following the cessation of the rolling thunder was deafening. The four shells of destruction began to slowly shrink down, losing mass until there was nothing left of them. In their place stood four men, three of whom stood behind the fourth, flanking him. The leader strode forth until he was close enough to be seen through the light drizzle and wispy fog.
“Well now, what have we here,” the familiar man before them said in a nasally voice. “Aldrick, who originally absconded with the Clavis, and the traitorous Prince Garrick, who has a lofty price on his head. And unless I’m greatly mistaken, the wench who stole the Clavis after I had rightfully recovered it accompanies you. This must be my lucky day.”
Aldrick could not believe his eyes. “How did you find us, Jahann?”
“Ra’jahankar, if you don’t mind,” the sorcerer replied, pulling an embroidered handkerchief from an inner coat pocket and blowing his nose. “I no longer must suffer that name. How I found you is irrelevant. Be content to know that the true owner of the Clavis has imbued me with the ability to follow that which he covets. I am here to retrieve his property, which you have stolen. The Clavis please.” He finished by holding out his hand as if seeking alms.
They began backing towards the rushing water, away from the sorcerer and his three heavily armed companions.
Aldrick tried stalling as they retreated. “Why do you want the Clavis?”
“I already told you,” Ra’jahankar said with a sigh. “I am here to retrieve it for its rightful owner. Hand over the Clavis now and I may be merciful.”
“If we give it to you, would you set us free?” Aldrick said, his mind racing for a plan.
“Aldrick!” Aelianna grabbed his arm.
“We shall see,” Ra’jahankar sniffed loudly. “I would prefer not to risk the Clavis, but if you do not comply, I can just as easily take it from your charred corpses.”
“That doesn’t sound like much of a choice,” Garrick quipped.
They backed to the edge of the swift flowing river, as Ra’jahankar blew his nose loudly, and tucked his handkerchief back into his coat.
The sorcerer sniffed. “You have nowhere left to run. Hand it over.”
“I think not,” Aldrick replied with more confidence than he felt.
“Fine,” Ra’jahankar sighed. Pointing towards them, he addressed his three companions. “Retrieve the Clavis!”
Aldrick wondered absentmindedly if the three men unsheathing their swords were another Triad. Freeing his own twin blades, he supposed it did not matter. With the fast flowing water blocking their escape, they had no choice but to stand and fight. There could be no mistakes if he was to see the end of this insanity, or his beloved Jelénna again.
Thoughts of his wife steeled his nerves, even as Ra’jahankar began to chant in an unknown language. Whether his intonations were intended to assist the Triad or cast some malicious spell, Aldrick did not know. His pondering ceased as the three, armed men darted forward and immediately attacked.
“We must run!” Garrick said, deftly blocking the first sword strike.
“Why?” Aelianna said, working to retrieve an arrow from her wet quiver. “There is only three.”
The king parried another swing. “It’s not them I’m worried about. It’s the sorcerer.”
The warrior casually shook an arrow to dry the fletching. “I take care of him.”
Dathan joined Garrick in the fight. “Hurry, we don’t need another bloody blizzard.”
He and the king faced two of the assassins, while Aldrick held off the third. They strived to hold their ground against the onslaught, but exhaustion above all else was driving them back towards
the rushing river. Warren had lost his sword with the creature in the bat’lagh, and stood behind them helplessly, clinging onto his large pack of supplies and trying his best to avoid being struck. Startled by the continual clang of steel, he unconsciously backed into the river, soaking his boots in the cold water.
A crackling light flickered into existence around Ra’jahankar as he continued to chant with his arms extended, occasionally gesticulating.
“Hurry!” Garrick grunted, ducking under a violent swing and spinning low to drive his sword into the midsection of his attacker. “Before he finishes.”
“Do not rush,” Aelianna replied in an irritated tone. “Arrow is wet.” Contrary to her words, she quickly nocked the arrow and loosed it towards the chanting sorcerer. Aldrick held his breath as the shaft flew. Before it could strike its target however, Ra’jahankar lifted a hand, and with a word the arrow ignited and spun harmlessly off to one side.
Aelianna cursed and retrieved another arrow from her quiver and began shaking it dry, but Aldrick did not believe a second attempt would have any more success than the first. Together, Garrick and Dathan made quick work of the second assassin as Aldrick sidestepped a strong forward thrust, which missed him by only the width of a finger. While the third man was off balance Aldrick quickly kicked him, and he stumbled back and fell squarely onto Garrick’s extended blade with a surprised look on his face. None of the three men had spoken a word.
Warren whooped in victory as the last man fell. The others turned back towards the sorcerer, who remained motionless with his eyes closed, mumbling his monotone incantation. Aldrick took a step forward as Ra’jahankar clapped his hands together and the ground abruptly split open between them. The crevice quickly widened and the cracking earth approached them like a predator. Aelianna let fly a second arrow while the others backed towards the river, but it had no more effect than her first attempt. The earth roared and with a grinding crack, the crevice widened and split in twain like a pincer, cutting off any escape to either side. With no options left, they backed further into the river.
In a panic, Warren blurted, “What are we going to do?” before falling backward over a hidden stone to land flat on his back in the rushing water. The rapids swept over him and the fast moving current quickly pulled him away towards the edge of the cliff.
“Warren!” Garrick cried. Unwilling to lose another loved one through his own reluctance to act; he dove after his friend, heedless of his own peril. Aldrick glanced towards the roaring waterfall and cursed the king’s foolishness, but as the ground before them began to erupt and cast out huge chunks of rock and stone, the alternatives were narrowing.
Dathan ducked a chunk of flying earth only to fall back into the water, and was swept away. Aldrick glanced at Aelianna, who stood clinging to her bow and fighting the mad current of the erupting river.
She returned the look and shrugged before ducking a chunk of exploding earth. With a grimace, he quickly sheathed his swords and grabbed her arm, diving into the frigid water just as the crevice broke into the edge of the water. Mounds of rock and debris exploded, showering the place where they had been standing.
Aldrick struggled against the current as it swept them along. He gasped for air as the relentless flow of water battered him against rocks and debris. He was pulled under roughly and then overcome by a sudden feeling of weightlessness as they were abruptly swept over the edge of the cliff. His stomach lurched as he fell through the air amidst an intense spray of water. When he recalled the long drop off the cliff, the icy grip of panic clenched at his heart.
In a flash, thoughts of his beautiful Jelénna and son Adrias spun through his head. What would they do without him? Tiberius could not take care of them forever. She would have to marry again; the thought brought bile into his throat as he tumbled over the cliff in a wild free fall. Aelianna was screaming next to him, or was that Jelénna, upon learning of his death? Sadly, he realized she would never receive news of his fate. He would be lost forever over a cliff at the edge of the known world.
Flashes of sweet moments with Jelénna swept past him like rushing water, until he was struck by the oddest thought. What would become of their poor horses, left alone to die in the sheltering grove of young trees above?
Before the thought was complete, he slammed into the ground. No, not ground, Aldrick realized as he inadvertently gulped more water. Choking, he broke the surface of a small pool that had collected part way down the cliff face. He sputtered and coughed, and struggled to orient himself as Aelianna landed hard next to him. Before he could see or call to the others, they were swept away with the current again. The diffused light allowed by the heavy overcast skies abruptly became complete and utter darkness as they disappeared into an opening in the cliff face.
In complete darkness they tumbled and slid down through a natural waterway cut into the rock, plummeting downward uncontrollably through the cave along with the cascade of water. A final plunge brought the weightless sensation once more, as he fell through an opening and down into a deep pool of water.
Aldrick struggled upright, gasping for air as he surfaced. He moved with the current, but slower than before. The pale grey light of the open sky overhead was bright after tumbling through the darkness, but he thought the waterway must have emptied back out at the bottom of the cliff. The air around him was thick with a dense fog, but he could see they were now in a wide, slow moving pool of water. Aelianna popped up nearby sputtering and coughing, and he reached over to grab her.
He coughed, but managed to ask, “Are you alright?” Her only reply was a hacking cough of her own, but she was able to nod. With a grimace, he felt a lump growing on the back of his head where he had bumped it on a rock.
Aldrick heard a cough behind him and turned to see Garrick struggling onto shore, with the others behind him. Warren groaned loudly as the king hauled him out, while close by, Dathan coughed and cursed as he pulled himself out of the water. Aldrick and Aelianna swam over to them and clambered out, coughing and shivering. Soon, they lay exhausted on the shore, bumped and bruised and dripping wet, but otherwise miraculously unharmed.
Aelianna sat up and let out a laugh when she spotted her bow floating in the pool, and waded out into the water to retrieve it. The string was waterlogged and would be useless until it dried, but she was pleased to find the bow. Warren somehow still clung to his pack, although the leather was dark and water dripped from the bottom of it.
“We must rest,” Warren demanded, and then held up his still dripping pack. “And dry out.”
Aelianna climbed from the pool. “We must not. Sorcerer find us again.”
“He probably thinks we’re bloody dead,” Dathan said.
“No she’s right,” Garrick said. “We should keep going.”
Aldrick scanned the area. Down here the world was cloaked in a thick misty fog, but he could see the small pond collecting the cliff water funneled into a stream that flowed westward.
“We should follow the river,” he concluded. “It must lead somewhere.”
After a short hike they discovered that the water did indeed lead somewhere, but nowhere they could follow. An insurmountable solid wall of rock blocked the path, while the river flowed down into a carved out crack in the stone. Should they attempt to follow the water, they could easily find themselves stuck underground with no way to breathe, and no means to traverse back to safety against the current. Escape would then be impossible, and death certain.
Yet, the possibility of being caught by Ra’jahankar drove them forward, and they spent the rest of the day soaked and despondent, trudging first south, and then back north through the light rain.
By nightfall they returned to the place where the river escaped through the crack in the impassible rock, having discovered only that they were trapped in a box canyon with no possible means of escape. The rain had finally stopped, but depressing grey clouds remained. The sun slipped behind the rocky horizon, and the temperature fell with it. They stood at the ed
ge of the water, shivering, miserable and feeling helpless.
Aldrick stared at the worn crack in the rock through which the water escaped. The same water which, against all odds, had brought them safely down the cliff to escape the wrath of the sorcerer. Now it churned and flowed through the only egress from the canyon, where they could not follow. The bubbling sound of the water sounded like laughter, mocking him.
Warren spoke for everyone when he said with finality, “We are trapped.”
Chapter 14
Paden pulled his cloak tighter against an early spring chill, as he strolled the back streets of Akkadia. While it was unseasonably cold outside, he was in no particular hurry to arrive at his destination. Perhaps that explained why he had chosen such a circuitous route in the first place. It made sense to complete his investigation as soon as possible, yet he could not help but be apprehensive. He still had so many unanswered questions.
The Key of Creation: Book 03 - The Temple of Kian Page 11