Warden's Path

by Heath Pfaff

  I shook my head. “I don’t think anyone can control that kind of power. It’s a force, something primal and raw, and it has a purpose, even if it isn’t one that we can understand. The King might be incredibly full of Will, but Everburn is a source of power, and no one person can stand against it for long. He might be able to fight back this darkness that is upon us, but afterwards we’ll be left with whatever he becomes, and that is likely to be just as bad, if not worse.”

  “Then what do we do?” Ori’s question hung in the air while I searched for a response. I didn’t know what to say, not at first.

  “We get stronger, and we fight where we can. We can’t win as we are now, but we can resist and push back. We’ll have to stay out of the King’s way for now. We need more help.” Even as I said this I wasn’t sure where to begin. I had been trying to find people who would take my side, but most of the Wardens were accustomed to the way things were. Even Korva, who I considered a friend, wasn’t ready to fight the King, or even stand up to him. The Wardens had, at one time, resisted the Blackened. We could be strong when we needed to, but we had to come together. Right now it wasn’t going to happen.

  “That doesn’t seem like much of a plan, Lil.” Ori sounded a bit skeptical.

  “It’s not, but that doesn’t mean we can give up.” I answered, afraid that even Ori wouldn’t want to take my side.

  To my relief she simply nodded her metal head. “Then that is what we’ll do. For now. I can’t promise that I will want to remain like this forever. I don’t feel like myself in here.”

  It was a relief to hear she would help, but heartbreaking to hear the sadness in her voice. “We will look for a way to help you.” I told her, but again I had no idea where to begin with such an endeavor. How could I ever really help Ori as she was now? I didn’t even know as much about her condition as Ghoul did, and this was the best he could do. I had set myself on a path towards two goals that seemed impossible to reach. I would defeat the King, and I would help Ori. I just had to figure out how to begin.

  Chapter 16

  The Fall

  16.1

  The Wardens were not happy about Ori. There was fighting, and angry demands made, but in the end Ghoul’s last wishes were carried out with the agreement that they would be looked into further once the city was safe again. I was left to Korva’s care, and Ori was left to mine, with the indication that I would not be receiving command of anyone else in the near future. I found this agreeable enough. I didn't really want control of a group of Wardens. I wanted others to stand with me, but having Wardens under my command didn’t meant that they believed in my cause, it just meant that they were supposed to follow my orders. That did me little good if they didn't acknowledge my authority, let alone the views I was taking on the way our order was run.

  Korva seemed to find Ori a bit disconcerting, but she was every bit as skilled as she had been before becoming a golem. She was stronger now and faster. The new body, and whatever Ghoul had done to it, had made for much more fluid and quick movement. It was quieter too. It did occasionally make metallic noises, but the joints had been worked well, and lined with leather in places that made for softer, less abrasive sounds. She’d never be adept at stealth the way she was now, but at least she didn't give off the same horrifying creaks and groans that the regular golems did.

  We ran patrols, never further than the doorway beyond the Forge, but the work remained mundane. Within Forge one could pretend that we were not surrounded by a creeping horror. It was as though we maintained a burning light here, one that the darkness could not tread upon, or hadn’t decided to tread upon. The dreams were the worst of what plagued us. Nightmares. I wasn’t sure if everyone was having them, but my nights were filled with terrible visions, things I hadn’t even known to be afraid of.

  Most of the dreams were easy enough to shake come dawn, but one stuck with me. I had it night after night, and each time it woke me in a cold sweat. It always started the same. I was on guard duty at the door to the Forge, standing just at the edge of the boundary between our sanctuary and the darkness beyond, and then I would hear a voice calling from down the hall. I recognized it immediately as my sister’s soft and afraid tone. I hadn’t heard it in a long while, but I knew it well enough. I’d spent my childhood trying to elicit that response from her myself. I’d enjoyed scaring my younger siblings, as that had been the kind of child I was, but I took no joy in the sound now, not in these awful visions.

  In the dream I would always immediately go running down the hall after the voice, knowing that I might not be capable of returning from whence I came. The chase was always long, her voice becoming more frightened and desperate the further I ran, and then I would find her. One time she was pinned to a tree, massive poles of metal driven through her shoulders, arms and hips as small creatures - humanoid, but with arms as long as they were, and legs that ended in sharpened bone spurs rather than feet - devoured her body from the middle. The screams would gouge through my mind, stabbing me like daggers.

  Other times she was caught by two golems who were ripping her apart, tugging at her arms like two dogs fighting over a scrap of meat. Sometimes my brother was there too, being tortured, and sometimes he was there doing horrific things to my sister with the demons. It was different every time the dream happened, sometimes two or three times a night. Only one thing stayed constant. I knew that this was happening because I hadn’t gone to help them.

  That sat heavily upon me. My family wasn’t in the Forge. They were still out there, out in the city beyond the wall of madness, and no one was going out to find them. At the end of my shift I sat near the door out into the school, gazing at the closed wooden portal and imagining the halls beyond. Ori was near, a comfortable silence upon us.

  “You seem pensive.” She spoke, her voice rousing me from my cycle of disturbing thoughts.

  “I’m thinking about my family.” I told her. “They’re out there, and the Wardens are all in here trying to hold this little fortress we’ve made for ourselves. I’m not even sure why this place is safe, or if it really is. I’ve been having terrible nightmares.”

  Ori nodded, which was accompanied by a particular sound I’d grown accustomed to hearing when she did. It was like whispering “Yes” it was so familiar at that point. It was a mix of leather bending and and a soft scuffing of metal.

  “They come when I sleep as well. It’s always something different, but the theme is much the same. I’m whole again, with my old body, but then something comes and destroys it. Sometimes it’s . . .” She hesitated for a moment, and I wasn’t sure if she would go on. “Sometimes it’s Shina.”

  I remembered Shina well enough, and our conversation in the grove. That seemed like a lifetime ago now. We’d talked of Ori like she was dead, and in some ways she had been. Now that she was back Shina hadn’t come to talk to Ori, though it was possible she didn’t yet know Ori was back, or didn’t understand in what capacity she was back.

  “It uses the things you care about against you.” I said still looking at the door. “Shina wouldn’t hurt you.” My attention shifted fully to Ori. “She is here, you know. I’ve seen her amongst the tents a few times.” I had in passing. I’d even thought of talking to her a few times, though I’d never found the time.

  Ori made the motion that was accompanied by her quiet “yes.” It was strange, but I thought it was her that looked pensive just then, though I was looking at just a body of armor, with no expressions to read as such.

  “I know. I’ve seen her as well.” Ori’s voice was soft.

  “You should talk to her.” I said, thinking of Zarkov, and how he was well beyond me ever being able to talk to him again. I would want to speak to him if I could, even if he was trapped in a suit of armor. There was much I would tell him. Of course thinking of him had me thinking of Dreea as well. How could I love her so keenly when I still felt for Zarkov? Was that a betrayal of him? Was that a betrayal of her? Was what I’d done with Iyavi a betrayal of both of
them? It hadn’t felt like love with her, just comfort. I hadn’t seen her since, not even in passing.

  “No, I can’t, Lillin. She wouldn’t want to see me like this. We both know what I am inside of this armor. I’m just pieces held together by someone else’s Will. Besides, she will have already moved on. We were pulled apart a long time ago, and then I . . . well, I must be dead to her.” There was a lot of pain in Ori’s tone. It clawed at my heart. I stepped in her direction and reached out a hand to touch her. She was cold beneath my palm of course.

  “I would want to speak to you if I was her.” I told Ori. “I would still love you.” I still loved Zark. I still loved Dreea. At some point I knew I should tell Ori about my talk with Shina in the grove, but that didn’t seem like the right moment.

  “Maybe she does still love me.” Ori’s voice was almost hard to hear. “But I’m too afraid to find out right now.”

  It was my turn to nod. I could understand that fear, even if I didn’t think it was justified. It was impossible for me to fully understand how it felt to be in Ori’s situation, but I could attempt to. I knew she had to be constantly aware of what she was now. That couldn’t be easy on her. She would need to learn to accept herself, and hopefully if she did that she would be able to face Shina again.

  My eyes returned to the closed door, and my mind to my family. I was being lured out. That’s what it felt like. The darkness was trying to call me back into the void, but was it baiting me with delusions, or was my family still alive out there? “I’m going to have to find out.” The words slipped across my lips like prophecy.

  “Find out?” Ori’s questioning tone drew my eyes back to her.

  “I think we’re going to have to go out there. I need to check on my family.” I spoke firmly, conviction solidifying with each word. Perhaps it was a trap, but I needed to know. If they were dead and gone, then I would have to deal with that and go on, but I couldn’t leave it up to uncertainty.

  “This is a foolish thing to do.” Ori noted. “If it’s what you need to do, I’ll go with you, but I think it’s very dangerous.”

  I was remarkably good at doing foolish things. I nodded. “Staying here and waiting for the King to bring back Everburn isn’t exactly a wonderful prospect either. I’m not sure where it’ll be more dangerous when he returns.”

  “You should tell Korva.” I was surprised that Ori suggested it, but there was a firmness to her voice that made me think she had a good reason. “She has already thought you were dead once. It wouldn’t be fair to just vanish on her again.

  “She’ll probably resist my going.” I wasn’t sure I was fond of this idea.

  “Of course she will, but you intend to go either way. At least she will know. You are under her command right now. It’s only fair that she know what you intend to do. There could be trouble for her if you go missing.” Ori’s reasoning was well thought out, and she was right. Korva might get in trouble if I just vanished, and it wasn’t fair to make her worry without at least trying to explain things to her. Perhaps Ori was thinking Korva might talk me out of this decision. I thought it likely that she would try.

  “You’re right. Let’s go speak with her.” My intent to do what I’d planned was not dimmed, but I would try to do what was right as far as Korva was concerned. I turned back towards the camp with determination well upon me.

  We reached Korva’s tent quickly enough, but we had to wait for nearly an hour before she returned for the day. When she saw us waiting inside she paused, and I could see a bit of anxiety in her expression as she considered us before speaking. I took it to mean she knew we were there for something important.

  “Something is wrong.” She cut right to the point.

  I nodded. “I need to go out into the city. I want to know if my family is alive.”

  Korva sighed, but strangely looked slightly relieved. I hadn’t expected that. “Well, I have good news then. The King has ordered the three of us to recon the city. He says it will be a good test of how our newest scout is coming along.” She smiled, but it was in a thin, unamused way.

  Anger flared to life inside of me. “You mean he’s still angry with me and is trying to punish me by sending me out to die.” There was no question in my tone.

  Korva shrugged. “It’s not our place to disobey the Iron Will, even if it is being spiteful.”

  I let my anger slide away. It didn't do any good to hold onto it, and this was what I wanted anyway. I’d basically been given permission to do exactly what I intended to do in the first place. I should be thanking the King really.

  I gave Korva an apologetic half-smile. “I’m sorry you’re being punished with me. I intended to go alone, but Ori wanted to go with me, and now it seems you’re being forced.”

  Korva shook her head. “I wouldn’t want you to go without me. I don’t intend to lose you again. I know you are beneath me in the chain of command, but I like to think we’ve become friends in the time we’ve known each other.” It was her turn to offer an awkward half-smile.

  The sentiment wasn’t lost on me, and it did brighten my own expression some. “I’ll be glad to have your help, but I’m still sorry that you’re being sent somewhere dangerous on my account.”

  She laughed at that. “I’m not a Warden because I want to live a safe and easy life. No, I gave up on that a long time ago now.” Her expression sobered and she sat down on the edge of her cot. “We’ve been ordered to go to the castle, particularly the barracks, and recover any able bodied men and women we can find. We weren’t ordered to go straight there. If you want to stop and check on your family then we’ll do so.”

  I nodded crisply. “I need to know. I thought the King was gone finding Everburn?” I hadn’t heard he’d returned, but then no one was speaking of the matter at all. It seemed a point of distress amidst the Wardens.

  Korva nodded. “He comes and goes, taking the door to different places each time he leaves. The process of recovering Everburn is long and complicated.” Her expression took on a concerned edge as she waved off talk of the King with one hand. “You should know that the chances are we won’t find much of anyone alive and well out there. It’s bad. The place is full of dark, malevolent things. Reports are that the streets were running with blood the last time anyone was out there. You need to be ready for the worst.” Her eyes met mine, grim and serious.

  I remembered my dreams with an uncanny clarity. I had some small idea of what I might encounter. It was impossible to put it out of my mind. “I understand, and I’m as ready as I can make myself to face that.”

  Korva gave a nod, and then our course was set, our destinies plotted.

  We prepared over the next few hours and then got some rest. Sleep was a cacophony of disconcerting images and nightmares, and when I woke before dawn I wasn’t sure how much actual rest I’d gotten in the night. I stretched and tried to shrug off the mental fatigue that was threatening to cling on to me for the rest of the day. I needed to be sharper. I gathered my Will and pushed the fatigue from me forcefully. It was a trick that, much like taking stimulants, could have a toll on you at a later point, but for the immediate moment my mind cleared and sharpened and I felt a surge of determination rise up within me. I’d deal with the rebounding fog later.

  The others were up as well. We gathered our things and headed for the door that would lead us out of the Forge and back into the school beyond. Korva was equipped for travel again, and Ori had taken a sword from the supplies and was wearing it at her hip. Somehow this made it easier to tell it was her. She’d always looked most at home with a blade nearby. I supposed that was just a side effect of our training. We were most confident when armed.

  With one last look between us, we set out into the halls of the school. They were much as they should have been. The corridors were quiet, and they seemed to lead where we expected them to as we made our way through to the courtyard that separated the main building from the wall beyond. I could feel the weight of the darkness upon my shoulders getting he
avier as we approached the door to the place where I’d first set eyes upon the inner workings of the school. If danger could exude an aura, that was what it would have felt like. When we finally reached the door out, I was surprised that we hadn’t encountered any kind of trickery in the halls. We’d walked straight from the Forge to the exit without any corridors twisting back upon themselves, or a single enemy standing in our way.

  “That was suspiciously easy.” I noted quietly as we stood before the doorway. None of us was leaping forward to push it open. The ease of our passage reminded me of my trip to Prosper, the way things had been after recovering the tesseract.

  “I was just thinking that.” Korva said. “Either the enemy has moved out of the school, or whatever trap it has for us is outside.”

  I wasn’t sure this enemy really “moved” in the traditional sense. It felt more like an entity that simply “was” everywhere the darkness laid. Perhaps, I hoped, we were currently below its direct notice, or - and this seemed more likely - we were simply not yet at the trap. I stepped forward and put a hand on the door latch. “Here we go.” I said, and then unfastened the catch and pushed the door open.