by Jason Sander
Behind him he saw a shaman struggling to stand as it tried to launch an attack on him. The cable car rocked suddenly sending the shaman plunging over the side to the lake below.
Hanbar could see the ground rushing to smash him to pieces and he risked applying the brakes to decrease his speed. As he did so the car behind him closed the gap.
Just before he reached the ground Hanbar locked the brakes and jumped out the side of the car. He hit the ground painfully rolling over and over until he finally came to a stop.
Behind him the second car smashed into his and pieces of metal and flesh flew in every direction. Hanbar rolled his head to the side and watched as three other cars filled with goblins dropped from the sky as the cable was cut by the dwarves guarding it. The cable sliced across the ground within yards of him but he couldn’t have moved if he wanted to.
A medic arrived and began to check him and with his last strength Hanbar relayed what the war master had ordered before he blacked out.
CHAPTER 111
Cane
Cane walked among the shattered remains of the fallen kings stopping at the bases upon which each had stood. Each base had a plaque with an inscription containing the dwarf’s name and the period of their reign. The oldest generally had very short lives, often dying in battle, the more recent kings had longer reigns, some even dying of old age.
The first few generations must have been brutal on the dwarves as they pushed the goblins deep underground. Only in recent decades had they had some peace, now their greatest leaders were trapped and suffering because of his inaction.
Cane moved as fast as he was able, stumbling over the names until the book and statues glowed and the souls found rest. The writing styles became harder to read further away from the entrance but Cane continued until the last of the kings was safely bound within the book.
Looking back he could see the statues cracking and crumbling as the last of the magic that held them together dissipated.
When Cane left, only the bases remained behind in the Valley of Kings.
Cane lifted the locket and opened it. Before his eyes the map changed indicating a valley off the path he believed the dwarves had travelled. For a moment he considered trying to locate Dagar but something made him change his mind, a feeling that he was needed there.
Cane closed the locket and began the long journey into the mountains feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders.
CHAPTER 112
Bittermouth
The heat of the sun beat down on the smoke screen but the shamans maintained the magic that held it over Broken Pass Keep.
Bittermouth couldn’t believe it as the explosives were placed without interference at the gate and the walls remained stubbornly clear of dwarves.
The explosions ripped the gate to pieces and rock and wood flew into the air. When the rain of debris ended Bittermouth shouted the order to attack.
The goblin warriors poured through the undefended breach into Broken Pass Keep with Bittermouth right in the centre. He drew to a stop inside the walls and searched for signs of the enemy but saw nothing. Minutes later there was a commotion as a dwarf was spotted jumping into a cable car and riding it down towards the Citadel.
Bittermouth raced to the platform only to discover that four cable cars loaded with goblins were already in pursuit. He cursed and waited for the inevitable. Below him the dwarf reached the safety of the ground but remained unmoving. Behind him one cable car smashed into his car and tore itself to pieces. The remaining three were then sent plunging to the lake below as the dwarves cut the cable. Minutes later the second cable was cut as well rendering the remaining cable cars useless.
Bittermouth wandered over to where warriors were bashing against a metal door slowly forcing it inwards in the hopes of finding dwarves hiding within the building.
When the door finally bent inwards the goblins poured in only to find another metal door barring their way. Bittermouth forced his way out wondering why the dwarves would bother to close the doors and felt he was missing something.
He passed the shamans as they set up camp in a nearby building and wandered to the pass for which the keep was named. As he was crossing a bridge to the first defence walls he felt his blood run cold.
The warriors were descending the terraces by jumping from one level to another, in their haste to reach the Citadel below often colliding with one another.
Bittermouth gripped the rails of the bridge wondering what caused his apprehension when suddenly it hit him. Below him the channel was empty, completely dry but obviously built to carry a large volume of water. In the background he could still hear the warriors bashing on another metal door.
He raced to the shamans to warn them but as he reached them he heard a thunderous blast of horns from the Citadel below.
Seconds later he watched as the channel began to fill with water. He ran alongside it hoping to find a way to block the water in time but when he reached the sluice gate it was too late.
The gate locked in place and the chains that had dropped it snapped in a spray of sparks. The waterfall dried in seconds as the full force of the river was diverted into the pass. Unhindered the water hit the first defence wall and forced the hidden gates open, pouring down the goblin filled terraces, level after level it scraped the rock clean tearing the goblin warriors to pieces with its power. Within minutes the pass was a raging river of death having killed the goblin warriors that had tried to descend it.
Bittermouth turned his eyes angrily towards the metal doors where warriors continued to hammer away oblivious to the destruction of the rest of the army.
“Bittermouth!” screamed the head shaman.
Bittermouth tried to run but was struck by multiple blasts of paralyzing green light.
As he fell twitching on the ground the shamans formed a circle around him. The head shaman said angrily, “It seems you have failed us a second time. Your punishment will be severe.”
Bittermouth screamed as the head shaman began to work his terrible magic and continued until his voice grew too hoarse. When the shamans were finished with Bittermouth his body was dragged deep in the mountains and he was left to die.
When the pain faded to a dull throb throughout his body Bittermouth turned his blind eyes towards the sky as the first rays of sunrise began to tingle on his skin.
CHAPTER 113
Amelia
Metal struck metal echoing through the forest and sending a flock of birds into the air. The frequency of the ringing increased as a second set of blades began to attack and defend.
Amelia’s eyes shot open as she sat up and Carthus held her still until she could focus on the world around her. In the distance she could see Tagier fighting against Gabriel at an intricate and blindingly fast pace. Her heart went into her throat for a moment but Tagier withdrew when he tapped an unprotected area on Gabriel’s side.
Tagier glanced in her direction and seeing her sitting up, he raced to her side with Gabriel in pursuit.
Her shoulder throbbed and she remembered the arrow that Tagier had deflected. She looked at the forest surrounding them and wondered how long she had been asleep.
Tagier sat down beside her and his face turned from elation to guilt. Amelia hit him on the arm and almost regretted it when pain shot down her wounded arm.
“What was that for?” he asked surprised.
“For being an idiot,” she answered. “Did you understand Laisarus’s message?”
Carthus answered for him, “We were prepared for the goblins’ ambush and managed to break through with the aid of the wolven.”
“How is Laisarus, is he back yet?” she asked. Immediately the others became sombre.
“Then Laisarus is dying, I wasn’t dreaming.” A terrible thought occurred to her and she said it out loud, “O goddess, then the Emperor is truly dead.”
Both Laisarus and Tagier were shocked at the news.
“How is that possible, how do you know?” asked Tagier angrily almost gra
bbing her but stopping himself in time.
“I dreamed of Laisarus lying broken at the bottom of a valley clinging to life. I also felt tremendous pain and sorrow as the Emperor Valorus passed away. I think the High Priestess is also dead.” Tears welled in her eyes, Elyise had been like a mother to her and Laisarus like a brother.
She wiped away her tears and said, “We must save Laisarus. Gaia is doing her best to help him but her powers are weak in the mountains. We have to go back and save him.”
Carthus said with pain in his voice, “There is no way to reach him now, the dwarves have already moved north in search of sanctuary. The Citadel will be crawling with goblins by now and Broken Pass Keep is already theirs. There is no way back into the mountains except the one guarded by the Gatekeeper in the Riverlands.”
Amelia broke into fresh tears and clung to Carthuse’s robes. “There is more you need to know Amelia,” said Carthus hesitantly.
“More painful news Carthus, I can’t take anymore,” she cried out.
“Yes child, the news will be painful,” said Carthus gently.
“Tell me and get it over with,” she said trying to draw her courage together.
“It took me a while to put the facts together but I believe with great certainty that your parents were the Emperor and High Priestess. Only your mother knew about you, she sent you to become a priestess so you would be close to her under her protection and she sent your twin brother away to protect him.”
“Laisarus?” she asked fearing the answer.
“Yes. Elyise knew no good would come of her love for the emperor but they did love one another. She knew that Sceleo would move against his competition unless you were completely hidden from him. Now your uncle may become the next emperor.”
“But he is the supreme magi, he is forbidden from becoming the emperor,” she said.
“Only if he remains the supreme magi. He will abdicate the position but his stranglehold on the mages’ guild will remain. I don’t believe he will be a good leader for our people,” said Carthus rubbing his knee.
“What are you suggesting Carthus?” asked Amelia drawing away from him.
“You are the only living child of Emperor Valorus. If you want to claim the throne the guardians will support you, as will I,” said Carthus.
“What about Laisarus, he is my twin right? He has as much claim to the throne as me.”
“Yes, he may even have been born first but he will never be happy as the emperor. You know that as well as I do.” Carthus ignored the fact that Laisarus would likely die.
“I will not be part of a civil war Carthus. We will finish our mission and return to the Riverlands. Now more than ever we need the help of the humans.”
Amelia lay back as fatigue overwhelmed her and she returned to sleep trying to reach out to comfort her brother.
CHAPTER 114
Cane
Cane struggled along the muddy slopes as winter began to dissolve around him into spring. Ice turned to ice water that soaked into his clothes and the wind nearly froze him to death during the night. Tired but too frightened to sleep in case he never woke up he chewed his dwindling supply of food from sunset to sunrise. His face often troubled him as it should have long since been covered in a wiry beard but stubbornly refused to provide him with a protective cover.
He laughed when he realized that a missing beard could be his greatest problem and wondered if he was starting to go mad.
He only checked the directions on the locket every few days when he remembered and was surprised when he checked it one morning and found he was almost at his destination.
Moving with the strength of desperation he crossed a mountain peak and expected to find the dwarves camped out before him. Below him he could see nothing but ice and streams of water running down the mountain slopes.
He scratched his itching eyes in the glare off the snow and finally spotted something near the bottom of the valley. He scrambled down the mountain losing his footing several times on the slippery slope.
By the time he reached level ground he was covered in mud and frozen to the bone. Shivering he dragged himself onward toward the clump of fur ahead. He stopped dead as the clump broke apart and became a hissing mass of animals. Tripping over a rock as he tried to retreat Cane heard a growl behind him and stopped dead.
Slowly he turned his head and saw a mountain lion watching him. The urge to draw his enforcer handgun was almost overpowering but he realized that the effort would be wasted.
Despair filled him for a moment until an apparition moved away from the pile of animals catching his attention. It flickered in and out of visibility and moved without disturbing the mud beneath its feet.
Cane remembered the wraithlord and the similarities terrified him. But the voice that came from this apparition wasn’t the cruel voice of Theodinis but the distraught voice of a woman. He finally recognized the similarities to Amelia’s features and his fears vanished. She said mournfully, “I need your help, he’s dying.”
Keeping a careful watch on the mountain lion he stood up and approached the pile of animals.
When he saw the face of Laisarus buried under the living fur he ran the rest of the way.
“What happened?” he asked finding Laisaruse’s cold hand and clenching it tight ignoring the animals around him.
“A goblin pushed him off the mountain trail above. I should have destroyed their race when I had the chance but I couldn’t.” Her pain filled voice turned to anger for a moment then it returned to grief.
Cane discarded his pack and weapon. “Tell me how to help him. He saved my life once, I’ll do the same for him if I can.”
Gaia moved forward when she sensed the power coming from the pack but was unable to open it to check its contents. She asked urgently, “Did the Allfather give you something, a book?”
“Yes, he asked me to return the Book of the Dead to Dagar, he said it was too powerful to allow it to fall into goblin hands.” He released Laisaruse’s hand and drew the book into the light.
“This will help,” she said looking at Cane. Her eyes narrowed for a moment before she smiled for the first time. “You have been touched by Amelia’s power, I know you Cane.”
“Who are you?” asked Cane uncomfortable about discussing Amelia in front of a stranger.
“I am Gaia. She is one of my chosen.”
“How do we save Laisarus?”
“With the book’s power to draw on I can give you the ability to heal him, but there will be consequences. Already you have been affected by Amelia’s power,” she answered.
“What do you mean, consequences?” he asked fearfully.
“Amelia unwittingly changed you when you made love. You had no resistance to magic and she has only started to gain control of her power. If you help me I will have to change you even more,” she answered.
“I’ll risk it to save Laisarus. How do we do this?” he asked as snow began to fall around them.
“First, place your hands on the book. Now accept what I give you of your own free will, if you resist it won’t work.” Gaia placed her hands on either side of his head although he could not feel any contact.
Cane felt the book warming beneath his hands as it began to glow. The light passed into his hands and slowly his arms began to glow as well. Soon he could not see for the light surrounding him. “Now accept my gift freely,” said Gaia and he felt an intrusion in his mind.
For a moment he panicked as it reminded him of the wraithlord’s attack on him but Gaia’s presence reminded him more of Amelia’s light than the other’s darkness and he began to relax, allowing Gaia to manipulate the power of the book through him.
The light began to fade and Gaia said, “It is done.”
Looking around Cane noticed Gaia was far more visible than before, but Laisarus remained unchanged, “Did you help him?” he asked.
“No - I gave you the power to heal him,” she answered.
“How?” asked Cane.
“Place your hands on his body and find your power.” He closed his eyes and grew frustrated after a few minutes when nothing happened. “Do you know how Amelia found her power?” she asked.
His anger disappeared as he thought of Amelia. He felt power running through him like a raging river and he said, “Love.” He felt the power empty out of him into Laisarus, filling his body like a vessel burning away disease and binding his wounds together. Cane felt the elf’s shattered bones realign and fuse together. Beneath his hands Cane felt Laisarus stir and groan in pain.