by Ben Hale
The fragments nodded in turn, and Light extinguished the map. As they departed, Elenyr turned to the fire crackling in the hearth, trying to shake the sense of worry. Draeken’s fragments were her family, and she was sending them to war. She turned when Mind appeared in the doorway. A glance revealed that he was alone.
“Why are you worried?” he asked.
Elenyr wasn’t surprised he understood. Mind always seemed to know what people were feeling, even if he didn’t use his magic to see their thoughts. Elenyr regarded him for several moments before pointing to him.
“Do you worry for your fragment brothers?”
“Sometimes,” Mind said. “But they are quite capable.”
“Worry comes quicker when you have lost one you love,” Elenyr said, passing a hand over her face.
“And you think we might lose?”
“A mother’s fear,” Elenyr said. “But you should rest.”
Mind crossed the space and ascended to join her. Flashing a faint smile, he reclined on the couch nearby and closed his eyes. “I think I’ll rest here tonight.”
Elenyr smiled, grateful for Mind’s intuition. Since Ero’s arrival she’d felt a tremor of fear, but as she listened to Mind fall asleep, that worry gradually faded. The threat might be dire, but she had faith in her sons.
Chapter 9: Heth
Water, Light, and Lira took their journey north, using the tunnel to reach the elven forests. From there they traveled west through the pristine lands of the fair race. Lira seemed content to ponder her own thoughts while Water cast surreptitious looks at the beautiful woman. Light didn’t bother hiding his attraction, and openly stared.
Water had seen many attractive women, but none like Lira, and he fidgeted every time her gaze flicked to him, his chest growing warm. He knew Light was equally enamored, and found himself annoyed by his lack of reserve.
Water hadn’t slept much the night before, his thoughts dominated by the upcoming assignment. He’d hoped to be sent with her, and had been pleased by the chance to go. Still, Light’s actions left Water feeling decidedly embarrassed.
“Do you always stare?” Lira asked Light.
“Only at one so beautiful,” Light said.
“Light,” Water groaned. “Have some reserve. Not that you’re not beautiful, I mean, of course you are, but, just—”
“Very smooth,” Light said with a laugh, causing Water to flush and look away.
“Can I ask you a question?” Lira asked.
“Anything,” Light said, and Water shook his head in irritation.
“How long have you been alive?” Lira asked.
“A little over five thousand years,” Water said with a shrug. “You?”
“I was born in the time you know as the Dawn of Magic,” she said.
“Did you see the war?” Water asked, raising an eyebrow. “The one that destroyed the krey?”
Lira’s features tightened with regret, and Water wondered what she had endured. “It feels like another life, before I became an Eternal.”
“What made you ageless?” Light asked.
“An accident,” she said. “My brother and I were playing in an abandoned home of the krey and activated one of their machines. From that day forth we stopped aging.”
“And your brother?”
Lira’s features darkened. “The krey killed him.”
“I’m sorry,” Water said.
“We all have reasons we fight,” she replied.
Water stole a look, measuring the woman’s regret. Then Light spotted a beam of light coming through the trees and darted to it. Even in physical form he could move fast, and reached the beam in a single breath. He shaped the light into a magnificent steed, and then crafted a second. Leaping onto the back of one, he rode back and presented the second to Lira.
“A beautiful gift for a beautiful woman.”
She eyed the enormous horse and shook her head. “I prefer to walk.”
Water hid a smile. The creature had the body of a horse but the head of a wolf, the hybrid a disturbing combination that inspired revulsion and fear. To avoid sparking a panic, Elenyr had forbidden Light from using the strange mount in public.
“Nonsense,” Light said, and the horse ducked under her legs, lifting her astride its back with ease.
“I’m afraid you don’t have much choice,” Water said with a smile.
Lira looked down to find the reins flowing into her hands. She reached out and touched the animal’s neck and it turned, revealing the wolflike jaws. She did not flinch from the hybrid animal.
“And why are you spared from riding such a beast?” she asked.
Water snorted and stepped to the stream and drew from the water. “I have my own method of travel,” Water said.
“You don’t like the strange horses?” Lira asked, her lips twitching.
“His wolf steeds are disturbing,” Water said.
“Only to a few villagers,” Light said. Then he cocked his head to the side. “Or perhaps all of them.” He smiled and patted the wolf head. “But I think they’re beautiful.”
Water pulled from the water, fashioning a wheel large enough to surround him. Then he crafted a reclining seat and climbed inside. His smile was smug as he spun the wheel, sending mud splattering into his wake.
“Try to keep up.”
The wheel churned and he sped away. Light laughed and slapped his steed, his mount bursting into motion. Fashioned of pure light, both horses barely touched the ground, their passage a glittering streak of gold as they flitted through the forest.
Water heard Lira’s gasp and smiled, pleased they’d managed to disconcert the woman. Then he spotted Light rotating in his saddle. The fragment crossed his legs and faced backwards, staring intently at Lira.
“You’re staring again,” she said, but there was a smile on her face.
“Are you with anyone currently?”
Water shook his head in disbelief. “You have to excuse Light. He has problems controlling his impulses.”
“I do not,” he said indignantly. “Hey look, a hawk!”
He leapt off the horse and caught a branch, using it to launch himself into the air. Catching the hawk’s claws, he brought the startled bird back to the ground, where he alighted on his horse. Holding the screeching animal, he smiled proudly.
“Have you ever seen a hawk before?”
“She lived here for decades,” Water groaned, wishing he was alone with Lira. “Of course she’s seen a hawk before.”
“Oh,” Light said, releasing the bird. “What about—”
“Why don’t you tell me about Elenyr,” Lira asked.
“What do you want to know?” Water asked.
“I know she used to be an oracle,” Lira said. “How did she become . . .”
“The Hauntress?” Water supplied.
Water slowed his wheel so he was next to Lira and launched into a description of how Elenyr had become the Hauntress, the tale filling the journey as they skirted the southern end of the elven lands and entered the plains of Talinor.
Filled with an endless vista of thigh-high grass, the plains stretched beyond the horizon, and the trio reluctantly returned to walking so their passage would not be noticed by the farmers tending to their homesteads. By nightfall they reached Herosian, a sprawling city with a massive castle at its heart.
Streams wound their way through the city on the plains, passing through the upper steps to reach the slums that lined the exterior of the city. Taking the lead, Water led them to their favorite tavern in the city, The Oracle’s Respite.
Reportedly built by Elenyr’s daughter as a favor to a friend in the war, the glittering structure had become a legacy of the building of Herosian, and many vied for space in the inn. The current owner knew the fragments well, and gave them a room in the attic. The space was small and little used, the window allowing them a stunning view of the city.
Darkness fell and, with it, Light’s energy. Collapsing into the soft bed, he wigg
led in pleasure. As Light slept, Water talked to Lira deep into the night, enjoying the break from Light’s antics. When he finally reclined on his own bed, he found himself picturing Lira’s beauty.
He woke with the dawn when Light bounded to the window, breathing in the light like it was a morning meal. Water groaned and threw a pillow at the fragment, but Light was unfazed. Lira yawned and rose.
“Do you always need to sleep at night?” she asked.
“When it gets dark he gets tired,” Water said.
“I can explain for myself,” Light said indignantly, and then turned to Lira. “When it gets dark, I get tired.”
“That’s what I said,” Water said.
“I said it better.” Light sniffed and reached for his tunic, pulling it over his shoulders.
They descended to the tavern and ate a quick meal, then departed into the city. Water watched Lira gaze about the city in interest, and answered her questions about its occupants and history.
Herosian, known as the Jewel of the South, had swelled with people from throughout the kingdoms. Rock trolls, gnomes, and dwarves from the north were present, their appearance eliciting whispers and sneaking looks from the children, but not outright fear. Dark elves were also walking among the populace, their presence welcomed by the open-hearted kingdom.
Shop windows contained every exotic tool, toy, or weapon, with storefronts managed by all the races. To the scorn of neighboring kingdoms, King Porlin had opened Talinor’s borders to all, granting unprecedented access.
Dark elf chefs cooked giant gorthon fish, the beasts larger than a full-grown bull. People gathered to watch the flesh sear to gold, the more wealthy purchasing a meal. Across the street, stone masons carved statues and intricate beams for the richer homes being built on the eastern steppes.
The noble’s houses were richly adorned with banners, fine stone, and elven wood, demonstrating the wealth the kingdom had gained from the merging of peoples. Even the soldiers came from various races, with a dwarf captain riding with a pair of humans and a gnome.
Water loved Herosian because magic was always present, with excited students in the robes of their school following their professors. He spotted a pair of young elven maidens, both talking animatedly as they cast an entity out of water, one that resembled a young man. He was obviously one they both favored, but their magic was insufficient to do more than create his form. As they walked by, Water added a burst of magic to the entity, and the boy abruptly winked and leaned in, kissing the startled elf.
“I didn’t take you for mischievous,” Lira said, as the girl all but swooned in the arms of the entity.
“That would be Shadow,” Water replied. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a little fun.”
Departing the city, they made their way to the far western border of Talinor and crossed the great Blue River to reach the kingdom of Erathan. Younger than the other kingdoms, the kingdom of Erathan had fractured from Talinor shortly after the Mage Wars. Known as a haven for the outcasts of the other kingdoms, it had gradually filled with the dregs of the other kingdoms, with crime rampant and murders common. King Deedis, a former assassin, had ruled with an iron fist, using fear as his principle weapon until his son had taken the throne. King Numen had followed a more honorable path, and the kingdom had improved significantly under his rule.
Foregoing the road and the longer route it would require, they worked their way through the forest, circumnavigating several villages on their way to Heth, the capitol city of the kingdom. After two days they stepped through the tree line and Water lifted his gaze to the Giant’s Shelf. A thousand feet high, the cliff extended east and west, a massive barrier that separated the southern and northern regions of Erathan.
Two great waterfalls cascaded down the massive cliff, slamming into the pool at its base and sending plumes of mist rising into the evening air. Water smiled at the sight but resisted the urge to leap across the water and play in the falls.
“Heth,” Water said, pointing upward.
The fortress clung to the cliff between the two waterfalls, a strategic position that prevented attack from above or below. Built into the crags that split the cliff, the city extended to the summit above.
Powered by the waterfall, a pair of ascenders climbed the cliff, and the trio boarded a boat that took them to a platform between the two waterfalls. Water paid for their passage, and then paid more to board the ascender. Several others were already present—a trio of swarthy thieves and a pair of city guards. The thieves stood clear of the soldiers, but one sauntered over to Lira.
“What’s a pretty thing like you doing coming to Heth?” He leered and reached up to touch her cheek.
A dagger appeared in her hand, the tip poking his hand and drawing blood. “I wouldn’t,” she said mildly. “Not if you wish to keep the limb.”
The man recoiled and retreated to his friends, who guffawed at his expense. Water enjoyed the spectacle, and hid a smile as he watched the thief nurse his pride. Then the thief glanced to Light and scowled at the blatant grin.
“Is something amusing?” he demanded.
“You don’t have a chance with her,” Light said.
The thief whipped his sword from its scabbard and leveled it at him. “And you do?”
“Of course,” Light spoke as if it was obvious. “I’m more attractive, smarter, better dressed, stronger . . .”
As he enumerated all the reasons why Lira would be more attracted to him, the man stared, his face turning bright red. Water managed to keep his smile in check. The soldiers looked on in amusement, unperturbed by the sword pointed at Light.
“And I smell better,” Light finished. He sniffed and wrinkled his nose.
“It’s true,” Water said with a laugh.
The man flushed and swung his sword, but Light slapped the tip of the sword free of the man’s fingers. It tumbled over the edge, the weapon flashing in the sun before it plunged into the lake below. The man stared at his empty hand and then up at Light. His companions caught him and dragged him back before he could do anything rash.
“I’ll gut you for that,” the man growled, straining against his companions.
“That’s enough, Dalton,” one of the guards said.
The ascender reached the top of the cliff and came to a grinding halt, revealing a city illuminated by bright lights. Dalton spit at Light and then stomped off, his companions trailing in his wake.
“You’ve made a dangerous enemy,” the guard said as he stepped through the city gates, “but it was worth the show.”
Light shrugged as if he’d already forgotten the encounter, and Water found his attitude refreshing. Light rarely took such a situation seriously, and if the man was foolish enough to return, Water had no doubt that Light would be the victor. Still, making an enemy in Heth was not the wisest course.
He hadn’t been to Heth in decades, and it had grown in his absence. The buildings were new, even if the streets were not clean. Even the people were better dressed, and Water wondered how much was due to King Numen’s leadership. He stepped to the nearest cart that smelled of sugar and bread.
“Sweet bread?” he asked Lira.
“Of course,” she said.
“Fire cloaks!” Light said, bounding away.
Water shook his head, but a smile spread on his face as Light eagerly examined the wares of a dwarven shop. Water had to drag him away to the city walls. The gates were unguarded, and they passed through a small knot of dwarves and a pair of women too into their drink. Even though it was daytime, fires adorned poles and buildings, the colors enchanted with an array of colors.
“Light,” Water said, “we’re not here to visit. We need to find the Ear.”
“The Ear?” Lira asked. “I thought his name is Jeric.”
“It is,” Water said. “He’s an elf that’s been around for ages and done everything. Started out as an adventurer before spending time as an assassin, which lasted until he grew tired of killing. Then he became the guil
dmaster for the Thieves Guild. He’s bounced from one life to another until he got bored wrangling sharks and set up shop here. Now he owns part of the city.”
“The governed part,” Light said.
They’d left the main throughway behind and the area turned seedier. The streets were packed with people from throughout the kingdoms, garish light playing across their features. Merchants were everywhere, all guarded by at least two sentries. Disorganized and winding, the streets seemed to lack any planning, and ended and started at random points. Then the group passed over an invisible line and the streets were abruptly clean, the roads straightening out and pointing to a large structure at the edge of the Giant’s Shelf. Part of the building actually leaned over the drop.
Caustic music came from within an inn where hundreds of young men and women sought entry, a pair of timid looking guards barring the way. Exotic and multifaceted, the curved walls shimmered with magic, the light dancing and inviting as the sun set on the horizon. Shaped like a cat climbing over the edge of the cliff, the structure’s jaws opened to receive the patrons.
“Welcome to the Cat’s Eye,” Light said. “Now watch your back.”
Chapter 10: The Cat’s Eye
They threaded their way to the front of the crowd, drawing several curses as they shoved past those waiting to get inside. Water merely smiled and cast his staff blade, one that spun ominously. They retreated.
The trio reached the guards, who took one look at Lira before permitting them inside. The room was packed with dancers, the bards standing on a stage in the corner, bellowing songs that would have made Elenyr cringe. Then Water saw Lira look to the floor, her eyes widening. The back half of the structure extended over the thousand-foot drop—and the floor was glass.
“Who would build something like this?” she asked.
“Someone like him,” Light said, pointing to the elf.
Ear sat at a private table on a balcony overlooking the tavern. A short flight of stairs led up to the room and was blocked by another guard, a troll rather than a human, his wide frame barring the steps with ease.