The message is on the council table in front of you, and you will hand deliver it to Kelthur himself. With your seals, it should be no problem to get to him. I do hope he isn’t mad enough with power to ignore the rules that we abide by. Diedra, I apologize for prying, but did you mention anything about that possibility in your message home?”
“I did, sir. A threat to the isolation half our population holds dear should be a significant enough reason for them to join us. Should anything happen, of course.”
“Good. I hate to ask so much of the orcs, but we’ll be counting on them if the worst happens. Speaking of which, ladies and gentlemen, if the worst happens, you will all have to drop what you’re doing. As important as it is to Thogt’s well-being, trade will cease, should Kelthur advance on the city.”
As far as Lara could tell, half the council sighed. A few hid their faces in their silken sleeves.
“I know, I know. You are merchants, mayors, and craftsmen, not warriors. Unfortunately, the issue here is this. If we do not all band together to stop Kelthur, none of you will have jobs to go back to. If we do not hear back from Lara and her group by sundown tomorrow, you are all to cease business immediately. If we do hear back of Kelthur’s invasion, we will prepare for a similar end. Thogt will need weapons, which I’m sure council member Dorcil can provide. The army shall distribute them. Paid for, assuming we survive. We must prepare for the worst, if it comes calling.”
No one spoke for a moment as the council members wrote notes. Lara frowned. It bothered her that everyone was preparing for the worst. She forced herself to assume they were all hoping for the best.
“Sir, may we go now?” she said, eager to get back.
“Yes, it is time. As long as you are all prepared, please head towards the port, along the north wall. Scour it for my seal, and there you will find some of my personal guard to show you the way underneath. Most of the road is lit, but once you get to Kelthur’s city proper, you will need torches. Go with our blessing, friends. I hope I see you again soon with good news.”
“Do your best. That is all we can ask of you. I wish you all the best of luck, and I hope to see you when you return,” Danae added.
Lara and the others bowed before they left the room. They made several stops at the office and in various supply rooms to prepare before finally leaving the keep to find their horses. Four steeds were waiting at a stable down the road, a steward had instructed them, covered in garments that displayed Felas’ seal. Nami spotted them first. Without saying much, they mounted and made their way to the port.
Riding through the town felt as if everyone knew what Lara and the others were doing and dreaded it. Townsfolk that would cheerfully say hello on any other day kept their eyes down. Even people Lara and Nami knew personally refused to speak. Seeing horses kitted out to act as official liaisons for the king happened only once in a great while, and as far as most people could remember, it only happened in times of trouble. Those that knew of a time when king’s guards rode for peace went gray or bald years ago, if they still lived. Such stories were regarded with a sense of distance; they happened in another time, another era, even. In recent memory, this was a sign of encroaching war.
Felas opted to have Lara and the others ride without the way cleared for them. The effort did little to keep Thogt’s populace from flinching away from the seal. Lara worried, thinking they were wasting too much time dealing with crowds. They reached Thogt’s port area by mid-morning. With time to think on the ride, Lara felt much calmer. A short while later, they arrived at the northern wall. Each of the women could see the very base of the mountain reaching over the wall, as if it were creeping into the city.
“Start looking for the seal! I want to get this over with,” Lara said.
A stone’s throw east, on the wall, Cecile pointed. There, they saw Felas’ seal embedded in the stone, not wider than a dinner plate.
“Do you see anyone?” Nami said.
“Felas said some of his personal guard would be nearby.”
“Where could they be? There aren’t any windows in the wall, and the buildings on the other side of the street are all homes,” Cecile said.
“Hey! Lara, I presume? Up here!”
The four looked up to see two guards with Felas’ garments as they were meant to be worn, on the forehead. They pointed down to a small indent in the wall then disappeared. Lara and the others rode over. A moment later, they watched the indent half way up the wall open inward.
“Hello, Lara, and welcome to our post. We’re huge fans, and if I’m being honest, a bit jealous of some of your work. I’m proud of protecting Felas and matters of Thogt’s security, but sometimes I’d give a lot to get out of the city for a bit.”
“Trust me. So far, it's not so great. Someone has to do it, though.”
“I imagine so. Head a bit farther down, please. This hole's just for talking. We had to make sure all of you were authorized. I can't say I'd wear Felas' seal like that, but it's there, and that's what matters.”
The opening shut tight. Down the street about a stone’s throw, a soldier reappeared above.
“All clear! Open up!”
Lara and the others watched the wall as something inside grinded, shocking everyone but Diedra. A mechanism lifted a section of the wall upward far enough so that the horses and their riders could pass. Inside, Lara looked down a torch lit tunnel that, barring the lack of windows, could have passed for a corridor in the castle.
“Even though I know it’s coming, that wall still spooks me. Whoever built it used some fine stone. I work here, and I can’t tell where it is. Yarj up there says she can, but she won’t prove it. Anyways, on behalf of the city, best of luck to you. This is one job that I don’t envy.”
“Thank you. Hopefully, we’ll all come back. Speaking of which, how do we let you know we’re in there to be let out? Are you going to keep the wall open?”
“Not at all, can’t let anyone wander into the mountain. Look here.”
The guard led Lara to an indent on the left wall. There, he showed her a rope.”
“Pull on this, it’s connected to a bell that we can hear from our station. Don’t worry, someone will be there all day and all night. We’re on high alert until you get back.”
Lara thanked the man. The others followed into the earth, then stopped to watch the massive stone gate close behind them. Ahead of them, the tunnel continued as far as they could see. Parts of elaborate stone sculptures poked through the chaos of jagged rock, wisps of a time gone long ago when the tunnel was maintained.
“This has been here the whole time?!” Nami said. “We were burrowing into the rock like moles!”
“No one is allowed here except on diplomatic missions, Nami,” Diedra said. “If those under the mountain caught us here for any reason, we would be killed on sight.”
“I’d like to see them try!”
“They would not have to try, from what I have heard.”
Nami slouched over and did not respond.
“Where will this take us?” Cecile asked.
“It will lead directly to the outskirts of Kelthur’s city. From there on, we will need to use torches, though I propose we try not to. While this is official business, it is best if we are not noticed until inside its walls.”
“What’s outside the walls?” Lara asked.
“Grog.”
“Grog?”
“Yes. The tunnels are short and cramped. Outside the city, they have a vast expanse to roam around in. Think of them as cattle, almost.”
“But more pointy,” Nami said.
The tunnel continued on. Far in the distance, the torchlight gave way to darkness. Lara and the others rode on slowly. None of them were eager to be so deep within the mountain, especially now that they knew grog roamed free. Still, they had an important job to do. Lara led them on, and they came to the void.
Their passage ended abruptly, as did the stone that lined it. Now, the four women found themselves riding on r
ough earth in near darkness. Only one of the purple orbs in the distance lit their way.
“I bet people don’t come here often, do they?” Cecile said.
“Like I said, diplomatic missions only,” Diedra answered.
“Is there a regular path into the city?”
“Years ago, there was. Now, I cannot say. Us orcs have had no reason to use it for years and years, and from what I gather, neither has Felas. I am not sure how Kelthur and his people survive.”
Lara bade them all be quiet, though her hand signal barely appeared in the darkness. To the side, they heard rustling.
“Grog, Lara. If they are well fed, they will not attack.”
“Are they well fed, then?”
“Who can say? That one is far away, though. We are safe, but I advise you to set a faster pace.”
Immediately, Lara urged her horse to move faster. The purple light in the distance grew. Though it seemed like moments, it took nearly an hour to reach the orb due to the uneven ground slowing their horses. Once they reached the violet glow, Lara bade them take a short break for the horses' sake. Looking around, they could see the city wall a short ride away. Many buildings inside faintly glowed as well, a sign that perhaps, they would not need torches at all. Though built underground, the structures appeared like the homes above ground. It was difficult to tell from this distance, but the handiwork appeared to be rougher.
Behind them, shadows in the distance pounced at others.
“Guess there were more than a few,” Nami said.
“You know, I’d feel better if we let the horses rest in the city. At least, I’m hoping there aren’t grog in there. Out here, we'd come back to skin and bones, I fear,” Lara said.
They remounted and carried on. The others looked all around trying to make sense of the darkness while Cecile remained fixed on the city. Lara tried to focus on alternative escape routes, but her mind wandered, wondering if she was mistaken in bringing the widow along. Lara told the guard they would hopefully return in one piece, and she didn’t intend to let revenge make her a liar. She would have to watch Cecile as closely as she could.
Lara reached the underground city wall first, which reflected a faint purple glow. She and the others rode to her right until they reached a crude stone arch that served as a gate. Though the stones barely held together in some spots, the structure vaguely resembled Thogt's own wall. After passing through the arch, another purple orb glowed a short distance away, though it not nearly as big as the first.
On either side of the riders sat shabby stone buildings, some clearly built as afterthoughts on the roofs and sides of others. Few windows allowed them a look inside, but purple light shone out of nearly every hovel. Regular torchlight emanated out of a few, which surprised Cecile the most. Lara tried to catch an eyeful of what made the dancing shadows, but they were too quick.
“Every door is closed,” Nami said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this in Thogt.”
“These are not our people,” Diedra said.
When Lara and the others arrived at the smaller orb, they looked around at what passed for a town square. Two broken down carts sat along one road while the road only covered half the path going the other way. Of all the differences, the most glaring was how empty it was, even on the periphery of their vision. In fact, aside from the shadows inside houses, neither Lara nor the others had seen another living being.
“Hello?!” Cecile said.
“Cecile!” Nami snapped.
“Sorry! Sorry, I just…”
“It’s OK,” Lara said. “But for now, we should keep quiet. I have no idea what we’re even looking for, but it’s best we find Kelthur before the rest of the city finds us. Especially the grog.”
More shabby houses piled in an arc in front of them, blocking the inner city. Looking down both roads, Lara couldn’t see anyone or anything moving, but she spotted another orb to the left, in the distance. She led the group towards it.
“They don’t even have any place to eat! Wait, do these people eat?!” Nami said.
“You could eat in a place like this? I’d be sick to my stomach,” Lara answered.
“Lara, I could have a full breakfast over that grog queen’s head on a pike.”
“Ech. You could have mine too, in that case. Maybe they’re private people, eating at home. Maybe we’re on the wrong road.”
“More likely, they know we are here,” Diedra said. “The passage between the cities is monitored, I bet. Unwelcome visitors are dealt with.”
Lara’s eyebrows rose as she listened, but her eyes kept looking back at Cecile. Robert’s widow was busy staring into each home that had an open window. Were she holding the reins tighter, she might have steered the horse into one of them.
“What are you looking for, Cecile?”
“Grays. I know I can’t fight them, and I promise I won’t, but I’m not going to let them scare me either.”
“I’ll hold you to that, you know.”
Cecile nodded, but didn’t look at Lara. Instead, she kept scanning windows.
They reached the second orb, which sat in the middle of another surreal town square. In this one, many of the houses either fell years ago into piles or rubble or were in the process of doing so. Roofs lay strewn about on the stone. Walls stood somehow with numerous holes. Before she followed the road forward, another to Lara’s right caught her attention. Down that path, she saw a much larger orb, in front of what could pass for a castle.
“Hey, I think we found where Kelthur lives.”
Lara looked back at Nami, who shrugged.
“Am I right or what?”
They rode towards the next purple light. To either side of the road, the buildings grew taller, though their quality did not improve. More of the windows were lit, many of which clearly contained regular fires. Lara thought she saw a human head poking out of one or two, though it was impossible to tell. If people were watching them, they retreated into the buildings quicker than her eyes could focus. Some of the doors sat ajar, as well.
“It’s like these are the ones people actually live in,” Nami said.
“Yeah, if anyone actually lives here at all. I’d think the grays would be around, at least,” Lara added.
Another shadow flew by one of the open windows. Halfway to the orb in front of the castle, a wagon with three wheels sat in front of a building with ground floor windows. Purple light illuminated a table and a chair inside. Cecile gasped. Nami asked her what was wrong. She replied that there was a gray inside the house, but it hid as soon as they made eye contact.
“This place would make me crazy. Let’s focus on getting to the castle, getting our job done, and getting out. I don’t want to think about what else could live down here.”
At the giant orb in front of them, Lara and the others looked at the vast expanse between the city’s buildings and the castle. Wider than three or four wagons were long, the smooth stone road seemed like a moat filled in. Cecile wondered if water even flowed down here. More carts littered the city side of the road in either direction. On the castle side, the road was clear. Before them, past the orb, was a large wooden gate.
“This is the first thing I have seen so far that appears maintained,” Diedra said. “I have worked in shoddy conditions, but the rest of the city is beyond even what I can accept.”
“Kelthur doesn’t like visitors, I guess.”
“Or talking to the help. I guess we knock?” Lara said.
Diedra moved to the front, rode up to the gate, and banged her mighty fist.
“Done.”
The orc backed up to a safe distance with the others and waited. Lara made sure to keep an eye on their surroundings. She saw nothing, and the city lay quiet, aside from the occasional rustling. A grinding noise jolted the group’s attention forward as the gate began to lift. Slowly, it revealed the road from the outside wall to the castle proper, along with one hunched figure. When the gate reached its apex, the figure hobbled forward
on a cane.
“You the ones from outside?” the man asked.
“Yes, and you are?”
“Come with me.”
The man turned and began to hobble back inside, but not before pointing to a stake in the ground off to his left.
“Leave your horses there. Weapons too, if you were dumb enough to bring any.”
The women did as they were told, then followed the man towards the castle.
“You have a message, then?”
“Yes. Who are you?”
“Thought you’d get the hint, but I guess people above ground don’t know better. I’m the only one in this city who will even look at you right now. We could be free soon, and you’re here to keep us in chains.”
“What are you talking about?!” Lara said. “I didn’t know humans were down here until you showed up!”
“Who else do you think made this place? Not that there are enough of us to maintain it. We’re just-”
The man dropped his walking stick, fell to his knees, and gripped his head in pain.
“Are you OK?!” Cecile said.
“Nngh… I’ve said too much. No more talking, just leading.”
Cecile helped the man get to his feet while Lara held out his walking stick. Still clutching his forehead, the man walked them into the castle. Inside, it looked somewhat like Thogt’s, though again, empty of life. Lara could place parts of the corridors she walked through in her own travels back home. Here they were out of place; she could place halls, but their destinations were all wrong. It also bothered her a great deal that no one was here to use them.
The man walked the others through purple tinted halls to a large metal door. It shone in the light, though Lara couldn't figure out what metal it was.
“In you go. My job’s done here, good luck.”
“Thanks. Sorry about the-”
“Don’t mention it. My own fault,” the man said as he hobbled around a corner out of view.
“Everyone ready?” Lara said, facing her friends.
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