Reign (Land of the Elementals Book 4), page 25
They began their careful navigation through the minefield, Arbor’s Perception Field picking up each and every one of the hidden traps. They continued to grow in number as the night wore on, and by the time the sun began to peek over the horizon, they’d crossed over into the Jagged Peaks.
“Ugh,” Grak complained, rubbing at her bare arms and shivering. “I should have packed warmer clothes.”
“Don’t be such a sissy,” Hord said. “It’ll warm up in a few hours. Besides, who can complain about this brisk, mountain air?”
He inhaled deeply, letting out a long sigh.
“Of course you’re happy,” Grak grumbled. “You grew up here.”
“You make no sense at all, you know that?” Hord said, not at all insulted. “An ice elemental Mage that can’t stand the cold. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Don’t put your foot there!” Arbor yelled as Hord dodged out of the way to avoid the halfhearted punch Grak had thrown.
The dwarf froze, his foot just inches from touching the ground. Arbor could clearly sense something down there, a light buzzing and a glowing red that told him of a nasty trap. Slowly, the dwarf stepped back, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Let’s try and avoid any more of that, shall we,” Arbor said, glaring at the two of them.
“Sorry,” both Grak and Hord mumbled, sounding like chastised children.
“I don’t know how the two of you are so lively,” Ramona said, covering a yawn as they continued moving. “All I want to do is get back into my warm bed and sleep for a week.”
“Not all of us are lazy slobs like you,” Grak said.
She hadn’t liked Ramona all that much, even when they’d been back in the Defiants’ base. Now, she really didn’t have any reason to hide it.
“Kya agrees with me,” Ramona said, completely ignoring the insult. “Don’t you, Kya?”
The elf, who’d been walking along in silence, started as her name was called.
“What?” she asked, looking to the arguing women in confusion.
“Do you wish you were in bed right now?” Ramona repeated.
“Sleep would be nice,” Kya admitted. “But I don’t mind being out here, especially if it means bringing Karria back to herself.”
Arbor continued doggedly onward, ignoring their conversation. All he could concentrate on was putting one foot in front of the next, watching for traps and dwarven patrols all at the same time. The incline grew steeper as the sun rose, warming them as Hord had said. The area was nice, with small trees and shrubbery growing all around.
Grass poked through the stone in many areas, and a small brook ran by at one point. Seeing as his last visit there had been in the dead of winter, it was nice to see the landscape so transformed by the changing seasons. Still, Arbor couldn’t focus on the landscape for more than a few seconds at a time. He was too busy not getting them killed.
When they finally reached the top of the hill, there was a decision to make, one Arbor knew he needed to make himself.
“I say we go through the front,” Ramona said. “Trying the same secret passage in is suicide.”
“And that’s exactly why we should take it,” Grak argued. “She’ll never expect us to try it a third time.”
“Oh, she most definitely will,” Ramona said. “Akkard thought he was all clever and tried to outsmart her. Look where that landed him.”
“Well, we’re not outsmarting her,” Grak said, growing a bit more heated. “We’re just doing the unexpected.”
“By being completely obvious?” Ramona shot back. “We should…”
“Enough,” Arbor said, cutting into their conversation. “Hord is going to choose the way in, and we’re going to follow.”
In Arbor’s mind, it only made sense to allow the one who was most familiar with the landscape to make their entry decisions.
“I’m afraid there really aren’t very many ways in,” Hord said, stroking his small beard. “We’ll have to assume your sister knows all the secret passages in. But, entering into the actual city and then trying to navigate into the throne room would pose a serious challenge. The only question is if we can get out of another Reflum cage if we get caught in one.”
“We can always just use acid,” Ramona said, but Hord was already shaking his head.
“She’s smart. There’s no way the same thing will work twice on her. We need another plan.”
“What if we split up?” Kya asked, chiming in unexpectedly.
She flushed a little as all attention turned on her but pushed on.
“Karria might be expecting another group to come for her, but all logic says we should stick together. Maybe if we split up and take two separate paths in, we can catch her by surprise.”
“What about the traps, though?” Hord asked.
“There’s no way I can cover two groups, especially after I lose my line of sight,” Ramona added in.
“Hord can probably figure out a way to spot them, right?” Kya asked, looking to the dwarf. “He is an expert crafter after all.”
Hord continued stroking his beard, nodding and looking pleased with himself.
“And Arbor is very good at moving around quietly. I can also go with him and convince any dwarves we might run across that we’re not there.”
Ramona was nodding along as well by now, and Arbor marveled at how well she’d thought this out.
“You should speak up more often,” Arbor said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You have a lot to offer.”
Kya’s cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, though Arbor could detect the smile in her voice as she continued talking.
“Grak, Hord, and Ramona can go through the path we took last time, while Arbor and I take a different one. Even if one of us gets trapped, the other likely won’t.”
“What if Karria has already thought of it?” Grak asked.
“What if she’s thought of everything?” Kya retorted. “If we just stand around here debating and trying to outthink her, we’ll never save her. Also, if she’s already thought of every contingency, then no matter what we do, it won’t make a difference. I think that this is our best chance at saving her and that we should get a quick move-on.”
“I agree,” Arbor said before anyone else could chime in. “The longer we stand around and wait, the farther our army travels. Even after we rescue Karria, we’re still going to have to catch up with them. Additionally, we all seem to be forgetting that my little sister is trapped in there.
“Even if she’s expecting people to come, she isn’t expecting me, at least, not if all of your information is accurate. Just seeing me might be enough to bring her out of it, and if not, it could be the edge we need to freeze her up so that Kya can pull her back.”
Everyone was nodding by now, though Grak seemed to be a bit hesitant about leaving him. Either that, or she didn’t want to be stuck with Ramona with only Hord to stand between them. However, when the time came to split just half an hour later, she went without complaint, their groups branching off in silence.
Grak’s group vanished into the secret pass while he and Kya headed a bit farther up the mountain to the next one in line. Hord had told him what to look out for, and within a few minutes, Arbor spotted the telltale piece of stone jutting from a small thatch of bushes.
He crouched, pointing the spot out to Kya. He couldn’t feel anyone guarding the area, and after waiting for Kya’s assurance that she could feel no minds nearby, they moved quickly into the tunnel, leaving the daylight behind for the cool darkness of the tunnel.
37
Arbor moved quickly through the dim tunnel, following the twists and turns. His feet barely made a sound as he went over the hardened ground. Kya, on the other hand, was panting like a dog, her feet scuffing the stone and sending echoing clatters down the tunnel each time her foot caught a loose stone.
After just a few minutes of moving quickly, Arbor was faced with a choice. He either had to slow down and meet her pace or carry her.
“We’ll move faster this way,” Arbor said in a lowered voice as he scooped the elf off the ground. “Just keep your magic active and squeeze my arm if you feel anything.”
“But it’s covered in armor,” Kya said, looking to the azure-colored metal cloaking his arms.
“Then poke my face or something,” Arbor said, then took off at a light jog.
Perception magic flowed from his Origin, moving through the five main channels and enhancing his arms, legs, and mind. He kept too much of the magic from directly affecting his brain, as he might very well need it for the fight, but he used enough to keep his senses sharp.
With his mind trained as it was, he was able to sense the first dwarven patrol before even Kya could.
He felt the finger prod his cheek and nodded as Kya pointed ahead. He didn’t slow down though, jogging at full speed. He came around a bend and found himself facing a troupe of some ten dwarves. Seeing as Kya wasn’t trying to take control of their minds but only make them see what they expected – an empty tunnel – the elf was able to fool them into thinking they weren’t there.
Arbor sped up then jumped, his momentum allowing him to run along one of the walls for nearly ten yards before he dropped back to the ground, now well past the dwarven patrol. He didn’t break his stride, his mind fixed on the task at hand. Karria needed him, and he was finally on his way to save her.
They ran across several more patrols, and each time, Kya was able to get them past without being seen. Arbor was starting to grow a bit more relaxed as they passed the hour mark. He’d already been warned that these tunnels were very long and that he could expect it to take anywhere from two to three hours to reach the throne room.
Kya poked his face to let him know another patrol was up ahead – Arbor had already heard them – but when she poked him again, he looked down and saw a concerned look on her face.
“What is it?” he asked in a lowered tone as he slowed to a stop.
“Something’s wrong,” Kya said. “I can sense the minds of the dwarves, but one of them doesn’t seem quite right.”
“Maybe it’s one of the gray dwarves we’ve been warned about,” Arbor said. “Either way, I think we’ll be fine.”
He continued on, rounding another bend in the tunnel and coming face to face with the group.
Just as he’d suspected, they were led by a dwarf with dark gray skin, stark white hair, and a beard of the same color. This one’s eyes seemed to glow a sickly green, and his eyes latched onto the two of them as soon as they appeared, despite the fact that the other six dwarves seemed completely oblivious.
“He sees us!” Kya hissed, her eyes going wide.
“Well, what do we have here?” the gray dwarf asked, causing the others in his party to start in surprise.
“What do we have where?” one of them asked nervously.
“Some nosy intruders are trying to break into the Lady’s throne room,” the gray dwarf said, turning and squarely blocking the corridor.
“We don’t have time for this,” Arbor muttered, setting Kya down. “Stay back. I’ll handle it.”
Kya seemed nervous but nodded, doing as she was told and stepping back to allow him room to maneuver. In close confines like the tunnel, the glaive would be a bad idea, so Arbor drew the falchion instead.
The other dwarves still seemed confused, drawing the weapons hesitantly and looking around to try and spot the phantom intruders.
“Do you really think you can get past me?” the gray dwarf asked, spreading his arms wide. “I was bestowed with the—”
The dwarf was summarily cut off as his head was removed from his shoulders, Arbor flashing in and lopping it off at the neck. The others shouted in alarm as their leader fell but couldn’t react in time as Arbor removed their heads as well. He was quick and efficient, the cleaver blade glowing white-hot as its enchantment was activated, cutting through the dwarven patrol in a handful of seconds.
“Good,” Arbor said, sheathing his weapon. “Let’s keep moving.”
Kya didn’t say a word as he scooped her up once more and continued running. The rest of the dwarven patrols were easily avoided, no more of the gray dwarves making an appearance. By the time they made it to the end of the tunnel, Arbor had managed to not get into any more fights.
He didn’t hesitate for a moment as he reached the blank wall, lashing out with a powerful kick and using his momentum to shatter the thin stone plate and dash into the throne room.
He took everything in in an instant. There was a cage on the far side of the room, with three familiar faces trapped within. It seemed that Ramona had been right, and they’d walked right into a trap.
There were some fifty dwarves in the room as well, along with one of the gray ones. But his eyes were fixed squarely on the throne itself, perched on a raised dais.
Karria sat there, dressed in scale armor that clung tightly to her body. He barely recognized her, as she’d grown so much in their time apart. She now looked less like the little girl he’d left back in Woods’ Clearing, and more like the woman she would soon be. But despite those changes, she was still his little sister.
Even the cold look in her eyes and the contemptuous sneer on her face couldn’t change that. What surprised him most was what was next to Karria. Lounging on the dais, its massive head larger than the entire throne, sat a monstrous lion. By the description, he had to assume this was the Mythic Lion, which would explain why the Gila lizards were acting so strange.
Its fur was dark, making the rainbow-colored mane stand out in stark contrast. Its eyes were a deep amber, seeming to glow from dark sockets. And yet, something about this creature didn’t feel entirely right. It was as though it weren’t real somehow. It didn’t exude the same crushing presence as the other Mythic Beasts he’d come across, and while he could tell it was dangerous, his senses weren’t screaming as they normally did.
“Karria!” Arbor yelled as her head whipped around at the disturbance. “Stop this right now! This isn’t you!”
Karria’s eyes went wide as saucers as she saw him. She’d clearly been in the middle of speaking when he’d entered – likely tormenting his three comrades – and her mouth sat half-open in shock.
“Arbor?” she exclaimed, the look of contempt leaving her face.
Just for a moment, Arbor saw his darling sister as a wide, goofy smile stretched across her lips. The cold and calculating look vanished from her eyes, and her entire body seemed to relax. Then, just as quickly, the tyrant in control reasserted itself.
The warmth fled in an instant, and the monster returned.
“No,” she said, her lips drawing to a hard line. “This is somehow coming from you,” she continued, speaking to Kya as Arbor set her down. “You’re more dangerous than even I realized. But not to worry, I’ll make sure you don’t leave this place alive this time. Especially after using such a dirty trick.”
She flicked her wrist, and the massive creature lounging near her rose smoothly to its feet. Finally, Arbor could see what was wrong with it as he switched to his Mage Sight. While the creature hummed with magic, he could see a slim tether, one made of rainbow-colored light, running from the lion to Karria.
It was a construct made of magic, which told him that Karria was much further along than he’d been led to believe. Creating a creature of this magnitude and complexity could not have been easy, which just showed how formidable this person really was.
“You’re not Karria,” Arbor said, reaching back and drawing his glaive. “But not to worry, after I get rid of you, she’ll be back to stay.”
“Get us out of this cage!” Grak yelled as the lion charged, its mouth opening wide and unleashing a deafening roar.
The roar itself gave the lion away as a fake, even if its outward appearance didn’t. Arbor had heard the roars of big cats before, and this wasn’t it. Karria might have known how it sounded, but it seemed that reproducing that sound wasn’t as easy as creating this monstrosity. However, as Arbor clashed with the creature, it became quite apparent that it was no pushover.
It was strong, far stronger than he’d expected it to be.
He winced as he spun his glaive into a block, using both arms to brace and flooding his body with Perception magic. His feet tore furrows in the stone floor as he was driven back and he felt his recently healed arm twinge in pain, letting him know that it still wasn’t up to taking a whole lot of punishment.
“Take care of that elf. Make sure she doesn’t leave here alive.”
The order was said so casually that Arbor didn’t even register what was happening until he saw the dwarven soldiers charging toward Kya, who’d been slowly backing toward the cage. The elf let out a yelp, then turned to run, making for the cage as quickly as she could.
Arbor tried to disengage from the lion, but the construct bore down on him, forcing his attention back to the battle at hand. He growled, flooding both his arms and legs with even more magic, more than he’d ever used before. His Origin pulsed once, twice, three times. Then, a flood of power came as he entered the 12th Tier.
He yelled, feeling the excess strength flood through him as his power surged. Arbor shoved back, muscles rippling and bulging beneath his armor, and tossed the oversized cat clean off its feet.
He felt a distinct sense of satisfaction as the monster inhabiting Karria’s body seemed to be in shock. Clearly, she hadn’t expected him to be this strong. The surprise didn’t last for long though, as her own magic flared, more power flowing from her body, through the bond with the construct, and into the creature itself.
It changed before his eyes, armored plating covering its hide, its claws lengthening. Its tail grew a two-foot long shimmering blade, and the blade itself flickered with a white fire. Even as he felt his own power surge, hers did as well, taking her to the next Tier.
