The Homecoming (Stonecrusher Legacy Book 3), page 17
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Waldorf
Hrothgar said it would take us a few hours to get to the checkpoint cavern, but after we ran into several goblin raid parties, our travel time expanded to five hours.
Tempress is right. It feels much better to be the hunter rather than the hunted. The first group of goblins is small, and we dispatch them quickly. The second group is more extensive and has another troglodyte. We rid the world of their evil, chase a few strays into their tunnel, and fight them on their side of the granite.
The third group is large and involves several troglodytes and many goblins. We push them back while our caravan rolls onward and fully enters their realm. Cutrara and Themdaemora fire many spells after them as they run for their lives, while Mallick siphons with reckless abandon.
After the third skirmish, our spirits are at an all-time high. Hrothgar and the warriors sing a dwarven victory song, and the clan ladies join in. I only know a few lines, but we sing until we reach the checkpoint cavern.
Our wagons have no difficulty maneuvering inside the oversized space, and Hrothgar quickly has the horses and wagons settled along the far wall.
Elves and dwarves cast light spells to ensure every nook and cranny gets inspected for hidden goblins or tunnel openings.
Hrothgar guides people to where they should deposit their gear. “This was originally planned as a checkpoint along the route from Stonecrusher. It’s large enough to house up to two hundred dwarven soldiers. There are also fail-safe devices to create a blockade.”
Mal bounces excitedly after our battle in Forgefire Passage. He’s full of post-fighting energy and punches the air. “What a butt-whooping! After the thrashing we gave those goblins, we won’t need to worry about a counterattack for a while.”
“You did well, young Berylshield,” Nicodaemus praises. “Again, I caution you on summoning your gaverek until you’ve mastered its feeding on your vitality.”
“Sure, but I bet it looked amazing, the way I swooped over and drained them, then kept flying. I was surprised I didn’t affect the troglodytes, though. I got no vitality from them, and they never moved, even when I went above them and yelled ‘Boo.’ The goblins scurried like rats from a bag of cats, which was fantastic, but the troglodytes didn’t even blink.” Mallick’s animated storytelling improves each time he talks about it.
“Mal, my brother, you were great today. Word of advice—when you yell ‘Boo’ next time, make sure your allies aren’t within hearing range.”
Mallick nods, then turns to Inchel and Yassine. “Yeah, that was my error, lads. I’m sorry about that. I got a little excited. I’m glad you made it out all right.”
Yassine and Inchel lean against the wall, still shaken but smiling. “It’s okay, Mallick,” Yassine reassures him. “We’ll work out a plan for the next battle.” He smiles and waves.
Mal’s still bouncing with energy. “Brother, I’ve gotta say, I love that we’re not running from battles. What possessed you to change tactics?”
“A valid question.” I stand in my stirrups on Maggie and survey our people. My people. “Folks,” I shout. “Mallick asked me why I chose to stand and fight to the end rather than defend and flee. I’m sure a few of you thought of the same question.”
Heads nod as they focus on me.
“My reason is simple. We ran from Brackenbuell. We ran from King Elraith’s hunters. We fought against the king’s army, then fled Ahn’Ziu. Running from goblins and troglodytes was the last straw for me.”
The cavern is silent.
“Clan Stonecrusher runs no more!” I shout as I raise my weapons in the air. “From now on, our adversaries run from us! Clan Stonecrusher and our allies run toward battles, not away.”
The granite cavern walls shake with the cheers of our people.
I gesture at Hrothgar and the warriors gathered near him. “We have the fiercest fighters, and it’s time we pushed back on those who underestimate our resolve. Clan Stonecrusher is no longer easy pickings.”
The cheers continue for a minute before everyone gets back to work.
I track down one of my advisors on the Forgefire Passage. “Hrothgar, can we close the tunnel we came from?”
“The engineers designed the cavern to do that as a defensive measure, but it will take quite an effort to reopen it.”
“Such is the way with blockades, I suppose. Let’s do it, please. We’ll block off one entrance into this cavern, and post watches at the other.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Hrothgar walks to the cavern wall near the opening and runs his hands along the granite. A grinding noise follows, then a massive granite slab slides into place, blocking the tunnel entrance. “Moving that slab will take more than a few stone troglodytes.” Hrothgar chuckles as he pats the piece of granite and walks away.
The team scouting the Forgefire Passage breaks into their groups and resumes their search. Everyone embraces their purpose and knows their role.
Mallick finishes saying hello to his girlfriend before she begins her healing duties, then runs to catch up with his group.
At least he’s not flying.
“That was quite a change in attitude, Chief,” the grand mage remarks as he leans against the wall beside me.
“Yes, Temp pointed out a few things that made me question my approach to how I lead. The basis of her argument hinges on us being the hunted versus the hunter.”
“It sounds like an interesting discussion.”
“It was, and it made me realize we accepted being bullied because it was our life for three decades. For Mal and me, it’s all we ever knew. No longer. We have our magic back, we’ve built strong alliances, and several of us have unique gifts.”
The grand mage looks at me and grins. “Then I’m glad the princess had that conversation. The champion of Alghar shouldn’t be running from fights, especially when he has the preeminent healer by his side.”
“Not to mention Mallick the necromancer. He’s grown into his power of late.”
Nick folds his hands. “Those are all valid points, Chief, although if I’m honest, I still have concerns about Mallick.”
“Concerns? He’s the most upstanding guy I know.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Mallick’s a dwarf I’m sure you’ve counted on over the years.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s necromancy, his past, and his connection with Mellefleure. Any one of these is dangerous to a person on its own, but all three happening to one fellow are catastrophic. I truly hope Mallick is as strong of character as you believe, or else we are doomed.”
“That seems melodramatic, Nick. Surely, you would be able to control him.”
Nick scoffs. “Give him a few years, and Mallick will surpass my talent. I sensed it when we first met. His gift is truly extraordinary.”
“That’s a good thing. Having a friend like Mallick who wields such a unique gift will benefit us all.”
“You’re forgetting about the other two factors. Mallick’s past is already trying to influence his future, and Mellefleure is helping it along, chaotic witch that she is.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Mellefleure taught our young necromancer the spell that summons a gaverek from that nether space between Zulgouq Khaud and here. It voraciously consumes Mallick's vitality as soon as it reaches our plane of existence. However, if the gaverek drains him completely—”
“Mal dies. I get it.”
“It’s worse than that! Mallick and the gaverek switch places, giving the specter new life. He becomes the dwarf he was before he died while our friend roams the world between here and the Basin of the Soulless forever.”
My chest tightens at the thought that my best friend, one of the nicest dwarves ever, could suffer such a fate.
Nick steps closer and speaks so only I can hear. “The worst twist is that Mellefleure arranged for Mallick’s gaverek to be his long-dead great-great uncle, Khrozan the Defiler.”
My mind reels. “How does Mellefleure live with herself after executing an act so vile? Have you told this to Mal?”
Nick shakes his head, his mane of curls flopping around. “Not yet. I hoped to ease him into the life of a necromancer through proper training. If I bombard him with rules and information, he might become frustrated, and instead of being careful, he’ll take a shortcut, and we’ll lose him to the evil side of necromancy.”
“By taking a shortcut, do you mean to accept a spell from a powerful, unknown entity named Mellefleure? Forgive me for saying so, but your plan has already backfired.”
Nick sighs with resignation. “Your point is taken. As soon as he returns, I will talk to him openly about necromancy.”
“I think you should tell him everything about that, Mellefleure, and his dead relative. That’s a good start. Maybe I’ll join you.”
“As chief, you should. Thanks for the talk, Waldorf. Everyone needs a little guidance from time to time. If you’ll excuse me, I have a few matters to attend to before we settle in for the evening.”
“Happy to help, Nick. I’ll see you soon.”
I scan the cavern for Temp and see her working with Henna and Raviren against the back wall.
Maggie, I need to talk to Temp, and I can’t ride you through the entire camp. Can I meet you at that exit in a few minutes?
Of course.
The cavern seems darker with my armor dismissed, but the light spells offset most of it. Everyone smiles and waves as I walk by, and many congratulate me on our victory. Several tell me how much they preferred attacking for a change.
I guess we were all tired of running.
Temp illuminates her teaching area with one of her light blue glow balls, giving her enough light to see but not enough to destroy dark vision. Raviren and Gherta sit beside Henna, who reclines on a makeshift bed, playing the role of patient. All three intently listen as Temp demonstrates her healing skills.
“Before Father and Oghark imprisoned me, I occasionally traveled the countryside to heal needy people. Mother and I considered it a way to build relationships with other races.”
“Because the other races don’t have healers?” Henna asks.
“They did, but at the risk of sounding arrogant, they weren’t as strong in healing as me. The best advice I always gave them was to use the Delve spell. It’s a healer’s best friend, but most avoid using it.”
Gherta repositions herself on her knees. “Really? My mentor said it was redundant. If you cast heal, it takes care of everything.”
Henna nods from her prone position. “The master healer always said our greatest diagnostic tool is to listen to our patients.”
“It is important to listen to your patients, Henna. And Gherta, your statement reflects the thoughts of most healers. In their defense, they’re not completely wrong. A strong healing spell will repair wounds and illnesses well enough. My point is that most healers are unaware they can shape their magic, giving it more potency against a specific ailment.”
“I can?” Gherta gasps.
“Indeed. Remember when I purged the mushroom poison from you?”
“How could I forget? It’s the day I regained my magic.”
“Exactly. When I completed my healing, you said ‘you were the best you’ve been in ages.’”
“I remember. I figured it was because you forced the poison out.”
“That’s part of the reason. I could tell you were a powerful caster, and I wanted to give us the best chance of escape, so I layered in my Delve spell while I purged.”
“You can layer spells on top of each other?” Raviren asks, astonished.
“I can, and you can too, with practice. My point is that my simple Delve spell discovered extensive damage to Gherta’s body due to disease, age, and decades of malnourishment. I knew one spell wouldn’t heal the damage inside Gherta while I focus-healed for the poison, so I layered in different healing spells tailored to her other ailments. It’s why I was exhausted afterward.”
Gherta muses, “Princess, I never knew this was possible. It opens new avenues of healing once we learn the technique.”
“I’m glad you’re excited. Learning isn’t easy, but you’ll become a much better healer once you understand the process. As always, the first step is to practice casting Delve and learn to translate the information it gives you. Practice casting on each other and discuss your findings. I’ll be back after an important meeting with the chief.”
Her students roll their eyes and giggle.
She jogs over and holds both my hands while kissing the end of my nose. “You were incredible today, tough guy. I’m very proud of you. The change to your leadership approach has lightened many people’s hearts. Good job.”
“Thanks. It feels good to stand up and fight back. Thank you for kicking me in the butt and making me realize what I need to do. You’re amazing.”
“I am, you’re right.” She giggles. “What’s our next move? Are we charging ahead toward Stonecrusher, or do you have another plan?” Temp leads me toward her students. “If everything is okay, we’ll take a quick walk around the cavern.”
Gherta looks up and smiles. “We’ll be a while, Princess. Enjoy the quiet time, and we’ll see you in a bit.”
We walk away from the crowds. “Nicodaemus and I are going to have a conversation with Mallick. Nick believes Mellefleure’s interference with our necromancer is more than a passing fancy.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know anything for sure, but Nick knows more than what he’s said, and he agreed we will talk about it with Mallick later.”
“Do you mind if I’m there? I want to listen, and maybe I can offer insight from an elven perspective.”
“I’m sure Nick won’t mind. I’ll mention it.”
Tempress pauses our walk to scratch Mongolesku’s ear as he sleeps, reclined beside her bedroll.
“He seems to enjoy his new life with you.”
Temp hugs his furry neck, kisses his head, and rejoins me to continue our walk. “I hope he does. He seems happy, which is all we can hope for.”
Gherta waves her arms feverishly at Temp and me to get our attention.
Well, who’s kidding who? She wants Temp.
We hustle over to the three ladies-in-training. “What’s going on, girls?” Temp asks.
“I found an abnormality!” Gherta exclaims. “We need your help deciphering what it is.”
Temp dashes over, dragging me by the hand. “That was quick. What did you find?”
“I was casting Delve as you told us, and I felt her insides were wrong, if that makes sense.”
“I understand completely. That’s how Delve’s information begins. First, you get a sense, then you find a problem, then you find the cause.”
“That’s exactly how it worked. I sensed Henna wasn’t as healthy as she could be. It was only a feeling, so I looked deeper, and I think I found the problem. I don’t know the cause yet, but I thought I should involve you.”
“Good call. Henna, has anyone ever cast Delve on you before?” Temp asks the terrified young lady.
“We never used it in Brackenbuell, and I’ve never been injured or ill since we left. At least, not bad enough that would require a healer to do an exploratory.”
“Do you mind if I take a look?” Temp holds Henna’s hand.
“I would appreciate it.”
Temp gets comfortable and casts her spell as she places a hand on Henna’s forehead and the other on her stomach. She hums as she kneels with her eyes closed, occasionally rocking and other times sitting perfectly still.
“Hmm. Gherta’s found an abnormality, all right, Henna. Many of your internal organs are damaged, and from the feeling I’m getting, this has been going on for a long time.”
Henna sits upright. “Am I going to die?”
Temp smiles and gently flattens Henna back down. “Not at all. I can repair the damage, but I need to figure out what’s causing it. Can you think of what would damage your entire system?”
“No idea whatsoever. Do I have a disease?”
“I don’t think so. I’m unaware of any disease that damages each of your organs the same way.”
“Could it be a rare disease only Brackenbuell dwarves get?” Raviren asks.
Temp shakes her head, her braids brushing her shoulders as she kneels. “I’ve never heard of clan-specific diseases, although I suppose it’s possible.”
Temp remains still for several moments. “Every part of your body seems affected, but I don’t know why. I can heal it, but it will return unless we find the source.”
Henna’s tears roll quietly down her cheeks. “When I left Brackenbuell, did I deprive my body of minerals I need to survive?”
“You have the right idea, I think. It might be an environmental influence, but I doubt leaving Brackenbuell is the cause. Let’s cast Delve on each other, looking for the same organ damage. I’ll pair up with Henna, and you two inspect each other.”
Henna casts her Delve spell and closes her eyes to concentrate. After several minutes, she completes her examination of me. “You’re healthy, Princess.”
“We’re both good, as well,” Gherta says.
I touch Temp’s shoulder. “Should I call Mallick back from the passage? I’m sure we can find another soldier to protect Mom and Arrubella.”
Henna looks at me. “If I’m going to die, I want him by my side.”
Temp holds Henna’s hands. “You’re not dying. We’ve almost figured it out. It’s not a disease, or at least not one I’ve encountered, and you’re the only one with it that we know of.”
Gherta stands. “Princess, how do you think it’s getting into Henna’s body? It has to be either through her skin, breathed in, or consumed in drink or food.”
Temp stands. “Let’s start with skin. It’s either soap or clothing.”
Henna twirls her ring around her finger. “I received all new clothes since we left, so it can’t be that. New belt, boots, and so on. I use the same soap as everyone else when I wash.”
Temp nods. “We can rule out soap and clothes and probably breathing.”
Henna chuckles. “I breathe the same air as you.”
