Elemental Ascension, page 20
“Go,” she told him, smiling. “We're right behind you.”
Ash ran for the door and flung it open, then charged down the wooden staircase and straight into the centre of the men. Deerbolt hammered on Cage and Crane's bedroom doors, and rallied the others.
“Reverie, stay here,” she instructed. “Kite...”
“On it,” he said, drawing his arrows and setting them by the doorway. “I'll cover you.”
He crouched at the top of the wooden staircase and listened intently to the battle below. But it was difficult to determine who was on their side unless Ash himself called for him to target somebody specifically; Kite would follow Ash's voice, then let loose an arrow. Without his sight, it was impossible to judge if men would step in the way—trust in one another was vital, and Kite trusted Ash would guide his aim. Everyone wore the same armour, and everyone carried the same weapons, so even for Ash, determining allies was difficult. They were all equally matched, but divided by what Ash told Riley about Zarro's plans for Dragonborn. Some still followed his idiocy.
Deerbolt nodded at her First Mate. “Sarronious, grab your halberd.”
“Aye, Captain!”
With Reverie safely inside, though peeping anxiously through the window at the bedlam below, the others joined Ash in the fight. They clashed swords with any who swung at them, hoping they were foes and recognised their party as outsiders. Deerbolt was almost stricken with the butt of a huge axe dripping at the other end in someone's blood, but another Guardsman stepped between her and its force, using his blade to block the attempt on her life. She hollered and ran at another man attacking Cage, but Crane was already on the assailant's back, choking him from behind and crushing his ribs with his strong thighs. So, Deerbolt chose another course, and followed Riley out of the main street, chasing a small group of stragglers making a run for safety.
Out of breath, Riley paused and put his hands on his knees. He pointed between two thatched buildings and Deerbolt nodded.
They went that way.
Unable to tell her more, Deerbolt slapped him between his shoulders and took off. She picked up the pace when she caught sight of one up ahead. The group made haste through the trees and disappeared into foliage, through a wall of deep greens and glints of emerald in the sunlight. Deerbolt followed them without so much as a backward glance to check Riley had caught up, and she bolted through and leapt over anything and everything in her way. Dew and twigs mangled her hair, tearing at her braid and her clothing. But, she didn't care. These men were leaving via this way for a reason, and she prayed they were about to lead her to the most sacred place on the island. By heading to protect it they had inexplicably given away the egg's location.
Ash ran his sword through one last Guardsman. He scanned his surroundings but couldn't see Deerbolt anywhere.
He called to Sarronious who huffed, “That way, behind you,” as he was still in an intricate halberd-sword fight.
Behind them were only a few buildings, then nothing but the jungle. And the terrain was a steep, uneven incline. Ash left the clang of metal and drum of boots behind and set his sights on a small pathway between two buildings on the edge of the village, which led to the trees. He didn't remember the road from his days as a serving Guardsman, but in ten years they had rebuilt and added many new huts and shacks. He was lucky to still have his bearings.
From memory, Ash knew at the top of the hill, though it was approximately one mile away from the village, was an ancient structure resembling a temple with two smooth marble pillars framing the entry, one black and one white. On the door, Ash pictured a beautiful woman beneath a huge full moon. Howling in the distance behind the woman were two unrecognisable beasts, one darker. The door was wooden but thick and heavy, and carved with other pretty borders and symbols—Ash mostly remembered there were stars and trees in the background, too. Ash had never entered the temple, because it was a sacred place where only the Oracle and the leaders of Dragonborn were permitted to go. Sometimes, they would post a guard or two on the door, but they were never advised what was inside. Ash assumed Dragons used to meet there, or it was where the Oracle slept, having not been assigned quarters in the village or with the other men at the barracks.
He continued his chase, identifying Deerbolt's path by the flattened ground, the occasional muddy boot print and some snapped bushes. Somebody had been through here, if not her. At his speed, he couldn't be sure if the prints were her size or a Guardsman's.
Halfway, Ash felt the strain on his limbs and his pounding heart wanted to burst from his chest. It drummed and pumped furiously, sending adrenaline through his veins to spur him on. But the curse was definitely getting the better of him; his vision doubled and he had to catch his breath, but he struggled on. Deerbolt was alone out there, somewhere.
He staggered into a small clearing and found Riley, listening for Deerbolt's shouts, or the clang of metal on metal. Nothing.
“I lost her,” he told Ash, racing to help him sit. “You look... terrible.”
“Thanks, I feel great.”
Ash re-adjusted the satchel's strap to prevent it from cutting into the skin on his neck. The book was leather-bound and very heavy, but he didn't want to hide it or leave the only weapon he had against his enemies with a Guardsman he had only known for a day.
“What happened back there?”
“Rebellion,” Riley explained, offering Ash a drink of water. “I did as I promised and spread the word, but not all the men believed me.”
“How many are on our side?” Ash asked.
“Enough.”
“We hope.”
“I know,” he said confidently. “Can you continue in your state? The temple isn't far.”
“Deerbolt can handle herself, and I'm fine,” Ash assured him.
He struggled to his feet and gestured for Riley to lead the way. It wasn't far, and when they arrived on scene, Deerbolt was examining the temple's intricate etchings as if nothing else existed around her. One of the men she had been chasing lay motionless at the bottom of the stone steps leading up to the temple's entrance, but the others were nowhere around.
“Are you alright?” Ash asked.
Deerbolt jumped, then grinned. “You scared me! I'm unharmed, don't worry about me.”
“He put up a fight?” Riley jabbed a thumb at the unconscious Guardsman; he noted he was still breathing and there wasn't any blood.
“Aye, but he got distracted. I hit him over the head. He's alive.”
Riley scowled. “Distracted by what?”
“Something in there,” she said, placing a palm on one of the marble structures.
Ash stood back and looked up. There were no windows or vents above them, no keyholes or handles of any kind. The surface was shiny and cool. The white pillar on the right was laced with black from the pillar on the left, where Ash was standing, observing their surroundings. From here, they were unable to see the village, but they could hear echoes and cries from the valley occasionally when the birds ceased chirping. The Cerulean Grace was surrounded by fast-moving figures, and a second ship flying the Order's seal was moored off-shore.
“The crew are fighting the Guard, and the Order have found us,” Riley said. “We should get back and join them.”
“Not yet; not if what's in this temple could help Kite and Reverie. But, how do we get inside?” Ash asked Deerbolt.
“My crew can hold their own. These doors are bolted and there doesn't appear to be any other entrance. Focus on getting us inside.”
“Didn't you see where the other men went?”
“Sorry,” she said, “they were long gone. I think that guy was their lookout, or a straggler. I searched his pockets before I came up here, and he didn't have any papers or hidden weapons. All I could find were a few clear jewels. I didn't realise Guardsmen were paid for their service.”
“We're not,” Riley said. “Everything is provided. Our service is payment for our lodging, food and the occasional tankard of ale.”
“No keys, either. Have you ever been inside this temple, Riley?”
He turned to Ash, equally as puzzled. “It is forbidden!”
Deerbolt grinned. “Then there must be another way in. We have to find it, and quickly. Kite and Reverie are still in the village, and I don't know how long Sarronious and the others can fend off Zarro's Guardsmen. My crew are strong but outnumbered. We need to move quickly.”
They split up—Deerbolt and Ash searched to the left of the temple and Riley went to the right. They agreed to walk the perimeter, examine any windows and doorways, then meet in the middle at the other side. Luckily, it seemed someone walked these paths frequently, because the ground was firm and clear here, and the trees had been cut back to allow enough room for Ash and the Captain to stride alongside one another. So far, though, there were only walls without grooves or foot holes to climb.
They rounded the corner to be met by Riley, who sighed and asked, “Anything?”
Ash grunted. “Nothing. Keep going, we may have missed something.”
They agreed to work their way back, retracing the others' steps, until they met once again at the pillars.
“There must be a way in.”
Ash walked up to the door and pressed his palm to it, defeated.
“Wait, someone's coming. Hide!”
Suddenly, the front of the building rumbled. The wooden doorway slid open. Ash drew his longsword and waved for Riley to duck. The door took several minutes, and it ground against the floor; Ash knew how old the temple must be and it was down to a lack of maintenance or decay in the mechanism. Once open fully, Ash glared into the dark abyss within. From outside, his eyes couldn't adjust, and he dare not light a fireball to risk giving away their location.
Deerbolt stifled a gasp when she saw the Oracle emerging. His face was stern, and his eyes narrow. Robes in brightly dyed colours adorned his skinny frame, but it wasn't his attire that startled her or his bare feet, nor seeing, potentially, the only being connected with the God of Universal Energy for the first time. In his frail, bony hands, the Oracle was carrying an emerald-coloured, scaly Dragon egg. Ash's eyes widened too at the sight. It wasn't the egg he thought he once saw, so he couldn't be sure if this, too, was a decoy. From afar, he studied it—the way the Oracle cradled it made Ash wonder. It certainly looked precious and delicate. But his teachings always said Dragon eggs were sturdy and impenetrable to keep the creature inside safe and warm. If it was true, though, where was the flame? Surely without it, the Dragon would die?
Ash and Deerbolt's gazes moved swiftly from the egg to Riley, who had decided to challenge the Oracle for its possession without warning. He stood before the Oracle at the base of the stairs, pointing his longsword.
Ash sighed and rolled his eyes. “Fool.”
“Take it back,” Riley ordered.
The Oracle said nothing, but his fingers curled tightly around the egg's rough surface. Control of the egg and the Dragon inside was his primary objective, and handing it over to a lowly Guardsman who had no authority over his actions seemed... unlikely. On closer inspection, Ash saw the Oracle's fingers were reddening and slick with sweat.
“Put it down, Oracle,” Riley ordered again.
“This does not concern you, boy.” His tone was gruff but quaky.
Ash recognised it immediately; this was the same Oracle he'd faced ten years ago on the coastal wall. Older now, he still held his head with pride and power, and Ash was sure he'd rather die than accept defeat and be taken prisoner by his own men.
“So, this is where you and Zarro were hiding it,” Riley said, walking toward the Oracle.
He took the first step with caution, then moved up the second and third. Closer to the egg, he could see its intricate details—no two scales were the same, and it shone when the light reflected off its surface, casting pretty green patterns across the stone and the Oracle's attire.
“You are interrupting an important ceremony. Get out of the way.”
“I can't,” Riley said. “We have to return the egg to the flame or soon, that Dragon will die. It is our job.”
“No, boy. It is your job.”
“But... I... I don't understand! You're a Guardsman just like me. Why would you want to murder our last chance for a new Dragon age? Why risk the existence of Alchemy?” When the Oracle didn't respond, Riley added, “You're a Seer! You don't believe in the Order's creation story; you know with that Dragon egg's death or by extinguishing its flame all Alchemy will disappear from the Land. Your powers...”
“Will no longer burden me,” he said. Slyly, he grinned. “His torture is too much for me to bare, boy. This is the only way. Now, stand aside!”
“NO!”
Ash leapt from the shadows and joined Riley. They climbed another step together and raised their weapons.
Deerbolt slammed her fist in the dirt and cursed Ash under her breath.
Not you, too, she thought, we should have waited and followed him. Ash had jumped the gun to save Riley's life, because he wouldn't allow the Oracle to pass. It was move out of the way or die by the Oracle's creepy hand. If he fought, the egg might come to some harm.
Ash had weighed up the lesser evil, and chose to defend Riley.
“You!”
Ash's mouth upturned as he gave a bow. “Surprise!”
Chapter Nineteen
Legacy
The Oracle seethed when he saw Ash's broad frame appear from the foliage to join his comrade. Ten years ago, he thought he'd dealt with the Elemental by telling their leaders of his secret abilities, then causing his banishment. Not a day went by when the Oracle didn't think of Ash; in his mind, he'd taken the life of an innocent Guardsman to protect his own secret—something he no longer wanted.
Despite all that, the Oracle now wished the God of Universal Energy gone from his body and consciousness. No matter what he did or how hard he tried, his soul always returned to plague and control him. For a while, he'd be able to fight off the mental and physical torture of having one so powerful share his existence, but no more. The God's influence was strengthening every day, therefore weakening the Oracle's.
He wished he could apologise to Ash and even beg for forgiveness and help. Perhaps a Tetrad wasn't only capable of extinguishing a sacred flame, but could permanently extinguish a terrifying God? No, Universal Energy would sense his intentions and punish him.
“How are you still alive?” the Oracle grumbled, more through shock than anger at Ash's return. “I cursed you. I banished you!”
“Evidently, you could not kill me. Now put the egg back, Oracle. You know this is wrong.”
“My hands are tied,” he said, glaring at the egg's surface. His palms were now turning purple against the heat, and sweat coated his brow.
This must be the real egg, Deerbolt thought as she witnessed their argument from the treeline. He's taken it directly off the flame with his bare hands. Who would be so reckless to cause themselves great pain, and why?
“Give it to me,” Ash said, “and I'll put it back where it belongs.” He reached out, but the Oracle flinched and stepped back toward the temple's doorway. “If you won't give me the egg, then at least tell us why you're doing this.”
The Oracle's eyes flashed to the side, assessing how far the safety of the temple was from his position on the top step. Though they were now obscured by moss and other vegetation, the stone stairs wound further down the hill and deep into the jungle, ending beneath a large archway, tall enough to accommodate a Dragon's horns and wings. Once, the path had been trodden only by Dragons, heading to the temple to worship the Gods who gave them life and Alchemy. Some of the lower steps were dented by their weight, and others were cracked. Though, to the Guardsmen, it appeared they were simply old and unkempt.
Ash sheathed his sword and reached out to the Oracle.
“Please,” he said gently, “we only wish to understand.”
“You could never.”
“Let us try,” Riley said, “because we can help you fulfil whatever duty you're bound to and save the egg.”
“What were you doing in the temple? Why do you have the egg? Is the flame still burning?” Ash asked.
“My hands are tied, boy,” the Oracle snapped.
His eyes widened then, and Ash narrowed his in response. It sounded like the Oracle he once knew, for sure. Stubborn. Argumentative. Selfish. Arrogant. But, that expression was one of pleading, and of vulnerability.
“Tied how? By whom?” Ash quizzed, slowly and carefully moving further up the stairs to avoid spooking the Oracle into a retreat. “By the God of Universal Energy—he's controlling you, isn't he?”
“I am blessed by his presence,” the Oracle said.
His mouth moved, but his eyes were fear-stricken and panicked. His arms were shaking beneath the weight of the egg now, and his slippery fingers were wriggling to keep tight hold of the precious cargo. Ash wanted to reach out and relieve him of the burden, not only to save the egg but to aid this frail old man before him.
“You are not the man you were,” he said.
The Oracle said nothing in response, so Riley sheathed his sword too and together, he and Ash walked forward against the Oracle's orders and protests. He backed up into the temple doorway and stood just inside; the door didn't close, nor did he seem to attempt to close it. Suddenly, the key down Ash's shirt illuminated. The electric blue light shone through his layers of clothing and brightened the gloomy, cavernous space they faced.
Seeing this, the Oracle turned and ran. He fled into the temple. The door began to close once again. Ash lunged and squeezed through, grazing his back and chest, leaving Riley and Deerbolt outside.
The key lit Ash's path. The temple wasn't a place of worship at all; when he looked around and examined what appeared to be stone monuments and statues of past Dragons, he was stunned to find they were actually graves, where the bones of powerful Alchemical creatures and their families had been laid to rest. The original four Dragons birthed from the original eggs were inside, somewhere, and Ash longed to find their tombs to pay his respects. But there were more imminent problems at hand.
