The Tide of Unmaking, page 30
part #3 of Berinfell Prophesies Series
“Exactly,” Kiri Lee nodded.
“Everyone, think,” Tommy instructed. “Let’s see if we can narrow these down using Kiri Lee’s logic. Look for anything unusual.” The team spread out, examining each of the gates.
Suddenly one of the portals that had been flickering suddenly disappeared with a loud pop.
“I didn’t do it!” said Jimmy, stepping back from the rock wall the portal had covered just seconds before. The team gathered around him.
“What was it doing just before it vanished?” Tommy asked.
“Uh, it was just flickering.”
“And look,” Kiri Lee knelt down. “Tracks.”
“Frequent use of this portal would make it unstable, right?” asked Taeva.
“Yeah,” Tommy said. “I think we have ourselves a winner.”
As if catering to his proclamation, the portal burst back to life.
“Still wasn’t me,” said Jimmy with his hands up.
“Anyone want to guess what part of Earth this one spits us out in?” asked Johnny.
The team stepped out of the portal, the trip not nearly as long or as violent as many of them remembered. Even Bengfist was relieved not to have experienced the same nauseating torment his last trip availed him.
Tommy looked around at the cave-like hallway they stood in. “I’m not sure we went very far,” he said.
“Seems like we’re still in the Coven,” added Taeva. There was a narrow pathway before them, and further down around a curve was more blue light.
“What do you think?” asked Jimmy.
“I think Asp needs to get over his blue light bulb fetish,” said Kat. “That’s my color.”
“It’s a private entrance,” Tommy guessed. “No army is passing through this narrow corridor. You know, like Asp’s personal access route or something.”
“Personal access to what?” Johnny asked.
Tommy withdrew his rychesword and led the way. “Let’s find out. Be on your guard.”
The team moved down the hallway single-file and negotiated the long, sweeping curve soundlessly. The glow grew brighter until the pathway spit them out into a massive, empty hall about ten times the size of the large military aircraft hangers Tommy had seen on the Discovery Channel. At the far end, as wide as four football fields laid end to end, stood the largest portal any of them had ever seen. Row upon row of ordered footprints, which came from the hall’s main entrance in a cavernous, black space to their left, marched right up to the mouth of the portal and disappeared.
“What in the name of Ellos is that?” Bengfist said, even his whisper reverberating around the hall like a pebble bouncing down a canyon wall.
“I think it’s safe to assume that that,” Tommy cleared his throat and pointed to the monstrous enigma, “is Asp’s portal to Earth.”
29: In the Heart of the Beast
THE AIR SIZZLED AND POPPED as eleven figures materialized and stepped out of the blue portal into a massive hall similar to the one they’d just left. Only something felt different. Felt familiar.
“We’re back,” said Kat as they looked around. And none of the other lords needed any further explanation.
Earth.
While the new environment posed no immediate threat, as it seemed utterly empty, they still wished the jump to Earth hadn’t forced them to part with their metallic weaponry. Only Tommy’s bow and dremask-tipped arrows, and Bengfist’s stone warhammer made it through. And while sending even more Allyran presences into Earth could japordize everything, Tommy decided Regis, Mr. Charlie, Bengfist, Jast and Migmar just had join the Seven on their jump here. He needed them. Earth needed them.
“Now that was worse than I remember,” Jimmy said, turning aside to heave on the cave floor. Johnny joined him.
“The big fuss, I’m not sure what it is,” said Migmar. “Much reminds of the morning after a stump stomping, it does.”
“A stump stomping?” asked Kat as she wiped beads of sweat from her forehead.
Regis leaned over. “You don’t want to know.”
“I’m sure I don’t. Thanks,” Kat replied with a wink.
“Let’s keep our voices down and find out where we are,” said Tommy.
The team had already spread out, examining the huge staging hall, when Mr. Charlie summoned the team to a large arch cut out of a side stone wall. Within the next room lay a truly exciting find.
“Would yu’ look at that…” Jimmy whistled.
“An armory!” said Regis. Jimmy liked a woman that found weapons attractive.
Maces, swords, polearms, shields, warhammers, warfangs and warspikes, axes, staves and slash wheels were all neatly ordered along vertical racks along the walls and the middle of the room.
“There must be thousands of pieces in here,” said Bengfist in awe.
“And that’s saying something considering it looks like most of it is gone,” said Tommy. “Look at all the empty racks. Asp has his forces armed to the teeth. Quick, do the same, but stay light.”
“Does that mean I can’t bring two of these?” Bengfist asked, holding up additional warhammers.
“Overlord, you already have one,” said Autumn.
“I know but—”
“Travel light everyone,” Tommy stressed again.
“But these are light!”
Tommy chuckled at Bengfist. “Let’s go.”
Regis, Mr. Charlie, Jast and Migmar felt the most grateful for new weapons at their sides, but it was not overly heartening to any. Perspective showed them all that they were a very small force of soldiers set against an enemy ten-thousand times their number.
The team moved out of the armory and toward the rear of the staging hall. Soon the cave floor began a slow ascent, rising toward an ever-glowing cascade of starlight and the appearance of a full moon. Tommy directed the team to hug the righthand wall, hiding in the shadows. As the team neared the mouth of the cave, Tommy held up a hand. “Migmar, I need some paste.”
“Not yet, Lord Felheart,” said the Gnome. “Venture a look and be right back, I will.” The Gnome stepped past Tommy before the Elven Lord could protest, heading for the open air above.
The rest of the team waited, seeing their breath in the cool night air. The fragrance of pine wafted down from outside, stirring memories for Mr. Charlie and Regis of the night they lost Nelly. Perhaps they were back in Canada once again. It felt oddly familiar.
A few minutes later, Migmar waddled back down the track. “Camped without they were,” he said softly. “All throughout the forest and down the mountainside. Prime enemy stronghold, it is. But gone now, vanished they are.”
“So we’ve come to the right place,” concluded Jimmy.
“Not necessarily,” countered Kiri Lee. “But one would hope. Asp is more than likely with them.”
“We’ll need to explore,” Tommy said. “Stealth will be paramount. Overlord Bengfist, this means we need you to refrain from any urges, no matter how overwhelming, to pummel, grind or pulverize the enemy unless it’s absolutely imperative. Not until I give the order.”
Bengfist looked like a small child who had just been told he couldn’t have cake for a month. “Okay,” he muttered.
“I don’t want to risk breaking up, so let’s stay together,” added Tommy.
Tommy led the way up and out of the cave. Just as Migmar had said, the entire mountainside was a massive encampment. Tens of thousands of Asp’s forces must have been staged under the tall pines, stretching down into a deep valley. The leftovers of their tents and cocoon-like dwellings littered the forest.
“What are you looking for?” asked Taeva.
“I’m not sure,” said Tommy as his eyes surveyed the camp. “But we need to look for clues. Anything that might lead us to Asp’s den, or gives any idea of where he took all this.” Tommy gestured to the camp with a sweep of his arm.
“Lord Felheart,” said Bengfist in his gravely voice from back within the cave. “I think I found something.”
Tommy walked back through his team to where Bengfist stood; the Gwar Overlord indicated a cutout in the side of the cave’s wall. It was a doorway leading to a stairwell carved out of the stone.
“Well done, Overlord,” said Tommy.
“Thank you,” Bengfist smiled. “Ready our weapons?”
“Ready? Yes,” said Tommy, “but do not let fly until I give the order.”
Tommy summoned the rest of the team and they followed him up the winding staircase. Soon they stepped onto a well-traveled path heading straight into the mountain. Small windows carved into the right side of the rock wall gave them a view into the cavernous chamber they’d arrived in far below.
“Observation windows,” Johnny guessed. “To track movement.”
That’s when Tommy heard it.
“Voices. Up ahead.” Kat heard them too.
“Everyone down!” Tommy commanded by whisper.
The team took a knee. “Stay here until we get back. Jimmy and Kat with me.” If they were going to surprise some of Asp’s guards, he wanted to know their thoughts and actions in advance.
The three dark figures used Mandiera and blended in with the cave walls, creeping in the stillness of the shadows. The voices grew louder. The path eventually banked left and opened up into a larger chamber.
“Some sort of command center,” said Kat.
Like a medieval dragon’s lair meets NASA! Jimmy thought back to her.
On the technological extreme, banks of computer monitors filled four entire tables evenly spaced around the center of the room facing away from the middle; each table highlighted a workstation with mouse and keyboard, as well as a joystick, headset and external speakers. A Drefid sat at each table observing the bank of monitors and talking into microphones; multiple voices were coming through over the speakers. Commands, troop placements and objectives it sounded like.
On the medieval extreme, pools of glowing, red water sat on the outside of each table, tendrils of smoke rising up from their surface. “Much like the red mist Regis saw,” Kat imagined. The cords of the computers ran off the backs of the tables and disappeared into the pools.
The most striking feature of all, however, was a giant translucent sphere floating in the middle of the room. It hovered above a pool of water similar to those along the outside, and had etched on it gray horizontal and vertical lines. Within them were the all-too-familiar outlines of Earth’s continents in a glowing orange.
“What is it?” asked Kat.
If I had to guess, replied Tommy, it’s Asp’s central command.
HEY! LISTEN TO THIS! Jimmy’s voice pounded in Kat’s head. She tapped Tommy’s shoulder and pointed to his ear, indicating he pay attention to what was coming next.
“We’ve gained a foothold on the island,” came a deep, rasping voice over the loudspeakers. The Drefids seemed to shake with excitement, their eyes riveted to the computer monitors. “We’re almost to their financial district.”
Ask him whose voice that is, Tommy said to Kat. Kat relayed the question to Jimmy but he simply shrugged his shoulders. Guessing it was Asp, there was only one person in their team who’d heard his voice before. We need Taeva. Quick! said Tommy.
Kat took off running down the hall, her footfalls not more than gentle pats on the stone. She sent thoughts to Taeva as she ran, so the Princess was already moving by the time Kat reached the rest of the team. “You might as well all come,” Kat acknowledged. “There’s going to be some action.”
“All right!” Bengfist growled.
“Please, Overlord!” Kat hissed. “You’ll lose us our element of surprise.”
The Gwar looked to Migmar. “What is this element of surprise?”
“Have it, never you will,” said the Gnome. “So losing it, you shouldn’t be worried of.”
“Ah, I see. Thank you for clarifying.”
The team followed Kat further down the corridor to the mouth of the command chamber. They knelt in the shadows, listening. Kat brought Taeva up next to Tommy; Taeva no sooner knelt down beside him then her face froze. Tommy looked over. Ask her what’s wrong, Kat!
Taeva knew Kat was trying to speak to her, but the voice over the loudspeakers had completely paralyzed her. It was him. The beast that had killed her father. Her mother. Had decimated her people. Women. Children. All of them. It was his voice filling the room. But he was nowhere to be seen.
“It’s Asp, Tommy,” said Kat. “Remember Taeva has no idea about computers; she’s looking for him in the room.”
Tell her something! Don’t let her attack yet.
Kat put a hand on Taeva’s shoulder; she could feel the Princess’s muscles coiled up and ready to spring. “He’s not in here, Taeva.”
Practically perspiring with annoyance, Taeva looked to Kat. What do you mean he’s not in here? I hear him, he must be in the shadows.
“It’s technology,” Kat ventured in a whisper. “Those machines can transfer his voice from anywhere in the world. It sounds like he may be attacking a large city even now. We just needed you to verify it was him.”
“It’s him, all right,” Taeva said. “I’d know his voice anywhere, and I will not forget it until it is silent forever.”
Tommy squinted. Kat, we’ll need to be wary. Vengeance could jeopardize our plans.
“Agreed,” she spoke back into his mind.
We need to act, said Tommy. Kat, tell everyone—especially Bengfist—not to hurt the computers.
“I’m not sure he’ll get that, Tommy.”
Just tell him the tables with all the lights on them, Tommy replied.
Kat nodded and relayed the message. Then Tommy withdrew his bow and knocked an arrow.
“Oh, and Taeva,” Tommy whispered, “your lightning bolts with those computers won’t be a good mix.” Tommy didn’t see her carrying any weapons from the armory.
“I’ve always got a knife,” she whispered and withdrew a blade from her boot. “Found one in the stash downstairs.”
Tommy smiled. He turned back to the rest of the team and held up fingers, counting down from three…
Two…
One…
Tommy’s first arrow sailed across the room to the Drefid seated in the farthest chair. The target toppled forward onto its workstation, a fine trickle of blood escaping from where the fletchings protruded from the Drefid’s temple.
The other three Drefids removed their headphones and looked over at their fallen brother. Only two were able to turn back around and see the insurgent force bounding through the doorway: the third and closest Drefid felt a blade plunge into its back. Taeva stabbed a second time into the spine and then threw it to the ground in a heap, slitting its throat for good measure.
The remaining two Drefids leaped up into the air, their natural response for both evading and surveying assailants. But Johnny was ready; the only time he knew he could use his flames were if and when the beasts got clear of the computers. And this was his chance.
Johnny cupped his hands and projected a small but powerful ball of fire. The meteor rocketed across the chamber and caught one Drefid under the chin in mid air, somersaulting it backwards and onto the floor. It was Autumn who zipped around the room to where the Drefid lay and made sure it never got up again.
The last Drefid would go to Tommy, who’d already nocked and released a second and third arrow, one to the upper abdomen and the other to the side. Both drove deep into the Drefid’s vital organs, and the creature flopped on the ground like a suffocating fish out of water. Taeva finished this Drefid off, too, plunging her boot knife into the creature’s eye.
The Seven and their small band filed into the command center, multiple voices talking over the speakers as if the Drefids were still monitoring them.
“Hey, how come no one left anything for me?” Bengfist complained. He walked up to the first Drefid Taeva had stabbed and dropped his warhammer on its head out of frustration.
“Overlord!” Autumn exclaimed. “Easy. You’ll get your chance.”
“Asp’s command center,” Kiri Lee observed. “Jackpot.”
“Jackpot?” asked Bengfist.
“Shhhh,” said Migmar. “All in time. Years it takes, to learn their vernacular, it does.”
“Let’s have a look,” Tommy said, moving into the center of the room. “What are you up to, Asp?” He slipped into one of the computer terminal chairs that swiveled with his body’s motion. The team filled in the center of the control room, admiring the slowly spinning globe, and then watched Tommy go to work.
Tommy touched the mouse. The pointer moved freely between the dozen monitors before him, each highlighting small video images bordered with lots of text. Coordinates possibly. There were also at least three different command windows with dialog boxes, and drop down menus flooded with options. While Tommy liked to think he was good at video games—at least, he used to be—there was something far more complex about this system than he had the knack for. And within a few minutes, Tommy was frustrated, unable to get the software to do much of anything. More voices were talking over the speakers now, their tone irate.
“Your pardon I beg,” said Migmar, “but a chance I may have?”
“You?” Tommy looked over. But Gnomes did have a way with gadgets, he admitted.
“Understand it, I think I do.”
“You know what,” Tommy swung out of the chair, “knock yourself out.” Just then Benfist stepped forward to intervene. “Not really,” Tommy smiled at the giant.
Migmar adjusted the chair to his height, slipped on the headset, and glanced over the keyboard, mouse and joystick. He cracked his tiny knuckles and then went to work. “Be with you momentarily,” he hissed into the microphone.
“Too nice,” said Kat.
Migmar looked up. “I’m sorry?”
“You’re too nice to be a Drefid,” she said, indicating the mic. “Try again.”
