Chapter Nineteen: BeneficentA Chapter by JakeChapter
Nineteen: Beneficent Vadhyl Tunnels Olaf
lifted his torch, looking around the tunnel for the signpost. Good, there it
was. According to his father, there should have been a river that they could
access beneath the fortress. Helpfully, Thorvald had left dozens of signs
pointing down into the ground which apparently led to this water source. After
setting up in the tent area. Olaf had decided to head down to the river alone,
as the others were busy seeing to fortifying the gates, just in case. Olaf
would have taken some help if he could, but the others had been somewhat less
than willing to enter the tunnels. Legend held that the land underneath the
fortress was traversed by demonic creatures, and some of the more superstitious
beings inhabiting the fortress believed this. Olaf decided that it would do no
good for him to force them to, and thus embarked on the quest to fill a
barrow-load of water-skins himself. He had been walking for about sixteen
minutes, but he could tell he was getting closer. The moisture content of the
air seemed to be rising, and he could now hear the sound of rushing water. The
tunnel up ahead was illuminated by a bizarre blue light, which set off alarm
bells in his head. There was no way any light could be striking the water this
deep down, which meant the pool was lit from within. Olaf closed his eyes and
muttered a quick fireburst spell, which armed a fireball in his right hand. At
least if there was anything aggressive in the cave, he could put it through a
good deal of pain before he got ripped limb from limb. He made his way to the
cavern mouth and stepped through, into a carven underground chamber through
which flowed a moderately wide river. The banks were worn smooth by years of
erosion, and stalagmites protruded from the surface of the water. But the
glow…the glow seemed to be coming from the water itself. He knelt at the bank,
fascinated at what he was seeing. He dipped his right hand into the water,
feeling it rush over his fingers. Almost immediately, he recoiled, surprised to
feel the ripple of magic up his arm. Magic water? He
thought. Now there’s something new.
Curious, he began to wade into the water, feeling the energy course through
him. Satisfied that it posed no threat, he dipped his hand into it once more
and drew some out to take a drink. He threw the water back and swallowed. That
was when his throat constricted, and he felt like his entire body was on fire. His
knees buckled like someone had gut punched him, and he collapsed to the ground,
convulsing violently. A burning sensation suddenly tore across the entire left
side of his body, focused mainly on his left shoulder. He tried to open his
mouth to scream, but could not. After an agonizing minute, his throat relaxed,
and he sucked in huge gulps of air as he slowly tried to rise. After failing
miserably multiple times, he finally managed to get to his feet. Then, he shook
his head until hos crossed eyes cleared. Olaf’s shoulder dully throbbed still,
but he was unharmed other than that. It was then that he noticed the monolith.
It was larger than the other pillars and, unlike them, seemed to have veins of
many precious stones running through it. All around it were carved runes, but
runes out of place with those on the marker pillars. It seemed as the monolith
was some kind of altar, and on it rested a massive, black book, bound in
leather and sealed in a case of dwarven glass. Olaf put his hand on it and felt
for a lock. He immediately knew there would not be one; instead, there appeared
to be a sigil carved into the case. He drew the hunting knife in his belt and
scratched away part of the sigil with it, murmuring a quick warding spell as he
did so. Cases like this one could conceivably have spelltraps, and getting the
magical equivalent of a dragon’s firestorm to his face would not be pleasant.
And with that, the lock was gone, and the book shot as if of its own will.
Olaf’s hands snapped outward, catching it midflight. He took it and began to
read, his eyes following the ancient Kortish script as he did. As he read one
line, his heart skipped a beat, and he turned away from the book, covering his
mouth. This was no mere tome of spells or journal; it was the greatest single
work of Arden the Black, the dwarf who had cast such a long shadow over his
family’s name. The words that Olaf had read were as follows. The
time of my judgment draws near, and I know now the fate I have made for myself.
To my judges I have nothing to say, nor anything that could be said. Even were
I to tell them of the Seal and its power, even then they would not believe. Nor
should they. Blame the Seal though I would, it would be the sheerest of lies to
say that things I did were inconsistent with my desires. To my descendants, I
ask merely for understanding, not forgiveness. The latter would be too great a
demand even for my hardy kin, though I know that dwarves have hearts as ready
to forgive as to avenge. To my nearest of kin, to my son, or his, or whatever
scion of my people may find this book, I warn you to read it with caution. To any
other who may take it read, I leave this warning. Within are included many
spells, but the most powerful are written in a hand only those with the Seal of
Perdition can read. If you find spells in the margins of my journal, then may
the Maker have mercy on your soul, for none other shall. To any who would
disregard my tale, I pronounce no other curse on you than my own. You will live
a life as you think best, only to take from yourself everything you valued, all
in the name of your own arrogance before this tale. If you believe the power I
wielded will not corrupt you, you are mistaken, as I once was. I would advise
you to close this tome and walk away now, for fear of corruption. If you do
not, then read at your peril. For the acquisition of wisdom saddens the heart.
You have been warned; use my power not at all, and my tale little. The former
is too much to bear, but the latter you may stomach, if you have heart. ARDEN Olaf
picked up the book and turned away from the monolith, feeling a chill run up
his spine. He needed to go up and tell the others the water was no good for
drinking, he thought. And he forced his thoughts to dwell elsewhere. He did so
trying desperately to forget the fact that, for the briefest of instants, he
had seen, or thought he saw, a spell written below Arden’s signature on that
page. Wolf Sanctuary Thomas
looked at Carsten, unsure how to respond to Deyann’s challenge. “Do
you feel like taking him first?” he asked. Carsten nodded. “I’ll
do it,” he told the dark elf. “Which arena?” “That
one,” Deyann answered, pointing to one right next to them. “After all, it is
the closest to us, and it is a multipurpose area. I assume you will want to use
your own sword?” The dwarf raised an eyebrow. “Do
you think I’d find a better one here?” He queried. “And even if I did, I’d
rather use this one. I’m comfortable with it.” He stepped under the ropes on
the side and into the center of the square space, where he drew his sword. “Stand
you ready?” Deyann asked. Carsten assumed a forward plow stance, his feet
moving back and forth over the turfed floor of the arena. “Ready
as ever,” the dwarf answered, his blue eyes narrowing in concentration. “Let’s
get started.” Deyan drew both his swords, spinning them on his wrists. “My
pleasure,” he said, his eyes focusing on the dwarf’s sword. The first few
strokes were nothing extraordinary; Deyann feinted a few thrusts and swipes,
but Carsten blocked or dodged each one. The dwarf made a few probing attacks of
his own, but Thomas could easily tell that he was not seriously attempting to
penetrate the dark elf’s guard. Things escalated quickly from mere probes
against his guard, however. Deyann immediately moved into a fusillade of
uniquely elven attacks: Tempest Strike, Raging Fury, Shadow’s Bane, and a few
others that were over far too quickly for Thomas to follow. He fully expected
Carsten to fall under this withering onslaught, but he did not. Instead, the
dwarf retreated with measured steps, taking each hit in stride. Then, once
Deyann had finished, Carsten went on the attack, launching a Dragonslayer
combination, followed by a Blackheart’s Gambit and a Fallen’s Redemption.
Deyann blocked this last attack, but it was in doing so, opened himself up for
a lethal follow-up; Carsten stepped in close, driving an elbow into his chin.
As the dark elf staggered, the dwarf followed up with a knee to the stomach and
then a hilt strike. As Deyann went backwards, Carsten began launching tight,
controlled slashes aimed at his chest. The twin blades came up to block them,
and that was when Carsten made his move. He suddenly spun off one of the
thrusts and cracked the dark elf across the knuckles with the hilt of his
sword. One of the blades suddenly hit the turf, but Carsten did not press his
advantage. Instead, he kicked the blade out of reach and waited for Deyann to
recover. In fact, both of them need the rest. Carsten had bruises giving birth
to bruises, and Deyann had welts and a few lacerations on him. “Crippler’s
Feint,” the dark elf panted when he caught his breath. “I thought that move had
passed from memory.” Carsten shrugged. “I’ve
picked up some things in my travels,” he explained, moving back into the plow
stance. “Again?” Deyann nodded, but this time he opened with an attack so fast
that Thomas could barely see his blade move. In the torchlight, the weapon
looked for all the world like a wheel of orange flame, battering Carsten from
all sides. The dwarf stubbornly held on, taking each hit on the blade of
Sorrow’s Bite, and even returning with a few attacks of his own. The dark elf’s
face twisted as his concentration mounted, while Carsten’s face remained
impassively unchanged. The blows were coming harder now, and both of them were
sweating profusely. Carsten seemed to be trying to get himself a little room to
maneuver, but Deyann would have none of it. The dwarf’s tactics suddenly
changed; he ducked the next word slash and uppercutted Deyann with the hilt, only
to have the dark elf retaliate with a palm strike to his face. Before he could
react, the dwarf felt the tip of Deyann’s sword at his throat. The dark elf
made momentary eye contact with his student, nodded briefly, and then lowered
the blade. “Well
done,” he remarked. “Half of the current Lords of the Free would not have
lasted that long under an assault like that.” Carsten shook his head. “I
still lost,” he said hoarsely. “Which means I wasn’t good enough.” “Yes,
but you can be better. That is the whole reason you are here to train, my boy.
I am going to you more than a man or a fighter. I am going to make you a
knight, my boy, and you will strike fear in these raiders’ hearts. Now, you are
strong. I will forge you into the ultimate warrior, and you will lead us to
victory.” Carsten
shook his head. “I can fight, but I can’t lead. That’s not my place.” “It
became your place when no one else stepped up,” the dark elf told him, his
voice taking on an intensity and hardness Carsten had never heard before. “If
not you, no one will, my son.” He put his hand on Carsten’s shoulder. “The time
has passed for you to be a child. You must learn now to be the man your father
would expect you to be, because you have been called to. You once asked me how
good you are, Carsten. Now I have the answer: as good as you need to be.” Karkopolis King’s
Dining Hall Oriem surveyed the table and nodded
approval. His daughters had chosen and organized the place settings with the
servants’ help, and done so with remarkable speed, something he admired,
especially given that he had been gone for months orchestrating the delivery of
messages to all the leaders of the people groups in the Outlands, even a few
that no one save he knew existed. This meeting would be the largest gathering
of Outlanders since before the war, though it might be the prelude to another,
he thought grimly. Some of them would be willing to fight. Sigurd, for example,
would be more than willing to crack skulls with these upstarts, as would Oriem
himself. The goblins would not agree unless some profit were to be had, while
the orcs would simply be happy to murder anything. The Nagai, though…them he
did not, could not trust, not though a millennium could pass and the sky change
to orange. Those snakes, he thought, would be willing to sell out if they saw
no chance of victory or had a better offer. Though their leader had a very,
very large army, which made it politic to win him over to their cause, which
Oriem planned to do. The humans seemed to be more than a little mercurial, but
he truly believed that they would help his cause. Other dark elves would rally
to him even he were not the king, which he still happened to be. A messenger
entered the hall dressed in the standard House Blackfire livery, dark blue and
purple with a dark grey owl depicted atop a branch in the center of his shirt. “And
the dwarves from Vadhyl? Did they receive our message.” Oriem asked. The
messenger hesitated. “Do not lie to me. Tell me what has happened.” “He
was found dead, sir,” the elf said haltingly, an expression of distress
contorting his young face. “Murdered and dismembered.” The dark elf king put a
hand to his forehead. “That
means they likely know what we are doing,” he murmured. “That is not a good
thing at all.” He turned to the messenger. “There is no more time to waste.
Show them in.” The
representatives sat at the grand table in order of importance, with Sigurd the
Dwarf and Heldergan, the great orc chieftain, occupying the second and third
seats beside him. Several leaders of various roving bands of human mercenaries
were there, too. Ordinarily, they might have charged for their services, but a
situation like this sidelined any monetary concerns. The first was reserved for
whatever leader the Nagai might have sent, but Oriem now doubted that they
would come. He sat down heavily on his gilded chair, his combination scepter
and wizard’s staff hanging by his side. The goblin diplomat entered the room,
his eyes darting from one side to the other. “Lay
off, Krast,” Heldergan told him in a loud, boisterous tone. The orc spoke to
most people in such fashion, which caught them off guard. Although massive and
cruel-looking, he had a jovial nature that belied his fearsome appearance.
“There’s nothing worth stealing here, even if you could lift it without being
seen.” “Krast
wasn’t stealing,” the goblin complained. “Krast was nervous he should have
taken off his shoes before he came in.” “Given
the sewer contents on them, probably,” Sigurd said, laughing. All of those
assembled at the table shared in the outburst of merriment, one that in other
times might have lasted longer. Around this table sat some of the greatest
warriors in the Outlands, friends from all over the area. They had all known each
other for many years, and each one knew that he or she was among friends. One
of the human guild leaders, the head of the Theives Guild, spoke up. Her name
was Keelly Ervad, and she had ascended their ranks rapidly, famously defeating
the former head in a shell game. “Oriem,
what’s this about?” She asked. “Is this another one of your attempts at a
reunion?” “I
summoned you for a much more serious purpose,” he told them, his eyes roving
the table to meet each of the leaders’. “These raiders have gone from merely
destroying villages to attacking fortresses. They have numbers sufficient to be
an army, and we can no longer ignore this threat. We must act quickly, act
together, and act strategically.” “You
make it sound so simple,” Sigurd told him. “My people had a harsh winter. Many
of them are just now recovering, and at least twenty died. Such losses we can
ill afford, Oriem. How can we muster an army?” “None
of us can do so alone,” the dark elf agreed. “But that matters little. We are
all here now, and we can do it together. Nay, we must do it together. If we do
not form any kind of united resistance, what hope do we have of defeating these
madmen?” “What
hope do we have now?” Heldergen asked. “With all due respect, I think you place
undue faith in our ability to resist, Oriem. We’re depleted, battered, and nigh
on hopeless. Some of us have yet to harvest, as you know. There’s little we can
do.” “But
Krast refuses to surrender hope,” the goblin said, his eyes darting to the
faces around the table. “Krast knows places lords could get food, if they
wanted it.” “Agreed,”
said Tarvin Lask, the human leader of the Assassin’s Guild. “We need supplies,
but the question of resistance is settled. No other choice has been left to us
but to fight, as suicidal as that sounds.” “Is
open war the best idea, though?” Sigurd murmured. “Perhaps a covert war might
serve us better in the long-term.” “Even
if we decide to wage a covert war, the problem remains of assembling an army,”
Heldergen said. “Again, I hate to be the voice of doom, but we have very, very
few resources we can properly utilize against them.” “The
problem with this is that no one knows where to even attack them,” Sigurd put
in. “These raiders don’t have a clear base of operations, and even if they did,
we would have no idea how to attack them.” “Then we get the intelligence we
need first,” Oriem told them. “Krast, you probably know someone. You always do.
Search long and hard; any detail would be worthwhile. Sigurd, you and your
dwarves can forge weapons. Do you have any shilthain reserves available?” “A few,” the dwarf answered. “They
should suffice for a large arsenal. I can have them fire up the forges.
Production will not be high initially, I must confess. After all, most of the
village has yet to harvest their crops.” “I knew well that you are in a
bind,” Oriem said dismissively. “It matters not. The shilthain should be ready
by the time we can amass an army.” “Now,” Heldergen growled, “to the
issue of raising an army. Together, I imagine we can muster no more than ten
thousand men, and I feel that assessment is somewhat hopeful.” “I know,” came a low, raspy voice
from the door. “That wasss why Oriem called me.” All of the delegates whirled
to see the snake at the door. Or rather, snake-man, called by most Outlanders
Naga, or Nagai in the plural. The six-foot reptile was white and red, with a
knobby and spiked hide covered by haphazard metal plating. Though he had no
weapon in his hand, a massive battleax hung on his back. Noticing their stares
at the weapon, he decided to leave it at the door. His eyes were a frightening
shade of dark brown that made them look almost black. Killer eyes, Sigurd
thought. This was a dangerous creature. At the same time, a creature of such
lethality was a potentially useful one to have on hand if things turned out
badly, as they were wont to do. The method of locomotion the Nagai used
accentuated the aura of deadly grace; though upright, it had a long, curving
tail that stretched for several feet behind it. The tail itself ended in large,
bony ridges that looked as though they had been painfully filed to points.
“Now,” the snake continued, taking his seat at the table, curling up his tail,
and steepling his long, clawed fingers, “did someone asssk for an army?
Because, if so, I believe I have one on hand.” The message the serpent was
sending was clear: I am too conniving to tolerate, but too important to
alienate, and you will do as I say. Outlands Wolfpack Sanctuary Carsten lay on a
straw mat, his mind wandering over recent events. Aside from hours and hours of
intensive weapons training, Deyann had also had him working with the phoenix
that they had healed of its wounds. The creature had taken a liking to the
dwarf, and Carsten had happily agreed to work with it. The dark elf had
encouraged him to take the animal out for a ride now that its wing had healed,
but Carsten demurred. One of his two fears was heights, the other was death;
and of the two, he feared heights more. Thanks to his new mark, however, he had
little to worry about with that. He put his hand over the necklace, sending a
mental message to Arcaena. Evening,
starlight, he thought. Are you doing
all right? Arcaena’s voice seemed a little more
tense than usual. I suppose so. Better,
now that I can hear you. Father has all the diplomats here, and they are far
from keeping it together well. He called in the Nagai, didn’t he? Carsten
asked. Did
you really think he would not? Arcaena countered. Like them or not, the Nagai have one of the most powerful armies in the
Outlands, numbers notwithstanding. We can win if we all fight together. The question is whether or not we
can trust each other, the dwarf surmised. No offense, but your father never struck me
as a very open individual. Agreed, she
said. By the way, your father is here.
Should I tell him about you? Please do, Carsten
told him. I would desperately like to
tell him myself, but I can’t. So please, let him know for me. He could
practically hear the smile in Arcaena’s voice. I will. By the way, I have been thinking a lot about our plans
recently, and I have a question for you…do you really want to get married? Carsten nodded. I do. But the how is rather difficult to negotiate, given we aren’t
close enough to talk to each other face-to-face. More on that later, starlight.
In the meantime, how fast is the strategy end of things coming? Slow, she
answered, sounding exasperated. These
fools have no respect for the problems at hand. We all face extinction, and all
that we know how to do is fight among ourselves. It is truly maddening. I would
expect a verdict later this month. This MONTH?! Carsten
sounded shocked. We don’t have MONTHS!
Your father may be a fool in some regards, but at least he knows that, does he
not? He does, and he steadily tries to force
a conclusion, but the work is slow. Even with him, Heldergen, and your father
all pushing for it, they will not unite without some sign that we can unite.
They need some proof that we can win this fight. I know a way, he
told her. But it could take time. What
is the way? She asked. I have a
feeling I will not like it. You did, after all, author the plan. He told her. And, true to her
prediction, she disliked it. Waste The Exile sat in
the Chieftains’ Circle, idly fingering his sword blade. He had been waiting for
over an hour for Shargann to arrive, only for the Shadow King to prove late. It
was in his nature, The Exile noted bitterly, to make a dramatic entrance. After
all, the man was king, and generally expected to be treated as such. One more
time, he put his fingers on the gemstone on the sword’s hilt and squeezed it
tightly. Not for good luck, but rather to reassure himself that it was still
there. Of all the Vanahym there, he alone respected its true function, and he
alone knew that it was the reason why he would be victorious in this single
combat. He knew this because of the assurances of the benefactor who had
provided it, not from personal experience. The stone was not the only part of
the blade that had been a gift from the benefactor; the sword was of a
straight-bladed, double-edged design foreign to the Vanahym. The hilt, however,
was of a spiky, jagged make familiar among his people. And, of course, the benefactor
had assured him that the blade would be capable of not merely wounding one of
the Shadow King’s people, but kill him or her as well.. A Mierthyn had not been
slain for over a millennium (all those deceased having done so from natural
causes), and he had not felt like broadcasting the fact that he knew how to
kill them and could do so if he chose. His bodyguards stood around him, their
hands at their sides and their eyes scanning the Waste. If Shargann came, as
The Exile believed he would, he would do so in typically theatrical fashion,
and they wanted to ensure that he did not use their momentary surprise as an attempt
to gain the upper hand. It would hardly do to have put all that careful
preparation into this fight only to fail in the end due to an oversight. “We expected him
by now,” one of the Berserkers remarked petulantly. “He is late.” “Pardon him for that.” The Exile got
to his feet, his hand wrapped tightly around the hilt. “He knows as well as we
the value of intimidation, and thus would have kept us waiting. It allows us
time to mull over his potential strength.” The Berserker’s eyes narrowed. “I care not for what he thinks he
might show,” he growled. “When…” “Will he appear?” The voice came
from behind them. They all turned and saw Shargann was there, accompanied by
several other Mierthyn, including his rather attractive niece. “Right about now
seems as good a time as any.” He surveyed the area rather disdainfully. “Truly,
now. A leader of another people group I had hoped to engage in single combat,
and you can barely furnish ruins.” The Exile raised an eyebrow. “I hardly think that fair, in truth.
Look at the time we have had to rebuild our forces and our way of life; we want
much of what we need to make our last move.” “You had orders, Murethal,” Shargann
growled, dropping the condescending manner. “We told you what had to be done
and when, and yet you resist. You defied strategically sound and intelligently
planned orders, which would have kept us from scrutiny until we had occasion to
show our plan. But now you flout every order we give you, ignore calls to leave
civilian targets untouched, and on top of everything else, you nearly cost us
one of our most valuable pieces in the game.” “The dark elf?” Murethal, also
called the Exile, snorted. “Please. The benefactor assured us that the dwarf
would not permit any harm to befall the witch. And look at what we did; they
should be breeding in no time.” Shargann bristled at that. “Breeding? You talk about them like
they are unreasoning animals. Carsten and Arcaena are both valuable pieces in
our plan, and eventually will be our allies. But we have no capacity to force
them to do what we want.” The Exile shook his head. “I
disagree. Look at what our benefactor has managed to do. He effected the
marking of the red-haired one and brought him to the dark elf’s side. Sepaking
of which, how have things gone with the dark one?” “Issavea has seen Olaf marked,”
Shargann answered. “But we wanted that to be done six months from now. The
benefactor was very specific, and I shudder to think what he would do if he
learned that we have done this. He and the fiery one are far from genial even
on their best days.” “Do you believe what they say?
About…the threat?” “I do,” Shargann replied, looking at
the ground. “That does not mean I approve of their methods.” Murethal’s eyes narrowed. “Neither
do I. Why manipulate the Free and these Outlanders when it would be simpler to
destroy those who would resist our will?” Shargann drew his double ax-staff
and assumed a battle-ready stance. “For the same reason I am not going to kill
you when I defeat you in this contest, Murethal. Because you cannot make a good
soldier of an unwilling heart.” Murethal got to his feet and gestured for his
bodyguards to stand back. “Prepare yourself, Shadow King.” He
let his hide cape drop to the ground and drew his broadsword. “Prepare to kneel
before your master.” Shargann refused to answer, instead
whirling the axe-staff around in a series of brutal attacks against Murethal’s raised
guard. The Exile struggled to parry or block each one; the Shadow King seemed
to have the strength of a dozen men behind the weapon, and he wielded it as
though it were nothing more than a child’s walking stick. Further, each of the
hacking blows seemed to come from a different angle, and no tactical advantage
seemed to govern his attack pattern. The barrage of blows ended with Shargann
driving an armored boot into Murethal’s chest, sending him careening to the
other side of the Chieftain’s Circle, where he skidded to a stop. As he got to
his feet and spat blood from his mouth, Murethal was struck by a horrible
thought. What if the benefactor wanted
him dead?
© 2016 Jake |
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Added on July 14, 2016 Last Updated on July 14, 2016 AuthorJakeAboutStudent, writer, LEGO fan. I love fantasy and science fiction, and my background as a history student has led me to experiment with some historical fiction as well. more..Writing
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