At Storm's Edge Page 8

  Malsivith grinned darkly, baring his now crimson fangs. He never took his eyes off the boy as his bony fingers wrapped around the collar of his brother. The knife plunged deep into the young dwarf’s chest. He gasped as Malsivith spoke over him.

  "I'm counting on it. I foresee great things from you. When this nightmare is over, grow up. Grow strong and fearless. And most of all, never forget the name Malsivith. Slayer of your family. Oppressor of your people. I await our next encounter with unbridled anticipation, young one!"

  He shot an authoritative look to the taskmasters. "Get these vermin out of my sight."

  The vampyr dragged the screaming survivors out of the room as Malsivith's other 'children' fluttered down from the ceiling and began fighting over the dead bodies on the ground, He stepped gently around them as he locked his gaze upon Aerabis.

  "Well, that went well! Now then, Hunter of Men, I am having a particularly good day. Night? Oh, never mind. My point is, don't mess it up with bad news."

  Aerabis bowed low, kneeling on one knee. "Master, we have captured new heroes directly from the Swerdbrekker’s army for your collection."

  He motioned for his trollkin to present their catch and they silently bustled forward, throwing the elven woman at Malsivith's feet.

  He looked her over a minute as she sat still, staring at the ground. His fiery gaze flicked up to Aerabis. "What is this? It is not the Swerdbrekker."

  "N-no milord, but--"

  "OUR DEAL was for you to bring me the Swerdbrekker if I funded your little army for six months! I kept my end of the bargain, Aerabis. So where is my Swerdbrekker?"

  Aerabis braved an imploring look at the boss. "Most likely? On his way here right now."

  "WHAT?!" Malsivith's eyes flashed with such intensity that they nearly blinded the light sensitive troll.

  "B-but this is to our advantage, boss! We know he'll be coming for her and we know where he'll be heading! Plus we’ve captured more of his friends and laid to waste his forces!"

  Malsivith paused momentarily. "Keep talking before I tear out your soul and put it on display where my shiny new Swerdbrekker should be."

  Aerabis bowed deeper. "The World Forge, master! Its power source is the standing stones of the thunder god, is it not?"

  Malsivith snarled, "Do I look like an artificer, troll brain?"

  Aerabis winced. "And Sawain--"

  "The Swerdbrekker!" Malsivith corrected.

  He nodded. "The Swerdbrekker is a renowned worshiper of a storm god. He's always using that lightning magic on me and mine. My guess is he's been heading in this direction all along. With his friends as our hostages, he’ll be much more careful. Besides, you need sacrifices for your ritual, am I correct? A fly to the spider," he shot a glance at Riora, "or something like that."

  Malsivith stared at him an uncomfortably long time before his rage faded into a gleeful grin. He stood upright and giggled. "Well well, Aerabis, yet again, you managed to keep our contract intact just before the final stroke of fate. Looks like you have one last chance to bring me my prize. Get out of my sight and bring me THE SWERDBREKKER this time. No more of his lackeys!"

  Aerabis nodded and rose to his feet.

  Riora cleared her throat. "Master, your next appointment is waiting."

  Malsivith threw his head back and sighed dramatically. "Seriously, Riora? How much work did you line up for me today?"

  She shrugged nonchalantly. "Come now, master, it's hard work running a kingdom. Shall I have him brought in?"

  Malsivith waved dismissively. "Aerabis! You're still here? Do me a favor, will you?"

  He grumbled as he stalked off, his entourage behind him. "A favor for you? Should I get it inscribed on my grave?" The low laughter that grew into a fit of manic hysteria behind Aerabis made his skin crawl as he pushed through the doors into the antechamber. He grunted at the only other living being in the room, nodding his head backward. "The boss's all yours, turncoat. Try to stay on his good side today. He's feeling murderous."

  The other visitor strode past Aerabis without a word. The troll only hesitated long enough to feel satisfied as he heard his other captive gasp and whisper.

  "No. It was you?"

  Chapter Ten:

  Banthan tore down the rocky slopes of the Cobalt Mountains, following the trail left by Aerabis' army. His heart ached and his face streaked with tears. He did not deserve to be the constant brunt of Sawain's wrath. Maybe he did. He knew he could be smarter about complaining at dire times. That still did not give Sawain the right to call him a traitor. Emotions thundered in his chest as the overcast sky above reflected his feelings. He hated thunder more than anything in the open world. It always stormed in this place. The rumble shook his body and rattled his head. He hated everything in this cold, wet, death-soaked land. He wanted to go home.

  A shadow flickered in the corner of his eye, just beside a gnarled old tree that desperately clung to the rocky mountain soil. He turned his blade to the newcomer. A Chandler stepped into the failing light. He lowered his blade, recognizing her before she lowered her hood.

  "Have you come to fetch me for your new master?"

  A gleaming leaf shaped dagger appeared between her fingers. Banthan stared at it as his heartrate quickened. He knew he'd seen that blade somewhere. Loraleth flicked her arm. Pain punctured Banthan's hand, forcing him to drop his sword. He snarled and tore the knife out of his injured limb in time to use it to parry a second blade. Loraleth pressed the attack silently, closing in quickly.

  Banthan took pride in his melee abilities, but they paled in comparison to his sister's, especially when fighting her left handed. The battle only lasted a few seconds before he found himself on his back, a dagger at his throat and a knee to his chest. Lightning flashed across the sky, highlighting the fury in Loraleth's green eyes. Her voice trembled as she pressed the dagger down harder.

  "Why did you do it? What did he promise you?"

  He laughed dryly, "You actually believe Sawain? Lora, there's no way I'd ever betray my friends!"

  She glared hard at him a moment, "How can I not believe him? I've been watching you. All of you. At Rowan Circle, you always hated him. The awful things you would say... After he abandoned me, you never forgave him. I saw it all. The fights. The challenges to his authority."

  "Yeah, I did hate him. I do. I should. I don't know." His eyes wandered away from hers as droplets of rain splattered his face.

  "So you have the most motivation to betray him. I just want to know what the price was before I kill you."

  His eyes flicked back to hers. She was not lying. The murderous intent etched itself into her features. He simply shook his head sadly.

  "There was no price. I'm not a traitor. I do have plenty of reasons to hate Sawain, but I have more reasons to respect him that outweigh my own selfish desires. He commands a sort of authority that is greater than something any normal person can wield. Yeah, he has plenty of flaws. He’s arrogant, but only because he’s young and people push that on him. He’s hesitant at times, but only because he’s afraid of losing more of his friends. I’ve watched him grow a lot since we left Alfhaven. Probably faster than he should have. But he’s saved more lives through his actions than anyone else has in this war. How could I not believe Sawain is God-touched? Why would I ever betray the one who has saved my worthless hide more than once? If my own sister won't believe in me, then I'm already dead. Go on and feed your bloodlust, Chandler."

  He closed his eyes and grit his teeth as the blade shuddered against his neck. He wondered what awaited him on the other side. Elves that died outside the forest generally lived cursed afterlives. Maybe he deserved as much for ever leaving. For not standing up to Sawain back then. For not being a better friend.

  The steel lifted from his skin and his breath flowed unrestricted as Loraleth's knee removed itself from his sternum. He blinked in surprise as he sat up in the now muddy earth. He supposed he should be grateful it was not wet from his blood. Loraleth stood a few feet f
rom him, pointing his own saber at him.

  "I can't kill you without knowing for sure, but I can't trust you either. So here we are at an impasse."

  "You could just let me go."

  She snorted, a family trait, "Sure, and while I'm at it, I'll just let Malsivith keep Caer Teallagh."

  He shrugged, "I mean, you do what you have to."

  "And what would you do if I let you go?"

  He frowned, resolve filling his chest, "I'm going to save Naralei."

  She shook her head, "What makes you think she needs your help?"

  "They'll all need my help, whether they want it or not. I'll just do it like you."

  She tilted her head, "What?"

  "From the shadows. Like a Chandler. That's what you've been doing all along, right? You saved me from that troll in Jordborg. I noticed the blade you used on him. Alfhaven make. Rowan style. It had to be you."

  She looked away, blushing, "If you'd died then, it could have thrown the whole operation off."

  He grinned, "I knew it. I mean, I had my suspicions, but I couldn't prove it. But if you really believed I could be a traitor, why didn't you just let me die?"

  Lightning lit up the darkening sky, shaking the air with its explosive force. Banthan noticed a wisp of cloud moving against the wind. His blood ran cold as it turned toward him.

  "Vampyr! Right above us!"

  Loraleth followed his gaze as he staggered to his feet, gripping one of the fallen daggers. She pointed to a nearby bridge where several of her comrades awaited, peppering the sky with arrows as the vampyr bore down on them.

  "We have to get across that bridge! Come on!"

  She took off at a sprint, avoiding bolts of necrotic energy that cratered the earth around her feet. Banthan scrambled after her as the angry chattering grew closer above him. He braved an upward glance. Hundreds of vampyr hovered just over him, launching orbs of darkness from their mouths. The magic mixed with the rain, splattering down upon the bridge. Screams of pain bounced back from the defenders in response.

  As they reached the canyon, Banthan saw a few dozen Chandlers holding the bridge. Half of them already bore grievous injuries from the corrosive magic of the vampyr, but they fought on despite their rotting limbs. All around him, Vampyr began plummeting from the sky, pouncing on the defenders.

  Loraleth cut down two as they dropped on her. One tried to grab Banthan, but he saw it coming and slid aside last second. The horrible crunching sound it made as its body hit the stone made his stomach lurch. The downfall of vampyr flooded the bridge with bodies. The Chandlers fought valiantly, but were soon overrun. Loraleth pushed to the far end, ahead of Banthan. He saw her stop in front of another Chandler who had an injured ally across his shoulders. They exchanged words, and then both glanced at Banthan, which made him less comfortable. The other Chandler nodded before melting away in the rain as if he'd never really been there. Loraleth motioned for Banthan to move forward. He complied, slicing the throat of a vampyr who had another Chandler pinned to the ground.

  Getting to the far end took much longer than it should have as he waded through the battle, dodging projectiles and rescuing allies where he could. Loraleth dropped an assailant that tried to take off Banthan's head as he stumbled over a pile of corpses.

  "Move it, brother! We have to get off this bridge!"

  He glanced back and noticed that the surviving Chandlers were already melting away, save one, who stood amid a swarm of vampyr, chanting an invocation, his blood soaked hand stretched skyward. He crackled with arcane energy as the swarm closed in on him. Banthan's mouth hung open.

  "Oh--"

  The air exploded and a shock wave of light hit him, knocking him onto his back. When his vision cleared, he had to blink to ensure what he saw was real. The man and the vampyr were gone, along with the middle of the bridge. The rest of it began to crumble quickly. Banthan jumped to his feet as he regained his senses. The stones beneath his feet shifted and fell away moments after he tread them. He could feel the traction beneath him failing as the bridge's collapse caught up to him. Loraleth stood on solid ground, beckoning him with an outstretched hand. The cliff side began to rise before him. It took him a moment to register that he was sinking rather than the land rising. He scrambled up the falling bridge, grabbing at falling stones and anything solid. A rope dangled inches from him as his last foothold crumbled. He wrapped it around his good hand as the rest of the bridge gave way to ruin. He glanced down, watching the final bricks disappear in a cloud of swirling dust and smoke below him. Loraleth's voice reached him from above.

  "Are you alright?"

  "So you do care."

  She hesitated a moment, "Nothing kills my brother unless it's me."

  "Fair enough," he muttered as he found footing on the cliff wall and began to climb. The task proved difficult with only one good hand. Loraleth heaved him up as much as he could, the slick mud making her job harder. After a few minutes of struggling, Banthan pulled himself to solid ground. He lay there panting a moment as the rain washed over him.

  "That could have gone better."

  Loraleth hauled him to his feet, "Shut up, Banth."

  He laughed, "Haven't heard that all day. Now what?"

  She pointed up the trail, "There's a hidden mine not far from here. It connects to a series of tunnels that can get us into Caer Teallagh undetected. If you're serious about making things right, this is your chance.

  Banthan wiped the mud from his face with his sleeve, "What are we waiting for? Let's go before those vampyr can regroup."

  She nodded, turning up the road.

  "Hey, Lora."

  She paused and looked back at her brother. He pointed at his sword.

  "Can I have that back now?"

  She turned back and disappeared around the bend. Banthan sighed as he sauntered after her. At least he was alive, which is more than a lot of those unlucky leatherwings could say. He smiled as he rounded the bend. Several feet ahead of him, Loraleth waited long enough for him to catch sight of her before disappearing between a large outcrop of rocks. His sword jutted out of the road, just in front of him.

  Unnatural screeches echoed all around him. He quickly grabbed his blade and hurried after Loraleth. The outcrop she vanished behind seemed pretty solid to him until he spotted a small dark spot mostly hidden between rocks. A hole barely big enough for him to slip into became visible as lightning flashed again. He jumped at the loud crash of thunder and quickly slid into the hole. It slanted downward and pushed him along like a slide as rainwater flowed around him.

  His elven eyes adjusted quickly to the sudden darkness as he hit level ground. The chamber he found himself in stank of mold. The earthen walls were roughhewn and an iron door rested in the far wall from the secret entrance. Loraleth stood with her back to him and her hands raised in the air. He followed her gaze and gripped his blade.

  Ten dwarven warriors clad in full battle gear pointed crossbows at Loraleth. A metal statue of some sort towered above them, pointing some sort of strange weapon at her. It looked humanoid in shape, but stood at eight feet tall. Brass tubes and cylinders ran along its arms and legs. Its head was roughly humanoid in shape, except it lacked many features like a nose and mouth, despite the bushy beard made of copper wires. Its eyes glowed with a golden light. The armor it wore, or rather had been made as part of it, resembled dwarven plate mail in its design. Then, to his surprise, it turned its head in his direction. To add to his shock, the giant metal thing spoke.

  "Unlucky day for you two, eh? We're going to have to kill you both now."

  Loraleth spoke with authority, "Then you'll be answering to the Segrammir of Jordborg for attacking two of his Chandlers. We are allies to Caer Teallagh and are on a mission to assassinate the Usurper Malsivith."

  The metal goliath laughed a steely chuckle, "Yer a long way from home, little elves. I doubt yer king will ever find yer corpses down here."

  Loraleth's expression darkened, "Our corpses won't litter this chamber
. You mistook me. I am leaving alive. I simply offer a deal so that you may as well."

  The titan waved a large hand, gesturing to its crew, "It's eleven to two, little one. Ye really want to take on those odds?"

  Banthan balked, "Only eleven? Listen here, rusty. We just waded through a river of corpses to get here. Before that, we spent the last six months killing more undead than you could ever count. You and your toys don't scare us."

  The giant pointed its weapon at Banthan, "Boy, you've never faced dwarven fire before. This whole room will be an oven in an instant. You'll be dead and we won't. Simple as that, really."

  "Go on then, fire away," Loraleth challenged, lowering her hands. The other dwarves shifted nervously, pointing more aggressively and shouting warnings. The leader pointed his weapon at her.

  "I'm warning you, elf. Take one step and I'll roast you both."

  As if to challenge his claim, she stepped forward fearlessly. The metal giant clicked threateningly, which made the dwarves flinch. When nothing happened, they looked around in confusion. Loraleth twirled a metal pin between her fingers. A metallic gasp escaped the giant as it examined its weapon.

  "The locking pin? But how? and why do you even know how to disable my lobber?"

  Loraleth smirked, "I know their inventor. Magina is an ally of mine. She showed us her favorite weapon in depth."

  The giant slowly lowered his lobber. One of his allies suddenly stood rigid as Banthan's blade pressed against his throat. He snarled in the dwarf's ear.

  "Drop it stumpy, before I drop your head."

  The dwarf hesitantly complied as the others trained their weapons on Banthan. The titan raised a hand.

  "Stand down, boys. Let's hear them out."

  Loraleth laughed, "So kind of you to listen to reason."

  The metal giant cocked its strange head to the side, "You'll have to excuse our caution. We are at war, after all. My name's Vaghn, and I'm the inventor of the lobber, not Magina."

  "So," Loraleth began, "Sounds like we have a common ally in Magina."