jmclarke
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Chapter 615: The Falling Dark
🕑 Added 2023-06-23 22:39:33 +0000 UTC“Come, we must keep moving,” Eldin said, emerging from the cave wall about a mile from where he’d left the Saint.
Several of his agents startled, hands reaching for holy weapons and only relaxing when they realised it was him who had spoken. They formed a circle in the wide tunnel, filling the space they’d been led to by Uldar’s monsters, ready to defend not only against attacks from the rear and front, but also from the walls.
Just as Eldin had taught them.
He nodded, well pleased.
In the centre of the formation, two agents held a litter between them, bearing the still form of Carey London—deep in slumber from Uldar’s divinity—while a circle of defenders surrounded them.
If the first lines of defence were breached, their precious cargo would still be protected.
“You are here,” Miller’s voice came from further down the cavern. There—beyond the white radiance of holy light held within orbs of sanctified crystal—lurked Uldar’s monstrous minions. The humanoid monsters, whose scabby flesh blended with the dark rock around them, eyed Carey with ill-intent.
Some twitched like beasts straining against an unseen chain.
But none approached as Eldin joined his agents.
“Yes, I wish there had been no delays, but, I am finally here,” the old priest sighed. “But do not stop on my account. I kept the Saint occupied for as long as I could; and I see you have made good use of the time, advancing as far as you did.”
“Yes, Holy Leader,” an agent said. “We moved as quickly as we could, as you instructed. Tell us…how did you distract the Saint? Did you learn more about our enemies?”
“I will tell you as we go. There is often much to learn in Uldar’s service. Now, come, we must be away before the expedition is alerted,” he said.
The old priest began walking, recounting his conversation with Merzhin as they pressed ahead through the tunnels. Uldar’s monsters led the way. When Eldin’s tale was done, a younger agent bowed her head in deference.
“That was masterful,” she almost crowed.
Eldin sighed heavily. “There is no mastery in confusing an already confused child. I only had to speak the words he wished to hear. It was simple. The greater learning is not in the manipulation, but in the research: learning about, and observing the Saint allowed me to say what I needed to say. Keep this lesson in mind.”
“Yes, Holy leader,” the agent said. “So, what do we do now?”
“Now, we deliver the bait to the First Apostle.” He looked down at the sleeping form of Carey London. Her breathing was light.
“I instructed the Holy Saint to spend time contemplating our lord’s parable of the Story of Cromwell to gain clarity, and when he finishes his reflection, leave without word to either the Heroes or Generasians, and meet me at the western crossroads below Owl Rock,” he said. “Once the foreigners realise that both he and their companion are gone, they will go searching for them, but, by that time, we will have our captive far from their grasp. I told him I will return to him, and I shall, which will leave him none the wiser to my true intentions. But for the moment, I must speak to our companions.”
“Butcher, Miller, Singer and Baker!” he called through the tunnel, amused at his mundane names for such dangerous servants of Uldar.
Many sets of eyes turned to him from amongst the monstrous horde, raising the hackles of his agents.
Singer slowed, falling back and nodding to Eldin.
“What is it, child of Uldar?” the humanoid monster asked.
“I will need you and your companions to part from us for a time,” the old man said. “With respect, servant of our god, the Saint will be joining us, and if he sees you…he will misunderstand.”
“What of the plan?” Singer asked.
“It will work even better now,” Eldin said. “To Uldar’s enemies, it will appear that the Holy Saint and our prisoner have disappeared together, making them likely to panic and deliver themselves into our hands all the quicker. And when they do, you know precisely what to do next.”
“Yes,” Singer said. “Our task is simple, we are to capture any usurper who comes looking for this human, and destroy all other mortals with them.”
“Precisely, and when your part is at an end, we meet where we met in the woods earlier, and together, bring the prisoners to our sanctum for questioning, and disposal,” Eldin said.
“Yessssss,” Singer hissed. “Death to those who threaten the great works that must be done!”
“Umm, forgive my intrusion, Holy Leader.” One of the agents cleared his throat. “But, may I speak freely?”
“You may,” Eldin said. “What is it?”
“It’s about the Holy Saint,” he said. “What if he proves…unprepared for the truth of our order?”
“I believe he is ready,” Eldin said. “He is confused, but his faith is strong. Having a new truth to cling to will do him good and bring him to us. And…I admit, I feel somewhat sorry for the boy. He is abandoned, alone and struggling. Better he stride with us than chase the backs of Heroes who are leaving him behind for their own purposes.”
“That is noble of you, Holy Leader,” the agent said.
“Nobility is a privilege,” Eldin said grimly. “One we only have because—for the moment—we are winning. If we lose that privilege, or it becomes clear that the Saint’s loyalties will develop…differently…then our duty is to do away with him.”
No outcry of protest rose from his agents.
No cry of confusion or reluctance.
Instead, just a single phrase was spoken, uttered with determination and union of purpose.
“Yes, Holy leader.”
Eldin could not help but smile.
His agents were a blessing and he was proud of their dedication.
He only hoped that Uldar would look upon them and smile too.
###
“A Hero will be near a Usurper,” the petrifier named Miller said.
The pack of Ravener-spawn had separated from the humans some hours ago, and were now travelling overland at speed, heading south to their objective: the mortal enclave of ‘Greymoor’.
“Yes,” Baker said, the creature’s long legs propelling it through the wilderness. Positioned carefully in its maw, the Ravener’s Hunters were well concealed, poised to act. The monster moved its jaws with care, to avoid crushing them. “What if the Saint hinders our plans? What if they are ruined? What if the Hero interferes?”
“Then we will deal with him,” Butcher growled. “He is a small cog in the Ravener’s great plan, if he must be sacrificed to achieve our goal, then so be it. Our master’s plan is solid, and when set in motion, the Usurpers will be destroyed. Balance will return to the cycle as it should. But, for now, save your breath. We have the bait. The trap must be readied.”
###
Loud pounding on the bakery door drove Alex from a peaceful sleep.
“What?” he grunted, shaking away the cobwebs and unfolding his body from a chair in his lab.
He checked the time.
Only thirty minutes had passed since he’d fallen asleep, hoping to catch a restoring couple of hours of rest. It was still the middle of the night.
“Who in all hells is that?” Alex muttered, pulling on his boots.
Thundering footsteps echoed from upstairs.
Claygon was moving.
‘Who is that, Claygon?’ Alex asked, making his way to the stairs. He fought back a yawn. ‘Is it another customer who doesn’t understand what opening and closing hours me—’
‘Father…Vesuvius is outside. I can see the glow of his lava from the window.’
“What?” Alex was now fully awake. “Vesuvius should be in Thameland with Tyris.”
The young wizard took the stairs two at a time, reaching the lab door and pulling it open.
Orange light poured through the bakery windows.
A familiar voice was yelling at the front door.
“Alex! Alex, open up, it’s me, Tyris!”
“What’s going on?” he rushed to the door, flinging it wide.
Tyris Goldtooth stood in front of her enormous familiar, looking like she hadn’t slept in days.
“What's wrong? Come i—”
“I don’t have time,” she said. “I’m only here because Professor Jules told me to tell you. Carey’s gone.”
Alex’s heart froze.
He heard Claygon’s thunderous footfalls pause on the stairs.
“What are you talking about…?” the young man murmured.
“Exactly what I said, she’s gone!” she snapped. “Look, I’ve got to get back to the portal so I can keep searching, but this morning, she went for a walk with Merzhin and never came back!”
“What?” Alex’s heart pounded in his chest. “What about Merzhin, doesn’t he know—”
“He’s gone too,” she said through a clenched jaw. Her gold tooth gleamed when she spoke. “He completely disappeared! No one knows what’s happened to him, and the priests are losing their shit. The rest of us are out looking for Carey—”
Claygon thundered down the steps.
“How long has she…been missing?” the golem asked.
“Over twelve hours now,” the battle mage said. “Jules is organising searches with Watcher Hill. The Heroes have been searching for them, but they said we needed to bring you in.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he demanded.
Tyris’ green eyes flashed. “Because. I was looking for Carey. Watcher Hill said that every minute that passed counted, and we’ve been turning the world upside down for every single one of those minutes. I didn’t have time to come get you until they made me, and I still don’t. Now, I’ve got to get back. The professor and the Heroes want you there right now.”
She turned.
“But, wait, what about Baelin?” Alex asked.
The battlemage growled. “No one knows where he is. We’re on our own. No, we’ve got each other. Carey’s on her own…no, she’s got Merzhin.”
Alex grimaced.
He desperately hoped that ‘having Merzhin’ was a good thing.
###
“And why were these tunnels not located earlier?” Professor Jules shouted as Alex opened the door. “We’ve lost almost an entire day! Had we known about the—Oh, Mr. Roth. Good. You’re here. And Claygon too.”
“Yeah, I’m here,” he said, his eyes scanning the room.
The map room in the Research Castle was filled with Watchers bent over the central map with Professor Jules.
She looked up at them. “Leave us for now, but this conversation is not over. And someone go find the Heroes. We need to assemble.”
The Watchers looked at each other grimly before bowing to the alchemy professor and filing out to the room. Behind them, the sharp click of the door sounded final.
“What was that about?” Alex asked.
“Yes…you sounded…angry…” Claygon’s voice was soothing.
“Tunnels, Mr. Roth,” she grunted, jamming a finger against a spot on the map. These grey rises and bumps represent Finnegan’s Crags, a mountainous region in northern Thameland. “It’s where Carey and Merzhin disappeared, and where our earth mages found tunnels hundreds of yards below the ground around there. They'd been recently collapsed.”
Alex flinched. “The same way dungeons make tunnels under Greymoor.”
“Exactly, which is why I am disappointed that no one thought to have earth mages check for them until hours after Ms. London disappeared,” she growled. “What or whoever took her, could have killed her by now, for all we know. And Merzhin too, for that matter. This is a nightmare!”
She turned from the map in disgust, pacing back and forth.
“You should have sent for me earlier,” Alex said. “I can teleport. I could have searched—”
“In truth, neither you nor Miss London should have been here!” she snapped.
Alex took a step back. “Professor?”
“I warned that old goat!” she snarled. “What you discovered about the dungeon cores is an unknown among unknowns. And unknowns can be fraught with danger. The castle was attacked by monsters targeting you and Carey specifically. It was a sign that you should have stayed away! Done research in the safety of Generasi! But, no! You all needed to buy into this madness and get yourselves into…what? Conspiracies involving gods and monsters? And now Miss London could be dead!”
Alex’s stomach dropped.
“This is…not…father’s fault.” Claygon said, his tone defensive. “Please…don’t be angry…at him…”
“I’m not angry at Mr. Roth, Claygon,” she said. “I’m enraged at myself and that old goat bastard!” She looked at Alex. “You are children. Not even twenty yet! It’s the responsibility of us older wizards to guide you safely. But what did I do? I let that half-crazy ancient sorcerer convince me to let Miss London have free-rein! I even rewarded her, letting her lead the experiment that we were to run today. And now, even those dangerous materials are missing!”
“What materials?” Alex asked, his mind racing. “Wait, does she have a dungeon core?”
‘No,” she said. “She has.”
The door burst open.
Hart Redfletcher strode in, eyes blazing. “Jules,” he nodded curtly, then looked at Alex. “Come on. We’ve got to go.”
“What?” Alex asked. “Did you find Carey?”
“No,” Hart said. “But someone did see one of those clawed monsters that were hunting you two at the Castle. Let’s get out of here, there’s no time to lose.”
###
Author's Note
Hello twenty-two cool fools, almighty chosen, wise sages, and mighty champions! Thank you for your support!
The hunt begins. I am loving this arc so far.
Cya tomorrow!
Comments
Stephen
My thoughts was Alex was going to summon everything he could and show them the picture of Carey and have them search for her. Maybe give them something of hers.
mant06
She is now ironically nearing incompetence due to her focus on not losing anyone. Hopefully Hart can bring some calm analysis to the table.
Daniel
I hope not, something that powerful should not be handled by an individual in important uncontrolled environments like their own fort. Without due precautions and protections
rendterna
"Conspiracies involving gods and monsters?" I'm pretty sure she's confused about who dragged who into that... The question is: is telling her he knowingly dragged them all into it (and was a bit of a criminal already) worse than telling her he was secretly going behind her back to perform the experiments in Generasi without supervision?
rendterna
Sounds like it. I'm sure there aren't any dungeon cores where she's going. /s Imagine Carey destroying / revealing the Ravener because the priesthood got complacent. "Yes, Holy Saint, she destroyed the Ravener, and that's proof that she's a heathen!"
Kanyau
Chaos bomb???
BelligerentGnu
You're going to cliff us to insanity tomorrow, aren't you, you merciless bastard?
BelligerentGnu
Her inability to recognize Alex and co's adulthood is irritating, I agree. At least she's *trying* to do her job well, though. Better her than a Harry Potter style willfully blind/incompetent teacher.
Ratoo
Not a fan of being one sentence away from critical information.
Rishain
i have to admit i dont understand how professor jewels can whine so much about bring alex and carey in when she just summoned alex to help find carey. it feels really dumb
DT
So umm what does Carey have? Was that supposed to be a ... or was a word truncated?
Aveen Arya
The Plot Thickens
mhaj58
Carey has chaos essence doesn’t she?
Munirah Hutchinson
I'm calling it now. That picture on the Traveller's phone will allow Alex to teleport to anyone in the picture.
David Gibson
Tftc
