Forge of Ashes Page 5

  Cursing, she searched for a rag to wipe off the remaining condensation before her underclothes got soaked. Maybe her armor could weep for Gromir, but she never would.

  Chapter Seven

  Fallen Faithful

  The next day, Akina and Ondorum visited the ancestral vaults and met with a priest of Magrim, the dwarven god of the afterlife and restorer of souls. The priest expressed his sorrow and retrieved Jannasten's death etching. Brakisten's scrawl marked the thin bronze sheet, certifying their mother's demise. Presumed death, Akina kept reminding herself. Technically, Jannasten had just headed off and never come home. Much like her daughter—and everyone had started figuring Akina for dead, hadn't they?

  Still, after staring at the certificate for several minutes, Akina asked for a guide into the catacombs. A steward led them to one of the ravines cutting through the city level. He lowered them by cage and winch to the entrance of a burial labyrinth built into the side of the trench.

  He lit the winding tunnels with a lantern until, at last, they came to an arch marked by the Fairingot sigil: an engraved bar with an eye set in the middle, surrounded by rays of light. While they didn't have Jannasten's body, an empty stone coffin had still been interred in the generational vaults. Akina knelt and laid her maulaxe before this and tried to think of a fitting prayer. Yet she could only think, Sorry. I'm so sorry. She repeated this until her mind went numb and the words lost any meaning. Her hands shook as she retrieved her weapon and strapped it onto her back.

  After leaving the catacombs and dismissing their guide, she wandered the city streets, Ondorum in tow. They wound up sitting on a low mushroom-garden wall overlooking the graveyard ravine. She leaned against him, taking comfort in his unwavering presence.

  At last, she roused."Coming back was a huge mistake; I shouldn't have dragged you into it." When he faced her, green eyes bright, she lifted a hand."Let me finish, hm? I'm not giving up all hope. I just don't think I'll find it here like I figured."

  She gazed across the city."There's no place here for me. No purpose. Maybe that's what I really hoped to find. Place and purpose. When I fight, that savage joy fills me, but there's no sense behind it. Nothing besides ending one life and keeping mine. That can't be right. That can't be all there is to it. I want to find more, just not here. And staying would only make it worse for me and everyone else."

  She stood, smiling wearily."We'll leave. Maybe take Brakisten with us." She chuckled."That'd be a good start, right? Some fresh air could clear his head. Then we find some work, bash some heads in, and only worry about whether our clients pay or not. Back to better times, hm?"

  She hopped down from the wall with a clatter. He followed. It took them the better part of the day to track down the latest tavern Brakisten frequented. When Akina peeked inside and spotted her brother slumped in a corner, she sighed.

  "Would you wait outside?" she asked Ondorum."I'll try to talk sense into him."

  He stepped aside and urged her on with an encouraging smile. Inside, Akina skirted tables and other drunks until she reached Brakisten. She sat beside her brother and eased the tankard out of his loose grip. A swig of the contents left her grimacing. Foul stuff. Hardly fit to call ale.

  He stared at her with glazed eyes."What're you doing here?" His focus drifted to the mug."Hey, that's mine."

  Deciding it was the lesser of two evils, she drained the swill in two gulps and wiped her mouth clean. She handed the mug back so he could pout into its depths."Where'd you get the coin? Figured you for broke these days."

  He hunched further."There's always folks who'll take pity on those living lower than dirt."

  "Begging, Brakisten? Really?"

  "Like it's any worse than what I've already suffered."

  "Tell me about that. Help me understand."

  "Buy me another drink?"

  "No." She forced a calm breath through her teeth."Just talk to me. Please."

  He dragged fingers through his knotted beard."It's difficult to serve two gods at once. I gave over to worshiping the wrong one."

  "No. I won't accept my brother betrayed everything he believed in to start worshiping the Dark Smith. You'd start following Zon-Kuthon the torture god before that."

  He eyed her sidelong."Not talking about Droskar. Talking Torag and..." He lifted the empty mug.

  "Then why go around telling people Droskar's coming for their souls?"

  He reached up and rapped his skull."Ever feel like your head's so stuffed full of wrongness you've got to let it out or you'll crack and fall apart? That's what it was like for me. I started seeing things. Fire. Smoke. Hearing horrible screams, like the tortured dead calling for me. Chains rattling. Buildings and people would turn to ash and bone and rusting metal all around me for days at a time."

  She laid a hand on his shoulder."You worked in Torag's temple. Didn't other clerics get visions?"

  He shoved her hand off."Nothing like this! These're unholy visions, full of death and despair straight from the Abyss. Just like the stories we're told of Droskar's realm. I thought I'd go insane if it didn't stop. I told others, as much as it shamed me. Had them look for curses or any sort of wicked influence. Nothing. Some said it was all in my head, manifestations of doubt or some other blather."

  "When did this start?"

  "A couple years before Mother disappeared." His voice turned weepy."I tried to hold it back. Tried to drink the nightmares away. Worked for a while, but then it just made it worse. I don't even remember half of what I did or said back then."

  "You still get these visions?"

  "They come and go. The less I remember, the better. Figure if I'm too drunk to walk or talk straight, I can't cause more trouble."

  "Hell, Brakisten." She propped her chin on her clasped hands."I know exactly how you feel."

  His brow furrowed."You do?"

  A grimace."During the war, I learned about Gorum. Saw him, actually."

  Brakisten's eyes focused on her, the clearest his vision had been since their reunion."You're joking. You saw a god."

  "Didn't realize it at first. It was during one of the last, bloodiest battles with the goblin tribes in our area. I got separated from my squad and found myself surrounded by dozens of goblins and a few hobgoblins. I thought I was about to die. But as they closed in, a figure appeared by me. A giant man all dressed in dark iron armor, with eyes blazing like bloody fire. He touched my shoulder, vanished, and this pure, driving rage consumed me. I lost at least an hour in my mind and woke up to find myself painted in goblin remains with more than fifty of them dead around me."

  Her brother paled."Hell, Akina."

  "It was incredible... at first. I gave over to it every chance I got. Learned more about the Lord in Iron and found my real calling for battle. That's what kept me from coming back right away. Out there," she waved vaguely,"offered me more chances to explore and fight as much as I wanted. I fell in with a band of mercenaries and made a good living."

  "By killing whoever they paid you to kill."

  "Wasn't mindless slaughter. We only took contracts on those who had good reason to die."

  "Sure." Brakisten licked his lips and tilted his head as if seeing her from a new perspective. From the worried gleam in his eyes, whatever he saw frightened him."What about now? Still a Gorumite?"

  "No. But I still have some troubles."

  "Such as?"

  She reached back to feel the reassuring weight of her maulaxe."Figure these days, it's less like giving myself over to the battlefury and more like it comes and goes as it wants; when it leaves, it takes a bit more of me each time."

  He sniffed."So you didn't come back for me or Mother or Gromir. You came back for you. Because you thought we'd be here to save you from yourself."

  "No. I came home hoping to avoid fighting for a while. Besides, I brought home more than just myself, hm?"

  He laughed raggedly."Not sure Mother would've expected an oread lover as a homecoming gift."

  She grinned despite herself."M
aybe not, but he's the best thing I've got. And I don't want to ruin that by wallowing here too long. I'm leaving soon."

  "Leaving? You just got back."

  "And see how well it's gone? I don't really belong here anymore."

  His face crinkled."Neither do I, if I'm honest."

  "Which is why I want you to come with me."

  Surprise flickered across his face."With you?"

  "You're my brother after all. We could wander the roads. See a few cities. Have a few adventures."

  "Kill a few people."

  She tried for a gentle smile, not wanting to scare him off."Got to get paid somehow, but I'm not forcing you into that business. I just figure it'd be helpful to start climbing again—this time with folks there to catch you if you fall."

  He pulled on a black curl so hard she feared he might tear it from his scalp."Let me think about it, okay?" He rose on wobbly legs.

  She snagged a corner of his robe."Where are you going?"

  "To think. And take a piss. I'll be back in just a few seconds, I promise."

  He staggered off and out a side door, which clapped shut behind him.

  Akina frowned after, instinct clamoring that he meant to ditch her and crawl into another drinking hole. She waited a few moments, then gave in and stood. Time to force the matter for his own good. He'd thank her later.

  She slipped out the same side door into another short alley. Three dwarven figures gathered around Brakisten, who wavered in their midst. Two figures held his arms on either side, but her brother didn't appear to be resisting in the slightest. Akina groaned, anticipating more ruffians.

  Then she recognized Gromir's golden hair and blue robe. These set him apart from the other two, who had matching bald heads, draping silver beards, and ashen skin. Nondescript gray leather outfits clad their stout bodies, and they gazed at her with obsidian eyes.

  Duergar? Loose in Taggoret? It couldn't be. Dwarves were ever on the alert for infiltration by their treacherous kin. She'd only seen a handful of the abhorrent outcasts before going off to war, mostly as prisoners from failed assaults on dwarven territory. The wicked race had remained quiet in the past century, content to toil down in the Darklands in mindless devotion to Droskar.

  Gromir whirled and goggled at her."You shouldn't be here!"

  Akina poised her maulaxe, blade edge out."Get away from my brother."

  Gromir glanced at the duergar."Go. I'll meet you at the appointed place." He touched Brakisten's shoulder and her brother disappeared. The duergar appeared to continue holding unseen limbs. Before Akina took another step, the pair vanished as well.

  "No!" Akina charged for where they'd stood. Some stories said duergar had an innate ability to turn invisible. If they'd done so rather than spirited themselves away with a spell, she could stop them before they got too far.

  Gromir thrust a hand out, and a black glob flew from his fingertips; it splattered on the earth between Akina and her destination, coating the area with glistening film. Her feet went out from under her and she collapsed in a clatter. She scrabbled for purchase and lurched up to stare at him.

  "Why are you doing this?"

  He cringed, but then gathered himself."You asked me to. It's for Brakisten's own good and yours. Farewell, Akina. My assistant will have a message for you explaining this."

  One hand twisted into an arcane gesture, and he too vanished. Ondorum rounded the corner moments later. Grease streaking her armor, Akina regained her balance and bulled past the monk, looking every which way.

  "Gromir... my brother... duergar took..." She caught her breath."The shop. Need to get to my mother's shop."

  They warned the first guard patrol they encountered. While not supported by any direct evidence, their claim of duergar within the city slapped alarm across the soldiers' faces. One jogged off to alert the nearest commander while the others spread out to search the area.

  Akina raced on, Ondorum in her wake. She charged into the shop as Selvia emerged from the back rooms. Akina's bellow made the younger dwarf look like she wanted to cower behind the counter.

  "Gromir! Where is he?"

  Selvia wrung her hands, ruddy hair flopping back and forth."N-not here, mistress. I haven't seen him since yesterday."

  Ondorum placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder while Akina hunched to meet her eyes.

  "If you're hiding him or doing anything to protect him, know he was just spotted with a couple of duergar. And they took my brother. So think carefully about what you say next."

  Selvia's eyes widened in horror."Duergar? Here? With him?"

  "He said you'd have a message for me."

  Selvia extended a quaking hand, making the parchment she held flutter like a bird's wing."I found this in the room you destr—that he showed you the other day."

  Akina snatched the paper away and unfolded it.

  Beloved Akina

  I am fulfilling my promise to you and doing all that's left in my power to salvage the damage I've done to your family. And the only place I know to do so is within Nar-Voth. If all goes well, I should return within a matter of weeks with your mother restored and your brother redeemed. If not, then you can at least be at peace knowing you'll never have to deal with me again. Don't be frightened for my fate or for Brakisten's. He will serve a greater purpose alongside me, and I will care for him as I can along the way.

  My only request is that you wait in Taggoret for two months. Seems a short time compared to ten years, does it not? If I've not returned by then, you can assume I've failed and live free from any burden you felt I imposed on you.

  Yours,

  Gromir Hokkelunst

  Akina's roar made the other dwarf stagger. Selvia gripped Ondorum's bracing arm to hold herself upright. The monk took the letter and read it while Akina stamped about.

  The growl in her throat resolved into words."Unbelievable. Unbelievable! Into Nar-Voth? Taking my brother? Working with duergar?" She spun and shook a fist at Selvia."You! Where's the nearest courier office? We need messages to every tunnel gate as fast as possible. They need to be on full alert so Gromir can't slip past any of the defenses."

  Selvia made a shaky curtsy."There's one just a few streets over, miss. But... um..." She chewed her lower lip.

  "Spew it or stow it."

  "I don't think Master Gromir's going down any of Taggoret's tunnels, miss."

  "How would you know? And don't call him master anymore."

  Selvia ducked her head."Um... I... well, it's because of his stories and maps, miss."

  "Stories? Maps? He's been down there before?"

  "Yes, miss. Several times, I think. When business was slow and he was between carvings, he liked to talk about exploring Nar-Voth, and some of the creatures and sights he encountered there." She offered up shaking hands."I don't know why he went down. He never said, but sometimes I'd see him working on strange bits of stone or studying old-looking carvings he must've brought back from there."

  Ondorum rattled the parchment and Akina nodded.

  "You mentioned maps," she said."Of the Darklands?"

  Selvia flushed."I enjoy working at the shop, but I'm actually training to be a cartographer. I like to redraw maps I've seen of lands I've never visited. While cleaning the shop about a year ago, I discovered a bunch of maps Master—er, Gromir had stashed in one of the desks. From time to time, after he's gone home, I've pulled them out and practiced." She stared at her feet."When I came in and found that note addressed to you waiting, I had an odd feeling. So I checked to ensure all our records were in order. Everything's in place except the maps. They're gone, but I still have the copies I made. I think they're pretty accurate."

  "And you figure they show where he's going?"

  The shop assistant perked up."One of them notes a route to a surface gate northwest of here, not far from Davarn. There's another subterranean route linking from there to a series of unlabeled tunnels. It has various landmarks noted along the way."

  "I know that gate. Gromi
r and I were stationed there together for a couple years. Before the war." Akina frowned."Why would they go all the way there?"

  "Maybe because he was stationed there, miss." Selvia flushed deeper at their attention."I... I haven't even ever gone to Taggoret's lower gates, so I don't really know anything, but I just thought..."

  Akina scratched her chin."That's a good point, actually. Taggoret's undergates are extremely fortified. The surface gate near Davarn is secured, yes, but just against potential threats from below, not to protect a whole city. And Gromir knows the gate defenses. He might have an idea of how to get his duergar friends through without raising an alarm." She scowled at a wall."Besides, a trip overland is actually the safer option."

  "Safer?" Selvia's forehead scrunched.

  "Compared to the tunnels, the surface is a wasteland. Plenty of unguarded territory. Lots of room to run and hide. In the tunnels, you can get cornered quick unless you're able to walk through solid stone." Akina clenched and unclenched her fists."If they're heading to Davarn, we could catch up before they go under. But we've got to go immediately."

  Ondorum grimaced in agreement.

  "Miss?" Selvia raised a finger.

  Akina huffed."More?"

  "Just one thing. Could I go with you?"

  Akina and Ondorum shook their heads in unison.

  "No. Absolutely not. You're staying here, and that's final."

  Chapter Eight

  Sundered Earth

  Akina sighed and looked back at Selvia, who waved from atop her mule as the trio plodded along the mountain trail. The assistant acted as if this had become some grand adventure, while Akina hoped the furthest it'd take them would be Davarn. At worst, they'd catch up with Gromir and Brakisten in the shallow tunnels beyond the surface gate and drag them home.

  Of course, this assumed their quarry had taken the path the maps indicated, and that Gromir's duergar friends didn't have a quicker route plotted.

  She'd already spoken to the guards and patrols from the fortress at the bottom of Kingtower Pass, but they'd proven no help. If Gromir traveled with at least two duergar, they'd not likely be stopping in any dwarven settlements along the way, so she didn't bother side-tracking to question every post.