48. Chapter 48
The wind was cold here—a testament that summer was rapidly turning to autumn.
The Shadowcraig Mountains loomed high over us to our left as pastures of grass rolled to our right.
If one walked directly south from where we stood, they would find themselves at The Melted Forge.
I quickly wondered who’d received the call, since the original Firus leader died by my hand, but I’d ponder more on that once our mission was done.
We desperately needed those keys to restore the balance. To rid us of the illicitus and her curse. To save him.
We took in the scene around us—nothing for miles, except the dark mountainous border that had kept Dokvalon at bay for decades.
Just like our Wielding had broken years ago, the ceremony to protect our land had broken, too.
My sister and I had made our promise to protect it, but by then some magical barrier had been dismantled and was letting the vile nature of Dokvalon touch our realm.
“So,” Sury began with his hands on his hips. “I’m assuming our path then is over the mountain?”
“No, you infant. Through it.” Ariadne gleamed before she turned to each of us. “Best prepare yourselves just in case Dokvalon’s minions arrived here first.”
Ora stepped over to where Ariadne stood and pointed a sharp finger in her face.
“If you have lied and led us astray, I vow that you will no longer exist.” I saw a fury deep in Ora’s face that I had never seen before, and wondered if the facade I’d learned she carried was slowly breaking, showing her true feelings.
Good. Let that fuel her for what was to come.
“Now, after you.” Ora’s Sun magic settled inside her palm and produced the golden ribbons that were sharp as blades. Sury pulled out a long dagger from his boot and took Ariadne from Peiro’s grasp, pushing her forward.
They were a few paces ahead of us, Peiro ready to follow right before I stepped in his path to stop him. He looked down at me with hesitation as I took in his silver eyes and rested my palm on his hard chest. “What is going on?”
His shoulders tensed. “I can’t be here,” he gritted through his teeth like he was struggling to breathe. “That woman. Please, let’s find another way.” I noticed the veins in his neck pulsing hard against his skin.
“Will you tell me what’s wrong?” I pleaded, trying to understand. “You’ve been unlike yourself since we were at The Hold.”
Someone whistled in the air, beckoning us to follow. “Fuck,” Peiro seethed and cracked his neck, trying to release tension. His hand grabbed mine tightly and he pulled me along to follow the group.
It was a matter of moments until we found the path that snaked through the mountains that Ariadne had blabbered about.
Ora kept her ribbons close, ready for any attack, or to use on Ariadne if she stepped out of line.
In one hand I brought forth my orbs, ready to Wield as needed, as my other hand produced the Wielded moonblade that felt ethereal and light in my grasp.
An hour passed before we came upon a flattened area that appeared to be a dead end. Boulders of all sizes circled us, casting shadows from the slowly setting sun.
“What now?” Sury huffed as he swiveled his head, looking for the missing part of the path.
“Fools,” Ariadne mumbled and raised her cuffed hands in front of her, her silver ring catching my eye in a rogue sunray.
I dashed to her, knocking her hands back down and resting my dagger under her chin. “Don’t you dare try anything.”
She leaned her head in. “I’m merely using my Earthen gifts to shuffle around a few rocks.”
“We’ll do the honors.” Ora stepped forward. “Which ones?” Ariadne pointed to three large boulders that revealed a cave after being placed to the side.
A cold swept through the crevices. It chilled me down to my bones and caused my teeth to chatter before disappearing altogether. A sudden feeling of heaviness overtook me and left me feeling weak. I shook off the feeling and held my stomach as it slightly rolled, then straightened my spine.
“You expect the sisters to walk into a damn cave that borders the damn kingdom that has been trying to harm them?” Sury asked dubiously, visually shaking off the cold wind.
Ariadne sighed and lifted her head to the sky before she finally spoke. “Do you want those keys or not? I told you to be ready either way. It won’t be my fault if your delay causes them to beat you to it!”
I took a deep breath and leaned toward Peiro in an attempt to soak up his warmth.
His eyes were full of sadness and pain as he stared at the entry of the cave with recognition.
“Is this the place? Where it all started?” I took his hand in mine and looped my fingers around his, hoping he felt the cloth ring he’d placed on my finger with a promise.
He blinked rapidly and looked down at me with a small smile.
“Yes. This is the place where bad memories will forever lie.” His lips found mine this time, passion and love sinking into the touch before he quickly pulled away.
He stood up straighter, like he remembered where he was, and pulled his sword from his sheath.
He moved toward the head of the group but then turned to Sury with a harsh glare. “I’ll lead, and Sury”—he placed a strong hand upon Sury’s shoulder and squeezed hard—“protect the girls with everything you have. You are a damn good soldier. Your heart is for Gria.”
Sury nodded, taking his orders, and handed Peiro a torch he produced from his pack. Ora lit the end with her Firus, granting us some light as we entered the mountain.
The cave stretched deep. Each step forward was into a darkness so thick it felt like it would consume the fire from the torch Peiro carried. Ora and I let fire dance between our fingers, granting us heat in the process. The temperature steadily dropped the more we moved forward.
Sury held a hard grip on Aridane’s upper arm.
The shackles on her wrist lightly clinked together with every step she took.
Peiro led us all through the path forward, stepping over loose stones and pointing toward jagged stalagmites that could quickly open flesh.
I kept close behind, giving my presence to comfort him as we made the trek to the very place where his story began.
I grew more tired with every step, wishing we had chosen to rest for a day before setting forth on this undertaking.
My exhaustion became visible as my flame sputtered in the strange breeze that occasionally flew past us.
My limbs grew heavy and my feet fought the urge to move.
Every other step I fumbled forward against a rock, almost losing my balance.
I noticed Ora’s movements were becoming slow, weariness in her steps.
Even her Firus dimmed on and off. It annoyed me how unaffected Sury seemed, like he could climb a whole damn mountain on mere hours of sleep.
Peiro’s steps were steady and sure, and he occasionally checked on us to make sure we were stepping along a safe path of his making.
I noted his eyes burned the brightest silver.
It reminded me of the animals I would see at night, whose eyes seemed to glow off in the distance.
The tension building around his neck became visible as his shoulders rose and stiffened.
Sury called out from a few paces behind, “You walked all this way for that rock?” Peiro only grunted as he made his way forward to a large opening.
The cavern was spectacular. Tiny little glowing worms bunched together all over the dark cave walls and illuminated the space to the high ceiling.
If the circumstances were different, I would have easily found myself here with a bedroll, staying in this cave just to stare at the cavern in awe. Oh, how I longed for sleep.
A large pool of water stood still before us, black as onyx and reflecting glowing worms that mimicked the stars in the night sky. As my eyes slowly adjusted, I saw that the body of water stretched to the far wall. A wall covered in…holes?
“What is this place?” Ora broke the silence as we all continued to take in the surroundings. The torches the men carried gave enough light for us to take in more of the large cavern.
The more my eyes adjusted in the dim light, I noted the black walls looked strangely familiar. Next to me, I could make out the outline of a stack of rocks I felt like I had seen before—and more than once. As our light flooded the room, I gasped.
Skulls. This was something I hadn’t seen before.
A giant wall off to one side climbed as tall as an oak tree with skulls, as if it were constructed from the bones itself.
Femurs, ribs, arm bones of all sizes were compacted tightly against the wall.
Some of the skulls were too small to belong here, while other, larger ones held evidence of a blunt force ending their life.
Every wall held deadly secrets. As the faint light allowed me to process what I could see, larger openings were cut within the walls from top to bottom, mimicking a bee’s hive.
“This is a catacomb,” Sury grunted. With Ariadne still in hand, he strode over to the wall of skulls to observe before letting her go. “Don’t you dare move,” he said with a promise as he pointed his blade at her.
Glowing worms nestled within the eye sockets and spaces of missing teeth from a poor soul who was forced to reside here.
In the faint glow, I noticed dark circles under Ora’s eyes as she gave me a knowing look—both of us wondered what a place like this could mean.
Why so many skulls? Why deep within this mountain?
Faint lights grew amongst the large holes inside the wall of skulls. Holes that I realized were large enough for a grown body to enter through—to navigate like a system of tunnels. The clear sound of footsteps echoed off the space, the water at our feet slightly rippling at the vibrations.