She stopped just above him, hanging onto her daggers in the snow and smiled. “I see you might need a hand?”
“Not at all,” Aaron said as he tried to sound calm. “I just wanted to get a better view of the glacier before we left it.” Aaron tried to force the humor, but the tone of his voice trembled with exhaustion.
“Grab my legs,” Mari commanded, “and I will help you back to the top.” By that time she had descended far enough for him to easily reach her foot. With one hand he held her ankle, and with the other he used his own sword to pick his way back to the top. Hand over hand she began climbing, using her daggers to stab into the snow and pull herself forward. Like ants, scratching and clawing, Aaron and Mari slowly ascended the treacherous glacier, finally reaching the ancient dwarf pass. Braden reached down and took Mari’s hand, helping her to her feet as Lorik came to Aaron’s aide.
“Next… time… Sergeant,” said Aaron, panting for each breath. “We bring a rope.”
Lorik smiled as he helped Aaron to his feet. “Absolutely, sir.”
Far to the west the sun gave its last gasp of light as it fell below the horizon, leaving the world shrouded in darkness. Only the silvery light of the stars provided illumination. Aaron looked toward their destination. The eastern peak of the Kaedran glacier loomed ahead of them like a giant shadow in the midst of lesser ones.
A massive rock formation of marble and granite, the peak stood like a towering obelisk reaching toward the sky, its desolate, jagged heights defying wind and rain. At the base of the eastern pinnacle a small, stone tower stood almost invisible against the rock face, a mirror image of the Kanton tower but much smaller. Built directly from the stones of the mountain, the guard tower could house a group of ten to fifteen dwarves. Like eyes carved into the granite keep, narrow window slits watched the pass.
As his band approached the tower, high overhead a voice on the air, almost hidden in the howling gusts of wind, reached Aaron’s ears. A large winged creature flew directly toward them, moving swiftly. Immediately, he knew what approached and shouted, “Run!”
They raced as fast as the snow drifts would allow. Aaron drew his sword and immediately the pommel stone radiated a pale green light, surrounding the captain and reflecting off the snow and stone. He momentarily stumbled, surprised at the sword’s illumination. When he glanced at Braden and Mari, they both returned a puzzled look while Lorik’s eyes widened with wonder.
Unable to outrace the winged beast, they prepared to stand against it when it soared overhead and continued east, beyond their sight. Its unrelenting cry echoed against the mountain as it passed, flying so close that they could hear the creature’s wings.
Aaron sighed. “That was fortunate.” He sheathed his weapon and turned to the others. “Don’t stop. We must get to that shelter, we don’t know if that creature will return.” He hurried their pace until they reached the guard tower. On the far side of the circular building, an archway sat open to them and they entered. Each one quickly went to a window to look for the deladrin’s return. They watched for several minutes, staring into the darkness and listening for other sounds. Only the wind offered any voice to the night as the pale sheen of the Kaedran Glacier glimmered in the starlight. Aaron, with the others, let out a sigh of relief.
The tower itself was not much more than a broken remnant of a time long ago. The antiquated walls showed countless signs of cracking as stress fractures ran along almost every stone. The entire ceiling had collapsed with the weight of hundreds of snowfalls, leaving the interior exposed to the sky. Only a small location against the wall and under the stairs provided any shelter from the elements. The stairs themselves were built directly into the wall, made of the same stone, winding up to a parapet along the upper wall. It was far too fractured to venture a climb, as Braden discovered when he put his weight on the first step. There was nothing else of value in the tower, only the bits and pieces of ancient chairs and the wooden planks that had once formed the ceiling.
The four of them huddled next to each other under the stair to try and stay warm, “It’s going to be a long, cold night… let’s try to get some rest,” said Aaron. “Braden, take out the stone so we can have a bit of light.”
The illumine stone shone with its faint, white light, encircling the small band of adventurers.
Lorik looked at Mari. “You don’t have the power to light us a fire, do you?”
“No, I’m sorry,” Mari replied. “The gifts of the High-Born are only with all things living. I have no power to bring forth fire.” She looked at Braden with a questioning glance. “You, however… do you not know the ancient skills of your own people?”
Braden shook his head. “No, my lady. Those secrets have been forbidden to my people for many centuries and are almost forgotten now. There are few who practice the ancient arts, and those who do are usually considered rebels.”
Mari seemed genuinely disappointed. “That is a loss. My father taught me the gifts given to us by the true King were supposed to be learned and taught to others. Why have your people left the ancient ways behind?”
Braden was unsure how to answer. “I don’t know. There are some who think that the ancient ways are long gone, and that a new era for the dwarves is at hand. Others think that we should simply forget the ancient truths and fashion for ourselves a new course… to leave behind the old hope.” He paused as he thought about the answer. “For me…I’ve never actually been taught the old ways. What young dwarves are taught are the skills of weaponry and the art of delving. Some become farmers and tradesman, but most have never heard the ancient truths. Some few, our Lord Dunstan is one, keep alive the hope of restoration… but that restoration is now more about the dwarves taking a prominent place among the peoples of the world.”
Mari nodded in understanding, and then looked over to Aaron. “They call you captain?”
“Yes,” Aaron said, “I once served in the Royal Guard of Celedon and led the division of the third order. Many of my men were lost several months ago in the Shattered Hills. Lorik and I are the only survivors from our expedition, except one who has left us.”
“But I was taught that your entire race was deceived into darkness and lost under the power of the Usurper,” Mari said. “How is it that you are here seeking the Book of Aleth?”
Aaron looked at the ground. “Lorik and I have learned that we have been taught many things that are untrue. Our history teaches that a millennia ago the people of Celedon rose up against a tyrannical king and deposed him, setting instead an emperor who would lead Celedon into a new era of peaceful cooperation. The knowledge of elves and dwarves became nothing more than legend and myth. By the time I was old enough to be educated in the imperial schools, all I knew about the other races were merely found in children’s stories.
“Months ago our emperor sent me and my men on a mission to recover the Book of Aleth and to return it to the royal archives in the capital. My mission, still, is to recover the book… but not for the emperor, for me.”
“What will you do with it?” Mari asked.
“My hope is to learn from it. Since we’ve been on this journey, I have encountered things and people that I would never have guessed existed, circumstances that I never dreamt were possible. Much has happened to change my understanding of the world around me and it all centers on this book.” Aaron paused, thoughtful. “I’m tired of being lied to,” he said. “With all that has occurred, I must discover the real truth. And,” he continued, “if the emperor wants to hide it and others want to exploit it, I intend to protect it.” Aaron shivered in the cold. Wanting to change the subject, he drew his sword and held the hilt out to Mari. “Can you tell me anything about these markings?”
As Aaron unsheathed the weapon, the green gem radiated the same, mystical glow. Mari took the weapon from Aaron and the gem’s light faded until only the illumine stone lighted their small enclosure. Holding it up, she turned it over and traced out the markings on the blade with her fingers. She looked closely at the green gem in the pommel and again traced out the markings. She gazed intently at Aaron with wonder. “How did you come by this weapon?”
“We found it in an ancient tower near the Hoppe River,” Aaron replied.
“This is a weapon of royal ancestry,” Mari said. “It is called
Etyrounai
, or
Sword of the Protector
. It belongs to the Protector of Celedon, the captain of the host of men who served the great King. The ancient captain defended the King while the forces of darkness rampaged and ravaged the nation of Celedon. Our history speaks of the Protector as he stood against overwhelming odds, fighting the onslaught of attackers, until the usurper himself struck him down.
“It was said that among mortal man there was no one who could defeat the Protector and no sword that could compare with his weapon. When in the Protector’s hand, the gemstone radiates a halo of emerald light so that the one who wields it cannot be taken by surprise, even in dark places. All efforts to recover the sword failed and history records that the ancient weapon was lost.” Mari looked deeply at Aaron who sat uncomfortable in the light of such a revelation. “Aaron,” Mari continued, “it is your hand that brings forth the light of the sword.”
“I’m not sure what I should say to such a thing,” Aaron said.
“Captain,” Braden interjected. “The old tales say only the Protector of Celedon can bring forth the light of the sword. No other hand can wield its power.”
Aaron shook his head. “I don’t know about all that. But what I do know is that I believe this Book of Aleth will untie these mysteries.” He took the sword from Mari and replaced it in its sheath, then nestled down against the stone wall. However, the revelation from Mari did little to settle his thoughts. He wondered about the sword, and about his connection to it. Despite his apprehension, a yearning began to grow in his heart like a spark that starts a fire, a yearning to free Celedon from the tyranny of deception. If providence truly selected him, he would embrace it.
Braden rummaged through the satchel again and passed out some of the food they carried. Aaron stood, stamping his feet and rubbing his arms to try and keep warm. He wished Garam was still with them, for his skill would have been most useful.
Aaron turned to Lorik. “Sergeant, let’s see if we can find some useful wood. We might be able to build a makeshift shelter to help us keep warm.” Braden handed Lorik the illumine stone and the two soldiers went to the center of the tower, searching through the piles of old wood. They found a few large pieces, enough to prop up as walls under the stairs, and they found that, with their collective body heat, they could endure the cold mountain climate for the night. Too tired to try and keep watch, Aaron hoped that the ancient tower would hide them from prying eyes. Huddled together, he and the others fell fast asleep.
In the early morning, before the sun had climbed high enough to wash the glacier in its brilliant light, Aaron peered from their makeshift shelter and saw their small tower was dusted with about three inches of snow. Being under the stone staircase, they were readily protected from any of the snowfall but it only served to remind him of their location. He woke Braden, who stretched and yawned. Lorik and Mari still slept, pleasantly peaceful in their repose.
Aaron looked to Braden. “How much farther do we have to go?”
“Not much farther, Captain,” Braden said. “I think we’ll arrive at the old passage before midday.” Braden paused, looking up through the tower roof into the sky. “What about that flying beast?”
“I don’t know. If they are fearful of our arrival, we might have a chance of hope.” Aaron shook his head, frowning. “I just don’t understand why it passed us right by. We hadn’t reached this tower yet and there was no way it could have failed to see us on the open glacier.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to me either,” Braden said. “I guess we will find out soon enough. I would rather not have to face these creatures, if at all possible. If we can sneak in and take the book without being detected, that would be best.”
“And where will these creatures be holding the book?” Aaron asked.
“I imagine they would have taken it to the central chamber, the ancient throne room. It is not the most easily defended room, as there are several passages that enter into it.” Braden stroked his beard. “If we could find an unused hallway, we might be able to get into the chamber without being noticed.”
“What about the gremellak?” Aaron asked.
“I don’t know,” said Braden. “They live all across these mountains… though not at this altitude. And they are sure to be in the ancient realm. I think, however, that if we don’t meet too many at once we should be able to fight our way through them.”
“I agree, but think… once we start fighting all our hope of secrecy is lost.” Aaron tried to consider all possible contingencies, but could not reconcile how to recover the book without confronting the deladrin.
And then
, he wondered,
if I actually do succeed at rescuing the book, what will I do with it once I have it?
Behind Braden and Aaron, Lorik woke up and stepped out of the shelter. Stretching and yawning in the cold morning air the sergeant asked, “Trying to figure out a plan, Captain?”
“Yes, but I can think of no way that we are going to go in and come out again… not without a fight.” Aaron’s voice carried a strong sense of frustration. He paced across the tower chamber, slowly deliberating in his mind what their plan of action would be.
“Captain,” Lorik said, “you may have to play this one by chance.”
The words fell hard on Aaron. He hated the idea of leaving anything to chance when he could influence the outcome. But this was beyond him. His quest was leading him into catacombs completely unfamiliar, with an enemy completely foreign. As captain of the guard, he would have sent in scouts to carefully spy out the situation, and then he would have assembled the best possible team to overcome all contingencies. He would have brought all the necessary weaponry and supplies to support the effort and would have even contemplated the possible casualties and losses versus the gain that would be won.