The Wrathful Mountains (12 page)

The sorceress
agreed out of politeness. She was quite capable of pulling herself back up, her
arms not lacking for strength. But Daro was unused to women inside his mine, so
he treated her with as great a care as he would any lady.

Steadying herself on
the platform, she waited patiently as Daro lowered her into the darkness. The
light faded to a dull gray, the pinpoint lights of the glowworms outshining
that which was brought down by the mirrors. Here the world was entirely still,
her lungs working overtime to find fresh air. Once again the buzzing returned,
traveling up her spine and settling in the back of her head. Her ears puffed,
and she swallowed hard to drive the feeling away.

Setting aside her
now-useless lantern, she tuned her ears to the stillness. A voice called out, a
low rumbling tone. More curiosity than anger, whoever it was wanted to know her
better.

Where are you?
she projected with her mind.

There was no change
to the voice. It held the same steady tone, beckoning her toward it. Keeping
one hand against the wall, she kept herself in check. With a ceiling that
stretched up to eternity, and the darkness surrounding her, it would be all too
easy to lose her bearings.

Twisting along the
wide path, she followed the rumbling sound. Above her all fell silent, no
hammers echoing throughout the mine. The pounding of her heart replaced the
hammers, but she found her courage and steadied her breathing, forcing her legs
to keep moving.

Rounding a bend,
the path became unsteady, small rocks sliding beneath her feet. The way
narrowed into a single passageway, wide enough for only two men at a time.
Still moving forward, the rumbling grew louder, but a wall blocked her way.
Taking in what she could make out in the black, she believed this to be the end
of the mine. A pile of rubble had been placed to one side, awaiting its
transport outside. The tunnel was too small for a large team of miners, meaning
it must still be under excavation.

Placing her hand
flat against the uneven floor, she searched for the owner of the voice. Her
mind penetrated the rock, scanning the undiscovered depths. Passing deposits of
iron and painite, she pressed on, searching for her quarry.

There, in the
depths, she saw it, a vision through the stone. Massive, far taller than an elf,
far stouter than a dwarf. It lifted its mighty head, its mouth open wide to
reveal the fire within. A roar of anger shook the walls, debris raining down
upon her. Still she held her concentration, her mind examining every feature of
this monster. Magic radiated from it, a long-dormant master of earth, fed by
the rock surrounding it.

Trapped.

Who had bound this
creature to this place? Only the Ancients had such power. Kaiya scanned her
memory for any old tales that might explain what he was. A spark of realization
hit her. The mountain itself had entombed this colossus. How long had it been
there?

A dizziness nearly
knocked her off her feet. This creature was far out of her league. She could
not face such ancient magic. She was too young, too inexperienced. What was
forty years in the lifetime of a mountain? Her inadequacies overwhelming, she
pulled her mind away from the depths.

Awake.

One last word
echoed in her ears. What had lain dormant for millennia was about to rise.
Reeling from this discovery, she struggled for a breath. Stumbling in the
darkness, her thoughts focused only on retreat. But her feet would not obey,
and she found herself rooted in place. Something drew near.

W
ith a sickening
snap, the wall before the sorceress broke open, and a bipedal creature of stone
emerged. Its head reared back, and its mouth gaped open to let out a single
raspy cry. Kaiya jumped backward, stumbled in the darkness, and landed hard on
her side.

The creature closed
in, its heavy footfalls ringing in her ears. Its purpose to destroy, it would
not stop until the dwarf lay crushed beneath its weight. Her sense of direction
lost to the darkness, Kaiya found her back against a wall. It was now or never.

Reaching deep into
her magical stores, she summoned an energy blast to knock her pursuer off-course.
With one hand she sent the blast hurling toward its midsection, with the other
she summoned a light. As the cavern illuminated, she glimpsed the creature
whirring to the side, trying to stay balanced despite the burst of energy
nearly knocking it over. Finding an opening, Kaiya dashed for it, putting some
distance between herself and the beast.

Deafening
vibrations from the creature’s stride assaulted her ears, her head pounding as
she readied herself for another attack. The light at her fingertips gave her a
clear view of her pursuer, its misshapen body haphazardly thrown together. Its
limbs uneven, its gait unsteady, Kaiya’s confidence rose. It reared its head
once more, its bellowing cry rattling through her body.

Planting her feet
firmly against the floor, Kaiya refused to be intimidated. She would fight, not
flee. Before dousing her light to preserve magic, she made note of the lowered
section of ceiling in the unfinished tunnel. A triangular chunk of rock dangled
precariously, waiting for her to take advantage.

Sensing the danger
it was in, the creature charged toward her, chunks of rock splitting off of its
body. Kaiya held fast, ignoring the rocks that pelted her. With a flash of
silver in her eyes, she summoned enough heat to saw through the base of the
triangular stone. Before she could finish, the creature closed in, its rocky
arms swinging wildly. Pirouetting to the left, she narrowly avoided a collision
between her head and the creature’s arm, but now she was cornered.

Hoping the heat
spell had been enough, she blasted energy at the triangular rock. Careening to
the floor, it landed with a thunderous crash. Unfazed by the sound, the
creature moved forward, closing in on the trapped dwarf, a hint of laughter in
its voice. Pulling back its arm, it prepared for the killing blow.

Her lungs begging
for air, Kaiya knew she didn’t have long. Without a clear view of the sky, she
could not summon the lightning as she had with the last beast. Alone in the
darkness, she would have to throw everything she had left at the beast if she
hoped to escape.

Calling on the
remainder of her magical stores, she tapped into the cavern’s remaining air.
Its elemental power radiating from her fingertips, she pushed with all her
strength, forcing its energy into the triangular rock. Spinning through the
air, the rock sailed toward the beast, smashing into its midsection and
splitting it in two. With the last of her strength, she sent the stone upward,
shattering it against the ceiling, rubble raining down on the creature. Buried
beneath the debris, the beast lay still.

Charging past the
destruction, Kaiya raced for the platform. Dizzy and out of breath, she fought
her way through the stillness. As she reached for the rope to pull herself up,
she realized her arms had gone numb. A lump rose in her throat, preventing her from
crying out for help.

Nearly frantic, she
stood upon the platform for what felt like an eternity. To her relief, the
creaking of the pulley alerted her that someone was headed down. Dropping to
her knees, she glimpsed Daro, accompanied by three miners, descending to her
level.

The foreman scooped
her up as if she weighed nothing and signaled one of the others to raise the
platform. “We have to get her out of here,” he said.

Nearly dragging her
outside the mine, Daro helped her to a seat and fanned the air in front of her
face.

“I’m all right,”
she managed to squeak out. Though exhausted, the sudden exposure to her element
was quickly replenishing her magic. Soon she would feel rested and recharged.

“We heard the
racket down there,” Daro said, his voice quiet. “Was it one of those rock
beasts?”

Stunned, Kaiya
stared at the foreman. “How did you know?” she asked.

“One showed up a
week or so ago,” he replied. “It took more than twenty men to stop it. That’s
why I sent for you.”

“You might have
told me,” she said, annoyed.

“I swore Raad to
secrecy,” he replied, shaking his head and looking at the ground. “I wasn’t
sure how you’d react to that sort of thing, and I didn’t want to risk your not
coming. I’m sorry.”

“Is there anything
else you’d like to tell me?” she asked.

“You know
everything I do,” he replied. “Do you think we woke up something down there?”

“Something has
awakened, but I’m not sure mining is the cause.” Feeling the soothing touch of
the wind upon her face, she finally had the energy to stand. “What became of
the rock beast the miners fought?”

“We tossed it aside
with the rubble from the avalanche,” he replied.

That explained the
magic Kaiya had sensed in the debris. Straining her ears to the breeze, she
listened for its counsel. “I
t’s time for this being to wake,” she said
as if in a trance. “No matter how much noise the dwarves made, it wouldn’t have
awoken unless it was ready.”

Daro stared at her in awe.

Her normal demeanor returning, Kaiya warned, “I
wouldn’t dig any deeper than you already have. Unless you want to run into it
face to face.”

“What will this thing do when it finally makes its
way to the surface?” he asked.

“It is bent on destruction,” she replied. “I have
to stop it before it manages to free itself.”

“Whatever you need from me, it’s yours,” the
foreman pledged. To safeguard the lives of his crew and their families, he
would spare no expense. “I knew it was a good idea to bring you here,” he
added. Her willingness to stand against this being was admirable. Daro could
tell she would fight to the end. After all, she’d singlehandedly taken down a
rock beast. In his eyes, she was more than a sorceress—she was a hero.

* * * * *

It was a quiet ride back
to the camp, the wheels in Kaiya’s mind grinding. When the cart came to a halt,
she stepped out without so much as glancing at the driver. Her eyes instead
scanned the area for her companions. A slender figure, whose tribal manner of
dress made her easy to single out, paced nervously back and forth. Not far from
her stood Galen, and next to him Raad.

Waving at the sight of his friend, Galen called
out to her. “Back so soon?” he asked, the smile fading from his lips as she
approached. Her demeanor was far too severe for humor.

“You’re wounded!” Tashi shouted as she came to Kaiya’s
side. Ignoring all rules of personal space, she touched her fingers to the
sorceress’s face. “How could these foul men allow you to come to harm?” she
spat.

“It’s just a few scrapes and bruises,” Kaiya
assured her. “The air will soon heal them.” Gently she took Tashi’s hands in
hers and moved them from her face. Squeezing them tightly, she said, “I do
appreciate your concern.”

Released from the sorceress’s grip, Tashi’s arms
dangled at her side, her fingers fidgeting against her palms. Before her eyes,
Kaiya’s wounds did indeed repair themselves. The purplish bruises gave way to
fresh skin, the cuts sealing themselves until barely visible. “Amazing,” she
whispered.

“Did you find anything?” Raad asked.

“At the lowest level of the mines, I had a
vision,” Kaiya began. “A massive creature crafted of stone lives deep within
the heart of the mountain. It is angry, all its thoughts bent on destruction.”

“What else did you see?” Galen asked, knowing she
was holding back.

“When it opened its mouth, I saw fire,” she said.
“I made out only two words: trapped and awake.”

“Who spoke the words?” the elf asked.

Kaiya thought a moment. “When I was in the mine, I
was certain it was the creature’s voice. Now I’m not so certain. But who else
could it have been?”

The trio exchanged glances, but none had an answer
to her question.

“What manner of beast lives inside a mountain?”
Tashi asked, her voice shaking. Silently she hoped there was some explanation
other than the one she held in her heart.

“It could only be an Ancient,” Kaiya answered.

“No,” Galen replied. “It isn’t an Ancient.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, confused.

“The Ancients were creators,” Galen explained.
“What you saw in your vision is a Gawr. It is a being of destruction.”

“But how else could it be old enough to live at
the heart of the mountain?” Kaiya asked. “It couldn’t have dug itself that deep—even
the dwarves don’t have such skill. It must have been there when the mountain
was created.”

“Whoever your Ancients are, they did not create
the mountain,” Tashi said, drawing everyone’s attention. “The mountain always
was, and always will be.”

“Tashi’s right,” Galen said with a knowing smile.
“The mountain was here when the Ancients first came. The Gawr was already here
as well. They could neither create nor destroy it. It is, as you said, a part
of the mountain.”

“How do you know all this?” Tashi asked. “Do your
people pass down tales as mine do?”

“We do,” Galen replied, “but I read about the Gawr
in an old book.”

“Ink on parchment told you of this?” she asked,
her eyes full of wonder.

“They did,” he replied.

“I would like to learn this skill you possess,”
she stated.

“I’d be honored to teach you,” he responded.

“Are you telling me that the Gawr wants to destroy
everything some ancient elves created?” Raad asked.

“More than that,” he replied. “It wants to destroy
the world itself. All life, all beings. By destroying the world’s foundation,
it could end everything at once.”

After a moment’s thought, Kaiya asked, “Did the
Ancients know of the Gawr?”

“Yes,” he answered. “They were able to control it.”

“Are you going to tell me how?” the sorceress
asked, losing patience. “Or are you going to stand here chatting until the
world splits apart?”

“The words you heard already told you what to do,”
he replied, his tone calm. “The Gawr has awakened, and only powerful magic can
lull it back to sleep, essentially trapping it in its own domain.”

Kaiya looked up toward the mountain’s summit. “I
lack the power of the Ancients,” she admitted. “If I had an army of elementals,
maybe…”

“Then all is lost,”
Tashi said, tears splashing on her face. “I have doomed my people, and all the
world.”

“This isn’t your
fault,” Galen said, wrinkling his brow.

“Kaiya, I must speak
with you.” Tashi said. “In private.”

Though her mind whirled
as she attempted to process Galen’s information, Kaiya nodded and stepped away
with Tashi at her side. The pair headed away from the camp, finding their way
to a series of boulders.

“This is far
enough,” Kaiya announced, taking a seat and motioning for Tashi to do likewise.

But Tashi could not
sit. She paced, unable to make eye contact with Kaiya. “I…” she stammered, not
knowing where to begin.

“You said you
doomed your people,” Kaiya said. “Tell me why you think that.”

“I brought this
evil upon us,” she replied, her throat aching from the words. “I did it to save
my sister.” She sobbed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

“I don’t
understand,” Kaiya replied. She was not without sympathy, her heart yearning to
help the troubled woman. But she did not understand the problem, and there was
a much bigger issue to tend to. “Tell me everything, and do it quickly,” she
demanded.

“The rock beast that
attacked my village,” the priestess began. “It came because of me. I woke its
master. I thought my people were safe without me in the village.” Her words
trailed off.

“You left because
the rock beast came for you?” Kaiya asked, trying to understand.

“I prayed to the
dead god,” Tashi replied, falling to her knees before the sorceress. “I
performed the ancient ritual and sealed it with blood. Annin was dying. I would
have done anything to save her.”

“The dead god?”
Kaiya shook her head. “Is that what the Gawr is to your people?”

“A giant of stone,
banished to the heart of the world by the other gods. For his misdeeds he was
punished. They never intended for him to wake, but I summoned him. I knew the
cost.”

Kaiya looked upon
the woman with pity. Her remorse was genuine, her regret deeper than any the
sorceress could imagine.

“You must
understand,” Tashi said, choking on her tears. “The bond between sisters is
more powerful than any other. Friends and lovers come and go, but your sister
is yours always. She shares your pain, your joy, your reason for being. To lose
a sister is to lose one’s heart.”

Having never had a
sister, Kaiya didn’t know how Tashi felt. She loved her brothers, but they were
much older than her. She had grown up almost like an only child, the wind her closest
friend. An outcast among her kind, her parents had showered her with all the
love she needed. Not once had she desired the existence of a sister. Only now
did she wonder what it might have been like, and how far she might have gone to
help her.
Could I trade the world for my sister?
she wondered. It was an
impossible question to answer.