The Wrathful Mountains (16 page)

“There’s nothing here,” Kaiya stated, hoping to
put her companion’s mind at ease. It was a strange sensation. Though she felt
the pull of magic from the stone, she sensed nothing else. The Gawr’s watchful
eyes did not penetrate this place. Was he unaware of it? Or had the Ancients
protected it somehow? The answer was unimportant. It was time to activate the
stone.

Channeling the power of the lightning, she allowed
it to dance upon her fingertips. It had lost some of its charge, but for her
first time carrying such power underground, she was impressed at its potency.
Thrusting her hand forward, she forced the power into the stone, the painite glistening
in response. A charge of magic radiated from the stone, sending a shower of
sparks back at her. Standing her ground, she watched as the light grew, the
entire cavern illuminated with a deep-red hue. The sight of it nearly took her
breath away.

“It’s marvelous,” Tashi said. Why hadn’t she
learned of this place before? Why had this work been abandoned, and which of
her ancestors was responsible? “My people can’t channel lightning,” she said.
“How will we ever perform this ritual?”

“Once I’ve reactivated them, keeping them active
will be far simpler,” Kaiya replied. “But your people once knew this magic, and
they will again.”

The sorceress had already mentioned that magic
would return to the Ulihi, but Tashi still found it hard to believe. “Can you
ask the wind why our powers were lost?” she asked. In a flash of understanding,
she realized she already knew the answer. “Those who held magic perished,
didn’t they?” she asked. “They couldn’t pass on their gifts.” Without them to
maintain the rune stones, the Gawr had been left unchecked. That is how Tashi
was able to wake it. The realization hit her hard, and she staggered as if
struck by a fist.

“I can ask the wind, but it might not know the
answer,” Kaiya replied. “Your explanation certainly has merit.” The dwarves had
driven the Ulihi to near extinction, and those with magic were likely the first
to go. They would have been targeted by the dwarves, who feared what they did
not understand. This was not the time to mention such possibilities to Tashi
though. “Come on,” she said. “We’ve got two more of these to find.”

At the top of the stairs, Tashi doused the torch
in the snow and replaced it on the wall. Future generations might have need of
it, at least she hoped they would.

Outside in the moonlight, the snow cat perched
itself on a ledge and peered toward the travelers. Its muscles tensed slightly
as if it were about to pounce. Instead, it relaxed and stretched itself out on
the rocks, the wind tousling its plush fur.

“It knows what we’re doing,” Kaiya said. “I
believe it wishes us safe journeys.”

“I think you’re right,” Tashi replied, fixated on
the majestic creature. Its reappearance was a sign of good fortune, a blessing
upon their quest.

A rumbling deep within the mountain reminded them
both that there was still much work to be done. “The Gawr knows we’ve
reactivated the stone,” Kaiya said. If it hadn’t been aware of this location
before, it certainly was now. The ancient power locked in the stone was no
longer hidden. “We must be ever vigilant. Danger could be anywhere.”

U
nder the
shimmering light of the moon, Kaiya turned her gaze back toward the encampment.
Fear shivered through her body as she looked upon the mountains silhouetted
against the stars. It was time to ask the question she had been too afraid to
ask. Projecting her mind to the wind, she asked,
Does Galen live?

A gentle breeze
touched her cheek but gave no answer. Shivering against the cold, she waited.
Was the answer too terrible for the wind to pronounce?
I must know,
she
said, pleading.

Stillness replied.
Could she continue if he was gone? Would the world still be worth saving? A
frigid tear rolled down her cheek, soon dried by the wind’s gentle kiss.

He lives,
the wind replied.

A mixture of relief
and elation ran through her mind, her face turned upward to the stars. Galen
had indeed survived the avalanche. The Gawr had not taken its anger at her out
on him. For fear of the answers, she asked no more questions. It was time to
press on and complete her mission.

Pointing to the westward
sky, Tashi said, “There’s a storm coming.” The stars hid themselves behind a
dense layer of cloud. A heavy snowfall was imminent. “Can you stop it?” she
asked.

“No,” Kaiya
replied. “I can’t.”

Tashi stared at her
in disbelief. “Surely the power is within you.”

“It’s one thing to manipulate the wind,” she
explained. “It’s quite another to stop it entirely.”

“So you can’t do it?” Tashi asked. “I saw you call
lightning from the clouds.”

“That energy was already there,” the dwarf
explained. “I only channeled it. I could probably deflect the storm from my
body, but I couldn’t stop it from its purpose.”

After a moment of thought, Tashi said, “I like
that.”

“You like that?” Kaiya didn’t understand.

“That you have limits,” the priestess went on.

Shrugging, Kaiya said, “I imagine limitless power
would have its benefits.”

“Those without limits manipulate all around them,
like the gods,” Tashi replied. “They do what is best for them, not the people
they are supposed to protect. That does not describe you.” In her eyes, Kaiya
was far better than the gods. The dwarf woman would risk her own life to save
others, though the danger had yet to reach her own home. She had traveled
toward the danger to protect the miners and also Tashi’s people, once she knew
of their existence. The gods were never so selfless.

“You might be right
about the gods,” Kaiya said. “I don’t know much about them. My people don’t
typically give much thought to religion. It is said the dwarves created
themselves, carving our own bodies out of the mountain.”

Laughing, Tashi
said, “Maybe they did.” Her mood lighter, she tried not to think of the harm
the dwarves had caused her people. Kaiya was not of the same mind as those who
had wronged the Ulihi. Perhaps not all dwarves were alike. Many among them
might share Kaiya’s opinion. “Will you go to visit your king after this is
finished?” she asked.

“If I survive, that
is the first place I’ll go,” Kaiya replied. “Well, after I visit my parents, of
course. They still worry about me.” She dared not ask the wind whether her
parents were safe. A negative answer might prove too painful to bear, and it
would hinder her ability to focus on her magic. With luck, the Gawr would never
achieve the power to fully attack her home village.

Tilting her head, Tashi
directed Kaiya to a ledge. “We need to drop down here,” she said, sitting and
sliding herself over the edge.

The sorceress
followed suit. “The next rune stone is the farthest from the mines,” she said.

Snow began to fall,
light at first but becoming heavier as they moved. The wind increased, chilling
the travelers, even the priestess whose people were acclimated to such
conditions. The long walk and urgency with which they moved had stolen some of
Tashi’s strength, leaving her more vulnerable to the weather. Her spirit
undaunted, she led on, seeking out the path of her ancestors.

When the moon
disappeared behind the clouds, Kaiya summoned a small sphere of light in her
hand. Offering it to Tashi, she said, “You’re the leader. You should carry the
light.”

Holding out her
hand, Tashi allowed the sorceress to place the magic in her palm. Lines of
white and silver swirled before her eyes, nearly hypnotizing her with their
beauty. The spell emitted little heat—enough to warm but not burn. Kaiya
summoned a second sphere and held onto it, both spells sustaining themselves by
the energy of the gusting wind.

“
Promise me
you will teach my niece to do this,” Tashi said.

“To create light?” Kaiya asked.

“Yes, and also to perform this ritual with the
rune stones,” the priestess replied. “She must learn to keep our people safe
throughout her lifetime. Someday she will serve as High Priestess, and I would
have her learn this task directly from you.” She swallowed hard. The request
depended on whether they succeeded in their endeavor. If the world came to an
end at the hands of the Gawr, there would be no Ulihi to protect.

“I’d be honored,” Kaiya replied.

“I cannot thank you enough for what you are
doing,” Tashi said. “I caused this, and you are making it right.”

Pausing, Kaiya reached out to her companion. “You
didn’t cause this,” she said. “There is no ritual that wakes the Gawr. With no
one maintaining the rune stones that bind it to its sleep, it simply wakes
during certain cycles.”

Her brow wrinkling as if in pain, Tashi nodded.
Above all, she wanted to believe Kaiya’s words, but she could not. She knew the
ritual to summon the dead god was banned for a reason—she had learned that
lesson all too well. If it helped Kaiya to think better of her, she would not
try to convince her otherwise. Her guilt was her own to carry.

Darkness enveloped
the mountains, save for the illumination of Kaiya’s magic as it glinted off the
rapidly falling snowflakes. A crunchy layer of icy snow accumulated at their
feet, soon making its way to their ankles. If only she could stop the storm,
Kaiya’s feet would be warm. She hoped Tashi wasn’t suffering too much, but the Ulihi
woman showed no sign of discomfort. Despite her lack of shoes, her thick feet
provided her with ample protection. Kaiya envied her companion as she wiggled
her own toes to keep the blood circulating. Magic would warm them, but she
feared overdrawing her reserves.

In the same
instant, both women spotted a firelight glowing in the distance. “Who would
make camp this high in the mountains?” Tashi wondered. None but the Ulihi used
these paths, and they showed no signs of anyone traversing them recently.

“Looks like we’re
about to find out,” Kaiya replied. Holding her light forward, she could see the
path ahead, and it ran directly toward the fire.

Proceeding with
caution, the pair approached the campsite before them. Seven humanoid shapes
sat upon rocks circled around the fire. Two held sticks in their hands, extending
them over the flames. A faint scent of cooked meat wafted toward the travelers.

“Could they be
dwarves?” Tashi asked.

Kaiya shook her
head. “Too skinny,” she replied. Never in her life had she seen a dwarf who
wasn’t stocky. These figures had long arms, proportionally long for their
height, though they stood no taller than her. Reaching into her magical stores,
she attempted to touch the mind of the nearest one. Pulling back quickly, she
said, “Goblins.”

“They live here?”
Tashi asked. She had heard of them in tales, but they always lived in caves or
dark corners of the forest.

“I’m guessing
they’ve found some type of shelter up here,” Kaiya said. She had not expected
to see goblins at this elevation either. They normally preferred warmer
climates, but here they were. The real question was, were they going to cause a
problem?

“Maybe we should go
around them,” Tashi suggested. Goblins were not know to be friendly, and the
pair were in a hurry.

“No,” Kaiya
replied. “We’re going through them.” Going around would take too long. Any
obstacle in her way would have to be surmounted. The goblins would allow her
passage, or she would make them regret it.

Their yellow eyes
gleaming in the firelight, the goblins took notice of the women as they drew
nearer. They rose to their feet, maintaining a slightly hunched posture.

“We don’t want any
trouble,” Kaiya announced. “We only wish to pass through, and you can go right
back to your meal.”

“Pretty lady,” one
goblin said as he moved near Tashi.

The priestess
recoiled as the green-gray skinned creature came near, the scent of musk and
rotting leaves assaulting her nose.

Leaning in toward
her, the goblin reached its fingers for her beaded necklace. “Shiny,” it said
as it tugged on the beads.

Raising her staff,
Tashi whacked the goblin on its arm. Grabbing its bruised skin, it stepped
backward and stared at the woman.

“Witch,” it said, a
gnarled finger pointing at Tashi.

“No,” Kaiya said.
“I’m the witch.” With a snap of her fingers, sparks danced upon the palm of her
hand. “Now leave us in peace.”

The goblins
scattered, their feet skittering like roaches in the snow. Squealing and
squawking, they circled around the travelers, muttering words of nonsense that
might have been their native tongue.

Slinking toward the
women, the goblins attempted to close the circle, their yellow eyes menacing.
Five creatures took on an attack posture, the other two hanging back with looks
of uncertainty.

Sighing, Kaiya
prepared herself for an attack. “There’s a greater danger in these mountains
than us,” she said, attempting to reason with them. “My mission is to protect
you as well as everyone else. Don’t be stupid. Just let us pass.”

Continuing to whoop
and squawk, the goblins closed in. Tashi prepared her blowgun, striking before
the goblins were too close. She hit one in its eye, forcing it to cry out in
pain, cradling its face in its hands.

While the others
looked on in shock at their injured friend, Kaiya took advantage. Manipulating
the swirling snow, she fashioned a whip with several long lashes of ice.
Striking the goblins, they shrieked with pain. They scattered, fleeing in all
directions, pursued by the lashes. Kaiya struck blow after blow, her eyes
flashing silver with each strike.

Shrieking into the
darkness, the goblins disappeared down the mountainside. It was almost comical,
and Kaiya would have laughed if she had the time. Right now she had no patience
for goblin stupidity. “Let’s go before they come back,” she said. Goblins were
notorious for not knowing when they were beaten.

“Why didn’t you
kill them?” Tashi wondered. She felt no mercy for the menacing creatures, but
she doubted the one she had darted would die from its injuries. Still, it was
unlikely the goblin would ever forget what had happened—its eye would have to
be removed.

“They’re ignorant
little thieves, but I don’t wish death upon them.” Kaiya replied. “And I doubt
they planned to kill us.” Tashi’s attack had angered them, and they might have
wanted to harm the women, but Kaiya knew they were no match for her.

The storm broke
after midnight, but the damage had already been done. Over a foot of snow
slowed travel for the diminutive pair, who both stood less than four feet in
height. Tashi moved as if she felt no cold, but Kaiya was quickly becoming fed
up. Her woolen cloak remained dry, warming her top half, but her legs in their
leather wrappings were wet and cold. With no other choice, she used her magic,
drawing the water away from her body and releasing it into the air. The spell
would have to be repeated as she walked, but it was worth the toll on her
magical stores. The boost to her morale was immeasurable.

It was a full day’s
march before Kaiya felt the familiar twinge of magic running through her veins.
“The rune stone is near,” she announced.

“There,” Tashi
said, pointing straight ahead. A small shrine of piled smooth stones sheltered
the ancient artifact from the elements. Near its base, she spotted a pile of
bones. Kneeling next to them, she said, “These are Ulihi.” She lifted a
delicate strand of beads for the sorceress to observe.

“Is this how your
people bury the dead?” she asked.

Shaking her head,
Tashi said, “We burn our dead and collect the bones for burial. This person
must have died here.”

“Then who arranged
the bones?” Kaiya asked. The body was arranged in a seated position, the
skeleton reclining slightly against the rocks, its leg bones crossed, its hands
neatly tucked within its ribcage. It was unlikely someone had died in that
position.

“I don’t know,”
Tashi replied. “Maybe two people came here, and only one was able to return.”

“Perhaps it was a
High Priestess, and she wished to be placed here,” Kaiya suggested. Whoever
this person was, he or she was far beyond help. Drawing energy through her
body, Kaiya focused her mind to the clouds above. They came together on a heavy
wind, charging their power and flashing with a silver light. Directing the
energy toward the stone, sparks flew from her fingertips. In a flash of white
fire, the lightning slammed into the stone. The Dwarf’s Heart rune illuminated
in response.