The Wrathful Mountains (8 page)

Slowly nodding, the
priestess said, “I understand. There is a passage through these mountains that
will take you to the mines by nightfall. There is no need for you to return to
the path where we found you.”

“If you can give us
directions, I’d be most grateful,” Kaiya replied.

“It is a difficult trail,”
Tashi said. “I will come with you as your guide.”

Raad looked the priestess
over, making note of her slender build and bare feet. “There are avalanches and
other dangers up there,” he said. “I don’t think it’s safe for you.”

“I can look out for
myself,” she replied, a fire in her eyes.

“I don’t doubt
that,” the dwarf responded.

“Will you allow me
to travel with you?” she asked Kaiya.

“You may,” the
sorceress replied. “We’re grateful for your help.” Time was of the essence, and
the priestess could save them a lot of it.

“Aren’t you needed
here?” Galen asked, thinking of the baby. “Your niece?”

“The doula knows
more of infant care than I do,” she replied. “Without my sister, there is no
one here who needs me.” A pain shot through Tashi’s heart at the thought of
Annin. The hole left by her absence would never heal. “I would also like
answers,” she added. “This beast has attacked my people, and I would bring
justice to its master.”

“As would I,” Kaiya
said, admiring the priestess’s strong convictions.

“Please don’t go,
Tashi,” the doula said, her dark eyes pleading.

“I must,” she
replied. “I would make this a better world for this child.” She took the infant
in her arms and held her close to her heart. “Know always that I love you, and
that your mother loved you more than life itself.” With tears in her eyes, she
handed the girl back to the doula. “Be well,” she said. Taking her position in
front of the others, she led them northward. Pausing only a moment, she looked
back toward the village.
They are safe now.

S
tepping with
ease over the stony terrain, Tashi led the group northward. Kaiya walked at the
priestess’s side, with Galen and Raad close behind. Obstacles hidden in the snow
proved no problem for Tashi, who moved as lightly as a bird. The dwarves,
however, tripped frequently, Raad cursing with each bruise to his toes. Being
an elf, Galen struggled little. A heightened sense of balance and nimble feet
gave him an edge over his dwarf companions.

Tashi pointed forward.
“The path is just ahead,” she said. “It is uneven with many jagged rocks.”

“So watch our steps
or we might twist an ankle,” Raad finished for her.

“Yes,” Tashi said.
“Dwarves walk too heavily upon the land.”

“A heavy step means
your foot is in a solid hold,” the miner countered.

“But here you will
not be able to see what is beneath the piled snow,” she replied. “It’s best to
step lightly to avoid injury.”

“Take her advice,”
Kaiya said, reaching for the wind. Magic could lighten her step, and perhaps
she could provide assistance to Raad too. As long as the air around her
continued to move, she would not lack for power. Still, she would use very
little. It was best to be at full strength should another stone monster appear.

As they reached the
intended path, the group saw no change in the terrain. It was strewn with snow,
the tops of gray rocks jutting upward, whispering a warning to the travelers.

“We don’t come this
way often,” Tashi said. “Once we traveled great distances, but now these paths
are rarely used.”

Raad stared at the
priestess with uncertainty. “You sure it’s the right one?”

“It will take us to
your mines,” she promised. Stepping ahead, she pointed out a narrow clearing
that existed among the rocks. It was far from straight, but it would provide
safe passage.

Single file the
travelers moved on, stumbling each time they lost the path—all except Tashi,
who had no trouble finding where to step. The clearing was made for small feet,
not the wide boots of the dwarves.

The path grew
steeper as they trudged ahead, their legs already aching with exertion. Several
times Kaiya nearly slipped, forcing her to put more effort into her magic. Raad
seemed to notice the improvement, and patted her on the back.

Cresting the hill,
the travelers looked upon a scene of true beauty. The rock-strewn path gave way
to a grassy clearing, powdered with the purest white snow.
Evergreens
stretched out before them, their rich green needles peppered with white snow.

“It’s beautiful,” Kaiya
commented, her gray eyes full of wonder.

“This is how our
mountains looked before the miners came,” Tashi said.

“Now hold on, missy,”
Raad said, waving his good arm. “We haven’t done any damage anywhere. We build
settlements and dig deep. That doesn’t include destroying any landscapes.”

“Doesn’t it?” Tashi
asked. “Your kind do not respect the land or those who dwell there.”

“There are only two
mines at this elevation,” Raad replied knowingly.

“In this area,
yes,” Tashi said. “But the mountains are vast, and my people have been driven
out of many areas. Once we were nomads, traveling throughout the region. Now we
move only to avoid the mines.”

“That isn’t our
doing,” Raad said. “Unless your kind used to live down in the holes, we haven’t
disturbed your land.”

The heat rising to
her face, Tashi replied, “For millennia my people dwelt here. Our numbers were
great, our children strong. Our sacred sites have disappeared, fallen to the
hammers and axes of the dwarves.”

Grunting his
disagreement, Raad said, “I’ve never heard of any mining operation running
people off their land. Those sites are scouted thoroughly, and anything that
looks like it’ll pose an expensive problem is a deal-breaker. We want ore, not
trouble with the natives.”

“You take more than
you need, and you leave only destruction,” the priestess shot back.

Galen spoke up,
attempting to soften the argument. “It’s possible that a nomadic people
wouldn’t have been home when scouting was completed,” he suggested. “No one
would know there had been an intrusion until the tribe returned.”

“And we cannot
stand against your kind in a fight, so we must go wherever we can find,” Tashi
said. “Soon there will be nowhere to go.” Not that it mattered much. With no
children surviving to adulthood, the Ulihi would soon be extinct. The sentiment
found its way to her tongue, but she swallowed it, refusing to admit defeat in
front of the miner.

“You make a valid
point, Galen,” Kaiya cut in. “It is not unlike my people to think only of
themselves.” To Tashi, she said, “Until we met, I had no idea your people
existed. You were a bedtime story of a people long gone from this world. We
can’t protect what we don’t know exists, but I agree we should have looked
harder. I apologize for that.” What more could she say? She could not change
the past, but it was still possible to shape the future.

After a moment of thought, Kaiya said, “As soon as
I return, I’ll speak to leadership about protecting tribal lands. It shouldn’t
be too difficult to convince them.” Due to the small size of the Ulihi tribe,
they didn’t need much room. In addition, the land they inhabited was not where
the dwarves preferred to dwell. But the men in charge could be stubborn when
they saw something they wanted, and the glint of gold or some other ore could
drive them to break any treaty signed with the Ulihi. In all likelihood, Kaiya
would have to take her argument all the way to the king. Only his refusal to
allow the building of new mines would put a stop to the incursion.

Her tone softening, Tashi said, “It is good of you
to do this. I hope you will succeed.” Glancing over at Raad, she said, “I do
not blame you personally. You did not build the mines, and you did not steal Ulihi
lands.”

“Err, thanks,” the miner replied.

“But you work for
them, and you take from the land what should be left undisturbed. I wonder what
your gods think of that.”

“My gods are made
of stone,” he jibed. “What I do honors them.”

“Is this true?” the
priestess asked.

“It’s true that
some dwarves worship the stone,” Kaiya explained. “I’m a little skeptical about
Raad. I think he only worships the cask.”

The miner laughed
heartily. “You got me there.”

“As for myself, I
put my faith in the magic around me,” Kaiya went on. “The element that fuels my
power and gives me strength is all I need.”

“My people
believe
that the gods inhabit all things,” Tashi said. “We have many of them, too many
perhaps. Some have been long forgotten.” She didn’t know why, but the thought
filled her with sorrow. It was possible her people had chosen poorly when it
came to the gods. Could the forgotten ones have healed the children? She would
never know.

“Fairy tales,” Raad grumbled.

“How do you mean?” Galen asked.

“A god of this and a god of that,” he said. “All
fairy stories. Just like my old Gran when she told me about the mountain
sprites.” He smirked, looking over at Tashi. “She used to make up stories of
little people who ran around naked in the snow.”

“Seems that fairy tale was true,” Galen pointed
out.

“I suppose so,” the miner replied.

“We don’t walk naked,” Tashi stated, “but we don’t
need the heavy clothing you wear. We have lived among the snow-covered peaks
for millennia and are well-suited to it.”

The group circled
around a narrow ledge, slowly making their way around an unmovable boulder.
Time and wind had smoothed it, the snow refusing to cling to its polished
surface. Tashi rubbed her hand along its cold exterior.

“These smooth
stones bring good luck,” she said. “Touch it as you pass.”

Kaiya did as the
priestess bid, as did Galen. Seeing that the other two were participating, Raad
reluctantly reached out his hand. It was likely nonsense, but miners could be
superstitious as well. Rubbing one’s hands with dirt was essential before
digging commenced. There was no reason for it, but everyone did it just the
same. This act was no different.

“Tell me about
yourself, Tashi,” Galen said. “I’ve read of your people, but what’s written in
old tomes isn’t necessarily the real story. I’d love to hear what life is like
for you.”

Giving the elf a
sideways glance, Tashi tried to decide whether he was sincere. Making note of
the slight smile on his lips, and his curious eyes, she concluded that his
desire to learn was genuine.

“I am a high
priestess,” she began. “I have many duties among my people. Most important is
to speak to the gods on behalf of the tribe, and to administer blessings.”

“Do you use magic?”
the elf asked.

She considered the
question a moment. “Not in the way that Kaiya does,” she finally said. “I
perform rituals as taught to me by my mother.” She looked down at her feet.

Noticing her pained
expression, Galen asked, “What happened to her?”

“She died giving
life to my dear sister, Annin,” Tashi replied, tears spilling from her eyes.
“And now Annin is also gone, her life given for her child as well.”

“I’m sorry,” Galen
said.

“I was powerless to
prevent it,” she went on. “And more will surely die. It is my failing.”

“You couldn’t
possibly be responsible,” the elf replied.

“I am the one who
implores the blessing of the gods,” she said. “But the gods have abandoned me
and all my people.” Her sorrow turned to anger, her voice growing louder, as if
issuing a challenge. “
Maybe they have died or found someone else to
amuse them. Maybe our suffering amuses them. Who can say? Why else would they
allow our children to die?”

“There are many
skilled healers among my people,” Galen said. “When I return to the Vale, I
will find the best among them and send them to aid you. I have no doubt one of
them will find a cure.”

“Your offer is
kind,” she replied, “but this is not a disease of the body. This is a curse of
the gods, a true work of evil. Your healers can do nothing.”

“I’m still going to
speak with them,” he promised.

Tashi nodded, but
the words did not give her hope. She had already made the mistake of calling
upon darkness to replace the missing light, and it had ended in disaster. No
elf medicine would bring the gods back to the Ulihi, and Tashi had failed in
her position as their spiritual leader. The image of her niece crept back into
her mind, and her heart ached anew. The sorceress had to know a way to save the
child. Magic was a tool of the gods, and it could be used to defy their will.
If the gods planned to take Annin’s daughter, maybe Kaiya could stop them.

“What is your
reason for traveling to the mines?” Tashi asked. “Why do they need your magic?”
Had the gods found a way to punish the miners as well as the Ulihi?

“There have been
avalanches, and people are getting hurt,” Kaiya said. “They sent Raad to fetch
me to see if I could put a stop to it.”

“They should be
used to such things,” Tashi said. “An avalanche is not an uncommon thing in
these mountains.” Her voice was full of disappointment. This was not the work
of the gods, only nature.

“I also had a
vision,” Kaiya added.

Those words piqued
Tashi’s interest. “What did you see?” she asked eagerly.

“I sensed a
presence, and I saw myself high in the mountains,” Kaiya said. “Then I fell
down into the heart of the mountain.”

“That is a powerful
vision,” the priestess whispered. “Do you know who it was that you sensed?”

“A great mind,” the
sorceress replied. “It was strong, powerful, and it definitely has an agenda.
That’s why I’m traveling to the mines. I believe the avalanches there, the
tremors in my own hometown, and my vision are all related.”

Swallowing hard,
Tashi wondered if the demons she had unleashed could be the cause of it all.
Her attempt to enlist the help of the dead god might have affected more than
just the Ulihi. Once evil was unleashed, it was difficult to contain. It could
wreak havoc wherever it pleased unless checked by a higher power. Tashi had no
true magic with which to combat it, nor did any member of her tribe.

Looking the
sorceress up and down, she attempted to measure her proficiency. Would this
dwarf be strong enough? Tashi could only hope so. If Kaiya failed, there might
not be time to seek out another. The Ulihi would be doomed, as would the
dwarves.

The path grew wider
as it twisted around a bend. The snow here was deeper, reaching past the dwarves’
ankles, and it showed no signs of disturbance by animal or otherwise. It lay
perfectly smooth and even, a thin layer of melt forming on its top under the
rays of the afternoon sun.

As the gap spread
out, so did the weary companions. Their leg muscles ached from their
steep-angle trek, but this area was primarily flat. The ground crunched
slightly beneath their feet, a layer of gravel paving the way. Travel would be
less challenging, at least for a while.