“That might be a good plan, let me think on it while you get your business taken care of. There is no elven station in Follock so I can put you up here in the guild house if you are inclined.”

  “Ah, no thank you, Bryan…the soldier from the gate has offered hospitality for the night ,” Drick replied.

  “Soldier, we have no soldiers in Follock, just shop owners and traders who share duties is all.”

  “Ah, just like it is in Riverhouse, except there seems to be a lot of spears and axes willing to enforce the law every chance they get.”

  “Yes, well…it is amazing what some will do for paid time off now, isn’t it? Dwarfs have never had a real army you know. We are all trained on how they work with the fighting and marching and all but unless you live in Smith Town or down by the Coral Mills or Lavonne, there is no dwarf army, just people doin’ what they need to do. Meet me back here in an hour and we will make this happen.”

  Drick planned on doing just that as he stepped next door to the messenger’s guild to send off a couple of messages, the one going all the way to Lilieack being the most expensive of the two. He entered into a spacious but unadorned lobby that had several of the fleet footed messengers bellied up to tables that were barely a foot high. They looked comfortable as they stood on four legs with their heads bent over trays of hay or jerky.

  Even here in town they eat jerky? It must be how the tiny centaurs stay so lean. Messengers were used every day throughout the world but they were still an enigma. Most of the sprints were the typical half humanoid half horse or bull that he was accustomed to, but here there were others. There was one that had what appeared to be the body of a mountain goat instead of a horse. His cloven hooves looked to have seen much use up in the highest reaches of the Bone Spires. He had heard of this kind and knew that they were designed to take messages to the highest and most remote places. Another looked to have the body of a white bear of all things. He seemed to be somewhat of a fool as he wandered from table to table with his clawed feet clicking upon the stone floor as he approached each group with a smile and what appeared to be a joke in their secret language. It was he who came to talk to the elven commander. He didn’t say anything, as is the nature of sprints, and instead just waited for Drick to state his business. He was grateful that he was in a city as he could pay with coin or credit instead of the wayfarer’s food they would require out in the field.

  “I need to send messages to Lilieack, Noril, and Pine hold as soon as you can,” Drick said and waited as the bear bodied sprint laid a price sheet in front of him and pointed to the costs of such a request.

  “Three silver? I thought I was getting off easy not having to pay you in jerky,” Drick said and smiled knowing that there was never negotiation when it came to the sprints. They provided a valuable service and wouldn’t mess with those who operated on the cheap. The bear sprint smiled and waited as Drick signed the credit slip. Then he wrote out the messages before sliding across the street to the dwarf pub to have a quick ale and a steak before meeting with Bronclad.

  It was going to be a long day.

  11

  Alliance

  Alliance

  “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you. It was the witch woman, Dyna.” Nigel said after Juil asked her question.

  “You mean Dyanna?”

  “That’s her, I always try to forget the bitch’s name for all of the heartache she has caused me. She keeps making me do things under the promise or hint that she will help me in escaping this hell but she never follows through with her promises.”

  “That is what I kind of figured. The bitch has her sights on me now, though I don’t know why,” Juil said and noticed as his baggy pants pulled up to expose his clawed feet reminding her that this was not a human being, nor was he an elf. His toes were talons meant for grasping large things or sitting on a branch or perch of some kind like a songbird would do.

  “Lucky you, good riddance I say. I don’t care if I ever see her again now that I know I am too late to do any good. I suppose you’re down here to escape the aerial overlords who have enslaved the walkers after our great victory?”

  “What?”

  “Our victory, in the war…surely we overwhelmed you and set the world right.”

  “It didn’t quite work out that way, Nigel. Here, have some wine and I will tell you what has been going on the last few hundred years as best I can. Unfortunately, I am not much of a historian,” Juil said and suddenly didn’t feel the least bit threatened by the winged man. “Is that pool option on the veranda still open?”

  “No, sorry. It was all an illusion that was designed to spring some sort of trap, I don’t know what.”

  “Trap? You were going to trap me?” Juil said, her tone icy.

  “I didn’t know you then!” he exclaimed. “That was back when I still had hopes of getting out of here and having a purpose.”

  “That was only a couple of hours ago, Nigel.”

  “Was it? Really…do you know that for sure?”

  “No, I don’t know anything for sure, especially when it comes to this labyrinth or tomb or whatever it is.”

  “It is the most innovative and spectacular underground world ever created by people is what it is,” Nigel said, his tone truly displaying awe for the cavernous structure. There is light from windows but you can’t get out of them and plenty of food, though very little of it is meat in the traditional sense, and more water than you could ever need.”

  “I am not going to live down here, Nigel. We are going to find a way out of here and soon. I admit though, it is pretty cool, though not nearly as cool as Riverhouse. That is truly the greatest underground structure created by any peoples.”

  “What in the labyrinth is Riverhouse?”

  “Oh my.” Juil paused in shock that he was unaware of the single greatest achievement in the last few hundred years. It is so spectacular that tours are established for visitors from all over the world. “Have another pull on that skin there, Nigel, I have a lot to tell you.”

  They spoke for hours, she paused respectfully when he started to weep at hearing the fate of his people. He swore to escape and bring his kind back from the brink of extinction with such a fervor that she believed him and regretted his words at the same time. She hesitated in telling him how complacent the world had become with the five races united. She could see him wince when she mentioned it.

  “Why does that bother you? The mention of the Five United, that is,” she asked and Nigel simply looked at the steps deciding on what he could say. Then he realized that it was three hundred years ago as opposed to two years as he had earlier believed, there were no secrets anymore… the results were in.

  “I was leading a mission when I wound up here. Two score of us were sent out to disrupt peace talks between the races. We already owned the goblins, harpies, and trolls, not to mention the lesser cretins that are barely capable of wiping their own ass. But there were others who would continue to deny our superiority, walkers are meant to serve the elite,” Nigel said in such a way as to seem it was an accepted fact and perfectly okay to feel that way.

  “I was beginning to wonder why the other races hated you guys so much, now…I think that I am beginning to understand,” Juil said somewhat miffed by his attitude.

  “Anyway,” he began again with a dismissive wave. “There were seven independents but we were sure of at least four who would unite and that would be enough to tip the balance. We were literally slaughtering you at every opportunity; swooping down in the middle of the night to remove a head, stealing children, raping your women…those were the days,” he finished mournfully.

  Juil didn’t know how to take this when she caught him giving her the side eye.

  “You ass,” she pushed him and he actually laughed.

  “No, though that did happen from all sides, it is only the truly evil people who enjoy it,” he said with a smile causing Juil to feel comfortable with him. Maybe he was trying to put her at ease to take some sort of advantage of her, but she didn’t think so.

  He’s lonely, she thought and knew the truth of it. Warrior; assassin, soldier…two years alone, he just needed someone to talk to and unfortunately, that was her.

  It could be worse, I guess; he could be trying to eat me or I could be…alone. She finished her thought and turned to Nigel and smiled her most winning smile and she saw his features relax.

  “We were going to make sure that meeting never happened, but we met something that we never expected to meet and I saw all of my company obliterated while still in the air. I got covered in blood spray from three or four of my comrades and my wings would no longer function and I fell. I woke up here broken and beaten, knowing that they… the Five as you call them, had discovered magic, but I didn’t think it would be enough too… I wandered and foraged for more than a year at least before the bitch showed herself. My life has been hell ever since. She is very cruel, not to mention creative,” he finished and the air seemed to take a tone of distant mocking laughter but it was not a voice or even a sound that they could verify.

  “That is the same as the histories read. Humans made a phony pact with the aerials in order to hide their discovery and development of powerful wizards. You see they knew that the aerials would never allow them to be truly free, so they brought this knowledge to the dwarfs and the elves making the council of three. It was the three of them that planned out the human betrayal of the aerials. You were a part of the first strike of the council of three which then became the unified five.”

  “Let me guess. You already told me the three, so the others would be gnomes and… giants.”

  “No, gnomes and sprints.”

  “Sprints? Do you mean the little centaurs?”

  “They don’t like to be called that, just like you don’t like to be called angels.”

  “But they aren’t even sentient.”

  “Oh, but they are and are some of the most valuable of peoples. We have since considered the frost piners as being the silent sixth since they fought ferociously and helped to stem the tide but they are too independent to join into any contracts.”

  “We weren’t going to allow them to survive. Frost piners are the only beasts we can’t beat one on one, you know,” he mused. “Even giants fall before our spears but you put half a brain on the type of bulk a piner can develop and it is a whole new world.”

  “Ha! You are fooling yourself. I know a few dwarfs that could kick the crap out of you.”

  “Are you insane!” he was almost shouting. “With my skills and strength, not to mention my aerial assaults. I would obliterate all of you.”

  “Even giants or trolls?” Juil taunted.

  “I meant of your unified group of traitors, but yeah, I’ve killed giants and trolls.”

  “Traitors? Because we wanted to be free? Now who is insane.”

  “What a bunch of crap, we didn’t treat you that badly.”

  “I think you had better start shutting up now,” Juil said as her blood started to boil.

  “Sorry, it’s the wine talking,” he said somewhat apologetically, at least enough to change the subject and move forward.

  “So, tell me something,” he began then paused as he decided how to word his question. “If I were to sleep, you would be here when I woke up?”

  “Are you lonely, Nigel?”

  “Not lonely per se, more that I could get a better rest knowing someone was here to watch my back.”

  “I don’t know; I am pretty tired too. Would you promise not to eat me?”

  “I’m not going to bloody eat you, why would I eat you when there is all of this fungus and lichen around? I was kind of hoping that we could team up, at least for a bit…if you don’t mind that is.”

  “Yeah, I guess that would be okay, being alone right now would kind of suck. Do you know of a place we can go?”

  “I do, follow me,” he said and started moving up the stairs. After another half circuit of the staircase they came to a hallway that Nigel turned down. After a long walk without signs of anything attached to this hallway, they came to a large veranda that was high up and looking down on the very courtyard where she had met Nigel. Thousands of marble balustrades lined the outside edge, butted so tightly that it created a solid line running off into the distance. The veranda opened into an alcove that had shelves lined with dusty books looking somewhat pristine.

  “Be careful with the books, they are so ancient they want to disintegrate in your hands. They’re not any use to you unless you speak old dwarvish or at least I think it is old dwarvish. Here, I left one out…what does that look like to you?”

  “That? That is pangean. It was the language of all people before the races split. What is this place? It can’t possibly be that old.”

  “I don’t know; time is different here. Can you read it?” Nigel asked.

  “No, I am not a linguist and I doubt there is anybody who even remembers the language. That would have been over a million years ago, paper doesn’t last that long.”

  “A million years out there, may only be a couple of thousand in here, the math is too difficult to worry about,” Nigel said dismissively.

  “Not really. We know that three years for you equals just over three hundred to the rest of the world, so that means a year holds an approximate value of a hundred plus years, right?” Juil said relishing the challenge.

  “Oh please, you’re killing me here, you know that don’t you?”

  “So, a thousand years would be the same as one hundred and whatever thousand out there. Ten thousand in here would be…five hundred thousand five hundred is my guess, providing the time differential has stayed constant,” Juil said and then began to feel panic set in. If they slept for eight hours tonight that could encompass another five days in the real world. She had to get out of there and soon or she would lose her real life.

  “Here, there is a door back here that leads to a study hall with several couches where we can sleep.”

  “Couches?”

  “Yeah, like this table and these chairs, they’re very old, but they are safe and surprisingly comfortable.”

  “It’s bound to be better than the trail, I am just a little apprehensive of going to sleep and having five days pass me by in the meantime.”

  “I know what you mean, I almost wish that you hadn’t told me. Just over an hour ago I was trying to make my way back to my people to share in the glorious victory. Now I know we lost a war, all of my friends and family are long dead, and I have to rely upon an elf for company.”

  “Hey, offended here. I’ll have you know that I am very good company,” Juil said defiantly and Nigel smiled.

  “I’m sure that you will be, after some work.”

  “I would love to keep this up all day or night long, whatever that case may be, but I have to crash, Nigel. I rode for miles, fought giants and trolls, met with a freaky witch, was kidnapped and thrown in a cave where I met…you. I have earned some sleep.”

  “Well then, you have come to the right place, madam, follow me,” the aerial said and led her to a door tucked behind the bookshelves that was virtually unseen unless you stood right in front of it. Once inside, Nigel propped a chair under the handle and slid an old chest in front of that before turning around to face her.

  “I don’t think that we will be bothered tonight, but it is best to be careful. The powers that be may have left many things down here to thwart our progress. In the morning, if you are up for it, I have something really special to show you.”

  “What the hell. Until I get a plan of action, I am all yours,” Juil said good naturedly.

  “Then what?”

  “Then what, what?”

  “When you get a plan of action…then what.”

  “Then I get us out of here.”

  “Us, huh? I like the sound of that.”

  “I don’t know what you will do then though.”

  “I’ll come with you, of course. If what you say is true, then I probably won’t be able to find any of my own kind so I will just…whatever, whatever.”

  “Hang with me, huh? We’ll have to see how that works out,” Juil replied skeptically.

  “Relax, I’m an aerial…I’ll make myself useful.

  12

  Evanescense

  Juil awoke on a very old, yet comfortable couch. Of course, how old would always be a mystery with how time behaved in the caves. What would seem to be a hundred years inside could encompass all of known time in the outside world. She didn’t know for sure, but she would get a better idea if she can read some of the books in that alcove library. Nigel was nowhere to be seen so she took the opportunity to straighten herself up before she went back out into the hallway. It was a decent size and very obscure office where she would be able to sleep safely, Juil would make a point to remember this place. She walked down the four steps to the alcove and stepped out from a shadowed corner with books stretching out in front and behind her.

  Juil felt completely concealed in the shadows and she wondered how many of these little shadowed nooks there were in this place. She liked the fact that she could slip from area to area as opposed to trudging down in the center of a hall for all to see.

  No, better to hide in the shadows and watch before moving on. Nigel seems to be oblivious to stealth, I wonder if that is due to what he is.

  “Nigel,” she said pulling out a chair and sitting at the table with the winged being. He looked up from his book and actually smiled.

  Why wouldn’t he smile, he has been alone for over two years or three hundred considering where you are, she thought.

  “You seem to be pretty confident around this place, how big is it?”

  “It is very large but it is not endless. Do you know the name of this city?”

  “Yes, or at least I believe it to be Antre Clocher which was destroyed in the war with the aerials.”

  “That makes no sense at all. We are winged beings and this place is underground.”