Vainglory 3.23 - Icarus

Enjoy today's chapter! Thanks, as always, for your support! :)

-Plum

23 – Icarus

As they progressed through the gardens, Ward contemplated Grace’s words. Could she be right? Could that water have awakened something in him? Wouldn’t he have felt it if his dreadmarked bloodline had advanced? Whenever his lycan bloodline had done so, he’d damn well known it. Still, he had no idea what a dreadmarked bloodline even did. Maybe it wasn’t something so overt as turning into a ravenous wolf.

“Something got you upset?” Lali asked. They’d paused so Trent and Haley could scout a corner up ahead.

“Why?” Ward asked, screwing the top back onto a copper water flask.

“You’re scowling something fierce.”

“Ah, nah. Just thinking about that fountain and the things I saw.”

Lali chuckled. “Bet you’re wishing you had my good sense and didn’t drink it, aren’t ya?”

Ward forced a smile. “Sure would have made my life a little easier.”

“What’s the story with your tongue?” When Ward’s smile fell away, she hastily added, “Sorry if it’s a touchy subject. I was just curious. Never seen a metal tongue before.”

Ward sighed, shrugging. He’d gotten used to the tongue’s appearance and so had Haley, so it didn’t often come up. When he was out and about, it wasn’t so hard to keep from opening his mouth wide when he spoke to strangers. Still, anyone who spent much time with him was bound to notice. “It’s an artifact. It helps with spell casting.”

“Ah! Damn me, but that’s interesting. Those magical items get fancier all the time. Or, wait! Is it an artifact artifact? Like from the ancients or something?”

“It came from a challenge, so, yeah, I guess whoever created them made it.”

“Damn me,” she said again. “Be nice if we could find something so fine in here, yeah?”

Ward chuckled. “You think it’s fine?”

She leaned closer. “Finely made, I mean—who could imagine crafting something from silver that moved like a natural tongue? Stick it out, would ya?”

Ward couldn’t help laughing as he shook his head. “I’m not sticking my tongue out for you.

“Well, you might change your mind when you get to know me a little better.” She winked one of her bright blue eyes, and Ward suddenly saw her attention in a different light. With another chuckle and a grunt, she leaned over to pick up her largest, fullest pack and slung it back onto her shoulders. As she picked up her crossbow, Ward turned to see that Trent and Haley were approaching, their footsteps as quiet as a pair of cats.

“I think we should turn around,” Trent announced.

Ward arched an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

“Another courtyard ahead, this one full of vines, and they’re littered with skeletons.”

Haley put her fists on her hips and offered a differing opinion, “I think we could find a way through. Maybe with your spell.”

“Actually,” Ward said, picking up his own pack, “I saw something like that in my vision. Vines were winding around a big animal, squeezing it to death.”

Trent nodded, rubbing the back of his leather sleeve under his nose. “The courtyard reeks of decay.”

“Well, we’ve all got blades,” Lali said, jostling the hatchet hanging from the back of her belt in illustration. “We really gonna retreat from some plants?”

“Let’s get a look.” Ward started past Trent and Haley, but he didn’t miss the scowl on Trent’s face. The man seemed pretty set against going forward. The problem was that if they didn’t, they’d probably lose an hour or more finding another path in that direction, and there wasn’t any guarantee that they wouldn’t run into something equally bad or worse. At the corner, he turned to observe a courtyard that stretched for an easy fifty yards across and twice that far off to his left.

There were some obvious exits on the far walls, but in between, there were three large trees, and from their branches hung thick, thorn-covered vines that seemed to have grown out along the flagstones, merging with each other into a dense ground cover that blossomed with tiny white flowers. Just as Trent had said, there were dozens or hundreds of skeletons of all shapes and sizes out there, overgrown with the same vines that stretched over the cobbles.

Ward could see areas of flagstone, but they were patches between thick clusters of entwined, thorn-covered vines. As a thin breeze drifted over the ruins, Ward had to hold a sleeve to his nose. The sickly odor of decaying flesh was heavy in the air. He turned to the others, frowning. “Doesn’t look too pleasant.”

“Do you want to try your spell?” Haley asked.

Ward smiled at her. “You like that one, huh?”

“Well, it’s gotten us past problems like this before!”

Ward unslung his pack, leaning it against the wall. “All right. Why not?”

The rest of the party backed up a few paces, also unburdening themselves, and then Ward turned to the courtyard ahead of him. “Haley and Lali, cover your ears, maybe.” After a short pause, he gathered his breath and said, “Shrovak gnyrath!” The words flew from his mouth, echoing around the courtyard. Ward had never tried to cast the spell on an area so large, and he wondered if it would even work.

Sure enough, though, the shadows began to gather among the vines and cobbles. They dripped from the tree branches like streamers of inky black mist, and, as always, the sky grew dim, and a certain cold chill filled the air. Phantoms stretched out of the shadows—luminescent, faintly blue figures. They appeared close to where Ward stood, so much so that he took a few steps back to observe them better.

Just like before, with the fountain, these phantom figures were elfish—slender, tall, with long hair and pointy ears. There were two men and a woman, but Ward was confident they were different from the ones that had appeared near the fountain. The woman was shorter, and her hair hung in dozens of tiny braids decorated with glittering polished crystals or gems. She pouted, waving a hand toward the courtyard. “We’ll never get through. Look at all of those bones.”

“Aye,” said the man to her left. He had a young face with open, honest features. “Let’s backtrack. We can turn left at the last junction.”

“Are the youth so easily conquered?” the other man scoffed. Ward studied him and saw harsher angles to his brows—sharper jaw and cheekbones, too. He pointed, his finger aimed straight at the nearest tree. “That, there, is a Cadaver Oak. They no longer grow on Primus, but they used to be abundant in the southern isles. Those vines they grow will grasp animals, killing them so the tree can absorb their nutrients.”

“So?” the younger elf said. “I don’t see a clear path to the other side.”

“No, you wouldn’t. But the architects of this place ensured there was a path to the trees. You see? Something about those flagstones keeps the vines from growing on them.” The older elf pointed, and Ward followed his gesture. Sure enough, there were gaps just far enough apart that a talented person could leap the vines to reach the base of the first tree.

“And then what?” the elf woman asked.

“Then we need to feed the tree something sweet. Sugar intoxicates them. The vines will become listless for several minutes while the tree processes the treat.”

The younger elf snorted. “You’ve lost your mind, Ahlkammen. How do you feed sugar to a tree?”

“Well, youngster, do you see that oozing knothole? The sap of the Cadaver Oak is not sweet. Rather, it tastes bitter and salty. Even so, that knothole will allow you to drip some honey into the tree’s hungry core, which will soak it up like a sponge.”

“Allow me?”

The girl elf laughed. “Who else could leap so nimbly as you, Bahsa?”

Before the elf could answer, the shadows began to separate, and the phantoms faded on wisps of faintly blue steam. Ward looked at Haley and the others, arching an eyebrow. “Pretty interesting, I guess.”

“I’ve honey in one of my packs,” Lali volunteered.

“Me too!” added Haley.

“Does your spell always show you exactly what you need?” Trent asked.

“Not always, no.” Ward frowned. “It is pretty convenient that it showed us a memory of this place where the people knew what to do. I’m sure there are plenty of instances where people tried to sneak through and got attacked by the vines…” He folded his arms, contemplating the square, wondering if there was something he was missing.

Haley nudged him. “Ward, you told me yourself: the spell is meant to reveal secrets, not memories.”

“That’s a good point, my friend,” Trent added. “It’s no secret that those vines are dangerous; look at those bones. No, I think your spell revealed a secret about this place, and it’s probably the most pertinent, if not the only, one.”

“I’ll do it,” Haley said, bending open her pack.

“What?” Ward asked.

“I’ll feed the trees.”

“I was going to say I’d try,” Trent said.

“No, I should do it,” Ward said. “I can heal faster than you two.”

Trent shook his head. “You’re big and, I’ll admit, quite fast, Ward, but Haley and I are both more nimble. Some of those spaces between vines are barely as large as your boot!”

“I said, I’ll do it,” Haley said, standing with a small jar of honey. “How much do you think I need to give the tree?”

“Here.” Lali held out another jar, slightly larger than Haley’s. “Just in case.”

Haley took it, nodding. “I’ll put in just a spoonful at a time. Do you think it will take long to see the effect?” She bent to start pulling clothes and foodstuffs from her pack. “I’m going to lighten my pack. Can one of you—”

“I’ll carry your things,” Lali said immediately.

“Thanks, Lali.” Haley beamed at her, then slung her much-lighter pack onto her shoulders.

“Haley—” Ward started to say, but she cut him off.

“I’ll be careful.” She stepped up to the edge of the courtyard and stood there, staring into it for several seconds. Ward assumed she was mapping out her route, making sure she knew where she wanted to jump. As the seconds dragged on, he was about to ask her if she was having second thoughts, but then she moved. She took two springing steps into the courtyard and leaped eight or ten feet over two large clusters of vines to land lightly on her toes in a cleared section.

“Damn me,” Lali hissed. “That girl is like a cat!”

“Yeah, she’s something,” Ward replied, feeling a stupid surge of pride as if he’d had anything to do with Haley’s physical capabilities. He supposed it was pride by association; he was proud to be her partner. As they watched, she did it again, and again, and then she was under the first tree. She turned to wave and offer a thumbs up.

“Do you see the knothole?” Lali called.

“Yes!” Haley unslung her pack, and they all watched as she painstakingly drizzled a spoonful of honey into a dark spot on the tree’s trunk. It took a long time for the thick stuff to drip off the spoon, but even as she waited for the dregs to finish sliding off the metal, a strange susurration drifted over the courtyard, and Trent pointed.

“Look, some of the vines are swaying around.”

Ward nodded and hollered, “I think that one’s good, Haley! Do the next.”

Haley nodded and put her supplies back into the pack. A moment later, she was nimbly leaping toward the center of the three trees. She made it without incident, and a few minutes later, far more vines in the courtyard were swaying about, sliding over the floor and each other. Haley was a good distance from them now, and Ward watched her like a hawk, afraid something would go wrong at the last minute. As she slung her pack on again, he hollered, “Don’t get careless now!”

She waved him off and started leaping.

“You two ain’t a thing, are ya?” Lali asked.

Ward scowled at her. “No. She’s just a kid.”

“Oh, come on, mate. I’ve seen older men than you with younger girls than that.”

Ward shook his head. “Drop it, Lali. She’s more like a niece or a kid sister to me.”

The big mercenary held up her hand in surrender. “Fine, fine. Sorry if I stepped on something sensitive.”

“She’s there!” Trent announced, and Ward knew he was right; he’d never taken his eyes off Haley. A couple of minutes later, Haley was drizzling honey into the last tree, and then, just like magic, all the vines in the courtyard were swaying around listlessly.

“Did it work?” she called back to them.

“I think so,” Ward yelled back. He looked at Trent and Lali. “Just a minute.” Then, he stepped into the courtyard and kicked his foot into a cluster of swaying vines. They didn’t react; they simply kept swaying back and forth over the flags. Ward nodded. “Let’s go!” Then, he started striding across the courtyard toward Haley. “We’ll use the exit straight across—it’s in the right direction.”

“Right!” Haley walked through the swaying vines toward him, and then the two of them started across toward the passage on the far side of the courtyard. Even in that big open space, it was hard to see far in any direction, thanks to the high, vine-covered walls. Even so, standing near the center of the courtyard, if he stood on his toes, Ward could see a faint hint of green in the blue sky.

“I think I can see the tree’s canopy. The one we need to get to.”

“Really?” Haley jumped, peering in the direction he was looking. “I think you’re right! It’s a bit green in that direction.

“What you hopping about?” Lali asked, coming up behind them.

“I think I can see the tree in the distance!” Haley said, jumping again.

“Tell her when we’re out of this damn courtyard. Come on!” Ward waved for the two to follow. Trent was already ahead of them, wasting no time in beelining for the exit. Despite their delay, perhaps tempting fate a bit, they all cleared the courtyard, safely exiting without being grabbed by any suddenly waking vines.

Trent smiled, nodding. “That’s one hell of a spell, Ward. I’m sure that courtyard would have delayed or ended many adventuring parties.”

“Aye, nice one, mate.” Lali clapped him on the shoulder, then she reached out to squeeze the back of Haley’s neck, gently jostling her back and forth. “And you, girl! I’ve never seen such grace! You could have a career in one of the dance companies on High Street!”

Haley smiled good naturedly at the abuse. “Thanks, Lali.”

Trent nodded down the high-walled garden path. “Shall we?”

“You know,” Ward said, unslinging his pack. “When we were standing in the courtyard, and I was looking out over the walls, I had a thought. Why haven’t we tried climbing one of these walls?”

“I’ve got a grapple,” Lali said, immediately game to the idea.

Ward pointed to a T-junction ahead. “Let’s walk up there, and I’ll climb the wall at the T.”

“You?” Haley asked.

“Why not? I’m good at climbing, and I want to see what’s ahead.” Nobody argued, and when they made it to the junction, Ward set his pack down, though he kept his satchel slung crosswise over his shoulders. He took Lali’s offered rope and grapple and looked up. The wall was probably fifteen or sixteen feet high—too high to scale easily, but not difficult to reach with an easy underhanded sling of the grapple. When the metal clanged against the far side of the wall, Ward pulled gently until it slid over the top of the wall and the rearmost tines hooked onto the stone.

“First try!” Trent slapped Ward on the shoulder.

Ward grinned, tugging on the rope to ensure it would hold. “I’m good at a thing or two.”

“Be careful, Ward!” Haley said, watching as he set his foot against the stone between a couple of flowering vines.

“Nothing to it,” he said, hauling himself upward. It was true, he’d done plenty of rope climbing back in the Corps, but that had been a long time ago. Still, he was a hell of a lot stronger than he’d ever been back on Earth. It was almost effortless to pull himself up, one hand after another, walking with his boots against the wall. When he reached the top, he let go with one hand, grabbed the rough stone, and then did the easiest muscle-up of his life. “If my CrossFit coach could see me now…”

He straddled the stone wall, looking first on the far side where his right leg dangled. It was just another nondescript garden path. He wondered why he kept calling it a garden because it was clearly a maze. He adjusted his view, looking westward. Sure enough, shrouded in the haze of distance, he saw a great arch of green rising above the seemingly endless expanse of the gardens. “I see it,” he called down to the others. “It’s maybe a mile further west. We’re right on course!”

“Well, shoot,” Trent called back to him, “maybe we ought to just start climbing these walls. We could cut out a lot of wandering!”

“Not a bad—” Ward had been about to agree with him when an ear-piercing shriek cut through the air. It came from behind him, and when he turned to see the source, he saw a huge bird descending toward him, talons outstretched.

“Ward! Look out!” Haley screamed.

“Ah, shite!” Lali cursed, fumbling for her crossbow.

Ward had time to contemplate leaping or sliding down the rope, but before he could even swing his leg back over the wall, the bird was on him, and he was being gripped by talons that pierced his flesh.

Trent’s voice cracked through the air, “Vrakkun Khorvek!” but the great bird pumped its enormous wings, and suddenly, Ward’s stomach was trying to slide up his throat as the thing surged into the air. Trent’s Mana Bolt sailed through the air where the bird had previously been. Ward tried to reach for his sword, but his arms were pinned. He thought about trying to cast his own Mana Bolt, but he could hardly crane his neck to see the bird, let alone aim a hand at it.

Then the bird’s wings tilted, and it swooped to the left. Ward watched as his companions faded out of view, and he was carried deeper into the gardens. Alone.