Chapter 221 - Rocky Ground

“What do you mean you have no idea?” Walt snapped. “I was prepared to move on. I’d accepted my fate! This is just cruel.”

“I’ve not exactly done this often,” Hump said defensively. “There’s no wizard handbook for passing on lost souls. Well… there probably is, but I don’t have it.”

“That’s just great,” Walt said. “Are you telling me I’ll be trapped in here forever? Doomed to a lonely, unending existence.”

“I thought you didn’t want to pass on,” Celaine said, sitting down next to Hump.

Hump glanced over his shoulder to see Rehk holding Tokdaar back, the little gnoll wanting to take a peek. Nisha woke up from all the talking, staring curiously into the stone.

“I don’t. Doesn’t mean I don’t want the option. What am I supposed to do now?”

“Were you resisting on purpose?” Hump asked. “Maybe your will to live is what’s keeping me.”

“Don’t try and blame me. Like I know how any of this works.”

Hump frowned, glancing up at the lightening sky. Whatever the solution was, they didn’t have time to figure it out now. Rays of sunlight reached the mine entrance through gaps in the treetops. The day wouldn’t wait for them, and Hump wanted to reach the pass by noon so that they’d have plenty of time to find a safe place to set up camp.

It occurred to him that there might be more to Walt’s death than the mine collapse. He stared at the little spirit in the stone—Walt didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

“Do you remember how you died?” Hump asked.

“Not really. It’s all a bit foggy. Why?”

“The stone you’re in was amongst your remains. You must have had it on you when you died, perhaps it’s what killed you.”

“As opposed to the cart load of rocks on his head?” Celaine asked.

Hump tilted his head back and forth. “It’s a working theory.”

“It wouldn’t explain the skeletons we found lurking around,” Celaine said.

“Skeletons?” Walt asked.

“There were three animated skeletons in the mine,” Hump explained. “They were almost certainly related to the mine, which makes at least four dead inside. You sure you don’t remember anything? It’s too much of a coincidence that this stone just happened to land on you when the mine collapsed. You must have had it on you.”

“No idea,” Walt said. “Everything’s a blur. I probably just dug it up and had it in hand.”

“Nothing at all?” Hump asked. “You seemed confident enough in your memory before.”

“We could try smash it,” Celaine said.

“That could work. Essence stones are difficult to crack, but they release their reserve when they do. Maybe it will release a spirit too.”

“Hold your horses a second!” Walt yelled. “Let’s not do anything we can’t take back. I really don’t remember how I died. That’s the truth. And when Walter Flint says that, he means it.”

Hump massaged his brow, trying to come up with any ideas. He held it up, studying it.

“What you looking at?” Walt asked nervously.

Hump didn’t answer. It wasn’t a particularly large essence stone, but there was clearly something special about it if it had the natural capability of storing a stone. He’d heard of artifacts of dark magic that could do such things, and liches used a phylactery to store their soul away from their body. Could it be mere coincidence that Walt appeared at the same time as a lich queen? Rolling the stone in his fingers, he searched for any signs of runes or magic but found nothing, crossing his fingers his spellbook might shake and come up with the answer.

It did not, which left only his own mind for a solution. He hated when that happened…

He recalled the feeling when he’d withdrawn essence from the stone—a warm rush that flowed through him, his Spirit Well surging. Walt’s ear-piercing scream. If he hadn’t heard that, he really might have absorbed the spirit entirely. He wondered if that was the warlock side of himself showing its face once more, but quickly scratched that thought. It was impossible. The imprints were gone. He could sense his soul more clearly than ever, like a picture in his mind, and it was all him.

“Maybe smashing it really is our best option,” Hump said. “It should release you.”

“Really? That’s what you come up with after shaking me about like that? If that’s the best you got, then no thank you.”

“It could be valuable,” Celaine said. “Maybe we could sell it.”

“Sell me?” Walt shrieked. “Gods save me. You really are heretics, aren’t you?”

Celaine rolled her eyes. “Not with you in it, idiot.”

“We’re not getting him out any time soon anyway,” Hump said. “And we’ve not got time to spend any more of the day on this. We need to move on.” He glanced at Celaine. “There’s no harm bringing him along. We can try to figure something out, and worse comes to worse, we bring him back to the Blackthorne Estate with us. The Chosen of Kelisia are bound to have a method.”

“Oh yes, I like that. Bring me along. I won’t cause any problems. You’re the boss. Erm, bosses.”

“He’s annoying,” Celaine said. “Does that count as harm?”

Hump snorted. “I’m not about to leave him here to live out eternity alone.”

Celaine sighed. “I know. Bring him with us. Maybe Owalyn will be able to offer help.”

“Owalyn?” Walt asked. “As in the forest spirit?”

“The Goddess of the Hunt,” Celaine said. “And yes, the very same.”

“I don’t like the sound of meeting any false gods,” Walt said. “Any other options?”

“That’s all you get,” Hump said. “We’re destined for Drakalyn. Either you come with us or we leave you here.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going north?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Bad idea. Trust me, I’ve seen the Fallen Lands. Been there, didn’t like it. It’s not worth the trouble.”

“I hate to break it to you, but this is already the Fallen Lands,” Hump said. “The last four hundred years haven’t been good for Alveron. It’s claimed the entirety of the Charred Heights, all the way up to Vonhold Pass. Even Barrowhill Fortress to the east fell a few weeks ago.”

“Gods have mercy on us all,” Walt muttered. “Well, if you’re going to the Fallen Lands, you’re going to need me. Dangerous place, but with good ol’ Walt teaching you the ropes, you might just make it.”

***

Celaine used Spring Step to climb out of the canyon and find their route out, returning to lead them away from the river. It was a wide area, overgrown with vegetation that was too thick to ride through, so Hump was forced to lead the horses while Celaine scouted ahead. Rehk carved out a path with her long knife, hacking the bush to pieces with little difficulty. They proceeded undisturbed, the beasts they did spot in the area fleeing at the sight of them.

“This bad idea,” Rehk said. “Dangerous already. Do not need evil spirit. Is bad luck.”

“We’ve got no choice,” Hump said. “My mind’s made up.”

She scrunched her nose, revealing the slightest bit of teeth. Not aggressive, but certainly not happy. For a moment, Hump thought she might argue further, but in the end she relented. “Fine.”

“That’s the spirit!” Walt said. “No pun intended. You’ll come to appreciate me once you get to know me. I’ve never met a gnoll before—you’re a lot less… evil than I expected.”

“Same to you,” Rehk said. “Do not mean trust.”

She increased her speed, intent on the vegetation in her path, swinging her knife over and over again.

“Is it just me, or is she hacking at the brush even more vigorously now?” Walt asked.

Hump chuckled. “I think you may have some trouble winning her over to your side.”

They were hiking up a distinct incline when the distinct smell of decay hit Hump. Celaine returned shortly afterward, warning them of a monster corpse up ahead. Half buried amongst the trees was the decomposing body of a horse sized, purple pig-looking creature with a leathery hide. Whatever killed it seemed to only be interested in its heartstone. The creature’s torso had been ripped open, its innards removed, and the rest left for scavengers. It was a sorry sight—its eyes and tongue missing, and spindly mushrooms sprouting all over its body, with hat-like tops to them.

“Don’t touch the mushrooms,” Celaine said. “They’re rot helmets—that decomposing is caused by them. I don’t imagine this has been dead for more than a day.”

“What even is it?” Hump asked. “Some kind of boar?”

“We call them water boars,” Celaine said. “They’re even more aggressive and have been known to snap a horse in two with those jaws.”

“Right. Avoid the water boar. Note taken.”

“Not many things out there that can kill one,” Celaine continued. “This whole place is making me nervous.”

“How much farther to the pass?” Hump asked.

“I saw it over the ridge there. We’re almost out of the canyon. Another two hours maybe. Keep following the hill up until you can see it, then I’ll meet you back here.”

“Where are you going?” Hump asked.

She looked back toward the ridge from atop an earthy protrusion. “I want to take a look around. There’s only one obvious path ahead, and it’s surrounded by rocky banks on each side. I’m worried those riders we saw may have overtaken us and found the pass.”

Hump nodded. “Be careful.”

She left without another word, bounding up the slope easily. Hump took another breath, legs already aching, bracing himself for one last push while trying to forget another push was just out of view.

“So what’s the deal with you and the girl?” Walt asked.

“Party members,” Hump said.

Walt barked a laugh. “Like that could be true. Look at her! You can’t travel with that and not at least be a little interested.”

“I’m a wizard, Walt. The only way we live long enough for such things to matter is to be smart. Logic over emotion.”

“Right. Right. Of course. Still, two young adventurers travelling the Fallen Lands… it sounds romantic. Other than the gnolls of course.”

“And the pestering spirit,” Hump said.

“I don’t appreciate…” Walt trailed off, words descending into incoherence.

“Walt?” Hump asked, taking the stone from his pouch and giving it a look. Nisha looked at it worried. The light within had dimmed, the little spirit curling up into a tiny ember. He didn’t answer.

Worry. Nisha’s end of the bond.

“Problem?” Rehk asked.

“It’s okay,” Hump said. “I think Walt fell asleep. Being out of the enriched environment of the essence stone mine is probably making it more difficult to sustain himself.”

“Good. Too much talk.”

It was mid-morning when the mountain pass came into view—a treacherous slope covered in a chaotic mess of loose rocks and boulders that he just knew was going to make for a difficult climb. To reach it, they’d need to cross a forested ridge. Smoke rose from a distant mountain, as if the mountains themselves were breathing. Only a few days ago, it had all seemed so far away as to be unreachable, yet here he was. Hump took a moment to catch his breath, looking back at where they’d come. To Alveron. To home.

It suddenly hit him how deep into the Fallen Lands he really was, guided by two gnolls. It was like the start of a joke—one where he ended up as gnoll food or worse.

As they grew closer to the pass, it was easy to realise why Celaine was on edge. Steep slopes rose on either side of them, covered in boulders and trees. There were craggy outcrops in places—tall mounds of stone and earth that would make for the perfect place to keep watch from.

“Something’s making my skin crawl,” Celaine said, eyeing the surrounding rocks. “Either it’s my blessing, or I’m more nervous than I thought.”

“Best we assume the former,” Hump said. “If there’s an ambush ahead, we’ll need to either break through or give up now.”

“That’s hardly even a choice is it,” Celaine said.

“No, I suppose not.” Hump glanced at the sun through an overcast sky. They were still another hour or so away from noon. He didn’t much like their odds in the event of an ambush, which left him another idea.

Hump’s heart was thumping now. He resisted the urge to look around, trying to appear relaxed.

“Do not see anything,” Rehk said.

“That doesn’t mean they’re not out there. Act natural,” Hump said, noticing the gnoll turning to them. “Don’t say anything to Tokdaar to make him nervous, but stay close. I don’t want whoever’s out there to know we’re onto them. Celaine, you split off.” He nodded toward one of the craggy outcrops. “We’ll get a fire going up on there and make it look like we’re preparing lunch. We spring the trap, then you start loosing arrows if things turn south.”

“I thought you didn’t like being bait,” Celaine said.

“We’re already bait if there’s an ambush out there, at least this way we can surprise them. Chances are, they’d have seen a light show last night. They won’t know how many of us to expect. At least from up there, I won’t be so easy to surround.”

“It’s risky,” Celaine said.

“We’ve got no frontline. Risky’s our only option.”

She nodded. “Alright then. Do your best to look tasty.”

“Like I need to try,” Hump said, forcing himself to keep his eyes forward.

Celaine took some firewood from her belt and stored it in Thistle’s saddlepack, then broke off from them, disappearing into the foliage, shadows moulding around her. Hump veered toward the outcrop, directing the horses up the steep rock formation. The boulders would make for good cover against anyone that tried to attack, and the slope would buy him time. He led the horses as high as he could before the terrain became impassable, tying their reins to a pointed rock. He looked down upon trees on three sides, while to the right was a sheer cliff to gods knew where. There was no sign of monsters or people, at least not yet, but he trusted Celaine’s Hunter’s Instinct.

They’d made a lot of noise escaping the dungeon the night before. A lot of noise and a lot of light. It wouldn’t have been hard to spot them and guess where they were heading.

He was suddenly wishing he’d spent some time practicing Stone Wall. It would be handy here, and he’d found the spell in the Daston library, but there was no way he could get a Tier 3 spell out on the fly.

Instead, he got a fire going.

“Hump,” Rehk called. “Six man coming.”

Hump stood and walked over to the edge of the outcrop. They were armoured. Some had shields strapped to their backs, most had swords at their hip. There were a couple of bows in hand.

“We saw your fire, friend,” one of the men called. “I’m Winston.” While he lacked armour, he had a black leather coat that went down to his knees, and an amulet about his neck that shone with essence. “Never seen anyone travelling with a gnoll before. Thought we’d come to make sure everything’s okay.”

“More than okay,” Hump called. “Strange place to be bumping into other adventurers. What brings you out here?”

“Not adventurers, I’m afraid. You see, this pass here belongs to me. Can’t have people using it for free of course, so why don’t you come down here so we can settle things. I thought I saw a girl with you—is she up there?”

“A girl?” Hump asked, then shook his head. “Just the two of us I’m afraid. And I’m quite comfortable up here.”

Come on Celaine, he thought.

The man pulled back his leather coat to reveal a wand at his hip. “I’m not sure you understand. There’s more of us spread out in these hills. Out here, my word is law—”

The deadly power of Predator’s Intent descended. A silver light flashed. Winston was turning as the arrow struck him through the shoulder, sending him to the ground with a scream.

The warriors around him shouted, turning to the trees. One shot an arrow at Hump and he ducked behind a rock, avoiding it by a mile. Already he was calling upon his essence, bronze tendrils lashing at the ground around him.

There was one more benefit to the outcrop he’d chosen—he had a lot of big rocks to choose from.