Valbrough is a ghost town.
I ended up in such comfortable communion in the wylder that i fell asleep and spent the night at my temporary campsite, and that might have saved my life from a third death. When i awoke it was actually fairly dark and pre-sunrise, but i still could tell that it was morning and that also meant i had failed to return on sambata evening. Aunt cyn would probably have my head for not reporting in and making her worry. So i gathered my few items quickly and started heading back the four verstăs distance to valbrough. The walking trip took perhaps fifty minutes or so the first time, but since i was trying to hurry back i think i would have made it in thirty-five. But half a verstă from the palisade, i could already tell something was wrong.
Large fish-looking things were hovering and «swimming» around the woods outside, sometimes accompanied by dark elves -- that is, the assassins that had been besieging us. They were not moving around in the manner of sneaky rogues trying to get inside the city, nor in the manner of warriors actively fighting against the inside population. This was more like... the way i have seen predators scout for small pockets of prey survivors after flushing out a herd. Warily, and nervously, for i am no sneaky rogue myself, i tried to get as close to the city as i could without being even slightly noticed.
Closing the distance did not go well, but going around the palisade gave me small glimpses into the horrors within. And i mean literally horrors; giant hook armed and hook beaked creatures, and hulking earthen monsters, roamed around wherever i could see into our home. The side of the city nearest the pride's cabin looked especially torn up. In a sort of panicked stupor i managed to back away from the terrible scene until i could no longer see valbrough's walls through the trees.
After several minutes of hyperventilating - during which i might have briefly passed out, i honestly cannot recall - i finally forced myself to think. To this day i still know very little about the geography of dragonreach, but only yesterday morning i had gone with aunt cyn to onothera, and it was not only one of the closest settlements but the capitol itself. Logically, at least some of my friends might have escaped there... or perhaps resurrected there if the earth guild circle in valbrough was unavailable. Steeling myself as best i could, i set out immediately, grabbing a few berries and the occasional clover leaf to tide over my grumbling stomach. If i had run i would have exhausted myself or done something more stupid and injured myself, so i forced myself as well to keep to a steady walk. As such my time was about the same as yesterday, four ghurries, arriving at last at the gates to onothera.
Some of the gate guards recognised me from yesterday, and since i was not only known as one of «those adventuers» but also had been seen in the company of the illustrious lady cyn, it was easy for me to enlist their aid. Unfortunately they could only tell me of one other adventurer that had arrived, and was currently in audience with count ko -- none other than naomi. I'd have preferred more people, but if it hadn't been aunt cyn or any of the iranis, naomi was next at the top of my list especially after the time she'd spent trying to better my combat skills yesterday. Eagerly i asked for directions to the county hall, and was given them. Was i able to follow them, however?
No.
Navigating a city is nothing like navigating a taiga or a forest or a grassland. In some places the sun is so blocked for so long that you lose your internal compass, and while buildings are usually more unique and descriptive than trees or shrubs, there are so many of them that i could not keep track of whether i had been to this block or not. I had to continually ask for directions from other merchants, townsfolk, guards, and even children, and after all that it was actually naomi who found me. Word of the confused and extremely lost selunari obviously got to the county hall faster than i did.
Her calm announcement of my name to get my attention did nothing to temper my now-frantic and exhausted state of mind, and stars bless her that she didn't lose her patience when i started peppering her with questions right away -- «what happened to valbrough! are you okay? is aunt cyn ok? are the iranis ok? is everyone ok? why are there it was those fucking dark elves wasn't it.» She finally forced answers into my rapid desperate questions. The various creatures were called hookhorrors, umberhulks, and anglerfish. The dark elves had summoned dozens and dozens of horrors.
«Where's everybody else? Did they...»
«Cyn is okay. She is with mostly everyone else at mathis' tower, about 250 miles [almost 400 verstăs] away.»
«Thank the stars. ...mostly everyone?»
Of course she knew who i was worried about. «Taios and radi are okay. Not sure about ardos.»
«Damn it. I... didn't get too far into town but the damage looked worst by the pride's cabin.»
«The pride left the tavern to go save pebbles. I'm not sure if they're okay but i am sure if they rezzed we'll find out in the morning. Everyone will be making their way back during the daylight, but we left via the waymaker stone and it might not be active anymore.»
Naomi went on to explain that most of the horrors would have either dissipated, or been rifted out to prevent that, during the daylight. She had already (of course) informed count ko of the severity of the situation. When i asked what i could help with or what needed to be done, she thought for a moment before responding.
«Well, i have to stay here to help ko. We're going to come up with a battle plan. During daylight every day, crushing those foci mushrooms; researching the dark elf civil war; building resources.»
«How many mushrooms are there? I mean have they been reproducing like regular mushrooms do?»
«We don't know but they clearly keep planting them at night. Mathis would also be a smart person to talk to.»
«I don't even understand why we are the ones that are under attack.... But yes. Mathis. I need to go there anyway, I need to talk to aunt cyn. Do you want me to relay any messages for you? Can i get to his tower by waystone as well?»
«I'm not sure if they'll be there. If you can activate the way stone. I'm guessing waiting for them to come back or send a letter into the dreaming and you can pinpoint their location.»
«.... Okay. Okay. That sounds like a good plan. I'll, uh, i'll wait here in the capitol...»
«Okay. That's probably safe.»
Seeing that my terror and exhaustion was catching up to me and i had started shaking, naomi looked me dead in the eye and went on, «I've fought in many wars, one of which was a dark elf war. We'll be fine. If we die it's the natural progression of life and, yes, people will die. We might lose... but doubtful. This is a minor setback.» Her tone was truly confident, not the kind of confidence that is just a facade to help someone else pull it together.
I nodded and said, «Aye. I'll find an inn closest to the county hall then. On the chance you need me.»
«If you cannot afford it let me know and i will see that your fee is paid... but you are an adventurer, and that affords you a certain status. I will not be really reachable much longer. Don't stay on my account. If i have a task for you, i'll find you. Otherwise ask mathis for orders.
«That's fair. Once I find mathis or aunt cyn, or both, I'll meet them. Thank you naomi.»
She looked me dead in the eye again and said, «Don't die, ilarion.»
I tried to sound nonchalant and gave her a rueful grin, «I mean hey, it's already happened twice, what's one more right?»
«Well when you hit your third death you can permanently die so try not to let that happen,» she said offhandedly, before just walking away and turning down the first alley.
The smartest thing to do -- after finding the aforementioned inn, which took me another ghurry -- would have been to get some sleep and try to get my spirit to send a letter to aunt cyn in the dreaming. And i do intend to do that, now. But i also wanted to record my thoughts afresh, as well as the conversation with naomi as word-for-word as i could keep in my short-term recall. Now that i've done so, i am going to surrender myself to sleep. Whether i reach the dreaming, or i am given a dreamless sleep for the time being, all i want now is to rest and temporarily feel safe again.
No comments:
Post a Comment