Hunter's War (Legend of the Wild Hunter Book 4) (53 page)

“They must have intercepted the original envoy, which is why everyone believed you missed it,” Tullner explained.

Carter poked at the fire with a long stick. “So, my own province has turned against us.”

“That’s old new, son.” Marcus replied. He staggered over to them, and Kile was beginning to wonder how many canteens he filled from that unreadable bottle. “Lord Rime’s betrayal was short-lived. I hope you have better information than that.”

“What do you mean, short lived?” Carter asked.

“Lord Bollen was able to rally a resistance against Lord Rimes long enough for the King’s Command to stop him.” Daniel explained.

“So does that mean Callor is…?”

“Under the control of Lord Bollen, for the time being, although, I dare say, the King will probably make it permanent, if he hasn’t already.” Daniel replied.

“What about the Uhyre forces. They were supposed to reinforce the Callor rebellion?”

“They never got through. They were stopped at the border at the outpost of Moran.” Tullner added.

“They were stopped?”

“Trust me, I was there.”

“What about the attack from the northern pass?” Carter asked.

“What attack?”

“The Uhyre forces were supposed to link up with the Callor army and draw the King’s Command into a battle, leaving the northern pass unwatched. That’s where the real attack was to come from,” Carter explained.

“But there was no attack from the north.” Tullner replied.

“Well, there you go,” Marcus said. “It’s a bust. Ravenshadow failed. With the Uhyre unable to link up with the forces in Callor, the attack, from the north, must have been canceled. The only thing left for us to do now is to go home.”

“Canceled or postponed?” Kile asked.

“What do you mean, Commander?”

“I’ll be the first to admit I can’t really wrap my head around Ravenshadow’s motives, but I can’t see him committing to something like this without some kind of backup plan.”

“I have to agree with Kile,” Carter said, getting to his feet. “Ravenshadow still has something going on, but I don’t know what. About a week before I was to meet up with my handler, I saw a few of the valrik transporting something to the old ruins in the north. Whatever it was, it had to be valuable, Ravenshadow was taking no chances. He even had Eric, supervising.”

“Eric?”

“Yeah, that’s why I couldn’t risk getting any closer to find out what it was.”

“Any guesses?” Daniel asked.

“Not a clue. All I know is, it must have come from the base of the spire. He’s had valrik and brunrik all over the foothills around that area.”

“Do you think he might have uncovered some secret of the Alva?” Alex asked. “The story was that near the end, the Alva were conducting experiments with wild magic. Some say they were using a few of the indigenous races, like the Ogres and the Orceen to help them.”

Kile quickly turned to where Alex was sitting. “What about the Orceen?” she asked.

“It goes back to what I was saying earlier. Supposedly, the Alva were trying to create a weapon to destroy the Aruvians. A few of the other, lesser, races, like the Orceen, were helping.”

“So you’re saying this Ravenshadow has an ancient Alva weapon now?” Marcus asked. “Next you’ll be telling me he’s recruited the drake of the flatlands to help him.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Daniel replied. “But who’s to say what's been left in those mountains?”

Marcus took another drink from his canteen. “Personally,” he said, “I don’t care what he’s got. This script is completed. We should get ourselves out of here the first chance we get and bring this information to Command. Then we can collect our reward and wash our hands of the whole affair.”

“There may not be time.” Kile replied. “If Ravenshadow has uncovered some ancient weapon, we have to find out what it is, and try to stop him.”

“Why us?” he asked.

“Because we’re here now, if we go all the way back to Command with this, who’s to say how long it will take for them to get another group out here.”

“But Command needs to know.” Tullner replied. “If there is an army waiting in the north to attack Azintar, Command needs time to prepare.”

“Then we send Larks, with his Edge, he’ll be able to get the information to Command in no time.”

“Wait a second.” Marcus shouted, holding up hands. “Are you actually saying you want to go after this… whatever it is? As in, go deeper behind enemy lines. Look, I’m all for fame and glory, but that only works when you come back alive. This isn’t exactly the best group to be taking on a risk like this.”

“I’m not asking you to come,” Kile said. “If you want to go home, fine. I think you should, and take Alex and Daniel with you.”

“Says who?” Daniel shouted. “You’re just going to send us off like civilians. I’m a Certified Level Five Hunter, I can take care of myself.”

“You’re not a field Hunter, Danny.”

“I’m not leaving you out here alone.”

“She won’t be alone.” Carter said. “I’m going with her.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

Carter laughed. “Do you even know where the ruins are?”

He had a good point. She could probably find them with help from Bakara, but how long would that take.

“Perha Squad will go as well.”

“Thank you, Tullner.”

“There is a great story in this, somewhere, and I’m not leaving in the middle of it,” Alex chimed in.

“So, I guess that’s it. We’re off to take on the Uhyre forces by ourselves,” Marcus laughed, sloshing his canteen.

“We’ll see what the others say. I don’t want to force anyone to come along who doesn’t want to.”

When the others arrived back at camp, they sat around the fire and discussed their options. They agreed Larks would return to Command and deliver what information they had to Colonel Barshed, or Guild Master Lathery, whoever he reached first. Although Kile was sure she could find a bird to deliver the message for them, she couldn’t help but notice how relived Larks looked when they presented him with the option. He claimed he wanted excitement and adventure, but how much of that was just bluster? Still, it wouldn’t be easy. He would have to make the trip on foot, if he was relying on his Edge. It gave him the speed he needed, although he couldn’t sustain it for long. It would still take him two days to get back to Forthbar, but it was a lot faster than going by horseback. Carter would borrow Lionora for their journey deeper into the wastelands. The rest of Perha Squad agreed to follow Kile, although she wasn’t too sure about Browne. He seemed a little skeptical at first, but ultimately his duty to the Squad over- ruled his concerns.

Although she wanted Daniel and Alex to return home, she knew they wouldn’t, and in some ways, she was glad. It felt right, somehow, to have the four of them back together. She just hoped her sentimentality didn’t end in catastrophe.

When the sun finally sank over the western flats, they provided Larks with what food and water he would need and wished him a safe journey. He was gone in a matter of minutes. The rest of the water was divided among the others before setting out, deeper into the wastelands.

Traveling by night was easier. There was less chance of them being seen, and without the sun beating down, less chance of them dropping from heat exhaustion.

***~~~***

24

“There it is,” Carter said, pointing across the horizon to, what could only be described as, the old ruins. At one time, the structure had to have been something to behold. Surrounded by a massive city of stone, now buried in sand, it rivaled that of anything the vir created. Toppled columns led up broken stairs to crumbing walls, which were ornate with intricate carvings. It wasn’t what Kile imagined Alverian ruins would look like. When she thought of the Alva, she always thought of the forest and the animals. Even the painting of Risa Ta’re was more Alverian then these ruins. No, this was the farthest thing from her mind.

“Over there.” Carter said, pointing to one of the few, still intact, structures. “That’s where they moved it.”

“And we don’t know what it is?” Tullner asked.

“Not a clue.” Carter replied. “But it was locked in what looked like a steel box which they carried into that building. They guard it around the clock, but I have no idea what it is.”

“If it’s a weapon, why don’t they just use it?” Anurr asked.

“Maybe they don’t know how,” Alex replied. “I mean, if it really is an Alverian weapon, it has to have some connection with the mystic arts. Maybe they’re trying to figure it out.”

“Then we have to get it out of there before they can,” Kile said.

“And how do you plan on doing that?” Marcus asked. “I don’t think walking up to the front door and asking to borrow their ultimate weapon of destruction is such a good idea.”

“From my run-ins with the valrik, they’re not too bright, they might just hand it over.” Browne replied.

“I think we’ll just leave that option off the table for now.” Tullner said, patting Browne on the back. “What we need is information.”

“What we need is a map.” Anurr added.

“What about it, Kile. How about asking your friends for help?”

“Birds are a little scarce around here, I’m afraid a single raven might look out of place, and I’m still not sure if I can trust him completely.”

“What about them?” Alex asked, pointing to a shallow ridge were a strange group of visitors were watching them. They were small furry animals, about a hand’s width in length, and another hand for the tail. The exact color of the sand, they nearly disappeared into the world around them. But what made them unique, were their ears. They stuck out from the sides of the head, nearly as big as the animal was long, give their heads a flat triangular appearance.

“What is it, a rat?” Browne asked.

“No, it’s a fox, or something like a fox.” Kile said as she approached them.

They made no attempt to flee and waited until she got closer.

-Not them.-

The largest fox said.

She knew instantly what he meant.

“No, we are not of the Uhyre,” she replied.

-Why you here?

The fox asked, slowly approaching her and sniffing around. She knew he was trying to get her scent, because, she hated to admit it, she was doing the same thing, before she stopped herself.

“We are seeking information,” she told him. “Can you help us?”

-Help? Seek what?-

“Is there a way into the stone building without being seen?” she asked. She communicated, not so much in the words she used, but with the images she gave to them. The more meaning she put into the images, the easier it was to communicate what she needed.

-Many ways, too big.-

The fox replied.

“Can you show me?” she asked, closing her eyes.

When the connection was made, she was once again seeing the world through a different pair of eyes, but unlike the birds, these were much lower. She wasn’t so much as soaring thought the sky, as she was hovering over the ground. It was always harder to get her bearings from this viewpoint and she often had the same problem when she connected with Vesper. Small rocks looked like large boulders and boulders looked like mountains. Even the tiny patches of vegetation looked like acres of forest.

The fox’s name was Rowd, and he lived with his mate and four kits in a small den located outside the west end of the stone city. His den was linked with others, creating an underground network, and even though the tunnels looked fairly spacious, from her point of view, Kile knew there was no chance she would fit. But, there was one promising place Rowd showed her. It appeared, through their incisive tunneling, the foxes stumbled upon some kind of underground aqueduct.

Rowd’s visions were sketchy at best and not very complete. He couldn’t remember much, as he was quite young when the foxes first found it. Since the water was undrinkable, it served no purpose, and therefore was forgotten, but the more Kile thought about the aqueduct, the clearer it became. It was as if the entire picture was being revealed, one small section at a time, and she realized she was seeing each piece with a different set of eyes. Soon she could see the entire aqueduct from where it started, to where it ended, all within her mind. But that wasn’t all, each pair of eyes had their own name, their own identity. Each set of eyes had their own life, and she was living them all. Instead of feeling stretched and overwhelmed, as she usually did when she touched on so many minds at one time, she felt safe and accepted.

When she finally opened her eyes, Kile was surrounded by the small sandy colored foxes. Where there had only been a handful before, there were now twenty, possible thirty, all sitting around her, contributing to the map in her head. It was such a peaceful, warm feeling, she didn’t want to break the connection, but she knew she had to.

When the link was severed, her mind didn’t snap back as it usually did, leaving her with a headache. This time it was more gradual, and she felt surprisingly relaxed.

“Thank you,” she said, extending her gratitude to all the foxes, who she now knew by name.

-Welcome, you are.-

Rowd said with a slight nod of his head. When he departed, the others followed, leaving Kile sitting in the sand, alone. She was sorry to see them go.

“You all right?” Daniel asked.

She smiled up at him. “Yes, for once I can actually say, yes, I am all right,” she said, blinking back the tears.

“Where they any help?” Tullner asked.

“They were,” Kile said, getting to her feet. “There is an aqueduct which runs right under the city, and I know where it comes out.”

They found a place for the horses on the far side of a hill, down in a valley, far enough away from the stone city where there was little chance of them being spotted by a valrik patrol. Alex was left to the guard the horses. As Kile pointed out, there weren’t too many people who could hide nine horses as easily as Alex could. She also asked Lore and Nova to stay with him. Partially because the dogs would be able to detect the approach of unwanted visitors better than Alex, but there was also the chance that navigating the aqueduct may prove difficult for them. She wanted to leave Marcus behind as well, but he insisted on coming along, which seemed out of character for him. Tullner saw fit to leave Browne and Anurr behind as added protection, although Alex didn’t feel it was necessary.