Myrkron (Volume Two of The Chronicles of the Myrkron) (17 page)

“He was not immortal.  He passed from this world after giving them to me.  I thought the same thing, figuring he was like you.  I was wrong.”

Micah stiffened.  “So he told you?”

“About you?  No.  He said it was not his place
.  Much the same as you said a few moments ago.”

Micah visibly relaxed.

“The day we met, you told me that you had very little magic of your own, yet I know you are a ninth key.  I feel your magic surge and ebb.  Just as now, I can no longer sense any magic in you.  I do feel a small amount coming from your pocket, though.”

Micah nodded and drew forth the small silver flask.  It gave off small wisps of frost.
  “Aye, a simple spell that keeps it cold,” Micah explained.

“Why does your magic leave you?  I don’t understand.  Our magic is a part of us.  How can it just be gone?”

“I suppose now is as good a time as any.  What I am about to tell you, Michael, is only known by one other person outside the Avari. Since you are one of us, you deserve to know as well.”

“I assume that other person to be Joshua.”

“In that assumption, you are correct.  No one else is to know.  The shame is too great for me,” Micah said softly, his shoulders slumping slightly.

Michael was moved by the obvious discomfort he could see in his friend.
  “Micah, you do not have to tell me.  If it causes you this much pain, I can live with the puzzle,” Michael said walking up to stand beside Micah.

“It is better that you know so you can decide for yourself whether you wish to
remain my friend.  When you hear what I have to say, you may not feel very good about holding me in such high esteem.”

“You are my friend.  Nothing can change that, Micah.”

“Do not be so hasty with such definitive statements.”  Micah handed the little flask to Michael.  “Open it.  Smell the contents.”

Michael took the flask.  It was extremely cold, almost painfully so.  He opened it and sniffed the top.  He wrinkled his nose at the briny scent.

Without taking his eyes off the night sky, Micah continued.  “Take a small amount on the tip of your finger,” Micah instructed him.

Michael put his index finger over the mouth of the flask and tipped it up.  When he took his finger away it was covered in a thick, bright red liquid.

“Yes, it is blood, Michael.  More precisely, it is Avari blood.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Yes, you do.  You merely do not want to draw the conclusion your mind is presenting to you.”  Micah turned slowly to face Michael, his gray eyes now burning embers.  When he smiled, Michael could see the extended canines.  “I am a vampire, Michael.  To be honest, I was the very first.  I am also the only one left in existence.”

Michael, shocked by the visage before him, took an involuntary step back
ward and dropped the flask in sudden distaste.

Micah, moving faster than Michael’s eyes could follow, was suddenly standing right before him.  The little flask was in Micah’s hand, having fallen no further tha
n a few inches.  Micah capped the flask, returned it to his pocket and then stepped away from Michael.  “The fluid is too precious to waste in such a way,” Micah said sadly, the glow in his eyes fading.

“You drink the blood of your own people?”  Michael asked
, trying to understand.

“I do.”

“Why?”

Micah turned and stared out the window once again
.  He took a deep breath and began.  “When I told you that I have very little magic of my own, that was no lie.  Magic is tied to life.  Without life, there is no magic.  When I take in the blood of the living, their tie to life connects me to my magic for a short time.  For as long as their blood remains alive within me, the doors open to me.  As the life leaves the blood, the conduit shuts down until finally, the doors close once more.  As to why I drink Avari blood, they give it freely during the Solstice Festivals.  All of them come forward, one at a time, and cut their right palm.  They let a small amount drip into a large bowl.  I preserve that blood and keep it in storage.  Normally, I would have little need of it; but, with all that’s going on, I find I am consuming a substantial amount in order to accomplish the tasks that need to be done. I hate that it need be at all, but they do it out of respect and, unfortunately, necessity.”  Micah turned to glance at Michael.  “Believe me, I understand your revulsion.  I feel the same thing every day of my existence.”

Michael’s face slowly lost the look of horror
, as Micah's explanation painted a different picture than he imagined.  “Then you do not take it from them against their will?  What am I saying?  Of course you wouldn’t.”

“I would never do that to them.  I also do not allow the young to participate in the ritual
.  They must be old enough to understand what I am and what they do before they are permitted to contribute,” Micah explained.

“How much do you require?”  Michael asked hesitantly.

“Under normal circumstances, I can survive on about a pint a month.  With as much as I have needed my magic recently, I have been consuming about many times that amount.”

“I assume any blood will work, not just Avari blood?”

“Aye, as long as it is fresh and still full of life.  I only use the Avari blood that is given freely so that I am not required to unnecessarily take a life.  I did that for far too long.”

“What do you mean?”

Micah chuckled half-heartedly.  “I was not always the charming fellow you see before you, Michael.  For eight thousand years I walked our earth as evil incarnate.  I was everything the worst of our legends portray and more.  I have spent the last two thousand years trying to make amends for those actions.  If I live another twenty thousand years, I don’t think I could alleviate the guilt that I carry.”

“What happened to cause the change?”  Michael asked.

Micah smiled a warm smile as he turned to fully face Michael.  “That is a story for another time.  Suffice it to say, my eyes were opened to what I had become, and I did not like what I saw.”

“May I ask you some questions, Lord Micah
?”

Micah’s rigid stance relaxed as he heard the title.  He knew Michael had made his choice.
  “As long as you keep it brief,” Micah replied, with a soft laugh.

“I have so many.  Where to start?  Ok, crosses, do they work like the legends say they do?”

“No.”

“Silver?”

“No.”

“Wooden stakes?”

“No.”

“Holy water?”

“No.”

“Seems the legends didn’t get anything right,” Michael said with a frown.

“And who do you think started those legends?  Hmm?”

“I don’t really know.”

“I did, Michael.”

“Why?”

“What better way to keep people from hunting you than to make them think they have killed you.”

“I see your point.  What about decapitation?”

“I don’t know.  It has never happened.”

“Sunlight?”

“Unfortunately, that one is true.  As far as I know, that is the only thing that can kill me.  That is why you can never find me during the day.  Why I am always off running errands at that time.”

“How did you become a vampire?”

“That is a very long story, and one that I may tell you some time.  For now, know that it was done with magic and by my own hand. Though, I did not know, at the time, what it was I was truly doing.  If I had, I probably never would have cast the spell.”

“Probably?”

“I just do not know.  The circumstances made for desperate actions.  If I had not cast it, many would have died.  But, how many died since, because of what I became?  At the time, my world was smaller. Now, knowing what I do, I see it was a selfish and foolish act that cost more lives than it saved.”

“I would like to hear that story sometime,” Michael replied.

“Maybe one day, when things are not so hectic, I will share it with you.  For now, you need food and rest.  I will…” Micah paused suddenly and his eyes became unfocused.

Michael looked at him with concern.
  “What is it?”

“Joshua is near.  Mael seems to have held up his end
of our agreement.  I must go.”

“I’m coming with you,”

Micah considered for a moment then nodded.  “Then you can transport us.”

“Where do we need to go?”  Michael asked.

“To the elven encampment, but let’s get Colonel Bastise first.”  Micah went to the door. Before he opened it, he turned back to Michael.  “Eat while we wait for him.  You need the nourishment."

“I can’t argue with that,” Michael said with a smile
, as he sat hurriedly and began to eat the bread and fruit on the tray.

Micah stepped out into the hall and addressed Reek.
  “Go with haste, and find Colonel Bastise.  Bring him here.”

Reek bowed slightly to Micah and ran down the hall without comment.

Micah turned next to Branik.  “When Reek returns with the Colonel, have him wait out here, but let us know immediately.”

“Yes, Lord Micah,” Branik said with a nod.

Micah entered the room once more and closed the door.  Michael was stuffing the last of the bread in his mouth and washing it down with a cup of water.  “I’m ready when you are,” Michael informed him once he managed to swallow.

“We have a few minutes,” Micah informed him.

“I have wanted to talk to Colonel Bastise since I found out he was here.  I just haven’t found the time.  He seems like a very interesting man.”

Micah smiled and chuckled.
  “Yes, he is and a good man.  You do not find too many these days, in our world, with his sense of honor.”

“How long have you known him?”

“Hmm, twenty odd years.  He could tell you the exact time and day we met.”

“Does he have a
n eidetic memory?”  Michael asked with interest.

“No
, nothing like that.  It so happens that I saved his life that day.  He believes that places him in my debt for the rest of his life.  I have tried to tell him that no such gesture is necessary, but he just laughs and says that is not for me to decide,” Micah said, with mild exasperation.

“He
is right, you know.  That is his decision.  You might as well accept it.  There are worse things than having your very own personal mercenary squad.”

“Oh
, I do not begrudge him his belief, but it is I that am in debt to him.”

“How so?”

“I have a lot for which to atone, Michael.  Saving Colonel Bastise was one small step along that road.  I feel it does me no good if the deeds I have done are repaid.”

“You sure you were not raised Catholic?”  Michael asked with a laugh.

“Of that, I am certain,” Micah replied smiling.

There was a loud knock at the door.

“Ah, that would be the devil himself.  Let us get moving,” Micah said, ushering Michael to the door.

Chapter Sixteen

Kale had been in a surly mood since Bran told him he was to lead the mission to Delven Vale.  He knew why Bran sent him, and he did want to see Kara again; but he would have preferred to stay with the main unit.  All of the dwarves under his command gave him a wide berth. The only ones that seemed unaffected by his mood were the two Avari that Commander Salic sent along on the mission.  Trask and Attis were of average size for humans, and Attis’ ready wit and out-going nature made him fit in well with any company he was around.  The dwarves under Kale warmed to Attis almost immediately. In fact, he had even made Kale smile more than once, since leaving The Slot.

Kale’s mood had gotten worse since entering Glimmen Watch.  The expected unit of Forgers w
as nowhere to be found.  There were no signs of recent combat and no bodies.  It was as if they had retreated and abandoned the station.  Kale knew that would never happen.  The implications of that missing unit set the hairs on the back of Kale’s neck on end.  There was no good reason for it.  Something had happened and that something was chilling to contemplate.

After a thorough search of the area, Kale moved
his men at an increased pace.  Everyone was quiet and all eyes scanned the pass, constantly searching for signs of a trap.  The two Avari seemed unaffected by the discovery, other than Attis’ uncharacteristic silence.  They now were only about an hour from Middle Watch, and had been marching in darkness for the last several hours.  None had complained about the pace Kale set.  All were anxious to reach the safety of Middle Watch and find out why Glimmen Watch had been abandoned.

As they came around the last corner, Kale was surprised to see that no torch burned on Middle Watch Wall.  Even in the dark
, he could tell that the gate was open; a fact that quickly brought axes to hand.  Kale called a halt and motioned a slim black haired dwarf forward.  Hal was excellent at stealth, with his small stature and dark hair and complexion; he was well suited to reconnaissance.  Kale quietly told him what to do and, with a curt nod, Hal disappeared, just another shadow among many.

Hal returned about
thirty minutes later with a dour look on his face.  “The gate wheel is broken.  It sustained many blows from great hammers, ogre hammers.  There are signs of a battle; blood stains all over.  I found the bodies of many of our people and the mountain door is sealed,” Hal reported.

“How do you know it was ogre hammers?” Kale inquired
, frowning at the news.

“I found one in the
shadow of the wall.  It was decorated with ogre trophies,” Hal said gritting his teeth in anger.  “Some of them were fresh.  The mountain door has sustained heavy damage, though it remains intact.  It is obvious that the unit was forced to pull back and seal the door.  The blood has dried, but where it pooled it is still wet.  This battle was not more than two days past.”  Hal paused.  “And, Kale, the gate wheel was smashed from the inside.”

Kale frowned and glance
d in the direction of the gate.  “Come. We still have a mission to complete,” Kale said, gripping his axe tighter and heading toward the gate.

The dwarves and two Avari followed him through the
mangled gate and over to the mountain entrance.  Kale studied the door in the light from a torch lit by one of the Avari.  He ran his hand over the mauled steel.

“This makes no sense.  If the ogres could destroy the gate wheel
, then they should have been able to obliterate this door. Yet here it stands.  It is as if they made a show of trying to get in and then just left,” Kale muttered out loud to himself.

“Maybe they realized it would be pointless to breach this door,” Trask offered.

Kale was so startled by the unexpected voice that he turned to see who had spoken.  Trask had said no more than a handful of words the entire march.  “With the size of the ogres, just breaking this door down would not have been enough.  They would have had to enlarge the entire entrance to be able to crawl inside.  Not knowing what lies beyond, and knowing the stature of your people, they quite possibly would have to enlarge the tunnel every step of the way, and your people would be cutting them down the whole time.”

Kale looked at the Avari in consideration
, and nodded.  “Perhaps your assumption is correct.  What is more important is that they made the effort at all.  That tells me that some of our people fled inside. They are still alive.”  Kale raised his fist and struck the door hard with two quick blows.  He paused, struck the door twice more, then stepped back and waited.  A few moments passed before they heard sounds coming from the other side of the door.  It was the sound of heavy items being moved.  Kale nodded again.  “Barricaded.”

They all waited a few
more minutes before the sounds of movement stopped and hammering began.  Finally a loud clang of metal rang out and the door shuddered.  The mangled door was pushed outward on protesting, twisted hinges.  The haggard face of Axethane Ralk appeared in the doorway.

“Axethane, it is good to see you again,” Kale said with a bow of his head.

“And it lightens my heart to see there are more survivors, lad,” Axethane Ralk replied sincerely.  “Come in, all of you.  We hoped our runners would get through.”

“Survivors
? Runners, Axethane?” Kale asked in surprise.

Axethane Ralk heaved a sigh at hearing the
question.  “It seems our runners didn’t get through.”

“
We have seen no one since we left The Slot yesterday morning, Axethane.  I am sorry.”

“You came from The Slot, lad?  Then they may still be out there.  We sent the runners to Delven Vale
and then on to East and West Gates.  That, at least, gives me some hope.  Please, all of you, rest and have some food,” Axethane Ralk said, eyeing the two Avari.

“Axethane, what happened here? 
Glimmen Watch has been abandoned.  The gate wheel was destroyed from the inside, and Hal found signs of ogres.  Where is everyone?”  Kale asked not moving.

“Come and sit, lad.  I will answer your questions,” Ralk said walking toward the tables at the kitchen end of the dining hall.
  “What brings you men from The Slot and with a couple of Avari, no less?”  Ralk asked after they were all seated.

Kale was dying to know what had transpired here
, but protocol dictated that Ralk, as an elder, never mind that he was also an Axethane, had the right to ask his questions first.  “Axethane Bran sent us to request reinforcements from Delven Vale.  We joined up with Commander Salic in The Slot a while back.  There was a major battle a few days ago, in which we lost many fine warriors.  The human forces were decimated as well.  Wizards Merric and Mathis brought in a couple hundred humans from Branna, and Lord Micah brought us fifty Avari, but we are at less than half our number.  The shifters killed twenty-seven of us in that battle!” Kale struck his fist sharply on the table in anger.

Axethane Ralk furrowed his brow
, as he listened without interrupting.

“We
killed every one within reach, and still they kept coming.  It was as if their numbers were without end.  Just when it seemed we would be overrun, a wizard joined us.  I don’t know what he did, but all of a sudden there was a mighty blast that nearly took my feet from under me. All of the shifters exploded in a red mist.  For as far out into Glimmen Marsh as I could see there was nothing but a fine red cloud that rapidly dissipated. Every shifter was gone.  The shockwave leveled trees far out into the marsh,” Kale remembered out loud, his eyes unfocused and his voice tinged with awe.

“Would that we had such aid,” Axethane Ralk sighed.

“What has happened, Axethane?”  Kale asked.

“Two nights ago, Delven Vale was attacked by
the forces of Mortow.  Two of his wizards and several thousand ogres appeared outside the city in the middle of the night.  The Watch saw them coming and was able to seal the gates; but against those wizards, our walls crumbled like sandstone under a hammer.  Our people fought valiantly.  Unfortunately, against both wizard and ogre, there was no chance of victory.  A few of us escaped and fled here.  In all, two hundred and thirteen survived.  We fought until all were safely within the Hold, then we retreated as well.  We lost twelve of our unit, including my grandson, Hine,” Ralk's eyes suddenly glimmered with tears.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Axethane."

“The lad died a true Forger without ever fielding his first axe.  Because of him, a woman and her two children made it to safety.  If I were not so broken-hearted by the loss, I would smile with pride.  I’m afraid Gant took it hard.  I had to knock him on the head with the flat of my axe to keep him from charging back out and being slaughtered.  He still hasn’t spoken a word to me, except to volunteer as a runner; a request I denied him.  He would have sought vengeance instead of seeking survivors.  I cannot blame him.  If I were not Axethane, I would do the same.”

Kale and his men were stunned by the news.

“Delven Vale is destroyed?”

“Aye, lad.  It is no more.  We are lucky any of our people survived the attack,”

“Axethane, my wife, Kara, do you know if she…”

“I do not know, lad.
  She could very well be among the group that made it here.  They are all within the Warrens.  It was the safest place to hold up.”  Ralk saw the fear in Kale’s eyes and nodded.  “Go, lad and see,” Ralk said gently.  “May fate favor you more than she did me,” Ralk whispered under his breath as Kale bolted from the hall.  No one had seen his wife, Henna, since before the attack.  She had not been with the group that came in, neither had Gant’s wife, Jame.  Ralk held a secret hope that they were both safe in hiding somewhere, but he knew that, in all likelihood, they were gone.

As Ralk sat there lost in thought, Furl and his young charge came out of the kitchen with a large kettle of stew and a tray of bread.  Furl placed the kettle in the center of the table and began silently ladling the stew into bowls.

A few other dwarves straggled into the dining hall.  All of them looked as if their last hope had been shattered.

Ralk looked up to see the two Avari standing off by themselves.  The dour faced one was watching the dwarves as they entered the dining hall and conversing with the other.  Finally
, they both nodded and walked over to Ralk.

Trask knelt down on one knee so he would not tower over the shorter dwarf.
  “Axethane, my brother and I have been discussing what has happened here.  We would like to offer our assistance in finding any of your people that may have survived the attack on your city,”

“I certainly appreciate the offer from two such as you, but we have sent runners already and my people would know our lands better than you.  Beside
s, do you not have orders to follow already?”  Ralk answered.

“Only Lord Micah commands us
, and his command was to do what we felt was best to aid in winning this war.  Your people are our healers.  Finding them is how best we may follow his orders.  All Avari know your lands as they know all the lands of this world. We can travel at speed for long periods of time.  My brother and I will not go against your wishes, but we would ask that you allow us to help in this way,” Trask said evenly.

Ralk smiled and nodded to Trask.
  “I will not refuse any aid that is freely given.  I would ask that you explain your intentions to Kale before you leave though.  As leader of your group, he deserves to know where you have gone and why you have chosen to go.”

“Agreed,” Trask said and rose to his feet
.  He and Attis moved over to an empty table and sat down.

The dwarves ate in silence, still unable to believe th
at their homeland was no more.

Furl carried two full bowls over to the two Avari and set them down. 
Attis thanked him and began to eat.  Trask eyed the red headed dwarf as he stood, not moving, looking down at the ground.

“What may we do for you, dwarfkin?”  Trask inquired not unkindly.

Furl looked up at hearing the sympathy in Trask’s voice.  “If you are truly going in search of our people, I would like to know what became of my brother, Dass.  If you could find him, it would greatly ease my heart.”

“What does he look like?”
Attis asked.

Furl
smiled half-heartedly.  “As you look at me, so you see him.  We are twins.”

“We will search for him, dwarfkin,” Trask pledged.

Furl bowed to the two Avari and hurried back to the kitchen.

Trask turned to
Attis, his eyes smoldering with anger.  “Mortow and his ilk have much to answer for.  The slaying of women and children in their beds is an atrocity to be paid in blood.”

Attis
grimly nodded.  He knew his brother well and he knew Trask would make good on collecting that debt.  Trask could be single minded to a fault.  Attis hoped this was not one of those times.  This war was going to be bad enough, without Trask taking unnecessary risks.  “I know, my brother.  We will see it paid together.”

About an hour later, Kale returned to the dining hall with a slim
, red haired female on his arm and a smile on his face.  When the other dwarves saw him enter and that he was smiling, a roar of approval rose throughout the chamber.  Here, at least, was a piece of good news.