The Unknown Man: Book 1 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series (29 page)

Lutheras reached the ground, and spotted Eldrin sitting on the bench. He stepped over dead bodies and made his way to him. “Eldrin! This is perfect. Now we’ll have an elite army, once we raise them from the dead, that is.” He threw his head back and guffawed; the sound raised the hair on the back of Eldrin’s neck.

Eldrin watched as Lutheras brought the orb up in front of him, hiding the evil glow of his eyes. With both hands holding the orb, a radiant orange glow surrounded him. Eldrin watched the orange glow spread from his body. He stood and took a couple of steps back, frightened by what would happen. The orange glow started to pulse, slowly at first, but the pulse grew faster, and even faster. It started to become blinding as it increased in speed. When the flashing light almost appeared to be a single light again, it burst in a wave spreading throughout the city. If he were Human, and didn’t have his increased eyesight, he would’ve missed the ripple of the wave spreading throughout the city. It moved and passed the walls, and then disappeared out of sight.

Lutheras lowered the orb and brought his right hand away from it. Eldrin, who backed a significant distance away, felt a hand grasp his ankle. He looked down and spotted a very pale white hand wrapping its fingers around his ankle. He turned around and pulled his leg back; watching as the Human—who had been dead moments before—made its way to its feet. All around him dead bodies rose. They still showed signs of their death. If they had been killed by a falling piece of stone from a crumbling building, they still showed the wounds, though they no longer oozed blood. He spotted an Minotaur, whose head lay almost completely severed and hanging over his shoulder, use its own hands to put its head back onto its neck. It made an odd sloshing sound as he placed it back where it belonged. He spotted a Human woman, who had been burned, stagger back to her feet. She no longer had one of her eyes because it burned away and the other wasn’t in much better shape. Her skin bubbled in multiple places and already began to crack and flake away.

Lutheras looked upon the courtyard. “Isn't it magnificent? Now our journey to Shakiel will be much simpler.” He turned and faced Eldrin. “Organize the brothers and put this new army to work. We leave before night fall.” He turned with the orb in hand, and stormed toward the palace.

Eldrin sighed, once again faced with the dirty work of his master. He turned and began to corral the others, making sure to keep a distance from the formed undead army. They looked dumbfounded and free of any emotion at all. When the brothers were assembled, he had all the new soldiers line up and await the presence of Lutheras.

It took him the rest of the afternoon to assemble the army. He mounted his horse and rode along the columns of soldiers mixed with still-alive beings and undead. They had all been outfitted with weapons, from swords and axes, to polearms and staves. He stopped in the center and waited for Lutheras. He waited longer than he would’ve expected before the doors to the palace flew open. A large team of dead Humans and Minotaurs carried large cases and crates. They proceeded down the long, battered stairs and loaded them into wagons. It appeared many of the dead beings had increased their strength since dying—they carried far more than they should’ve been capable of. When all of Lutheras' belongings were stowed into a wagon, each of the dead filed into a line at the rear of the company. They all now had weapons and awaited further instructions.

Eldrin looked to the palace doors where nine other brothers joined them, all on horseback. One of them had an empty horse trailing behind him. Lutheras made his approach. From the stairs he made a short address. “My beautiful and unstoppable army, we march for Shakiel and won’t stop until all of Nithor is cowering at our feet. Let us strike fear into those who happen upon us.” He had a smile stretching across his face. He kept his speech short, walked down the stairs, and mounted his horse. Once in his saddle, he turned his mare and yelled, “WE RIDE!” and set out through the gates of Korloth at a brisk pace, the dead army following at a trot, his banner displayed throughout the long, snakelike columns. They soon disappeared out of the gates and were lost beyond the horizon as the sun set to the east.

The past two days had been uneventful, which gave the group an opportunity to build their spirits, and everyone's mood seemed to be better. Tirene could tell the monotony of the tunnel started to wear on them. Yesterday they passed the branch connecting them to the main passage in and out of the Dwarven realm, but Aglina insisted the tunnel they followed was much more secure and provided less of a chance for their discovery.

As they grew closer to the world outside, they could see water trickling from the stone walls. It made for a damp-smelling expedition, but it didn’t seem to bother them too much. Roots from plant life crept through the rocky tunnel and became visible on the roof.

Aglina turned and looked over her shoulder. “It shouldn’t be too much longer, if I remember. Be prepared to let your eyes adjust when we reach daylight. You haven’t seen the sun for a week now. It has a tendency to be painful.” She chuckled.

Liniana itched to be back outdoors. She still prayed every night, but it just wasn’t the same without the two moons visible. Tirene noticed her spirits lifted more than anyone else's. She turned and gave a smile to Tirene. “We’re closing in now. Are you excited?”

He guffawed. “If I find what I’m looking for, then yes I will be very excited, but my excitement faded when we reached Riverfell.” He returned her smile. “But I’m hopeful.”

Aglina frowned at him. “He'll be there. Where else could the old codger have gone? You’re very pessimistic Tirene.”

“No, I’m realistic. I cannot continue to get my hopes up. It always seems as though he’s within my grasp, but then something pulls him away.” He chuckled. “It’s hard to explain, but sometimes I feel as if I can sense him, but I know that doesn’t make sense so I shrug it off.”

Aglina chortled. “Now, there is an ability I’ve never heard of before. Two people who have never met, can sense one another; I cry shenanigans. Pfft!”

Jaeden turned to her, straight faced. “I wouldn’t discount his feelings, Aglina. So far they have served us well.”

She turned and knew she had found an opportunity to razz the boy a little more. “What would you know? You’re not even a man yet.” She paused while she fluttered her eyelashes at him. “The offer still stands
boy,
I’m woman enough to bring you into your manhood.” She almost fell out of her saddle, she laughed so hard. His face turned bright red and he let his horse drift to the rear.
Maybe that will teach him to speak up to me,
she thought.
Probably not though.
“I’m playing with you Jaeden. You should know that by now. You just make it too easy. You haven’t experienced enough yet. Believe me though, one day you will thank me.”

He broke off eye contact with her and turned his head in another direction. “I wouldn’t count on that, you old bag,” He muttered under his breath. It was bad enough when Matt harassed him, but she took it too far.

Matt could tell his anger had risen yet again, and he sidled up next to him. “Don’t let her get to you, Jaeden. She’s just trying to bring some light-heartedness to this journey. She means well.” He moved his horse out of arm’s length of Jaeden, remembering the punch from earlier. “Besides, she’s right you know. You do make it too easy.” Jaeden flashed his angry eyes toward Matt. “You need to toughen up a little. Maybe you could try returning the barbs once in a while, instead of getting all hot under your collar.” Realizing he wasn’t getting through to the boy, he pulled his horse forward and fell in behind Tirene. He could feel the looks, like daggers, Jaeden directed toward his back. Nothing could be done when the boy began one of his fits.

Another hour passed as Aglina filled their heads with stories of the remarkable craftsmanship of the Dwarves, while they all rode on and listened. The tunnel came to an abrupt end; a thick wall standing in their way.

Aglina rode toward the wall, and jumped down from her mule. “I told you all it wouldn’t be long.” She appeared very satisfied with herself, almost flaunting it. She walked over to the wall on the right which contained a large metal wheel with a handle jutting from it. Attached to the wheel was a thick metal chain. She grasped the handle while the others watched her from their saddles. “Well, what are you waiting for? One of you get over here and help me crank open the door.”

Tirene started to get out of his saddle, but Matt beat him to it. Jaeden didn’t even act as though he would assist. Matt scampered over to the metal wheel, and the two of them cranked it in a clockwise motion. The wall protested as the mechanism opened the wall a small crack, revealing a sliver of light at first, but enough that all of them had to shield their eyes. None of them expected the little amount of light coming into the tunnel would be enough to blind them, but it did. The wall continued to protest and creak as it moved open, pivoting like a normal door. When it was seemed enough for them to ride out two abreast, they stopped opening it, and Aglina remounted her mule. Matt followed suit and climbed back on his horse, and she led them out into the wilderness. The road hadn’t been used in some time because they couldn’t tell a path even existed.

Aglina turned to them. “No need to worry. I know my way. We like to keep our secondary tunnels concealed so no one might stumble upon them. Not that they would get in anyway. The only way to open the door is from the inside, and as you can tell, no one is manning the door.” She vaulted out of her saddle and ran to the doorway, where another long metal chain jutted down from an overhang in the mountainside. She pulled down on the chain, and the wall slammed back into place with enough force they all felt it on their horses.

Tirene figured the chain must be attached to a release on the mechanism inside. When she pulled on it, the weight of the door slammed it back into place. He marveled that the slimmest of cracks marked an outline of the doorway they just passed through. If you didn’t already know it existed, you would never find it.

They waited as Aglina made her way back to her mule and climbed back into the saddle. “Are you all ready?” They nodded and she moved forward. She added as an afterthought, “It will be slow going. No telling what might lie beneath all of this overgrowth. No need to risk a good horse to a broken ankle.” Tirene couldn’t have agreed more. He didn’t want any further delays. He guided his horse and positioned himself behind Aglina. He could see where she guided her mule, and he followed.

Jaeden looked around as he brought up the rear. The vegetation on this side of the mountains looked very different from what he had come to expect on the other side. Most of the trees had been evergreens and aspen trees. The trees on this side comprised of oaks, maples, and elms. He looked up as he followed the others. The treetops seemed to touch the clouds. He marveled at their size, never having witnessed anything like it before. Some of the trunks were so thick a tunnel could be carved through them large enough for a wagon and its team to pass. These trees had to be more than a couple hundred years old. He heard of their magnificence, but always thought them nothing more than rumors. He looked back to the others and noticed he had drifted far behind. He picked up speed with his own horse, but made it a cautious increase of speed, heeding Aglina's warnings.

It took the better part of the afternoon, but they caught up with the main road. The sun began to wane; Tirene looked around to find a concealed spot where they could setup camp. He didn’t want to proceed too much further, or he felt they would run the risk of encroaching into Ferrindale lands—figuring he would face the same obstacles with the Elves he had faced with the Dwarves. He figured his best chance of passing through without creating an issue would be during daylight.

He spotted a small clearing beneath the trees a few hundred paces to the south and turned to Aglina. “I cannot thank you enough for your help. Using the tunnels could prove to be a crucial point in what is going on in the world. If I ever have the opportunity to repay you, I will make it my life's work.” He dropped down to a knee and bowed his head.

She burst into laughter. “I’m not going anywhere, ya buffoon. You think I would have risked my own hide giving you passage through the tunnels if I didn’t plan on accompanying you?” She brought her hands down and raised his chin. “It seems my destiny is tied in to your own. I’m afraid I will be going with you. I intend on seeing this through to the end.”

Tirene stood back up with a dumbfounded look on his face. “I don’t understand. I thought you were just showing us the way through the tunnels. You cannot mean to continue to risk your own neck...” he paused, “for me?”

She punched him on the shoulder. “Don’t get all into yourself. I wish to see who you are. That way I will know what you plan on doing to stop this
menace
. The Dwarves could have just as much at stake, even if the idiots on the council cannot see that.” She gave him a grin. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.” She turned to look at each of them in turn. “I’m afraid you
all
are stuck with me.” She cackled. Jaeden looked none too amused.

Still in shock, Tirene accepted. “In that case, there is a clearing a couple of hundred paces to the south. I don’t wish to go into Ferrindale lands in the cover of night. We’ll wait for daybreak to proceed.”

Dawning crept on Liniana's face. “I hadn’t thought about the Elves.” She turned to face Tirene. “Do you think they will give us any trouble? Surely they will just let us pass.”

Aglina spoke up before Tirene could respond to her. “What are you worried about the Elves for? They have never stopped me from traveling through before, and I don’t intend to allow them to alter my plans now.” She moved her mule into the lead. “Follow me. Old Aglina will show you just what she means.”

Tirene rode up and blocked her path with his horse. “If you’re going to travel with us, you need to accept that what I say goes.” He gave her a serious look. “I say we wait until tomorrow, under the bright daylight. That way they will be able to study us as we ride. They can see we’re harmless and won’t give us another look. Do you understand?”

She nodded, but not without protesting. “I think you’re making a bigger deal out of the Elves than you should. They stick to themselves and ignore most outside contact.” She shrugged. “But if you wish to delay us, well then, I guess I will accept that. Who am I to object?”

He nodded as she took her place with the others. They all made their way to the clearing, which had a small stream that trickled right through it. They saw that the horses were tied up and watered. Matt filled a couple of pitchers, taking long draws from the ice-cold fresh water. The water felt good on their lips after drinking from their canteens for days where the water went stale and picked up traces of metal. Tirene and Aglina began getting a fire going, while Liniana and Jaeden rolled out their bedrolls beneath the cover of the thick trees. They ate their meals, continued to share stories and determined the watch order for the evening. Aglina drew the first watch, and the others found their own beds.

Tirene lay next to Liniana, her body pressing up against his own. He felt comfortable and drifted off to sleep but his dreams weren’t as peaceful as he would’ve hoped.

      “Tirene! Are you alright? I’ve been trying to wake you for almost ten minutes.”

Suddenly aware of his surroundings he said, “Liniana. It sat in front of me, I could touch it. I was...” He wasn’t sure how to explain.

She looked at him. “Were you having a dream? Was it bad? You were fast asleep, but it’s your watch.” She looked kind of ashamed of herself. “I guess I could’ve just taken your watch and awoken you later.”

“It wasn’t the same kind of dream, Liniana. I watched my own memories. Well at least one, anyway.” Aware he’d been sweating, he reached up and wiped the beads away from his forehead.

She leaned closer, her excitement building. “I’m so sorry Tirene, what did you see?”

He shrugged at her. “I don’t know how to describe it, Liniana.” He went on, doing his best to describe all of the details of the dream

She frowned at him, but then delved into the issues she noticed from his retelling. “While the orb is held in a chamber below Havenbrook as you described, the room isn’t decorated in the same manner. It’s in a sealed room, but it’s only that, a sealed room. What you’re describing seems to be a lavish room, which is nothing like where it’s held in Havenbrook.” She yawned again.

“We can discuss it further in the morning. I think for the time being you should get some sleep. You seem tired.”

She smiled at him and lay down on her blankets. A cool evening breeze snuck up on her and she pulled the blankets tight against her neck. Tirene leaned closer and kissed her on her temple. She smiled at him without opening her eyes. He sat with her until her breathing became rhythmic, and he felt certain she slept.

He stood up and made a lap around the camp, ensuring everything looked secure. He walked back toward the fire and sat down, his back against a tree. He sat and pondered for a long time, thinking about his dream. It felt reassuring to have some semblance of an idea of who he was, and he smiled as he thought about it.

Come back to the main road, Tirene.
A female voice prodded in his head. He could feel it, and it unnerved him.
And bring your sword with you
.

He stood up.
Well hello to you too, Milenthia. What is this all about? Why are you summoning me to the road?