Chương 30: 29. Iron Grate

They began their descent into the dark paths of the dungeons, with Jarden leading the way. Tavian kept close to the front, walking with ease even as they left the Influence of his own tiles. A cold numbness had settled over his body, radiating from the ache in his side, and mirrored by the dagger he clutched in his hand. Even the pain in his ankle had faded. As they progressed, the voice kept speaking in Tavian's mind. Welcome to my domain, Tavian. I hope you're coming to pay me a visit.

He ignored it, as best he could. He would use this resource. He would not let it corrupt him. Cormath walked alongside Tavian.

"Quite a mess you've come home to, lad," the sword master said.

"I was looking forward to resuming our old sparring matches." Tavian laughed.

"You beat me nearly every time," he said.

"Ah, nearly is the key there. I've been forced to spar with Braun." Braun heard his name and sidled up.

"Hey now, old man," he said.

"I scored three points on you the other day."

"What?" Tavian scoffed with faux astonishment.

"Cormath, have you been slacking on your morning form practice?" Cormath grinned.

"You know me," he said.

"The forms are life. They're living, breathing. I would die without them. You tacticians forget that no matter the large scale maneuvers, every battle still reduces to the simple movements a man makes with his blade."

"I was looking forward to sparring with you too, Tavian," Braun said.

"I've improved a lot while you were gone."

"I'm afraid I wasn't so diligent while in Endara," Tavian said.

"The practice escaped me, some days. I'm still feeling pretty rusty."

"But you worked on your Air Stance, at least?" Cormath said.

"I did," Tavian said.

"Air, Life, Water, Earth, Stone, Flame. All of them. And a few new ones."

"New forms?" Braun asked, incredulous.

"New techniques," Tavian said.

"I met a duelist in Endara who swore by 'breaking the gap.' It's a way of interrupting your opponent when they try to pivot to their next stance."

"Sounds like useless nonsense," Braun said.

"I hope you didn't pay to learn it."

"I paid," Tavian said.

"In bruises and a deflated ego. She threw me a dozen times before I started to believe her."

"Her? You were thrown by a woman?" Braun laughed. Tavian laughed too.

"She'd have thrown you too. She showed me how she did it, but I never got to master it. We'll see if you're still laughing when I start using it on you!"

"You've grown stronger," Cormath observed.

"And wiser too. I've seen you fighting. Fighting well."

"Alas," Tavian said.

"I wish I could have come home just to spar. I was going to show off the technique at the summer festival tournament."

"Oi," Braun said, elbowing Tavian.

"I think I've got a thing or two to show you! I've grown a lot more than you in the past year."

"He has," Cormath agreed.

"Don't worry," Braun said.

"We can have the summer festival, just as soon as we clear these bastards out of our home. I'll even help you knock the rust off before hand." They navigated through passages that had no logic about them. Intersections that branched off at odd angles, a floor that pitched up and down randomly. It was like an insane bricklayer had started laying bricks with no plan in mind. Who would build something like this? And why? Cormath's presence was comforting to Tavian.

He eyed the man, but the old sword master showed no sign of being disturbed by the black blade thrust through his belt. Would he say something if it started speaking to him? As they progressed, Tavian kept a close eye on Jarden. The man was still searching for chalk marks on the walls and ground, though these appeared less frequently than their last journey through this subterranean maze. Tavian felt a desperate pressure to move more quickly.

Every second that passed was another opportunity for Anarvia to find the relic and escape. Another opportunity for something to go wrong. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. Another second for the miasma to spread in his body.

"We're getting close," Jarden muttered, inspecting a brick wall.

"But these walls…" He chose a direction. They ran into a dead end.

"I thought… It must have… The tunnels change, sometimes," Jarden said.

"You swore to tell us the truth about dangers in the tunnels," Tavian said.

"If you're lying, I will have no problem running you through."

"It's the truth," Jarden said.

"We're nearly at the exit; just a little further."

"And," Tavian continued, "I'd rather not need to dismember you." Jarden quivered.

"Not necessary to remind me," he said. He led them down another series of dark halls, when a distant ray of light appeared.

"We're coming, we're coming," Jarden muttered to himself.

"Very close now."

"Is that the exit?" Tavian asked, pointing to the light.

"Probably," Jarden said.

"Though we must be careful, sometimes there are illusions in the dungeon. A soft hissing filled the corridor, and Tavian glanced down to find he was walking through knee high black fog. It swirled malevolently around his legs.

"Jarden, what is this?" Tavian snapped, as the soldiers behind began shouting and running. The sound of a body hitting the ground brought Tavian up short. His men were collapsing into the black mist, disappearing beneath it as it billowed and boiled. Braun crumpled beside him. Jarden inhaled, sucking black mist into his mouth. Then he moved quicker than lightning. He jerked, slamming a shoulder into Cormath.

The blade master reacted, bouncing off the wall and whipping his sword out faster than Tavian's eyes could follow. He took two quick steps forward. Cormath's hand felt at his side, searching for a dagger that was no longer there. The mist overcame him, and he slumped to the ground. His sword clattered to the ground. Jarden's guard tugged on the spear haft tied to Jarden before also succumbing to the darkness. Tavian fired a [Projectile] at Jarden, but it evaporated to nothingness in the black, swirling fog.

Jarden cut his hands free from his bonds and extended them. Five men stood in the black fog. Tavian, three of his soldiers, and Jarden. All of them held black daggers in their hands. Jarden must have stolen Cormath's black blade from his belt, allowing the miasmic fog to overwhelm the sword master. Tavian's men advanced cautiously. Jarden lifted Cormath's unconscious form with uncanny strength. He held the black knife to his throat.

"Stay back!" Jarden warned, "Come any closer and I'll cut his throat! Remember, you swore not to kill me." Tavian trembled with rage, but he did not approach. His men watched him, looking for instructions. Jarden dragged Cormath back through a hole in the wall, disappearing. Tavian rushed forward. As he reached the doorway, the black mist was already fading. Men lying on the floor were coughing as they awoke. Someone vomited.

"I am, I am, be patient," Jarden muttered from beyond. He saw Tavian and pressed the blade to Cormath's throat more aggressively.

"Stay back!" he ordered again. Tavian stood in the doorway. The small room was perhaps two meters by two meters; with no other exits.

"Let him go!" Tavian snapped.

"You're cornered! There's nowhere you can go from here." Cormath stirred, his eyes blinking open. He immediately understood the situation he was in, and the danger of the dagger pressed to his throat. He did not struggle. Jarden reached out and grabbed a lever protruding from a wall. An iron grate dropped down across the opening, blocking Tavian from accessing the room.

"Don't do this, Jarden," Tavian said. He grabbed the bars and found them cold to the touch. He tried to lift the grate, straining with all his might. The grate would not budge. He hacked at the bars with his miasmic blade. The enhanced blade bit into the iron like it was soft wood. Two more blows, and he cut through one of the bars. He turned his blade against another portion of the grate. Maybe if he claimed these tiles, he would have the strength…

"Get back, Tavian," Cormath shouted to him.

"You've been outmaneuvered. Don't throw away your advantage!" Tavian cut a length of bar free, creating a hole in the grate. He could still get through. Jarden was still muttering to himself.

"This is a good one," he said.

"I couldn't get the other!"

"Let him go!" Tavian shouted, but Jarden wasn't listening to him.

"No, I didn't," the man hissed.

"I got you one of them, didn't I—Yes, I know he's not—I can't do it now, he'll kill me! Bring us down!"

"The mission, Tavian," Cormath said.

"Stick to the plan. Don't risk the living to save the dead." Tavian stopped cutting. Braun struggled to his feet, moving up alongside Tavian.

"Cormath!" Braun shouted. Go with them, Tavian. I can move the grate for you. The grate shifted. It started to slowly move to the side. Jarden saw the grate move and hauled on his lever, slamming it closed again. I'm waiting for you. Tavian made eye contact with Jarden at that moment. The man looked… afraid.

"You'd better be afraid," Tavian snarled.

"I'm going to kill you."

"I can't open it. I'll die," Jarden whispered. He wasn't talking to Tavian.

"I'm coming now." He tugged at another lever on the wall. With a grinding of stone and a clatter of chains, the entire floor of the room where Jarden stood began sinking. The platform dropped down into a black chute, disappearing from Tavian's view. You have frightened him. That's good. The iron grate slid aside. Go on. I'll catch you, if you jump. You're wasting your time up there. Tavian pushed one toe out over the black pit that had just opened up. All around him, men were stirring, rising from the ground.

"Cormath!" Tavian screamed, his voice echoing down the chute, fading into the darkness beneath. No response came from the darkness. Tavian's heart thundered in his chest. He stood on the precipice, staring into the bowels of darkness. Braun grabbed Tavian's shoulder.

"I'll go after him," Braun said.

"You need to lead. I'll rescue Cormath."

"Your orders, my lord?" a soldier asked, stepping up beside him. Tavian turned, and saw his soldiers, disoriented and afraid, but now back on their feet.

"No," Tavian said, his stomach churning. His heart stung.

"No, not now Braun. I need you." They could still pull off the plan.

"We're moving forward," Tavian said.

"We have to claim the fortress!" He pulled Braun back from the dark hole.

"We'll come back. We'll find him," Tavian said. Braun clenched his fists, but followed Tavian away from the hole. They reached the ray of light, which turned out not to be an illusion. The sun shone through a trap door, which emerged in a groundskeeper's shed against the outer wall of the fortress. They'd made it. They were in position. It was time.