A Hollow Mountain (The Brightest Shadow Book 2), page 17
Tani found herself stepping closer, wondering what she should believe of the many tales she had been told of the Stormpeaks. But at that moment, the man moved.
He hurled a thin rope with some sort of spike Tani couldn't glimpse before it dug itself into Yebawo's back. The young Earthbreaker cried out and almost fell even before his opponent jerked him off the side of the cliff as if flicking an insect. When he crashed to the ground, Yebawo struggled to his knees.
"Please! Please d-don't... don't kill me..."
Tani stepped closer to the edge of the cliff. She'd picked up her fallen blade and drawn her sickle knife, yet she hoped that she wouldn't have to use them. "Are you the Stormpeaks?" she asked. Both of them shifted to look at her without speaking, the man eyeing the cliff as if considering how to scale it. "Do we need to be enemies? We are-"
"Weak." The Stormpeak woman grinned broadly, revealing that something had stained her teeth bright blue. Then she moved.
In a step as quick as any warrior Tani had ever seen, the woman crossed the distance to Yebawo. Jagged metal claws had been mounted around each of her arms and one of these now stabbed deep into Yebawo's stomach. He let out a cry of pain as she effortlessly raised him overhead with strength born of terrifyingly deep sein.
Then the Stormpeak raider stabbed her other claw into his stomach and wrenched both, creating a cascade of blood over her. Through the blood, her teeth still gleamed blue.
Tani fled. Later she told herself that it was a logical retreat, since there was nothing she could do to help Yebawo and the Stormpeaks would no doubt have arts that could take them to the top of the cliff. She thought she heard them chasing her, but she had too much of a head start and found a hiding spot within a hollow tree.
Though she should have feared for her own life, she found herself thinking of Yebawo. His Fist of Earthbreaking hadn't helped him in the end and whatever he might have become had been snuffed out.
As she waited, Tani tried to focus fully on her senses and join the mountain forests. Though she had grasped the basics of the art, she wasn't confident in her ability to blend into this unfamiliar place. Even if she had grown up in the mountains, she would not be confident that her feeble camouflage would stand against the Stormpeaks.
Against her will, her mind wandered back to Master Balunel. The strange old man had been a wonderful teacher to her, with a clever subtlety that had worked within her own arts. If he was here, no doubt he could have given her a trick to hide herself... yet he had died in battle while she fled, just like Yebawo. What was the point of being a warrior if she couldn't defend what was good and true?
Her inability to see began to grate on her. Tani cautiously opened her pack and slipped out the mirror she had received from Eraes. She had used it mostly to remember the other woman and examine herself in the mornings, but now she carefully slid it in front of her to reflect the world outside. It was a risk, but it let her see out, while no one would see her reflection except at very precise angles.
No one ever appeared in her mirror or in her senses, and eventually she emerged. Though she worried that she might have gone far off the intended path, it wasn't long before she spotted Veron. The other woman immediately grabbed her in a tight embrace, but this one Tani allowed.
"Good." That was all Veron said, but Tani accepted it. After a time, she pulled back.
"What happened to the raiders?"
"Ran off after they killed a few of us."
Tani felt a moment of confusion before she realized that Veron was speaking of the Stormpeaks, whereas Tani had been asking about the Earthbreakers. That realization nudged her toward the conclusion growing in the back of her mind, but she set it aside. "And the Earthbreakers?"
"We lost four or five, but most are alive. Guyuru has a good head on his shoulders and I saved some more of them." The tight relief on Veron's face turned to disgust. "Do you know the worst part? There were four of them. Fucking four."
"Four Stormpeaks?" Tani found herself simply nodding, having seen the strength of two of them. "It seems they deserve their reputation. Do you think they are as superior to the average raider as Coran master knights are to lesser warriors in the Expanse?"
"I think that we should stay the fuck away. Come on, let's get back to the others."
"I'm not going." The words hurt to speak, yet she felt more confident in them once they left her lips. Veron stared back at her.
"What? You've seen what it's like out there. We need to stay in a group."
"The group didn't do us any good this time. I'm better off trying to slip through on my own." She left unsaid that she didn't want to travel with the Earthbreakers looking down on her, considering her nothing but Veron's kept woman.
"Where the hell are you going to go, Tani?"
She took a deep breath, acknowledging the difficulty of what she intended. "I was hoping you could help with that. You've been talking to them about the surrounding mountains. What are the other paths I could take to Mount Tmil?"
Though Veron looked as if she wanted to argue, when Tani refused to back down, she eventually cursed under her breath and answered. "If you keep going northeast there's a group of villages that don't have raiding clans. The Earthbreakers think they're soft, but apparently they're important for trade. If you go too far, you'll encounter a clan called the Steelbones. They're supposed to be different, but dangerous."
"Thank you, Veron." Tani stepped in to embrace the other woman again, but Veron stopped her with a hand directly to the face.
"This is the kind of stupid shit I'd expect Melal to try. You'd better not be dead when I see you again, kid."
From Veron, that was the best she could get. Tani smiled at her, then carefully retraced her steps to retrieve her knives. She only managed to find one, but she was glad to have it as she headed into the mountains to the northeast.
As she went, she found that her hands were trembling. Not from the experience she'd just survived, but another very different attack. Her mind could not help but show her what might happen if she was captured by another group of raiders. Perhaps they might kill her, but it could be worse. Though she told herself that she had recovered from the experience, the fear knifing through her stomach proved that to be a lie.
None of it stopped her from walking.
Chapter 13
-
"The total population of the clans is impossible to estimate. We believe that it is beyond what the mountains can sustain, particularly with reduced trade, which will likely lead to increased desperation. Their behavior is limited only by routes guarded by powerful errants or, in certain cases, mansthein forces. We cannot speak to the wisdom of any mansthein proposals, only beg that all options be considered in order to efficiently curtail this threat."
- Scholars of the Blue Mask
-
As Slaten returned to the village, the knifegale bodies bounced from the string around their necks. Aside from their eggs being a delicacy for the Bloodskins, their feathers were valued for trade and the women used their nearly metallic claws as hooks. More importantly, struggling to catch them had been an interesting test of his speed and reaction time.
Now, however, he was ready to return to his room. There was still light in the day, but most likely Natala would see him and intercept. He was looking forward to it so much that when Melal stepped into his path, Slaten frowned.
"Cheer up, Slaten! We're going to discuss our journey east!"
"East? To Mount Tmil?"
"That's right! The small raids came back with news, so all the men are meeting. I convinced them to discuss our path instead of the usual feast, so we're meeting outside the village." Melal grabbed him by the upper arm and pulled for him to follow. "Let's go!"
As Slaten followed, he felt a stab of shame. All he had wanted was to go back to Natala, but this time Melal was fully focused on their objective. Despite his ambivalence about reaching the Sage, Slaten remembered that Tani and Veron were currently traveling a more dangerous path. Not doing what he could to reunite with them would be simply irresponsible.
They avoided the entrance to the village and instead traveled further east. Their path seemed unremarkable at first, ranging far from the village but avoiding the hunting grounds.
Eventually they reached an unexpected grotto: water cascaded down the face of a cliff in a small waterfall, forming a clear pool that soon became a stream. The trees grew larger around it and for once the grass was lush, though far shorter than in the Chorhan Expanse. It could have been a peaceful place.
At the moment, multiple Bloodskin raiders filled the area, preventing any potential silence. Though over a dozen were present, Slaten's attention immediately focused on the most powerful: Chief Bufogu, Gatoda, and a lean man bearing an over-sized Catai's axe. Slaten didn't know the last well, just knew that his name was Hogowo and that he was somehow involved in testing young Bloodskin men.
"Finally." Bufogu greeted them before he turned around to make eye contact. "I still think this is foolish, but you and Gatoda have been very insistent. We can go to Mount Tmil... if we can overcome the two major problems."
"What problems?" Melal stepped up to him and struck a fist into his palm. "They'll be nothing but steps in the path of the Legend."
"The bigger problem is that we need to cross enemy territory to reach Mount Tmil. I would have said it was impossible, but the situation has changed. If you can prove yourself by taking care of the rest, one way or another, then we might be able to make the journey." Bufogu turned away again and folded his arms, but the explanation was continued by Gatoda, who stepped up with a smile.
"Many clans threaten our path, but two of them have become less of an issue. The Coldsteps have been moving west of their normal positions, apparently because the Deathspawn in the north are causing more trouble than usual. For reasons unknown, the Earthbreakers and the Earthsmashers have finally made their feud into a war, and the result is a clearer path. A lucky turn, eh?"
"It isn't luck," Melal said confidently. "Who are the others who stand in our way?"
"There are several small clans, but they would not dare fight us. But the Stormpeaks sometimes range in that area, and they... they would be a good fight."
Slaten had only heard the Bloodskins say that about a few enemies, including the Zeitai's forces north of the mountains. Based on what he knew of the relative armies, he thought that was their way of saving face when talking about opponents that would crush them. No one dared take on the Stormpeaks.
"But I have a plan!" Gatoda gestured to the southeast, further south than the tallest snow-capped mountains. "If we travel far outside our normal territory, we could raid a Deathspawn caravan between Bonewalker and Stormpeak territory. Done right, the two of them will fight one another and open a path. But first, we'll be able to harvest a richer bounty than here in the west!"
"I like this plan." Melal looked over the group, nodding to himself. "I knew I was right to return to your village."
Gatoda clapped him on the back and it seemed possible that the two of them would continue to jovially compliment one another indefinitely. Slaten decided that it was past time to speak up. "What about the second obstacle to the journey?"
To his surprise, Chief Bufogu was the one who answered. "Right now, you are too weak to make the journey. Even without any enemies in the path, the mountains themselves will defeat you. That is why Hogowo is here."
"That's right." Hogowo stepped forward and set his axe down on the ground, leaning his hands on the pommel. "When men climb high in the mountains, the air itself fights against them. Idiot boys who attempt to climb the tallest peaks die, one way or another. But for men with hot enough blood, even the greatest heights are no challenge."
All of that was unfamiliar to Slaten, but in this he assumed the Bloodskins knew what they were talking about. Furthermore, he was interested to learn a sein art directly from the warriors. Melal stepped forward to go first, insisting they teach it quickly. Hogowo brought him over to the edge of the pool... and then grabbed the back of his neck, forcing his head underwater.
Bubbles exploded around Melal's head before he struck back, knocking Hogowo away and jerking himself free of the water, spluttering. "What are you doing, you fool?"
"Do you want to grow stronger or not?" Hogowo jabbed a finger at the pool. "To prepare yourself for the assault of the mountain air, it is best to start with water."
"But you didn't want to explain anything? You just forced my head underwater!"
"Your blood will be hot enough or it won't. What is the point of talking?"
Glowering, Melal returned and dunked his own head underwater as if to prove a point, though Slaten doubted that he knew what point. The entire exercise left Slaten uncertain. He hadn't expected the Bloodskins to be interested in complex workings of sein, but this was much more instinctual than he had anticipated. No matter how many times you nearly drowned an Oken warrior, they would never gain breathing arts. Unless this was an elaborate jest, it must be different for the Bloodskin clan.
Since Melal was determined to master the exercise, no one tried to drown Slaten and he had time to look around more carefully. He saw that all the other warriors practiced as well, some choking one another and some dropping into the pool. This must be the group that would make the journey, or at least those who needed further preparation.
Chief Bufogu stood at the edge of the pool, staring at the water but not watching any of the preparations. Slaten stepped up beside him, not making eye contact, and spoke quietly. "Being able to breathe in the highest mountains may be necessary, but we'll have to fight as well. If you want us to prepare, it would be better to teach us your defensive arts."
"You would enjoy that, wouldn't you?" Bufogu turned to look at him with a chilling smile. "You may live with us, but you don't have the spirit of a Bloodskin. No, if anything, you remind me of those bloodless Stillmarrow bastards."
"So you won't teach us."
"Go drown yourself, lowlander. Your blood is not suited to our strength."
Seeing that it was pointless to persist, Slaten stepped away. He didn't throw himself into the pool, however, instead carefully observing Melal and all the other warriors. Their practices might seem brutish, but they did offer specific advice. Often it took the form of demonstrations, but they attempted to teach something that could not be expressed in words.
Eventually Slaten made an attempt himself, forcing his head underwater until his lungs burned. He didn't try to imitate the Bloodskin efforts, instead letting his sein flow in similar patterns. It failed at first and he pulled his head back out, gasping. As he caught his breath, he realized that his hair desperately needed to be cut, currently plastered around his neck.
That experiment had taken him closer. He still failed to grasp the essence of their art, yet he felt that it was within sight. For now, that was sufficient. Working on his own would only prompt mockery from the Bloodskin warriors and he didn't think their teaching could help him much further.
Slaten stepped away from the pool and began to wring out his hair. Melal noticed him and trotted over with a frown, still dripping. "Leaving so soon, Slaten? Usually you're on the training grounds longer than anyone else."
"Today, I want to get back..." He realized the implication of his words too late to call them back.
"Ha! You can't get enough of her, can you?"
A nearby warrior struck Slaten in the shoulder with a laugh. "This one's blood burns hot once it starts burning! Don't wear her out this time!"
Slaten barely acknowledged their jesting and turned away, reminding himself that this was exactly the deception he had intended. He might dislike their view of him, but it made him more human in their eyes and it gave him time for what truly mattered. The final call made him wonder exactly what Natala had been saying about their nights, however.
When he returned to the village, the guards nodded to him in respect. Since he'd begun conforming to more of their expectations, they'd accepted him much more easily. It made him think back to his time in the Oken village and wonder if he had failed himself in some existential way, but at the moment he simply didn't care.
Instead he headed directly for his room. No sign of Natala yet, but she'd likely spotted him on the way in. He removed his equipment and then moved to the blankets, which had been joined by the bear fur that kept the nights much warmer. By the time he'd shifted all of them into a more comfortable position, he heard the door creak.
"You're back early." Natala slipped inside with a smile and then barred their partition behind her.
"Today was unusual in several ways." Slaten smiled in return and sat with his back against the wall. "Did you bring the Neyet board?"
"I did, but you should just keep it in your room. We play far more than anyone else." Natala revealed the board and box of pieces from underneath one of her layers of clothing. As she sat down and began setting them up, she glanced up at him. "What happened today?"
He explained about the training as they began to play, their conversation wandering into past events regarding the Legend. Mostly he told her everything, though certain events surrounding the Hero he still struggled to speak aloud. Natala asked penetrating questions and never seemed troubled by his conclusions, so speaking to her came naturally.
It was easy to play while speaking, because the game of Neyet was not a complex one. He'd been fascinated by the spiral-shaped board at first, but it proved simple. Each player moved pillar-like pieces from the outside to the middle until the center was filled. Since each movement was determined randomly by dropping a pair of crudely-crafted cubes, there were generally few viable choices, certainly not like playing Shiil or Yenith.
"In your stories, Melal sounds different from the other Heroes." Natala watched him closely. "Do you think that's true?"
"I'm not sure."
"It sounds as though he has been the Hero for longer than any of the others that you've known. So far, there have been no terrible events like the city you mentioned. Apologies, but I forget the name. Avoiding such violence is good, but the power is being wasted. Do you think Melal is the best choice for the Hero?"
