Silver Peak, page 29
part #2 of Sky Realms Online Series
“The Blade said there were no traps,” Ulysses pointed out.
“You believe him?” Hall asked and the thief laughed before moving to the front of the group. “Jackoby behind them with Angus. I’m next, Leigh and Sabine to follow. Keep some space between you.”
Ulysses took a couple steps, and Hall heard the small thief fiddling with the lantern. He saw a bright beam lance out, thin but focused. The thief looked back at Caryn and held up five fingers. Without waiting for a response, he started walking. Caryn waited for him to get five feet ahead and started to follow.
They moved slowly, Ulysses shining he lantern back and forth across the floor, up into the ceiling and along the walls. The captive Silver Blade had said there were no traps, but they were not taking chances. That was why Hall had put Ulysses and Caryn first. He hated not being the one in front, putting others at risk, but he was glad to have two people with Trap Detection skills.
As he stepped into the tunnel, the dark closing in, he glanced at Roxhard. The Dwarf looked fine, weapon held in both hands, but Hall wasn’t sure. The last couple hours hadn’t done anything to help Roxhard’s self-esteem and being a fourteen-year-old kid, he didn’t have much to begin with. Hall was starting to think that having Jackoby along wasn’t helping. One Warden was all that a party had typically had.
They currently had two, and Jackoby was a higher level.
Was Roxhard starting to feel useless? Unwanted?
Hall knew he would have to talk to Roxhard about it soon and wondered if putting Roxhard in the back had been the right decision. He had done it because he didn’t trust Jackoby and wanted someone he could rely on in the rear. He thought of it as a boost for Roxhard, giving him an important job. Would the kid see it that way?
He sighed, focusing on the current issue. Roxhard would have to wait.
The light from Ulysses’ lantern, as well as the one that Sabine had behind him, was enough for Hall’s Limited Night Vision to still function. Not that he saw anything. Roughly dug walls, a floor that was worn smooth, arched ceiling and thick wooden posts. All of it done in shades of black and gray.
They moved as silently as possible, shifting more than walking as their feet slid across the ground. The footsteps seemed to echo down the long tunnel. At one post, Hall paused and ran his hand over it, noticing an odd dark spot. Fingers hit metal and he felt a steel ring. A torch bracket, and like the opening from the barn, there was no torch.
At one point, the floor started to slope down. Not a major change in pitch, but enough to be noticeable. The ground started to soften, becoming like mud. Putting a hand against the wall, Hall could feel moisture. He wondered how close to the river they currently were.
Without clear reference points, it was hard to tell how far they had traveled. Hall thought the sloping had continued for a couple hundred feet before leveling out for a couple hundred more. It started sloping back up, taking twice as long.
He mentally thought about his map and could barely see the translucent window in front of his vision. It was too dark to make out details, and he doubted the meager light from the lanterns would help. He closed the map and continued walking.
With Roxhard watching behind them, the Dwarf’s Dark Vision perfect to see into the darkness of the tunnel, and Ulysses and Caryn checking for traps ahead, Hall didn’t have much to occupy himself with during the walk. It was long and boring. He could at least see shapes and thought it must be extra hard on Leigh and Sabine who could see nothing except what was shown in the thin light of the lantern.
Nothing else to do, Hall started thinking about the tunnel itself.
There was no way that it had only taken months to build. To make a tunnel this long, this wide and tall, it had to have taken years. Especially without anyone discovering the construction. Where had all the dirt gone? How had it been removed in the first place? Could this have been dug by magic of some kind?
Some Druid spells might have been able to manage it. But it still would have taken a year at least, not months. The dirt had to go somewhere. Could it have always existed?
Sergeant Brient and Berim had said the Guild war had only been ongoing for a month, maybe a little more. There was no way the Silver Blades had dug this in a month. That hinted at some very long-term planning from the Cudgel or very intimate knowledge of the history of Silver Peak Keep.
The Cudgel must have started the Silver Blades years ago and had been planning for the Guild war since. They were better prepared than Hall had been led to believe. They were better prepared than anyone had thought. This was not a group just trying to make a power play and take over the Door Knocker’s operations. There was a bigger plan at work.
The idea was scary.
And Hall had no idea what it all meant. There was so much he was missing where the Silver Blades were concerned.
So far, the captive Blade’s information about the tunnel had been accurate, but Hall expected there to be a surprise or two. Or three. Traps or something else.
The first surprise came in the form of a pinprick of light further ahead. Instantly, Ulysses shuttered his lantern, Sabine a little slower. They all fell quiet and watched the small dot of light, expecting to see it moving closer and to hear shouts of alarm.
There was nothing.
Moving even slower they crept forward, this time with no light.
The thin dot of light could have meant they were nearing the end, but Hall didn’t think they had gone that far. Not yet. So, what had it been? A guard? Unlikely. There was no need for guards midway down the tunnel.
Without any light, Hall saw nothing but darkness. No shadows, just black. But as they walked, getting closer to where he assumed the pinprick of light had been, he started to see shades again. Not much definition but enough. There was more light ahead.
Not a bright spot, but more of a glow, like daylight leaking around a curtain. It was diffused, barely noticeable. None of the others reacted to seeing it, but Hall knew there must be light. Otherwise, his racial vision would not work. And he was glad it did.
The tunnel was different just ahead. An arch similar to the one they had entered by. He couldn’t tell for sure, but he thought there was wood planking around the arch. Another shaft? Stretching forward with the spear, able to tell the difference in their shapes, Hall tapped both Ulysses and Caryn on the shoulders. To their credit, they turned quickly and didn’t cry out. Neither could see his hand motions so he just walked forward until he was right next to them.
Hands on shoulders, he squeezed, one then the other. A signal to wait. Hall crept forward, a single step at a time. He reached out a hand and touched wood. The walls of another shaft.
Leaning against it, he listened. There was a faint movement on the other side. Breathing and the shuffling of feet. Someone sitting or standing, moving impatiently.
Their light had been seen and whoever was on the other side of the wood wall knew their light had been seen as well. It was a waiting game. The ambushers were waiting on Hall’s group to get to them, and Hall’s group had no idea there was anything ahead. Hall assumed there were lights, lanterns probably just inside the shaft ready to be unshuttered and shined into his companions’ eyes. There was no way of knowing how many were on the other side.
Couldn’t be many, not remaining that silent.
Could they hear his breathing? Probably. So, they knew he was there, waiting on them as they were waiting on him. Was there time to get Roxhard up to the wall where the Dwarf’s Dark Vision would help? He turned to head back down the line of companions in the dark but stopped when he heard a footstep shift on the other side.
The hairs on the back of his head stood up, and he felt as if someone was staring at his back. He felt exposed. His Evade skill was excellent at helping him avoid attacks, thanks to his high Agility, but there was no protection or evading attacks from the blindside. Protection, the ability to defend from an attack and not take damage, was based on armor and Agility, but when attacked from behind, it was only the armor that was factored in.
It had always been that way, in the original game and most likely in the new. Game mechanics designed to make it so lower-level monsters were still dangerous when in numbers. Even a high-level character could be killed by a horde of goblins. No one could evade attacks from multiple attackers at once.
Hall paused, listening harder. There it was again, a foot sliding across dirt.
He moved to the side, too late, feeling a blade cutting along his back, cutting into his overly repaired leather armor. Grunting in pain, he stumbled a couple steps away, seeing the shadowed shape of an arm and blade sticking out through the opening.
“Lantern,” he yelled.
His spear dropped from his hand as he reached to draw his sword. The cut across his back flared as the skin stretched, and he felt the blood running down his side. He turned his head away as he heard Ulysses or Sabine, but probably the thief, playing with the lantern. Light flared as the shutters were opened.
Bright, more so because of the total darkness.
Hall heard grunts of annoyance and pain from behind him, glancing toward the opening and seeing that arm and blade start to disappear. Quickly, sword in hand, Hall swiped at it. Somehow, he connected, the enemy’s blade dropping to the ground with a loud echoing clatter, the owner screaming in pain.
There was a rushing and a large blur that momentarily blocked out the light. This was followed by grunting and the sound of something hitting a wall hard. Jackoby had used Battle Rush and ran through the opening. Carefully moving, trying not to strain his wounded back, Hall leaned against the wall and looked into the shaft, trying not to block the light.
Jackoby was in the middle of the space, about ten or more feet in diameter, hammer swinging. A shadowed form lay crumpled against the far wall, another opening across from the first. Two figures, dressed all in black, were facing off against the Firbolg. Only the wild swinging of the hammer was keeping the two at bay.
The light got brighter, showing more detail of the shaft, as Ulysses stepped closer. More light was added as Sabine opened her lantern. Hall stepped into the shaft, the noise catching the attention of one of the black-clad attackers. The man swung his long and thin blade, Hall catching it on his sword. The shock of the impact traveled through the hilt and into his arm. He could feel it as his back tensed, the wound flaring again.
He kicked out, catching the Blade in the knee. The man’s leg buckled, stumbling back, and Hall stabbed out with his short sword, the tip entering the Blade’s chest. The thief fell to the ground.
SLAIN: Silver Blade Cutthroat
+25 Experience
Skill Gain!
Light Armor Rank Two +.1
Small Blades Rank Two +.1
Turning, Hall took a step to the side, watching as Jackoby’s large hammer connected with the remaining thief. There was a loud thud, a cracking of bone, and the Silver Blade dropped to the ground in a heap. The third man, the one Hall had wounded and been wounded by, moaned from the wall. He was trying to get up but a quick thrust from Hall ended his life.
SLAIN: Silver Blade Cutthroat
+10 Experience
Hall stepped to the other opening, looking down its length, the light from the lanterns allowing his racial ability to see the shadows. There was nothing that he could make out, just a long and straight tunnel similar to the one they had come up. The others all crowded into the shaft, Jackoby and Roxhard moving the bodies of the Blades and searching them.
There was a ladder against the wall, and looking up, Hall could see the outline of another hatch. This one didn’t fit as tight, and there was light leaking in around the edges. Not much but it had been just enough for Hall’s Limited Night Vision to work. For which, he was thankful. If he hadn’t been able to see just a little bit, the ambush could have gone much different.
“Thanks,” he said as he felt Leigh’s hands touching his back. There was a flare of blue light, and he felt warmth spreading through his body as the skin knit itself back together.
“What’s up there?” Roxhard asked.
Hall mentally opened his map. The icon that indicated their progress was more than halfway toward the plateau and Silver Peak Keep. He tried picturing what had been in the land above. Farms, farms, and more farms. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense for the Silver Blades to have a third means of entering and exiting the tunnel that was halfway through its length. There was a long way to go in the dark underground without being able to get out.
There didn’t seem to be any more Silver Blades. Or they were waiting up top.
Hall didn’t want to poke his head, or anyone else's either, out of the hatch to find out but knew they had to. There was no way they could leave potential enemies behind them that could sneak up on them in the dark. Sighing, Hall sheathed his sword and retrieved his spear.
“Get ready,” Hall said and motioned to the hatch with the spear.
He climbed the ladder, keeping an eye on the hatch, trying to be quiet. Near the top, he adjusted his grip on the spear, holding it butt end up. Slowly, he lifted it until could feel the resistance of the hatch against the spear. He started to apply more force, pushing up with the spear. The hatch was heavy, and he struggled to lift it one-handed.
If he climbed higher, he could use more force, but Hall did not want to risk exposing himself more than he already was.
The heavy hatch lifted an inch, then two. Hall could hear nothing. The light didn’t change, daylight that was probably coming in from a window. No shadows crossing the light, no noise of someone breathing or shuffling. He pushed harder on the spear, and the hatch opened some more, creaking.
Hall paused, cursing. The hinges had creaked. Not much, the sound just starting before he had stopped. He waited, listening.
“Is someone there?” a voice asked, tired and cracked, female. “Please help us.”
That caught Hall by surprise. He almost let the spear move, dropping the hatch, but managed to keep it open. He pushed and opened it wider.
“Hello?” the voice came again. “There are no Silver Blades. It’s just us.” The voice coughed.
The sound was coming from behind the hatch, from where the cover would open. Besides being female, it sounded young and weak. There was a banging of something hitting wood. Then a shaking that sounded like a door being pushed against, the handle played with.
“Please.”
Hall glanced down into the shaft. The others were looking up at him, confused. He wondered if they could even hear the voice down there. It was quiet and he could barely hear it. Curiosity won out and Hall climbed the ladder the rest of the way. He pushed the hatch up enough so he could squeeze out, holding it up awkwardly.
He found himself in another barn. Not as large and without stalls. One large open space with a second story in the back half. Under the second story was a small room with a single door. Looking down the hatch, Hall motioned to his companions, telling them to wait. He slowly shut the hatch and stood up.
Cautiously, silently, he walked to the door. His eyes roamed the barn, looking for hidden Blades but there were not many places to hide. Aside from the room and the second story, there was nowhere. One giant and empty space.
Set in the middle of the back wall, the room was only about ten by ten feet square. No windows, wood planking for walls and just the door.
“Hello?” the voice said again.
It was louder as Hall was closer, the person probably trying to shout to get the sound through the door. But it was still a weak and tired sound. Speaking sounded like a struggle.
Studying the door, Hall saw the wooden bar set across the door which held it shut. Heavy and thick, laying over two iron clasps. The voice came from inside, and whoever it was pushed on the door again. The bar shook, the door pushing against it, but not enough to slip the clasps.
“I don’t think they heard me,” the voice said, moving away from the door, disappointed.
“You tried,” another voice said, weaker and quieter. “It was probably just the Blades.”
Hall stared at the door and the crossbar. The two, maybe more, inside the small room seemed to be prisoners of the Silver Blades. But were they people that Hall wanted to let out? If this had been the original Sky Realms Online, he wouldn’t have hesitated. But even though it was still a game, he was trapped here and the choices could have dire consequences. They still didn’t know if death was permanent or if they would respawn.
A cough came from behind the door. Harsh and hard, painful to listen to.
“Ssshhh,” the first voice said, trying to be comforting. “It’s okay. They have to let us out soon. We can get you help then.”
Cursing, figuring he would regret it, Hall lifted the crossbar. Throwing it to the side, he opened the door and stopped, staring into the room in shock and surprise.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The small room was dark, the only light coming in from the open door. But it was enough for Hall to see and he wished he hadn’t. The floor was dirt, scraps of moldy hay littered it, a stained and overflowing chamber pot in the corner. An unpleasant smell wafted out of the room. Human excrement and sweat, mold and fear.
Huddled against the back wall were two women. One older and one younger.
The older was crumbled in a pile, tired eyes staring at Hall from behind limp graying hair. She was wearing a thin dress, more rag than clothes. Her body was shaking, from cold and sickness. Though she looked right at him, the woman barely moved.
“Who are you?” the younger asked, and Hall recognized the voice as the one that had been calling for him.
She was much younger than the other but looked just like her. A daughter. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Thin from hunger. Her clothing was a little better, pants and a wool shirt. Worker’s clothes. Farmer’s clothes. She crouched next to her mother, arms around her. Her eyes stared at Hall with fear and hope. Standing up, she stood protectively over the other.
