Thia watched as Jinaari slid carefully back down the slanted rock. “I think we found it.”
“Drogon?” Adam asked. Thia saw his fingers flex around his staff. He was ready for the fight. They all seemed eager, whereas her stomach was tied in knots.
The paladin shook his head. “I didn’t see anyone. There’s something in there, though. Given the energy coming off it, I’m thinking it’s what’s powering the storm.” He looked at each of them. “Caelynn, this is on you. There’s some sort of locked box at the end of the center path. It’s got to be the power source. I need you to get there, open it up. That’s when Adam blasts it.”
“It’s not going to be that easy. He’ll have warded it, put something there to guard the box,” the elf countered. She eased her pack off her back, setting it on the ground. Jinaari and Adam had dropped theirs as soon as they entered the cave.
“That’s my job. I’ll draw their attention, clear a path for you. Adam, keep something in reserve to destroy whatever’s in the chest, but some back up fire power would be helpful. Thia—”
“I know,” she said. “Stay out of range and keep people alive.”
“Well, yes, but do you know any offensive spells? Besides against undead?”
She nodded. “A few. I’ve never cast them before, though. Are you sure you want me to experiment now?”
His dark eyes lit up. He actually enjoyed this! “Now is the perfect time. Same rule as Adam. Keep enough that you can heal if it’s needed, but don’t be afraid to do something new.”
“But what if—”
“I trust you. You need to start trusting yourself. Keroys wouldn’t have given you the ability if he didn’t want you to use it.” He shifted his gaze back to Caelynn. “There are three walkways, one on each side, plus one straight up the middle. That leads to the bottom of the machine where the box is. Adam and I will take the side paths, create the diversion. You head whichever way you want. Be sneaky.”
“Always,” she grinned.
“Thia, wait for one of us to get started. I don’t want you to be a target. Make sure whatever is down there is focused on one of us before you start moving.”
“You done talking, old man?” Adam kept his tone light. “Because I’d like to get to work.”
“Let’s do this.”
Thia watched as the two men moved around the rock. Caelynn edged forward, motioning for Thia to follow her. “Stay near me until you need to go down there. Jinaari would have my hide if something happened to you.”
“I wish he’d stop acting like I needed a babysitter all the time,” she grumbled.
“Him? Not likely. Two Gods told him to keep you safe from a third. He takes that shit pretty seriously. We all do.”
Her curiosity got the better of her and she moved far enough forward to see what they were facing.
A pool of brackish water filled the bottom of the cavern. Two narrow pathways surrounded the black liquid, the third led out to a center island. The box Jinaari mentioned sat on the ground. Above it, floating, was a series of metal balls. Each one the size of a horse and crackling with white lightning. The surface shifted continually, occasionally showing a glimpse of the contents. Faces frozen in terror and pain, hands outstretched.
“He’s trapped souls inside. That’s how he’s powering it,” she breathed.
Caelynn came up beside her. “What happens when we turn it off?”
“They’ll be set free, but not peacefully.” The depth of the horror she was witnessing struck her soul. “I’ll have to destroy them, all of them. Even the innocent ones,” she breathed. Keroys, take them all. Please.
“You’ll give them peace, Thia. Being in that,” she pointed at the machine, “is anything but.”
Tearing her eyes away from the sight, she nodded. An explosion echoed in the chamber as Adam sent a hail of fire down onto something. It had begun.
“Caelynn, I’m—” she started to speak, but stopped. The pink haired woman was already halfway down one of the pathways, heading for the center. She slid her pack off, leaving it on the pile with the others. The box was still in the pouch on her belt. Everything else was extra weight, something that would slow her down.
She looked around the room, trying to locate Adam and Jinaari. A bolt of lightning shot off to her left and illuminated the paladin. His armor’s going to draw the energy to him if it gets too close! Skidding down the rock, she ran for the path leading to him.
When she got close enough, she drew the sigil and healed him. A line of a dozen or more Dangreth stretched out past Jinaari; more waded through the pool, trying to surround him. Drawing a deep breath, she sent out a wave of magic. When it hit the creatures, their gray skin fell off in chunks as they disintegrated.
“Thanks,” Jinaari called to her. “Go help Adam.” He turned away, heading toward a raised platform at the far end of the room.
She ran around the path, trying to spot Caelynn as she passed the center point. The elf was low to the ground but moving fast. Reaching the other side, she spied the warlock. Sweat glistened on his face, but he looked healthy enough. Whatever he was fighting, he was holding his own.
“Now, Adam!” Caelynn screamed.
Thia twisted her body, working the sigil she needed. She had to time this perfectly. A blast from Adam’s staff illuminated the room in a bright blue light. She watched the orbs closely. Slowly, they began to collapse downward; each sphere engulfing the one from above. When it got to the final one, cracks formed on the surface and the tormented souls within began to fly out.
Pushing herself flat against the wall, she whispered the incantation and released the magic. A silence descended on the room, followed by a cacophony of screams and wails. Unable to withstand it, she dropped to her knees and covered her ears. Some of them thanked her; others blamed her. The assault ended as quickly as it started. “Thia,” Adam’s voice was quiet. “You okay?”
Opening her eyes, she saw him kneeling in front of her. “Is it done?”
“Done?” another voice called out, chilling her blood. She knew that voice. “My dear child, it’s only just begun.”
Rising, she looked for the source. Standing on a raised dais on the opposite end of the room was a man in a blood red robe. Drogon hadn’t changed so much that she didn’t recognize him. The sickly yellow hue of his eyes, though, told her enough. Even the Gods had turned him away. “He’s Forsaken,” she whispered.
“Tell me, Thia. How is your father these days?” Her heart raced at his question.
“He’s dead. You know that.”
The smile he leveled at her was malicious. “Are you certain? He was the first one I put into those orbs. It was his soul you just destroyed. I’m surprised you didn’t sense him, try to save him. But that’s what you do best, isn’t it? Make sure those few people who actually care about you die.”
A growl formed in her chest, and she started to charge at Drogon. Five feet down the path, she was flying in the air, her arms pinned to her side.
“You’re no match for me, child. I know you still have the box he made you. It should’ve been mine. A place for me to store part of myself. Instead, he turned me away and refused me.” She flew closer to him, unable to stop. “Come closer, child. That I am Forsaken is a result of your father’s inaction. And now the Gods fear me. They send this . . . thing . . .” he shifted his foot and Thia looked down. Jinaari lay unmoving at the edge of the platform, “to try to stop me. Garret’s best? Hardly.” With a kick, he sent Jinaari’s body tumbling into the water; his armor making him sink quickly beneath the surface. “And then Keroys sends you. A half breed witch that he Marked as his Daughter but couldn’t bother to train.”
Thia heard a splash behind her. Please, let that be Adam or Caelynn getting Jinaari! Drogon pulled her even closer. She could have touched him if she could move. He reached out and stroked her cheek with the tip of his finger, sending shivers down her spine.
“You didn’t know, did you? The paladin did, as did the other two. They knew what you were capable of, what gifts Keroys bestowed on you. And yet you came against me in ignorance, cloaked in some strange ideal of what was right that your father instilled in you. You and I are not finished, Thia Bransdottir. Lolc Aon will have her turn with you, unlock everything you’re capable of, and then we’ll meet again. I recommend you rethink your loyalties carefully, child. We could have so much fun together, you and I.”
An arrow flew past her ear, burying itself into Drogon’s shoulder. As he screamed, she plummeted. Her body hit the water hard; the impact forcing air from her lungs. Reflexively, she tried to breathe and started to choke. An arm circled her waist and pulled her forward. Twisting her neck and saw Caelynn. The chain shirt made it hard to fight against the current and she felt herself sinking. The elf gestured for Thia to take off her armor, but she shook her head. The cloak clasp came loose, and she shrugged out of it. The heavy fabric floated down, and she knew she’d be able to keep swimming. Caelynn pointed past her, and she saw a tunnel. It must be the way out! Ignoring her protesting muscles, she swam for it.
Her lungs burned, desperate for oxygen. Spots began to swarm in front of her eyes. A few feet into the tunnel, she was able to raise her head above the surface. “We keep going,” Caelynn shouted above the roar echoing through the chamber. “This leads to the ocean. Adam got Jinaari out this way. There’s not much time.” She dove back under the water. Thia took a deep breath, plunging down after her.
She kept Caelynn in sight, weaving her way through the tunnel. It opened and she swam for the surface. When her head emerged above the waves, she looked around for the others. She saw Adam, waving frantically, standing on a sheltered sand bar. Jinaari’s body lay on the ground. He wasn’t moving.
As fast as she could, she swam over to them and climbed out of the water. “Is he breathing?” she demanded.
“I got a pulse, but it’s weak,” Adam told her.
“Help me get his armor off,” she said as she knelt at the paladin’s side. His fingers still clutched his sword. “Can you get that away from him?” she nodded at the weapon. “If he wakes up, I don’t want him to hit one of us with it.” Her fingers, numb from the cold water, slipped as she tried to unbuckle his breastplate. Adam eased the sword out of Jinaari’s hand and placed it next to his shield, out of their reach.
“What can I do?” Caelynn asked.
“Start a fire, get our tents out.” The buckle came loose, and she moved to the next one.
“I’ll see what I can find. The packs are still back in the cave.”
“Help me roll him over, Adam.” Thia pushed against Jinaari’s back, and they started on the other side. Once the armor was free, she threw it off to one side. “His shirt, too,” she told him. “It’s going to work best if I can touch his skin, see what’s wrong.”
Adam drew a dagger and started to slice at the fabric carefully. “He’s turning blue.”
Thia nodded, “I see it. We need that fire.” She knelt behind the paladin, studying his back. “I’m going to try and force the water out of his lungs. Make sure he doesn’t choke.” Keroys, don’t let me screw this up. She placed a hand on his back; the skin was clammy and cold. His chest wasn’t moving, but she could feel a faint heartbeat. It was growing weaker. Using her fingers, she began to trace the sigil she needed directly onto his skin. After the first time, his heartbeat began to strengthen. She dove deeper into her stores, drawing out more than she’d ever tried to use before, and did another casting.
His chest heaved and he started coughing. Water ran from his mouth, pouring onto the beach. The world began to spin. “He’ll live,” she whispered.
“Thia!” She heard Adam scream, saw him reach for her, as blackness overtook her.