A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (75 page)

On hands and knees, he scrabbled away from the ladder, down the tunnel and out of the line of sight of the sorcerers. Clutching his head, he rose and hurried after the others, hunched and weary beyond belief. Ahead of him loped the automaton.

Caldan approached the group from the darkness behind them at a run. He skidded to a walk and motioned for them to keep moving. Ahead, manmade walls and floor gave way to natural stone opening out into a cavern.

“
We have to stick together,
”
demanded Miranda.
“
At least until we find our way out of here. If we split up, we might not find each other again.
”
She gave him a concerned look and touched his arm.

Caldan brushed away Miranda’s fussing over him, though took the edge off with a tight smile.
“
Come on, we don’t have much time. I’m all right, honestly.
”

“
You weren’t able to stop them?
”
asked Miranda, loud enough for the others to hear.

Caldan shook his head in defeat.
“
No. I… got rid of two men with them, but the sorcerers… they’re too powerful.
”

Amerdan stared at him curiously.
“
What did you do?
”

“
I knocked them into the water.
”

Elpidia’s face was miserable.
“
No,
”
she whimpered.
“
Oh no. I don’t want to die… I won’t.
”

Caldan took her head in his hands.
“
There’s light ahead. We’re almost out.
”

Amerdan started.
“
Yes,
”
he confirmed, with a probing look at Caldan.
“
There is.
”
The shopkeeper looked at the automaton as it weaved through the group and continued ahead.
“
Interesting,
”
he said, eyeing Caldan with respect.

They stepped onto the rough natural stone. For a few minutes, they trudged in silence, walking steadily further into the cavern. The air filled with the scent of dirt and a faint musky smell. Bats probably, thought Caldan. It made sense. The engineers who constructed the aqueducts would make use of any caves in the surrounding countryside. Why dig when it was much easier to use natural formations?

Behind them, the sound of rushing water faded the further they walked. Caldan remained at the rear of the group, constantly glancing behind, trying to spot movement in the dark, though he thought it more likely the sorcerers would come shielded and he would see the telltale glow.

He maintained his well as they walked, both to keep contact with the automaton as he sent it to scout ahead and to extend his senses behind the group, searching for signs the sorcerers approached.

The ground began sloping upwards, gently at first, almost imperceptibly, then with an ever-increasing incline.

A tickle touched the edge of Caldan’s heightened senses. It came from behind him. He stopped abruptly and turned, scanning the darkness. There had been something… a presence… but now there was nothing.

The others stopped one by one as they realized he no longer followed.

Caldan opened his well and prepared to split it into multiple strings. Reaching into his pocket, he then flung his hand into the air, releasing a flock of paper birds. Though only narrow strings from his well were required for the birds, his head ached with strain, a sharp pain stabbed into his mind, his forehead broke into a sweat. Flashing past his legs, the metal automaton shot back down the cavern.

Flapping their wings in the stale air, the birds flew around him. With a thought, he pushed them out in ever-expanding circles, flying at different levels from low to the floor to head height. He peered into the darkness.

“
Keep going,
”
he said to the others.
“
I can’t be sure, but I need to check.
”
He turned to face Miranda as she hesitated.
“
Go,
”
he commanded once again.

Miranda’s mouth narrowed and she frowned in worry. She turned to usher Elpidia and Bees towards the light ahead.
“
Hurry,
”
she said.

Caldan could hear Amerdan’s breath over the faint flapping of wings, so close was he. The shopkeeper had drawn both of his knives and held them casually, giving Caldan the strong impression he knew how to use them. Caldan thought of drawing the
trinket
sword but thought better of it. If he needed to run, it would only slow him down.

“
They won’t be any use,
”
he explained quietly to Amerdan.
“
Their shields will block any blades.
”

Looking at his knives for a moment, Amerdan slid them back into the sheathes on his belt. He backed away a few steps, licking his lips. With a shrug, he turned and followed Bees and Elpidia, passing Miranda. As she approached, Caldan gave her a disapproving look.
“
Why aren’t you with the others?
”
he hissed.

“
I can take care of myself. Besides, you can’t sense anyone following, right?
”

“
Maybe, but I’ve no idea what these sorcerers can do. I wish I had your confidence.
”

“
You think they can mask themselves somehow?
”

“
I don’t know, but I would rather be sure than captured again… or dead.
”

Light flashed briefly in the darkness as one of the paper birds hit a solid surface. Sparkles glittered from the impact and spread across a shield outlining a figure, then flickered out.

Caldan cursed and immediately sent the automaton towards the spot along with the birds. A pulse of force erupted, and all his birds burst into flames. His automaton tumbled backwards, metal limbs splayed as it lay in a heap. Strings from his well whiplashed back as they were severed. His mind exploded with pain.

There was moment of stillness. Paper birds turned to ash, falling to the ground.

Two succinct glows broke through the darkness. Bells and Keys.

With sluggish thoughts, Caldan’s mind groped for his wristband and linked to shield himself. He reached for Miranda’s hand.

A massive burst of raw energy snapped into him. He tumbled backwards onto the ground. Around him, his shield wavered. His wristband vibrated unsteadily and grew hot. It was all he could do to stop the energy penetrating his shield, but after a moment the brutal initial force diminished, allowing him to draw breath.

Another wave of energy assaulted his shield, pinning him to the ground. His wristband keened under the strain and began to burn his skin.

Caldan cursed and cut his well from his
crafting
before it failed. Around him, the shield dissolved.

He looked around for Miranda, to warn her to flee. He met her eyes.

She shuddered, stumbled forward onto hands and knees. Her body jerked violently. She stood slowly, blank eyes staring from her face.

Caldan was transfixed with horror. What looked out at him wasn’t Miranda. He gave an anguished cry.

In the distance, he heard a woman laugh. Bells.

Miranda rose and began to walk towards him, at first unsteadily, then with increasing control.

Caldan, unable to move under a pressure that crushed him to the ground, gave Miranda a pleading look as she walked towards him. Desperately, he reached for the link to his automaton and found it, infusing the creature with power and sending it towards the sorcerers.

Miranda drew her knife. She knelt beside Caldan and lifted the blade with both hands.

“
No,
”
Caldan managed to croak, unable to move.

She plunged the knife down, stabbing him in the side. Pain enveloped him and his vision went white.

Summoning what strength he could, Caldan pressed a hand to the wound and closed his eyes. Once again his awareness flew through the link to his automaton.

Bells and Keys stood together, shields glowing and arms raised. Around them the air crackled with gathering force. Caldan urged his
crafting
towards them.

Miranda raised the knife for another thrust.

The automaton reached Bells and Keys. Grunting with exertion, he ruptured the anchor. The forces from his well destroyed it utterly. A thunderous reverberation echoed in the cavern, and filaments of lightning surged around Bells and Keys. Under the strain, their shields sparkled blue then a deep purple as they strove to absorb the forces assailing them. One of the crafted keys around Keys’ neck melted and his shield went red. He threw a despairing look at Bells, then his shield winked out. His skin instantly blackened and smoked. His body went limp.

Miranda’s eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed, slumping senseless to the ground. Blood dribbled from her nose.

Bells let loose a wailing cry along with a cluster of sorcery.

“
By the ancestors,
”
groaned Caldan as he opened his well and scrabbled to link to his wristband. Despite the
crafting
being hot and close to failing, it was all he had left. Light sprang up around him and he clutched Miranda, covering her with his shield.

The air shook and cascaded with flashes of light as bright as the sun. Caldan squeezed his eyes shut. Beneath him, the ground shook with violence.

Under his crafted wristband, his skin sizzled… He couldn’t hold it any longer. If he did, it would fail and they would be destroyed in the process. Perhaps there was a chance they would survive Bell’s rage-driven destructive sorcery. He felt his wristband begin to fracture. Clutching Miranda to him, he cut the link to his well.

Pain exploded in his mind, then in a blink it stopped, though the assault continued. Not daring to open his eyes, he knew somehow he was being shielded.

The onslaught lasted longer than he thought possible. Eventually, the flashes through his eyelids ceased. An overpowering odor of dirt, molten metal, and above all lemons filled his nostrils.

He prized an eye open. Around him the air shimmered with dissipating heat.

Bells scrabbled towards Keys’ charred body, whimpering wordlessly.

A glow emanated from under Caldan’s shirt. He pulled on his chain and the bone ring spilled out, runes shinning with an inner light. The
trinket
on his finger lay inert and cold.
The bone ring shielded me?
he thought incredulously. That’s not possible… it wasn’t crafted or a
trinket
. Or was it? There was only one explanation. He shook his head, stunned by the implication. It had to be a
trinket
. Never had he heard of one not made of metal, an alloy sorcerers for generations had tried without success to replicate, the supposed secret of
crafting
trinkets
. Hundreds of years of failed experiments and theories, all based on a false assumption. This was why his family had been murdered — for this bone
trinket
.

Amerdan walked out of the darkness towards Caldan, clothes singed, hair covered in dust. He held a hand out.
“
I think I have much to learn,
”
he said cryptically, face expressionless.

Caldan allowed the shopkeeper to drag him to his knees, hand clutched to his stomach. Blood oozed through his fingers. Miranda lay on the ground unmoving.

He tore off his shirt and tied it as best he could around his waist to stop the bleeding. His head, arm and stomach throbbed with pain. Gingerly, he struggled to his feet, staggering towards Miranda. A quick look at Bells and he decided she was no threat for the moment. The sorcerer cradled Keys in her arms, fingers entwined in his hair. She sobbed the same words over and over:
“
Keys, my love, stay with me.
”
Her eyes were open and unmoving.

Caldan had to check on Miranda. It would only take a few moments, then he could kill Bells.

He shuffled to Miranda’s side, knelt, and gathered her to him. She stared at him blankly and then blinked, as if in slow motion. A trickle of saliva ran from the corner of her mouth.

“
Wha…
”
she began, then swallowed.
“
Wha…
”
she tried again then frowned. She looked down at her trembling hands.

Physically, she was whole, but mentally… whatever sorcery they used must have been wrenched out when Keys died. Her mind lay in disarray.
No, not Miranda as well.

Caldan began to weep.

A hand clasped his shoulder, and he looked up into Amerdan’s face.

“
She has been damaged. We should leave her.
”

Caldan couldn’t believe his ears. He shook his head vehemently.
“
No. I can heal her. I…
”
With rising dread, he realized he couldn’t heal Miranda. Only someone versed in coercive sorcery would know what was wrong with her mind and how to restore it.