El-Vador's Travels (27 page)

They
did not slow when they came to the bridge as El-Vador had hoped,
instead they continued their loping gait directly over it as if to
their eyes the means to cross was easily apparent.

The
Elf let fly and the arrow punched through the air across the chasm
and skewered the shoulder of one of the creatures, the impact causing
it to recoil and take several steps back, slamming into its mindless
companions and toppling from the bridge. Good, apparently they had no
care if their kin lived or not, if truly they were alive at all and
not some horrid machination of Sarvacts.

The
second arrow embedded directly in the cartilage of the next
creature's nose, sending its head snapping back and cracking
sickeningly against the third of its kind. Instead of immobilising
the threat it only served to stall them, for they did not push each
other over the edge now, having adapted to his strategy.

Cursing
his foul luck, El-Vador sent a third arrow into the fray and though
it hit its mark and sank deep into the chest of the wounded creature
it showed no signs of slowing. He could draw one more arrow and they
would be on him, he needed to act fast.

'Get
to the other side!' Eihblin shouted at him. 'Phaedra will trigger the
bridge!'

Seeing
little other choice, El-Vador sprang back into a sprint across the
open air and hoped that his wandering feet did not guide him astray
and send him tumbling into the abyss.

The
wet gurgling noise of the creature he had wounded was growing in his
ears much faster than he could hope to reach the edge of the chasm.
He needed to do something, his current efforts weren't going to be
enough. There was nothing further he could think of doing other than
to flee, he had run out of options.

He
chanced looking ahead and saw Eihblin digging into her pack, had the
woman some resource that he could use to escape this pursuit? His
concentration upon fleeing in a straight line prevented him from
giving it any further thought.

'El-Vador!'
she shouted across at him, 'keep your eye on the rope and when
Phaedra tells you to jump, do so!'

He
spotted the rope in her hand now, this was going to be very risky
indeed.

As
he neared the edge of the ravine he felt the wind whip past him,
anything but a steadying breeze now and he would be doomed, he could
smell the decay from the bodies pursuing him, it would only be
moments before they started snatching at him to make him falter.

'Jump!'
Phaedra shouted at him and El-Vador took a running leap, soaring
across the empty space between the lip of the rock and where the
bridge once stood. He hung breathlessly in the air, bow still clasped
in one arm and his other stretching wildly toward the rope that
Eihblin had arced toward him.

The
creatures that followed him made no sound as they fell into the
darkness.

He
snaked two fingers across the rope and swung toward the cliff face,
impacting upon it with a resounding thud that almost caused him to
lose his grip on the knot that his companion had tied in the hemp.
Fortunately the fingers were from his drawing hand and were well
practised in their grip, he hung there limply gazing down into the
darkness and waited for them to haul him up.

He
crested the stone face with relief, his lithe form did not weigh so
heavy that Phaedra and Eihblin could not drag him to the surface once
more. The latter offered him a clap on the back and he thanked them
both, still not overly familiar with the feeling of having others
save his life.

Phaedra
kept looking down at the pit, as if she expected the creatures to
crawl back from such a fall. He shuddered at the thought, when next
they encountered such things he swore they would be ready.

Though it is but a minor distraction to my duties in the present,
when I was younger it always came as a surprise how much collateral
damage my actions wrought. How many lives I touched and tore apart
inadvertently through my numerous deeds is beyond measure, like
ripples that refuse to dissipate as they pass over an endless lake.

S
ince
abandoning their mounts to the gorge and its invisible crossing,
El-Vador and his companions had failed to catch Anacletus before
taking sight of the fortress.

It
tore a stony rent in the skyline above the small village,
overshadowing every activity that its inhabitants did with a
malevolent presence. The stone peaks embedded into the side of the
mountain thrust out like the claws of some foul beast, reaching forth
to tear a rent in the sky. El-Vador couldn't tell if his knowing what
lay within coloured his perceptions or if the dominating architecture
alone caused the feeling. Whatever it was, he felt an almost
overpowering urge to stride forth and tear the place down brick by
brick, matched only by the sinking feeling in his stomach that
oncoming danger brought.

Eihblin
stared up at the imposing structure and whistled. 'It's going to take
some effort to breach those walls. I had no idea it was this large.'

Phaedra
nodded. 'It's built into the side of the mountain and its corridors
run deep throughout.'

Endless
tunnels, vast peaks and quite possibly an insurmountable entrance,
El-Vador stared out at the predatory birds circling the towers and
wondered how they could exact vengeance with so much rock in the way.
They had no choice regardless of the monumental task, Anacletus had
ventured into those walls by now and Sarvacts lay within.

'You
managed to escape this fortress, could we use the same way to get
inside?' he asked Phaedra.

She
shook her head at him. 'The way I escaped could only be accessed from
the inside, as soon as I fled there was no way back.'

He
stared at the fortress a moment longer, then dismissed it as best he
could. Every huge structure such as this had multiple entrances, it
was just a matter of forcing their way through one that presented
itself upon getting closer.

'Regardless
of whether it's easy to find a way in there or not, we're going to
have to rest before making the attempt.' Eihblin said. It was as if
the words created the reality and the Elf found himself suddenly
weary and drained of his former resolve. There was no sense in
charging on with no sleep and falling to the first opposition they
came across.

'You're
right, we need rest before we attempt this. Let's find a bed in this
village and make for the fortress tomorrow.' El-Vador replied, trying
to force the imposing sight from his view without much luck. Even
when they finally put it from their vision it remained in their
memories that night.

Anacletus
approached the foreboding gate of the fortress, a healthy fear was
always necessary should one want to remain alive for any length of
time in his occupation. He stifled that now though, he needed to
remain detached and professional, thanks to his efforts the Elf was
making his way directly into Sarvacts' grasp. The Orc had nothing to
be angry or concerned over, and even less reason to attempt to take
that anger out on him. All seemed as indomitable and orderly as it
had when he departed. Nevertheless, he sensed the tension emanating
from the walls, it wasn't just a projection of his own fears,
something was amiss within and he was about to discover what.

The
sheer surface of the rock was illuminated by the afternoon sun, the
light didn't change the foreboding nature of the sanctum he was about
to enter. There were few places within that the rays of sun would
kiss, as a creature of shadow himself Anacletus usually approved of
this. Unfortunately he also knew the creatures that Sarvacts kept in
thrall who could use the darkness just as well as he, it kept him on
edge every time he entered. There was a reason he had never heard of
any fool brave enough to attempt to breach this place, would the Elf
be naïve and make a fist of it?

As
he drew closer the gates opened, though he could not see or sense any
mechanism for their doing so. While it unnerved him that he had been
watched in his ascent without his realising it, there was little he
could do about it. Anacletus didn't like feeling powerless, too much
of what this Orc did brought that sensation.

The
gates finally finished their ponderous grinding and the darkness
awaited him, he walked forward quickly, refusing to show any signs of
being daunted by the ominous innards or the potential clash to come
with their owner.

Anacletus
reassured himself that he had served Sarvacts to the best of his
abilities in leading the Elf this far without being caught. If the
Orc was as powerful as he claimed then he should have no problem
enticing the headstrong youth into his fortress and then having his
way with him.

With
much on his mind, the assassin proceeded into the blackness and hoped
that fate would be in agreement with him.

El-Vador
watched the small figure enter the gate, he had been too slow. There
was no doubt in his mind that it had been Anacletus but he wasn't
overly concerned at the man reaching the fortress. Even if he had
confronted the assassin on the very threshold of Sarvacts' domain,
who was to say that one of the inevitable lookouts wouldn't have shot
him? He needed to find another way in without alerting the legions
that awaited inside. The task was proving more and more problematic
the longer he searched.

The
rock face was sheer and could not be scaled, there seemed no entry
point aside from the gate. It had been designed to perfection and
rebuffed El-Vador's every attempt to probe for weaknesses with his
keen sight. From every angle there was the same aura of
impenetrability, as if he were foolish for even thinking of another
way out. Yet Phaedra had managed to escape this place, even if her
exit was one-way there could still be others that led into the bowels
of the mountain.

He
had not seen any sign of guards in his scouting of the surrounding
area, given the natural defences the fortress possessed that didn't
surprise him. Still, entering unseen would be made much easier if
there were no prying eyes to scout their approach.

He
silently slipped away from the base of the mountain and back toward
the village where Phaedra and Eihblin still slept, they would be
dismayed that he had not divined entry and that he had only caught
sight of Anacletus outside of his bow's range. He had already known
it was going to be difficult to gain passage into the fortress, he
also felt that he couldn't deliberate overly long under the shadow of
such a monstrous construction. It had been a poor day thus far, as
the passage that Phaedra had spoken of also eluded his eyes. It
irritated him that he could well have passed an untold number of
hidden entrances and remained oblivious to it. Aside from walking up
and knocking there seemed no way in as of yet.

With
little chance of Anacletus leaving and even less of Sarvacts making
an appearance, El-Vador's hand felt forced. Could he simply wait near
the entrance and hope that the gates opened to allow some other force
to enter or leave the fortress? It seemed foolishness to attempt to
camp nearby, although he had not seen any watchers he did not doubt
that the main gate was guarded.

There
had to be a way in, but the solution did not arrive in El-Vador's
mind. His impatience stirred at that, fed by his frustration at
having come this far only to be denied by a set of doors. There was
nothing else he could do for the time being but go back to the
village and discuss the matter further with his companions.

Upon
returning to the inn he was greeted by Phaedra, alone. This prompted
an inevitable question from El-Vador.

'Where
has Eihblin gone?'

'A
group of men came into the village shortly after you left,' Phaedra
replied. 'They have taken her elsewhere.'

'Where
are these men now?' He briefly considered leaving them both to their
fate but Eihblin had saved his life and Phaedra may still have her
uses when it came to entering the fortress.

'They're
waiting for you further down the road.' she said. El-Vador didn't
need her to elaborate on just what had happened, the rents in her
clothes spoke for themselves.

He
made his way out into the morning sun, his grip firmly upon the blade
he carried. What retribution was this that they now faced? Did these
men know of El-Vador or had Eihblin acquired enemies that she refused
to speak of?

The
street seemed oddly quiet as El-Vador stepped out onto it, there was
a light breeze that carried a plethora of smells in the morning air.
Aside from that the place looked abandoned, all except the large man
standing ahead with his sword drawn. It would seem that his foe knew
he was coming, why had he not struck before now then? He judged the
distances and realised that the man would most likely reach him at a
sprint should he get his bow out. He kept it attached to his back and
pondered over his next move, keeping his hand on the pommel of his
sword lest the man decide to charge.

'I
have come to kill you, Elf.' the man stated simply, raising his blade
further as if to emphasise the point before advancing on him.

El-Vador
knew that he couldn't afford to get distracted in this fight but his
mind was quick to inform him that he stood very little chance against
a grizzled and altogether practised swordsman when it came to a one
on one duel.

'Who
sends you to slay me?' he asked, stalling for time.

The
man slowed for a moment, as if he couldn't think and walk at the same
time. 'A jilted Caldalian spy that wants vengeance.'

The
spy from the city? Had El-Vador's brash attitude been so offensive
that the man had sent a hired blade to avenge his wounded pride?

'I
would parley with you, but I know your employer is a man of means.'