The Moons of Mirrodin (24 page)

“Slobad never seen it,” said the goblin. “Cult say Womb is wondrous place—a huge dark tunnel straight down into the Steel Mother. All goblins live around the Womb.”

“A hole?” asked Glissa. “A huge hole in the world?”

Slobad nodded.

“Tell me about this Heart Krark found,” the elf said. “It was inside the Mother’s Womb?”

“Yes,” said Slobad. “Krark say he found Heart of the Mother, huh?” Hhe continued, reciting from memory again. “ ‘I stood in sloping chamber with no roof, surrounded by ancient towers of coral. A giant sun hung above me, glowing like Sky Tyrant, and Bringer, and Ingle, and Eye of Doom. I had found Mother’s Heart.’ ”

“Those are the moons, right?” asked Glissa. “This Krark found a chamber inside the world with a fifth moon?”

“Sun,” said Slobad. “Only shines in all colors. That what cult says, huh? Slobad never really believe. But they give me home, so Slobad listen. Every day, Slobad listen.”

“Memnarch,” said Bosh.

Glissa and Slobad both turned and stared at the golem.

“What?”

“Memnarch,” the golem repeated. He paused as if straining to remember something important. “…  Lives inside the world.”

Glissa and Slobad stared at each other.

“Bosh,” said Glissa, “is Memnarch a vedalken?”

Bosh concentrated again and stood mute for at least a minute. Glissa worried that she might have overtaxed the metal man. Finally, he looked at her and said, “I do not know. I have never heard of vedalken … before today.”

“Do you remember anything else about the serum or Memnarch?”

“No,” said Bosh. “Not yet.”

Glissa tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I need to speak to the leader of the cult.”

“Why?” asked Slobad.

“Something Chunth said before he died. He said he’d been keeping a secret. He said the world is hollow. The cultists believe Krark went down a hole into a world with a single moon … sun … and Bosh remembers that Memnarch lives inside the world. We need to jog Bosh’s memory. Maybe the cultists can tell us something of Krark’s journey that helps Bosh remember.”

“So we not go to Quicksilver Sea?” asked Slobad.

“Not yet,” replied Glissa. “We don’t know if it’s the vedalken or Memnarch after me. Flare, Memnarch might even
be
a vedalken.” Glissa remembered something. “Bosh, did Memnarch have four arms?”

“Four arms?” asked Slobad.

Glissa nodded. “The robed figure in the Tangle had four arms and a bald, misshapen head.”

Again Bosh stood silent, for several minutes. Glissa was sure she had broken him this time. Finally he focused on her again and said, “I do not remember.”

Glissa sighed. “We need to see the leader of the cult.”

“It wait until first moon rises, huh?” said Slobad. “You sleep for three rotations, but Slobad need rest. I take you see Dwugget after breakfast, huh? Sleep, food, Dwugget.”

The elf nodded. “I could use some rest as well. I wasn’t exactly relaxing on the way here, either.” Actually, she felt renewed. Her heart was pounding, and she felt completely awake. This changed everything. If Memnarch was below her and there was a hole in the goblins’ lair, they might not have to leave the mountains to leave the mountains.

*   *   *   *   *

Despite her excitement Glissa was asleep moments after she lay down, a sleep mercifully devoid of dreams. When she heard Bosh’s voice calling to her and opened her eyes to darkness, she felt a momentary panic, as if she had fallen back into the abyss.

“Slobad, Glissa,” said the golem again. “Wake up. Something is wrong.”

“What is it?” said Glissa, glad to hear her own voice in the darkness. She sat up and squinted, trying to pierce the gloom. She could see two red dots high above her that could only be Bosh’s eyes.

“A battle approaches.”

Glissa heard something that sounded like a small explosion, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. “Aerophuis,” she said. “Bosh, grab Slobad. We’re under attack. We have to get to the cultists.”

Bosh lifted the goblin, who snorted sleepily.

“Wake him,” hissed Glissa. “I need light.”

Glissa crept along the wall toward the door. She could barely see its outline. From down the corridor came a flash of light.

“I’m going to take a look,” she whispered. She inched down the corridor, her back against the wall, and peered around the edge. Pools of light from goblin fire tubes dotted the next corridor. In the dim light, Glissa saw a score of goblins running toward her.

They were being chased by what looked like large, walking aerophins. The creatures had the same blue, bulbous heads, but their silver bodies were much larger—man-sized. Each had two massive arms connected to barrel-shaped bodies. Their legs were mere stubs jutting from the base of the barrels, yet they moved amazingly fast.

One of the silver assassins pointed an arm at the retreating goblins. It had no hands, but a huge metal arrow shot out, impaling, two goblins. Their bodies knocked down several in front of them. A second barbed missile shot out from another creature, taking down a third goblin. Then the goblins were past Glissa, running down the hall. A bolt of lightning came from another beast, blasting the mass of fallen goblins.

Glissa fell to her knees. “No!” she screamed. “Not again!” The silver attackers stopped and searched for the source of the screaming then moved forward. They glided down the corridor, their stubby legs never touching the iron flooring.

She could do nothing but watch in horror as they drew near. In the pile of goblins she saw only the faces of Kane, Rishan, Chunth, and her family. Her grief paralyzed her. Two hovering attackers reached the corner and peered into the darkness. Glissa curled into a ball, half-hoping they wouldn’t see her, half-hoping they would.

Something struck her, hurling her back down the corridor to fall in a heap. She looked up in time to see one of the silver men point its deadly arm at her. The bolt flew toward her. She made no attempt to dodge.

Inches from her face, the harpoon stopped, snatched from the air by Bosh.

The golem flipped the spear over in his hand and flung it back down the corridor. The huge missile slammed into the hovering beast’s crystal head. The resulting explosion knocked the headless creature to the floor and slammed its companion through the wall of the corridor.

“Pick her up,” said Slobad. “Follow. I get us out, huh?”

Bosh snatched Glissa from the floor, cradling her in his arms. The hair on her neck tingled, but she couldn’t even cry out. Bolts of lightning struck the walls and floor behind them as they ran. Bosh stumbled and almost fell. Glissa felt a surge of energy run
through her body. The golem regained his balance and kept running.

They raced through dark corridors, twisting back and forth, followed by sounds of lightning cracking and harpoons clanging. At last they halted, and Bosh set Glissa down. She looked up to see Slobad wrestling with a plate on the wall. The goblin grunted as he tried to pry it open with one of his tools. Bosh came forward, pushed two thick fingers behind the cover, and ripped it off the wall.

“In here,” said Slobad. “Quick, huh?”

Glissa crawled into the cramped tunnel.

“Keep moving,” hissed Slobad.

Glissa obeyed. The darkness of the air duct called to her. She welcomed it back into her mind.

Slobad pulled out his fire tube, lit it, and tossed it into the ductwork. Glissa grabbed the light and inched forward. She could see now, but still the darkness closed in on her. The abyss was near, and she could do nothing but crawl toward it. She heard the clanging of harpoons again, as if through a fog, then Bosh’s voice.

“I cannot fit,” said the metal man. “Proceed without me. I will safeguard your escape.”

There was silence. Glissa looked back to see Slobad hug the giant golem’s leg.

“Goodbye, Bosh,” he said.

“Farewell, friend,” said Bosh.

Bosh turned. Two harpoons stuck from his back beside a huge scorch mark. He lumbered down the hallway into the darkness.

“Keep moving, huh?” said Slobad after a deep breath and a stifled sniffle. “Keep moving.”

Glissa crawled through the ductwork, following Slobad’s directions. The farther she went through the maze of cramped tunnels the closer she came to the abyss. After a while, she could hardly hear Slobad’s commands through the fog in her mind.

She saw light up ahead. A few more turns and they reached the end of the tunnel. The yellow moon was rising in the distance. Glissa fell to the ground in a heap. She heard Slobad drop to the ground behind her, but she stared in silence at the moon.

THE GREAT FURNACE

“What now, huh?” asked Slobad from behind Glissa.

She glanced up at the goblin. “What did you say?”

“What now, huh?” he repeated. “We get away. What we do now?”

Glissa stared at the goblin. She had no idea where they were or what was going on. She had heard that same question before, but it wasn’t Slobad who had asked it. It was …

“Where’s the golem?”

Now it was Slobad’s turn to stare at Glissa. “What you talking about, crazy elf?” he asked. “We left Bosh back in the cult caves.” Glissa could see tears streaming down the goblin’s face. When she didn’t respond, he continued. “Cult was attacked, huh? Remember? Flying silver men with blue heads. Goblins die. We run. Bosh stay behind so we can escape. Remember? Any of it? Bosh save Glissa’s life—again.”

“Bosh is the golem?” asked Glissa, more to herself than to Slobad. “And he speaks now.…” Bits and pieces of the last few days swirled around inside her head. Kane’s death. Her descent into the abyss. Bosh’s voice pulling her back. The attack. The dead goblins. Bosh taking a lightning bolt in the back that was meant for her.

“You left him there?” she demanded.

Slobad wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded.

Glissa backed away from the goblin and drew her sword. “The vedalken got to you, too, didn’t they?” she demanded.

“What?” said Slobad. “No! Bosh my friend, huh?”

“Just like the cultists were your friends,” sneered Glissa. “You left
them
to die with Bosh. All this time you told me you were cursed, but you’re the one who always lives when everyone around you dies. How does that happen, Slobad? Hmmm? You’re good at getting away, at leaving your friends to die. You left the cultists to die once before. You told me yourself.”

“Stop it, huh?” snapped Slobad. “You talking crazy. You don’t know what you say.”

“Don’t I? My life has been a disaster since I met you.”

“Slobad didn’t kill your family, Glissa,” said the goblin gently. “Didn’t kill trolls or elf friend. Didn’t attack Taj Nar.”

“Then who did?” screamed Glissa. “I have to blame somebody. If not you, then who? Me? Is that what you’re saying? It’s all
my
fault?” Glissa’s face flushed as she continued. “I have a destiny, Slobad. A destiny. Do you hear that? And that destiny is to watch everyone I love die one by one.” Her breathing came in gasps. “Is that
my
fault? I say it’s
your
fault. It’s your flaring curse that has caused all of this!”

Glissa stopped suddenly. She was clawing for breath. Then she was crying. She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes and cheeks with her palms, but they kept flowing. She balled her hands into fists and jammed them into both eyes, as if to cork the flow of tears.

“It
is
my fault, isn’t it?” she whispered after a time.

“Attacks not your fault,” said Slobad, dropping down beside her. “Not Slobad’s fault. Not curse’s fault. Not destiny’s fault. It was globe-headed mage, huh? Memnarch. Vedalkens. Someone trying to kill you. Stop your destiny.”

“But look what I’ve done to your only family. It’s dangerous to be around me.”

“You my family, now, huh?” said Slobad. “Listen. I live alone for long time. Not happy, just surviving, huh? Then crazy elf drag Slobad from hole and into danger. Show Slobad how to fight for life, not hide from it. Give Slobad purpose, huh? Make me feel part of family.”

“Get Slobad killed,” sighed Glissa.

“Maybe.” The goblin shrugged. “But die for cause, huh? Die fighting evil. Die fighting beside friend. Better than living in hole, safe and alone. I leave cult first time to save Slobad, huh? I leave this time to save friend. Come. We find vedalken mage. Or Memnarch. Whoever behind attacks. We find, huh? Make him pay for Glissa’s family, friends, Slobad’s cult family, Bosh.”

Glissa nodded her head. The little goblin had a way of cutting through to the truth. She saw plots and deceit everywhere. He saw life and truth. The truth was that someone really
was
trying to kill her, and it wouldn’t stop until she made it stop. She owed it to Slobad to save his friend and his family. Glissa reached out and hugged her companion, squeezing until he pushed her away.

“Crazy elf.”

“Come on, we have work to do.” She jumped to her feet and headed back toward the tunnel.

“Where you going, huh?” asked Slobad. “Quicksilver Sea that way.” Slobad pointed across the craggy hills that surrounded them toward the open lands of the Glimmervoid.

“The vedalken can wait,” said Glissa. “Our friends cannot. First we save Bosh and Dwugget, then we make Memnarch pay.”