Part 37: The rescue party
It was after midnight when Einnol’s party arrived at the lands surrounding the Bronze Doors. A thick fog had descended and they spent a fruitless hour trying to find the destroyed village as visibility failed. Cold and wet, they decided to break from searching until dawn. A niche in the rocks provided a makeshift shelter, although it took a long time to find wood dry enough to make a small fire.
Einnol was desperately worried. Any delay at this stage could prove fatal for Arka. But it would be madness to try and continue in this weather. The area was crossed with crags and the land pocked with potholes. It would be too easy for them to blunder over a cliff. And then they would be no use to anyone. It was too dark and foggy to even find the main path to the fortress. He sat and warmed his hands by the fire as the others slept. He thought about slipping away at first light, but realised he would need Sarine to show him the way.
Maybe Sudsir was holed up in this fog, just as they were. If so, there was a slim chance they could get to Arka before he did. But then what? He had no potions with him, and he was unlikely to be able revive her.
One of the sleeping figures stirred in her sleep and Einnol started. He looked at Andoryn lying under a rough cloak. Although he distrusted ‘magicks’ deeply, he realised that maybe, just maybe, she could help. He had heard her talk many times of her studies, and had seen her showing off her prowess with defensive spells. He was sure she had been studying Crystal Way. He knew very little of the Ways but was sure that Crystal included powerful healing spells. He wondered how adept Andoryn was. If Lolitra was right they would need a powerful boost to Arka’s energy to stop her falling back into a coma.
He had remembered more of Arka’s tale now. She had told him once that Sudisir had been sent to destroy the Stonebreaker culture. That would be the reason Arka had sent them on this mad treasure hunt. She must have known she was about to die. The legacy must refer to her mother’s notebooks. She wouldn’t risk leaving them behind, in case Sudisir got his hands on them. He took out the letter Arka had left them and read it again. ‘Where two planes meet, beneath your feet. Einnol will know what to do when he gets there.’ He wished he did know what to do. What did she mean by ‘two planes’? The levels were sometimes referred to as ‘planes’. Arka had travelled to other levels in her younger days. Did she mean to go down a level? That would be explained by ‘beneath your feet’. But he wouldn’t know what to do here. The winch at Hydlaa was the only way Einnol knew to the lower levels. Was there another way down here? If Arka had shown Sarine this, she would have said something.
He took out the small silver key. Was this a key to the lower level? It seemed impossible that such a small key would hold such importance, although he knew that dwarven locksmiths were immensely skilled at making the most delicate but impenetrable locks.
No, this was a key to a chest. Every Stonebreaker family had a chest in which they stored their valuables – gems, special weapons, papers. They kept them in their cellars usually. In the cellar! Of course! Einnol smacked his hand against his forehead. Why hadn’t he thought of this before? The chest would be in the cellar – beneath your feet. That is where her mother would have kept the notebooks and Arka would have taken them back there. All Sarine had to do was to take Einnol to Arka’s old home. And yes, Einnol now knew exactly what he must do.
As soon as this fog cleared, they would set out for the old forge. He would need to take Sarine, to lead the way, and Andoryn to revive Arka. Maybe Rell would be useful if it came to a fight. But he had to persuade Aerianna and Sarine to fall back – maybe they could be persuaded of the need to keep guard. Einnol nodded to himself. There was nothing else he could do right now. He might as well catch a few hours sleep. The dawn would chase the fog away.
