A Soldier's Life - 180 -

Chapter 180:

We descended the towers together, Maveith’s heavy steps echoing up the tower and drawing a specter. The translucent elf appeared to be wearing a leather apron and wielding a hammer. The black spear hummed as I easily slashed the phantasm.

We moved back into the main library. The vast chamber was much more empty than when we arrived. Piles of fragile books lined one wall, but the company had broken apart the majority of the shelves to keep warm weeks ago. We had tried to avoid burning the ancient books, but many had been burned if they were determined too deteriorated to be salvaged.

“Eryk, look.” Mavieth paused and kneeled. At first, I did not see it, but there were small footprints in the light layer of recent dust. “Goblin tracks,” his deep voice informed me.

“How many? Maybe we cleared enough of the specters that the local goblins have nested here.” I was scanning the open room for movement.

“Small tracks, probably a young green. Only one unique set.” Maveith said after a moment and standing.

I couldn’t contain a laugh, “That little bugger. He must have followed us.” I explained to the confused goliath. “I used the goblin to distract the summoner. I left it in the dungeon, but it saw me exit. I guess it didn’t want to spend its final days in the dungeon.”

Mavieth spent a few minutes tracking the goblin but soon gave up as the tracks crossed themselves repeatedly. Most likely, the creature was hiding somewhere in the library. It just might survive if it could keep avoiding the specters. Maybe it would even follow us out of the library. At this point, it definitely deserved its freedom.

Outside the library, the snow was still present. Like the rest of the city, it had compacted down to about five feet, and from the steps, we could only see the head of a single specter walking the streets. The city gates were still a few blocks away, maybe a quarter mile. Also, there could be more specters hidden if they were shorter. We certainly saw a large number of specter children during our time in the city. “Maveith, maybe we could make some snow shoes from some shelving?”

Maveith processed my words but couldn’t puzzle them out, “How would shoes made out of snow help us?” I patted my tall friend on the back, smiling.

An hour later, we had some awkward shoe shoes on our feet. Wide planks tied to our boots. I had been snowshoeing a few times and gave Maveith some advice. “One step at a time. Plant your heel first for your lead foot, and don’t rush it. My spear can handle any specters quickly, so don’t panic and fall.”

“I don’t know. Are you sure these will allow us to walk on the snow? They don’t seem enchanted, Eryk.” Maveith was beyond skeptical, and I was actually concerned because he was such a large man. I guessed, even slimmed down some, he was somewhere around 350 pounds—more with his gear.

I reassured the goliath, “The snow has compacted over the last few months. We should have no trouble.” I first climbed up onto the snow and sank just an inch or two with a step. Maveith followed hesitantly, his larger plank feet sinking a few inches, but he also remained atop the snow. He paused, appearing amazed that it worked. As we walked through the blinding white snow, I led and stabbed any specter that was foolish enough to show itself through the snow. I think we were lucky in that the specters apparently could not see through the snow themselves.

We had walked the first block, halfway to the gate, when Maveith informed me, “The goblin is at the library doors.” I twisted awkwardly, and the tiny familiar goblin stood there, watching us walk away. It was a pitiful scene as it looked like we were abandoning the goblin child.

“It is light enough that it doesn’t even need snow shoes. It is on its own. We need to hurry and get under the trees as we’re going to stand out on the snow to the wyvern or the eagles.” I turned and continued moving on the snow. We reached the gate in a short time and ran into a problem. The gap in the gate was beneath the snow.

While Maveith dug in the snow, I guarded him. A half dozen specters interrupted his work, and he was struck twice while he was working. I responded quickly, but they appeared rapidly out of the snow wall. Maveith was limping but managed to climb the snowpack on the other side of the gate. I followed, and we were moving rapidly away from the walls of Caelora.

Maveith was leading and stumbled a few times as he misstepped with his shoes. Soon, we were under the cover of the barren branches. We were inhaling deeply from the efforts, and both laughed. We were free.

We were on the eastern side of the ruins and could head west to the city of Parvas, about 50 miles away. Or south to Sobral, about 70 miles but through dire wolf territory. Or northwest, following the river back to the Telha, the capital. As we were resting under the cover of the trees, the tiny goblin emerged from the city gate. It was running wildly with books on its feet, mimicking our own snow shoes. A few spectral heads pursued it, bobbing just above the snow as it raced for the trees. It disappeared into the trees and kept running.

Maveith and I looked at each other and shrugged. That brief excitement passed, and Maveith asked, “Where are we going from here?”

“The company has nearly a day’s head start on us. I think they would probably be headed north to the capital if they exited near the northern wall. The city of Parvas is the closest city, though. Maybe just a two-day walk for us following the river. Castile wanted to avoid Parvas because Duke Octavian’s son was the count there. But they do have a portal to the capital. We actually might be able to beat them to Telha if we went that way.” I realized Maveith was not aware of Castile and our company’s conflict with Duke Octavian.

After considering, Maveith questioned, “What about heading back to Sobral? Shouldn’t we inform the duchess of our success?”

I shrugged, “I am a little worried about the dire wolves with just two of us, Maveith.”

“So, Parvas to the capital? I can take a ship there and head back to Stone Mountain Island,” he was nodding as the trek took him in a direction he wanted to go to confess to his father.

We kept to the cover of the trees as we moved east. After a half dozen miles, the snowpack became just two feet deep, and we discarded our snow shows. Maveith’s had been falling apart anyway. We reached the wide, uncrossable Aganterao River. It was not difficult to walk parallel to the river to reach Parvas.

The snow contained a lot of tracks, bear, gnoll, humanoids with boots, normal wolves, and even some horse tracks that Maveith insisted were centaur tracks. All these creatures and beings had given the ruins of Caelora a wide berth. They were obviously a lot smarter than us.

Night descended upon us about halfway from the city. We made our camp in the center of some evergreens and used the thermal stone to cook. The stone was a huge boon as it not only provided heat to cook but also had no smoke or scent of burning wood to attract creatures. Still, with just the two of us, I remained on watch all night, and Maveith slept in short spurts with the amulet.

As Maveith entered a round of slumber with the amulet, I carried a glowstone a short distance into the woods. I listened for a while but only heard the soft crackling of snow refreezing from the mild day. I considered waking Maveith for this but decided against it. It was a bit of jealousy and fear that he may leave with her.

Raelia stood before me and crouched in anticipation. The glowstone shadowed her features, and she exhaled a cloud of steam in the chilly night air. She focused on me after seeing I was the only one. “We are out of the dungeon?” She finally asked with a relaxed posture.

“We are. We are about twenty miles west of Parvas. Do you know where that is?” I informed her.

With a note of sorrow, she asked, looking around, “I know where Parvas is. Did Maveith not make it?” I doubted she would have had the same concern for me in her tone.

“Maveith is sleeping.” I added a little white lie to spur her, “My company isn’t far off with my mage commander. You should get going. I suggest traveling south, crossing the river, and then making your way home.” Her pack appeared in my hand, and I held it out for her. “There is food and some fragile items inside, so treat the pack with care. You should make haste.”

She sheathed her blades and took a few steps forward to take her pack, slightly surprised by the weight. She shouldered the pack and was about to turn but paused. “If you are ever captured.” She seemed to consider her next words, “Ask for General Clalyn Glavien. I will tell my brother you helped me, and he will ensure you end up in a work camp instead of being strung up with the other legionnaires.”

“What a generous offer,” I said with a mocking undertone.

She rolled her eyes at me for the last time, checked the position of the moon, and tramped off into the snow. I remained still as I listened to her footsteps get further and further away. I actually hoped the elf girl made it home and wasn’t eaten by a predator. I wondered what her reaction would be on seeing the griffin egg and apex fire essences.

Sure, she was gone. I returned to the camp and warmed myself with the thermal stone. The large pearl essence I collected from the summoner appeared in my hand. I placed the large sphere in my mouth and let the tingly feeling spread in my body as it dissolved. It was easy to swallow, like cool water, and chills spread from my abdomen to all my extremities. My heart pounded stronger, recognizing the potential power I was consuming.

My limited awareness of my aether core could feel it swelling. My aether channels flared in protest, and I was going to need to get them repaired. The core enhancement briefly distorted my spell forms as I lost connection to my slow aging before it re-established itself on its own. I would have to ask Castile if I was endangering my spell forms by increasing my aether core.

When everything settled, I released a relieved groan. I showed restraint in not checking my attributes immediately. Once we reached safety, I could review my progress.

We started moving early in the day, walking along a stretch of the river. A barge with a sail came up behind us that looked to be loaded with soldiers from the regular and a handful of legionnaires contrasting them in their red armor. We paused, thinking we could get a ride the rest of the way to Parvas as it was almost thirty miles.

Even half a mile away, I could make out Benito jumping up and down and pointing at Maveith and me. He was yelling something that I couldn’t make out as the barge changed course and headed for us. The entire company was on the bow of the craft as it scrapped the sandy shoal below the bank where we stood. Castile couldn’t contain her smile. Konstantin was shaking his head. Benito was yelling about winning some bet.

We scrambled down the bank to board the craft, receiving pats and half-hugs. Curiously, I did not see one member of the company. Flavius was missing. The bargemen got the barge back into the river, complaining about the stench of the legionnaires they had picked up along their trip. The forty or so soldiers knew better than to complain about our unwashed bodies.

After being force-fed and deflecting questions for the next hour by telling them we escaped by returning to the library and using the west gate to flee the city, I ended up in the secluded bow with Castile and Adrian. Castile asked quietly, “The summoner?”

“He will not be following us,” I said flatly. Castile nodded slowly, relief flooding her face, but she did not press for details. “Where is Flavius?” I asked about the only member missing from the company.

Adrian answered with an undertone of skepticism, “Konstantin said a wight got him in the undercity when they scouted our escape route together.” Castile’s face was unreadable.

Castile exhaled a long breath, “The Empire is at war. The Esenhem elves landed on Amatalhos Isle, breaking the peace treaty that had stood for centuries. Word is the Boutan Orcs are also pulling together a fleet, but no one knows where they will land once they sail.”

The summoner had mentioned the Esenhem elves. I was quiet, so Adrian continued. “Everyone is descending on the swamps south of Macha. It is even rumored the Emperor might leave his palace.” My mouth fell open. A four-nation war was centering on the site of the city of the giants, Atlantium. All because I told a single Truthseeker about it.

After I digested the news and my role in possibly sending thousands of men to die on a swampy battlefield, I inquired. “Are we headed back to Macha then? Maybe we should have just stayed in the dungeon. It would have been safer.”

Castile smirked at my attempt at a joke but looked uncertain, “I won’t know our orders until I report to the Legatus Legonis in Parvas.”