Chapter 269 - Forwards (1/2)
”Hm,” said Li as he saw sunlight and blue skies. The pillar of flesh continued to raise the chrysalis up, outside of the gate and onto the very top of the mountain where finally, it laid the chrysalis down on flat, smoothened stone.
”What is it?” asked Old Thane. The old man knew Li well enough to differentiate between what his 'I see's and 'Hm's meant, and this time, the 'hm' was one of serious contemplation. ”A matter of concern, lad?”
”Not anything too serious,” said Li as he saw the flesh pillar withdraw and the domed gates close. ”I was sensing the blackened flesh all throughout our ascent, getting a read of its movements and its scale. It managed to bring us up through the entire length of the mountain with little issue, and I reason it could have sent us away even further.
The sheer amount of flesh linked to Tyr is staggering. If he unleashed all of it, I have no doubt he could easily crush entire armies.”
”A right tragedy he does not raise his strength with us,” said Old Thane. ”But I know well how a warrior's heart may struggle. I cannot blame him for his inaction.”
”I am not entirely sure I still trust him,” said Mercer. ”He is a dwarf. He may yet trick us.”
”And what doth it matter that he is a dwarf?” said Asala. ”Thou hath not seen much of the world not read its rightful histories. Keep thy mind open and do not let thy misconceptions shadow what thou can learn from this adventure.”
”You are right,” said Mercer. ”I should not assume anything. My apologies.”
”Thou at the least hath a mind open to learning.” Asala's thin, black lips curved slightly in a half smile. ”If thou art truly curious, and curiosity, I do respect, then in times of rest upon our journey, I will not be opposed to learning thee of true history.”
Mercer's eyes brightened up. ”I would very much like that.”
”As would I,” said Mason. ”Seeing so much so quickly, how this world is so big and full of so many dangers – it makes me feel so very small in comparison. It will do well for me to learn, if only to better acquaint myself with dangers to protect my dolt of a brother.”
”Hold that feeling of smallness to your heart lad,” said Old Thane. ”The smaller you feel now, the more you appreciate the great big wideness of the world in the future.”
”Understood,” said Mason, his tone deferential.
It was evident that Old Thane had some reputation that garnered respect among the brothers. Unsurprising considering the old man was a war hero.
”But say,” said Mercer. ”Asala, are you hard of hearing? When Tia chewed upon the scale, the noise nearly split my ear in two, and yet, you were fine.”
”Ah,” said Asala. She put a pale finger to her elongated, nearly elfin ears. ”Our ears work differently than thee of warm blood. We do not so much hear sound as we feel it, and that which may sound harsh and grating to thee may be muted to mine own senses.”
”Lucky,” said Sheela as she scratched her fluffy blonde ear. ”Crunching sounds very hard to hear. My ears s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e.”
”Sorry,” said Tia, her voice a little bit sleepy but still remorseful.
”No, dragon cub, no sorry,” said Sheela. She smiled at Tia warmly, her gaze filled with patience that was unsurprising considering she had a little sister. ”I am not bothered. But still-,” She looked at Vilga who stood tall and strong with her arms crossed, looking out at the rolling view below the mountaintop. ”You seem fine, and I know your kind have ears like me.”
”I have learned to meditate,” said Vilga. ”I can ignore distractions.”
”And your common very good,” said Sheela. ”Make me jealous.”
Vilga closed her eyes. ”I have been a slave far longer than you have, so I have learned common for longer as well.”
It stood to reason that Vilga, having been a slave to the fighting pits for most of her life, would have fluency in the common tongue.
”I remember now,” said Sheela. She frowned. ”Sorry.”
Vilga kept her eyes closed, remembering, but she smiled, her fangs baring. ”No need for sorrow. The pits made me strong, and I like being strong.”
She opened her eyes to the present, her deep blue pupils taking in the magnificent scene atop the mountain. Clouds gathered just below the mountaintop in faint, wispy strips, and beneath them, the rolling mountainside was visible, stretching far out into the foggy distance. There were patches of green dotting the rocky mountain, but aside from that, there was no sense of life at all.
Just pure and una.d.u.l.terated silence. The undead haze around and within the mountain had ensured that no life had ever been able to take back the mountain for two centuries. That took away little from the majesty of the view.
In the distance, the two mountaintops that made up the rest of the Triforge mountains peaked above the clouds, and beneath them, massive bridges of black metal linked each mountain. The dwarven people might have long left this world, but their works, the great marvel of nature they lived on, all remained standing in some way. Memories carved into the earth that showed that they were here, that they had lived and died just like any other mortal race.