Spears of Redriver

Part Twenty-Seven - The Guard and the Faceless Man

Carthus was the first to descend into the newly found corridor cut through the earth. He was glad to be away from the pit, but his mind raced around who or what could've made it. He remembered there were dangerous wild wurms that burrowed through the mountains near the Clanlands, but even they were not this massive, and this pit was far too clean cut to have been made by a wild beast. Oro was next in line, holding a torch overhead which provided just enough light for them see ahead into the tunnel. The other spears were behind Oro, and Ythara took the rear.

Something moved just on the edge of the torchlight and Carthus froze again. He blinked a few times hoping to adjust more to the lack of light, but nothing happened. The movement faded as instantly as it came.

"Are you ok Carthus?" Oro asked, almost bumping into him.

"I'm fine" Carthus lied. He kept seeing these dark shapes drifting inside the shadows all around, here and earlier in the pit. What are they? He wondered, confused. It didn't seem like anyone else could see them. He released a quick exhale and kept going, trying to step lightly now.

Moments later, as they cleared a corner in the musty, dark tunnel, Carthus noticed a light at the end of it. It was there, as clear as day but he paused and leaned to the wall.

"Do you see that?" Carthus asked.

"Yes, there's a light," Oro replied, "it looks like the tunnel opens into a chamber."

"Let me through!" Ythara commanded sharply as he slid past the other spears. He glared down the length of the tunnel, "let me check it out."

Carthus nodded, and the bregiri warrior was away, moving as quietly as ever. He stepped lightly down the hall and stopped at the opening. After a short moment, Ythara returned just as silently.

"There is one Ordethi warrior inside, a small chamber with torches and one door on the far end. He looks to be guarding the door" Ythara whispered.

"Let's take him alive " Carthus whispered back and waved one finger up at the others before signaling for them to follow. Together, with Ythara at the lead this time, they moved down the hall with their weapons drawn. The men with the torches moved slower and stayed in the rear. As the nine Spears of Redriver moved closer to the opening, Carthus gave the command sharply, "move in!"

Ythara charged through the opening and leaped at the Ordethi, causing him to drop his spear. The assassin managed to sidestep the leap and the single blade that the bregiri had pulled on him, but he stumbled backward nearly falling over.

Carthus was the next one in the small room, and it was just as Ythara had said, there was nothing inside but a door and a few torches on the stone walls. But aside from the single Ordethi, Carthus saw one of those strange shadows standing in the corner. It seemed to glare at him despite the smooth facelessness of his head. He froze in place, just ten feet away from the surprised Ordethi.

"Move!" Oro shoved past Carthus, throwing him aside as a dagger cut through the air and pierced the large man's leather breastplate. He kept moving forward as if it meant nothing and swung hard at the Ordethi who nimbly ducked away.

The assassin struck back at Oro with a second dagger he pulled from his belt, but this time, the large Maad blocked the strike with his bracer.

The other spears charged in and circled around the lone assassin, he was trapped. Carthus stood from where he had fallen and shook his head, glancing back to the corner. The shadow was gone, but he froze and would be dead if it wasn't for Oro.

"Stay your weapons!" Carthus suddenly shouted, and the warriors stopped advancing and prodding their spears at the assassin. Carthus examined the dark-skinned man. He had a strange tattoo on his face that reached down his neck and under his leather armor. The Maad stepped past his men and into the circle they made, "what are you guarding here?"

"You know nothing...of the king...of the city...or of the cliffs," the Ordethi looked from Carthus to the other spears and then back again, "you get nothing from me, except that you are nothing more than a loyal hound in all this corruption...and it will eat you away until your spirit is gone!"

"Answer my question!" Carthus ordered, "we will get past you and find out anyway, so make it easier on yourself." The assassin shook his head.

"He will say nothing, kill him" Ythara suggested.

"What is that pit? What are the shadows?" Carthus asked.

"I will not speak" he raised a hand to his mouth and quickly swallowed something. He dropped to his knees and started coughing and then just as suddenly, fell flat on his face.

"Damn it!" Carthus leaned in and checked the Ordethi's none-existant pulse.

"We should keep going," Ythara said.

"It was a waste, he wouldn't have spoken" Oro exclaimed.

"Let's move, check that door!" the Maad commander rose from the Ordethi's side and frowned at him. I wasn't going to kill you! He thought They keep mentioning the cliffs.

"It is not locked, let's go!" Ythara called back as he raised the latch on the door and pulled it open.