“There are side passages to avoid the humans,” the Warder said. “Follow me.”
Turning to the right, they circled around the main tunnel and followed the twisting passageways. The tunnels were full of rooms without any doors. Moisture dripped from the ceiling tiles, splunking noises that irritated Thealos. The sound of the Bandit soldiers grew sharper as they went, but it came from the main passageway. Reaching the end of the new corridor, they stopped to investigate.
At least fifty men carrying heavy oak chests worked their burdens down the main passage. Even from afar, Thealos could feel the Silvan magic contained within the chests. They were full of Everoot. Justin scowled, studying the humans with disdain. The soldiers walked away from the main corridor, up a path lit with brilliant torchlight. Justin’s eyes reflected the light and glowed in the darkness.
“That tunnel you see – it is the main crossroads on this side of the city,” Justin whispered. “It leads to the rest of the tunnels in the center. The humans have made different entrances to the tunnels from above. I have not explored them all, but it is sufficient to say that they can enter the ruins of this Watchpost easily.”
Thealos pressed his hand against the wall and felt the magic sing to him. “Where is the warding?” he asked.
“Down the corridor we were on – this one,” he said, pointing. “But it is guarded by an Otsquare. You may not be able to enter it.”
Thealos nodded, but he didn’t doubt it for a moment. The whispering voices in his mind gave him the confidence that he could. “Show it to me.”
After watching the Bandits disappear down the side aisle leading towards the center of the city, the two Shae left their shelter and took to the main passage again.
–I have been waiting for you–
Thealos clenched his teeth, feeling the presence of the magic grow stronger. The tunnel became less disturbed the further they went. Fewer muddied tracks littered the floor, showing that the halls were seldom patrolled. Thealos felt the kinship with the Crystal more keenly, its need growing even stronger. How far away was it? It felt close.
It was like walking into an ice-crusted pond. The tunnel hadn’t changed, but a biting wash of dread struck Thealos in the pit of the stomach. Justin hesitated, too.
“What was that?” Thealos whispered. The reek of Forbidden magic curled around him like smoke.
“We just breached a warding.”
“What did it do?”
The Warder Shae frowned. “I don’t know. It wasn’t here before.”
Thealos looked back the way they came. “I don’t like this.”
Justin nodded. “It was put here by someone for a reason. But not to stop us. A Death Warding would have been instant. This one is...different. As if to warn someone we were here.”
Thealos gripped the hilt of his weapon. “Are we almost there?”
Again Justin nodded. Together, they started jogging down the rest of the tunnel. The presence of Forbidden magic grew stronger and stronger. A cold sweat began to form on Thealos’ forehead. The smell of the Forbidden magic drowned out everything but the Silverkin’s voice. It only intensified.
–I will protect you from the Firekin–
Faster!
The broken floor tiles tripped him, almost spilling Thealos to the ground. He kept his balance and pressed onward. The smell of Forbidden magic made him want to retch. He nearly did. Justin also looked queasy, and he brought up his hands into a defensive position. Earth magic swelled around him, but it was pale compared to the intensity of the power ahead. He couldn’t speak. Where was it? How much further? Far down the corridor, Thealos saw a blue light.
–I will protect you–
He knew what it was. Just ahead, amid the broken stones and putrid rock, he saw a stone archway suspended by two pillars sculpted like massive gryphons. The light came from within the archway. It was as blue as the moon Eroth, except the light was painful to look at. Like staring at the sun at noonday.
Squinting, Thealos approached the pillars. The light drowned out details, blurring the pathway to follow. He felt the Silverkin screaming to him, louder and louder. He could not make out the words, but he felt the impact of them. Something wasn’t right. It was warning him, beckoning him to rush to seize the magic entombed inside. Thealos wanted to scream.
Something moved in the blue light.
Both of the Shae stopped, trying to get a look at it. The raw shadow of Forbidden magic knifed into them.
“No,” Justin said, his eyes bulging with panic.
Thealos recognized the presence. He had felt it during the night in the Bandit camp. The awareness that he was there, that he was a Shae. Thealos froze. It was a Sorian.
The Sorian stood before the stone pillars, cold and aloof. He was medium-sized for a human, with jade green eyes. His black robes seemed to smother the blue light shrieking behind him past the portal. Thealos couldn’t move. Fear guttered out any resolve to run.