Prologue Previous Chapter

Armis

“I knew this was going to happen.” Armis grunted, straining as he climbed up the tunnel floor.

Kito and Tohm said nothing. The only sound was the light rustling of their skins against the cold rock as they inched their way forward.

Armis tried to examine the path in front of him, but his own shadow kept swaying drunkenly across his field of view, back and forth, making it difficult to concentrate on the features up ahead. The slope appeared up ahead. He swallowed a curse; it was a miracle that this tunnel even existed, let alone that it held a hope of survival and escape. When the strange green vines had shoved him into Shub’s humid mouth, Armis was sure he was on his way to the spirit world. Falling, and landing on a cold stone surface covered in sharp rocks, opening his eyes and seeing nothing, hearing only the murmur of dripping water and whistling wind, it seemed to make sense – this is the spirit world.

And then Tohm fell on him. He hadn’t known it was Tohm at first – it was just some invisible monster of death come to claim him. They had wrestled and screamed, clawing and rolling around in the dark for what felt like a long time, but could only have been a few breaths, before Kito had called out “Hello! Is anyone there?”

“Kito!” they said in unison, and then a moment later: “Tohm/Armis?” to each other.

And that was when Armis realized he was still alive. “We aren’t dead.” He had said, fear and joy and love and hate rippling throough him. Letting go of Tohm, he off of his friend into empty air. With a shriek he fell a short distance, smashing face-first into some sort of stone surface, his eyes suddenly full of stars.

Above, he had heard their cries. “No.” He growled. “Stay back.” The blood from his battered nose trickled down his face, salting his lips.

More carefully, the three had felt out the edges of their prison, for prison it surely was – smooth stone wall on one side, open air on two others, and on the last, strange tendrils wriggling in the dark around a moist slab of meat that twitched and gulped randomly. They tried their best to stay as far away from it as possible.

“Why didn’t it eat us?” Kito wondered.

Armis shrugged. “Maybe we should just be thankful it didn’t.”

Finding an oddly shaped rock under his hand, Tohm had tossed it into the darkness. Armis had listened to it clatter downwards, his heart sinking with each new click and clack as it became apparent that there was no way off of this plateau.

Hoping that Barak and Shara and the others might hear them, they howled and roared for help, smashing rocks against the walls near Shub, the echoes reverberating through the bowels of their new world.

They had taken stock of their supplies. Some cutting instruments, bowls, their bedrolls, some extra leather straps, and a spear-straightener. No food, and no water.

“What are we going to do?” Tohm had asked the darkness.

Armis did not have an answer for him. Neither did the darkness for that matter.

With no lights, and no ropes, escape seemed quite hopeless. Leaving the others to their own devices, Armis had picked thorugh the bones, searching for wood. After a while, he started rubbing the bones against each other in a forlorn quest for light.

Tohm had lost his nerves first, shrieking “Let me out. Let me out.” as he pounded the wall.

Gungerly, Armis had grabbed at him, certain that even the slightest misstep would cast him into the abyss. “Tohm, calm down.” He had cried, shaking his friend, wrapping his arms around him, pulling him to the ground.

“Let me out.” Tohm had whimpered, his body stiff and trembling. “Let me out.”

For a long time, Armis had held Tohm as the younger man shivered. “It will be ok.” He whispered. “We will get out of here.”

“Ok.” Tohm had said, after a time, his muscles relaxing. “Ok.” Sighing silently, Armis had let him go.

“We need to get some rest.” He said, his whole body aching.

“Do we need to take turns?” Kito had asked.

“No.” Armis grunted. “No point.”

After a time, he fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming of mountainsides, falling and darkness. When he had first opened his eyes, and saw a golden skull grinning at him, he was sure it was still a dream. But after it sat unmoving for many heartbeats, he finally realized that there was light.

In his sleep, Kito had taken his father’s digging stone, and hugged it close to his chest. Somehow, magically, it had given off the faintest of glowing lights. Armis sat up quickly, and scrambled over to Kito’s side. “Kito. Wake up.” He whispered fiercely.

Kito’s eyes shot open, wide with fright, and then the stone went dark. “What? What is it?”

“Your stone. It glows in the dark.”

“I had the strangest dream just before you woke me. ” Kito said. “I could see you crouching over me.”

“No. Kito . You were awake. Your stone was glowing. I saw it.”

“What?”

“Your digging stone. ” Armis said, eagerly. “It was glowing in the dark.”

Kito’s voice became cold and angry. “If this is your idea of a joke…”

“No, Kito. It is true. I saw it. Here.. ” he said, fumbling around. “I saw a skull. I thought I was asleep, but I was awake. ” His hands slipped across the floor, as he tried to remember where he had seen the grim token. Finally, his fingers found the round top, and scurried back to Kito. “Here. I saw this, Kito.”

Kito fumbled and took the skull from him. “Okay. Now what?”

By this time, Tohm had awoken. “Try to make it light up again.” He had said, impatiently.

Doubt filled Kito’s voice. “Light on.”

Nothing happened.

“This isn’t going to work.”

Armis felt his temper shattering, and with tremendous effort he kept it under control. “Kito. If we can’t get that stone to light up again, we will all die from thirst. So please, try to be a little more positive. Find a way to make it work. Or give it to me, and I will try.”

“Fine.” Kito said, petulant. “I’ll try to be positive.”

A few moments passed in darkness, and then the stone had burst into painfully bright white light, causing tears to well up in Armis’s eyes. From pain or joy, or maybe both.

The light had revealed a ledge, an arms length down from the edge of their plateau prison. That ledge snaked along the cliff wall, weaving, dropping and climbing until it reached another plateau, several heights of men distant. They immediately started crawling along the ledge, eager to escape from their deathbeds. Armis looked back briefly, and realized that there were no rocks on the plateau surface – only the bones of previous victims, unable to escape without light, doomed to die, crushed by the darkness. Even if they had found the ledge, it would have been suicide to try to navigate it without light – too many cracks and soft areas, visible to the eye but not to the hand, that would have cast anyone desparate enough to try their luck.

When they reached the second plateau, they discovered a large tunnel, sloping gently downwards, tall enough to stand up in. The tunnel was quite different from the Red Cave – instead of stone icicles and crystals, it was a featureless hole, sloping down and straight as a spear shaft. They marched quickly down the path, searching for signs of water. After a time, they rested, and then marched some more, trying to ignore the thirst that was rapidly consuming them.

And then they heard a moan, starting low, flowing across them like a fog, and then rising higher, turning into an inhuman shriek of malice. The travelers stopped dead in their tracks, drawing their knives and searching frantically around for the danger.

The sound returned again, but this time it started as a shriek, and dropped down low, until it seemed so faint that it could hardly be heard, except as a throbbing of the ears.

Armis swallowed painfully, his throat even drier than before. “We- we’d better keep going”.

Kito nodded uncertainly. Armis stood up straighter, and smiled, patting him on the shoulder, trying to give him some confidence.

They had kept walking, down into the depths, somewhat more tentatively, as the moaning monster continued to caterwaul ahead of them.

There was something about the moan, though. Something familiar.

After a bit more walking, Tohm burst out laughing. “It’s the wind.” He gasped. “It’s just the wind.”

It all fell into place. Relief and embarrassment flooded his insides as he let go of the breath he hadn’t noticed he had been holding.

“There must be an opening to the surface somewhere!” Kito blurted out. Armis’s eyes widened and he nodded. “Come on. Let’s go find it.”

They had walked more quickly down the path, thirst and hunger forgotten for a little while.

Much later, after the wind had died down, they entered a huge network of underground caverns, all of them partially submerged in icy water filled with small white fish. After slaking their thirst, they tried to catch a few of them, but without spears it was hopeless. After the very first attempt, the fish all darted away into the depths of the black waters, too far to follow.

They waited for a time, but when the fish didn’t return, Armis picked up his pack, slung it across his back and waded into the water. The others followed, navigating a long stretch of shallow water, Kito’s light guding his footsteps. These caves were made of softer rock, than the tunnels above, and they were filled with amazing stone formations – icicles and pillars of immense size, hundreds of crystals, and the most amazing flows of stone.

“Are we the first people to ever see these?” Kito wondered.

After a while, shivering and numb, they found a ledge that was raised out of the water’s surface. Only it wasn’t a ledge – it was the edge of the lake, and a return to the older, stronger stone material. Several fish skeletons littered the floor of the ledge.

“Did they jump out?” asked Tohm.

Armis shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. We need to find a way out. Look around for another tunnel. Preferably one going up he thought.

They walked around for a few moments, tracing the edge of the cavern, until they discovered a large hole looming in the wall in front of them. It was another tunnel.

Only now it was sloping upwards, and at a very steep angle. Rocks and dirt were scattered at the base of the hole. A low whispering emanated from the opening, and just the fainest smell of honeysuckle. “This is the way out.” Armis had said. “Let’s go.”

“How?” said Kito. Armis looked at him – one arm ending in a scarred stump, the other holding the stone of light. There was no way he could make it up this new tunnel, except by inching along on his side. And if it were anything like the tunnel they had come down, it would take two lifetimes for him to reach the top again.

“What if Tohm held it?” Kito asked, offering the stone to Tohm. As it left Kito’s hand, it immediately went dark.

“Aaaah! Tohm, give it back” shouted Armis, startled by the sudden oppressive weight of the blackness. It was easy to forget how important light was. There was some fumbling.

“Tohm.” Kito said. “Hold it, and imagine it glowing”. No light.

“Tohm!.Give it back.” Armis shouted again.

“Tohm.” Kito repeated, patiently. “Imagine it glowing.”

“Shut up, both of you” shouted Tohm.

The echoes of all of their voices echoed across the watery cavern. “It’s not working, Kito.” Tohm sounded frustrated.

“Then give it back, Tohm. Quickly.” Armis was finding the darkness much more disturbing now.

“Careful! Don’t drop it.” Kito squealed, and Armis’s heart leapt into his throat, imagining the stone plunging into the water. A few heartbeats later, it flared back into life, firmly in Kito’s grasp. All three of them sighed in relief.

Armis continued to ponder the tunnel. If they had a sled, they might be able to drag him.. If they had some ropes.

“Do we have any straps or cord?” Kito asked.

“Yeah, ” said Tohm. “I have a couple of small ones.” He started digging through his pack, and handed two leather straps to Kito.

Kito looked at them for a moment, and then shifted the digging stone, letting it rest on the back of his arm, near the wrist. It continued to shine. Armis gave him a puzzled look. “Kito–”

Kito ignored him. “Tohm. Tie the straps around the stone, and lash it to my arm.”

Armis’s eyes widened. “Good idea.” As Tohm started working, he saw the stone shift briefly, and suddenly had an image of the glowing stone rolling down the tunnel as they were halfway up. “Tohm. make sure that it’s tight. Make very, very sure.”

Tohm nodded, and tightened the cords, eliciting protests from Kito.

Kito tested the strength of the cords, whipping his arm around rapidly. Everything seemed to hold together. “We’ll need to check on it regularly.” Armis added.

And they had started the long climb.

=-=

Another fully cycle of sleep later, they were still climbing, navigating this strange tunnel which wound back and forth through the rocks. Hunger was eating away at their strength, and they had to rest regularly. Still, every once in a while, the wind would blow, and they would start moving faster again, eager to find escape.

The tunnel itself was starting to show signs of wear – there were large cracks, and at least one significant break in the stone, giving them a ledge to rest against for a few moments.

And then they heard the rain, falling on stones somewhere up ahead. “We’re close” he breathed, hardly daring to hope. He started climbing the slope once more. Within a few paces it suddenly widened into a small chamber, large enough to stand up in. Most of one wall of the chamber was a massive pile of rocks, dry and dusty.

They could hear the wind and the rain whistling from above. “Look!” Tohm pointed at a dark crevice in the roof of the small room. “That crack must open to the outside.” A few drips of water proved his point, leaking slowly from the crack.

“Oh no.” Armis’s shoulders slumped in defeat. There was no way anyone would fit through that hole.

“What about the digging stone.?

Armis stared at him. “Kito! That’s solid rock.. We’ll be dead of starvation before you get a fingers width in!”

“Yeaaaargh!” He pounded his fist against the rock pile.

A thin stream of dust fell from the rocks, and a couple of small stones tumbled out of the pile, and down the tunnel.

The three of them looked at each other.

“There must have been an avalanche, or something.” Kito studied the rocks. “Maybe if we–”

Armis interrupted, pointing at the pile. “Tohm, start clearing rocks over there on the left. I will work from this side, and we’ll be out of here quickly. Be careful – the floor is slippery. Kito – stand in the center of the room, hold your light up and keep still, so we can see what we’re doing. “

Tohm immediately headed over to the left side of the pile, and began aggressively pulling rocks from it and tossing them over his shoulder. Some of them landed and lay still behind him on the ground, but most were sent crashing down the tunnel, which responded with a cacophony of echoing crashes and splinters. Armis was more careful, stacking the removed debris around him.

“Tohm, watch out.” Kito shouted as a large rock narrowly missed his head.

“Sorry.”

“Tohm, slow down.” Armis said.

Tohm shook his head. “I’m not staying in here any longer than I have to, Armis.”

Armis sighed. “Kito, get over here, near me.” The light swayed drunkenly, and then righted itself.

“Look!” Kito pointed at the floor. A small trickle of water was running down the middle of the tunnel.

“We’re almost out!” Tohm shouted, and pulled at another rock.

The pile groaned, and shifted slightly.

The three men looked at each other. “What was that?”

“Look. More water.” Kito pointed again. Sure enough, now there were three, no, four streams running down the floor, joining together as they reached the steeper drop behind them.

Something seemed out of place. Just focus on getting out. Armis pushed the worry of his mind. “Keep going.” He whispered. He studied the pile, searching for the next target. There. Reaching out, he grabbed at a large triangular stone in the middle. As he pulled it loose, he realized it was slick with moisture.

Tohm grabbed another stone and yanked it out of the pile. Several other stones came loose and tumbled down after, sending Tohm jumping out of the way.

The pile groaned again.

“Uh, guys?” Kito said.

“What?”

“Look at the floor.”

Armis glanced down. Now there were eight.. no, nine.. no.. ten… no…

The pile groaned again, as water cascaded through the stones towards the floor, the trickle splashing into a growing pool at the base of the rockfall.

“That’s a lot of rain.” Kito said, uncertainly.

“Hey, look.” Tohm shouted, pointing. Water was spraying from a small hole near the large rock. Tohm leaned in closer. “I bet we can loosen it now.” He reached out.

Something is wrong here.

“No wait, Tohm, don’t.” Kito shouted, rushing forwards to grab his friend, too late.

Tohm shoved at the large rock, and it twisted sideways. Water spray erupted from both sides as the pile shivered violently.

Tohm’s eyes widened, and he dove to the right, towards Kito, slipping on the slick floor of the cavern as water and rocks began tumbling out of the pile. “Tohm.” Kito shrieked, reaching for his friend as the water poured over him. “No.” Armis cried, grabbing his young friend by the back of his shirt as he tried to help Tohm.

Reaching out with his good hand, Kito’s fingers interlocked with Tohm’s. “Pull me back.” He said. But before Armis could plant his feet, the remnants of the pile collapsed, vanishing beneath a cataract of dark water that smothered his two friends.

Armis yanked on Kito’s shirt, heaving backwards to pull the boy out of the flood. Kito’s head reappeared, gasping and spitting. “I’ve got Tohm. Hurry.”

Kito’s shirt ripped slightly. Switching his grip, Armis grabbed the boy around the waist, and lunged backwards, smashing into the remains of the rock pile.

As Tohm’s head re-appeared above the water’s surface, the rest of the pile of stones gave way behind Armis, dropping into the channel.

A large round stone spun wildly past Armis’s head, and struck Tohm. Instantly, he let go, and the water took him, smashing the back of his head against the back of the small room.

“Tohm.” Armis cried, watching as water poured over his friend, leaving a bloody smear on the cave wall.

Oh no.

“Tohm.” Kito shouted. “Tohm. Don’t let go. Armis, help.”

The onrush of water seemed to slow as quickly as it started, but the damage had been done. By the light of Kito’s stone, Armis could see Tohm, eyes open, unmoving in the water, a stream of red rushing away into the current.

Kito rushed forward, shaking his friend.

“Tohm. Wake up. Please wake up.”

Armis couldn’t find anything to say, clenching his teeth in misery. My care. My responsibility.

As the water receded, Tohm’s body flopped to the floor. Grimly, Armis stepped forward, placing his hand against the man’s chest, his cheek against his mouth.
Nothing. No breathing, no heartbeat.

Blinking back tearms, Armis stood up. “Kito… Tohm is-”

“Don’t say it.” Kito whispered. “Please don’t say it.”

Armis nodded, half relieved. “Okay. Help me get him out of here.” Grabbing the dead weight by the arms, Armis heaved the body forward, and Kito fumbled with the legs.

“Daylight.” Kito breathed. “We made it.”

Carefully, testing each footstep, they walked out of the cave, into a large bowl-shaped pit, filled at the bottom with muddy, scummy water that was fed from a small stream flowing from the north. A heavy storm blackened the sky, pelting them with fierce rain, forcing the two to bow their heads. As he backed out of the cave, Armis immediately saw what had happened. The rock slide that they had been digging out had dammed the stream to create the pond, and when Tohm had removed that one key piece, the whole wall had collapsed inwards, sending the entire pond’s worth of water rushing into their cavern. It was truly a miracle that only one of them had died.

The mud sucked at their feet as they worked across the basin of the water, a few fish flopping helplessly in the muck.

“Armis.” Kito panted. “I can’t go.. any further.”

Nodding, Armis stopped, and they lowered Tohm’s body down into the mud. “Spirits,” he whispered, “please make this man’s journey into the spirit world a peaceful one.”

As he stood up, Kito rushed forward, and flung his arms around his dead friend, wailing in grief.

Armis’s heart burned with guilt. If only I had recognized the signs. If only I had stopped him. If only we hadn’t met with Axar. He sat down in the mud with a plop, oblivious to the rain, reliving the last few days in his mind.

Kito started to sing, a mournful song of woe and loss that seemed so out of place in a boy’s mouth.

No, not out of place anymore.

Armis recognized the song immediately, it was one of the Clan’s songs that was said to guide a spirit on its journey.

But Kito was changing it. It was still sad, but with just a hint of… hope?

He looked up. Kito was sitting in the mud, eyes closed, singing, holding his friend against his chest, arms wrapped tight around Tohm’s middle.

“Kito, what are you doing?”

The crystal strapped to Kito’s left arm flared into life, emitting a brilliant white light beyond anything he had ever seen before. Throwing his hands up, Armis turned away from the incandescence. “Kito.”

A scream of pure terror erupted from the boy. Armis fell backwards involuntarily. That sounded like Tohm.

Scrambling, he rolled to his feet, blinking the spots from his eyes as the crystal dimmed away to darkness.

It was Tohm, sitting up, eyes staring into space, shrieking mindlessly. Running out of breath, he sucked in another, and then fell backwards into the mud.

“Tohm?” Armis tried to stand up, but he was having trouble seeing.

The ground tilted crazily, and then surged upwards at him as the darkness consumed him.

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Saturday, June 17th, 2006 at 4:38 pm.
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