Chương 7

Chapter-7 Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Without the sun to measure time, I do not know how long it had been since the dripping had started. It had been seventeen thousand drips since I began counting, and I had started counting on the third one after I had noticed it. They were evenly spaced, about four hours apart. Or so. Drip. Drip. Scuffle. I opened my eyes. Scuffle. I closed my eyes. It was not the first time an animal had delved into the cavern to make it its den. If it did not bother me, I would not bother it.

Then a soft, murmured "Owch," and I realized what sort of animal had found my cave. I opened my eyes again. I saw perfectly well in the darkness, but she carried with her a lantern. She did not come through the entrance I had used, but one of the other openings to the surface. Despite the light, she did not see me, stepping right past me as I sat near one of the stalagmites. No, she'd seen me, I realized. She just thought I was another stone formation. I did not move to disabuse her of the notion.

She lifted her lantern up to the wall, watching as the crystals lit up brilliantly in the lamplight.

"Beautiful," she whispered. Then she went to the wall and began chipping one of the violet crystals from the wall. I watched her, idly. It did not occur to me that I should do anything but watch. She was damaging the cave, but the cave did not care, and neither did I. She was perhaps the first living that I had smelled aside from the prince who did not reek of fear. She smelled of lavender soap and girl and roast mutton on her breath. She put the lantern down to use both hands to pry one of the crystals loose.

I think that is the first time I realized that the living do not see the light of the violet crystals like I do, for she was fumbling around in darkness, when to me the cavern was bright as day. Then she knocked her lantern over when she shifted her feet, and the light went out.

"Oh no," she said, and then the familiar scent began to fill the cavern.

"Oh no no no," she repeated. She fumbled around in the darkness. She tried smashing two stones together for some time, for whatever reason. Oh, flame. She was trying to make a spark. Nothing happened with her experiments.

"Oh no," she said, and she began to cry.

"Nobody knows I'm down here." She pulled her legs up to her chest and cried for a while, then she began exploring the cave by feel. In total darkness, she approached me. Her hand touched the crown.

"What?" she asked.

"What is this?" She fumbled with it by feel, looking and smelling confused. Drip. She put the crown on her brow. I felt the shift in the magicks shift.

"Great," she said.

"I find a treasure and now I'm going to die. I wish someone would save me." If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. I stood. She heard me shuffle, but could not see me.

"Who's there?" she asked.

"I am Tal," I answered. I would not have, except that it was dark and she could not see the rune branded on my forehead.

"What does that have to do with it? What's your name?" she asked. I did not repeat myself. Instead I took her hand, gently, in mine, and began to lead her out the way that the bear had come into the cavern three years ago.

"You know the way out, mister?" I said nothing.

"How did you know I was here? I didn't tell anyone I was looking for treasure," she said. I didn't answer.

"Is…is this your crown I found?" she asked nervously.

"I won't try to keep it if it is. Especially not if you're saving me. Thank you so much." She continued to ramble as I led her down through the exit. Soon the gray of an overcast evening began filtering in. She let go of my hand and rushed forward, laughing a little as she danced forward, laughing as she finished finding her way out.

"Oh mister thank you!" she said, spinning about and laughing. She was perhaps ten years old, with long blond hair. She looked much like the Prince's younger sister, when I'd seen her. I stepped into the light, and she finally saw me. She fell onto her butt. Her fear-scent returned, magnified a hundred times. She wet herself. Strange, why was she afraid of me now?

"Please don't kill me," she whispered. I hadn't been planning on it, so I simply stood still. She turned and ran. She had the Crown upon her brow. I chased after her, ready to serve her Will. She ran until she was exhausted. I ran until she ran herself into the ground. I could have continued running forever, but I could only chase her as far as she could run, and that wasn't very far.

"Please don't kill me," she repeated sadly. I said nothing. Finally, she seemed to collect herself. She steeled her nerves and looked up at me, a determined expression on her face.

"Tal," she said.

"Leave me alone." I left. I returned to the cavern, delving into the depths of the massive chamber where I had been before. She kept the crown. I did not miss its presence. Unfortunately, the world had stumbled into my sanctuary, and I was not to be left alone furthermore. Whether this was to the bane of the world I cannot say. And I do not care. But the death of nations followed. * Nineteen drips later, the priest came.

He was not alone, he had three servants, two of which carried lights and the third carried a crossbow. I don't know why. Perhaps they were expecting the bear to come back. Of middle aged, he had a shaved head and white eyebrows. The priest had a command staff in his hand, but I was surprised to find that it did not hold my attention the way that it once did. I sat quietly while they came into the chamber. Not breathing. Being, and choosing to be. When the light fell upon me, I did not react.

But the living visitors did. Not the priest, but the two in common garb. The priest, in the same scarlet and white robes I'd seen the ritualists who had awakened me wearing, simply rubbed his staff.

"Ah, so you are down here," he said.

"Good. Tal, come with me." I disobeyed. Briefly. To see if I could. I could. I obeyed. Not because I could not do otherwise. When I was later asked how I broke the compulsion, the answer is simple. I do not know. The better question to ask is "Why did I follow the priest if I was not compelled to?"

"You have been down here since the war, haven't you?" the priest said conversationally.

"I wonder how you got here. And I wonder how long you would have remained down here had Marissa not stumbled upon you. And that crown, there are only eight like it in the world, and three of them are unaccounted for. I do not know which one it is, but we will find out. We'll find out where you came from, and if you have living family, you will be returned to them." I said nothing.

"Things are different, now," the priest explained. He seemed to have prepared an entire speech for my benefit. Or perhaps he simply enjoyed the sound of his voice.

"The heretics that were whispering in the mad emperors ears have been killed. The ritual that was used to create you does not work any longer, since the knowledge to perform it was lost. It began when a rogue Inalten like you drowned several priests, and then petty acts of revenge led to the death of the individual ritualists who knew how the pieces fit together." We passed from chamber to chamber as he spoke.

"They hid their failures for a time as they attempted to recreate the ritual, but they revived only base undead. Nothing like you. When the army noticed their failures, they were all drawn and quartered. After that, and the death of six of his sons, the Emperor of Zozheim saw reason. He called a truce. He ended the tithe of bodies in his own lands and those he had conquered. He returned one fifth of what he had taken. The exact details of reparations are ongoing, but surely peace will return to this world.

"You needn't fear, however. You are blameless of the crimes that you were used to commit. If we can find your living family you will be returned to them, if not, a place shall be found. The emperor insists that the Inalten not be burned like the lesser undead, and the church agrees. Though it was blasphemy to create you, it is worse blasphemy to destroy the soul that you were given by Vorulsht.

"Marissa said you spoke. Can you speak?" I considered the question.

"Yes," I said at length.

"How long have you been able to speak?" I considered the question. Had I ever been unable to speak? I do not think so. I think I merely never had anything I needed to say.

"Forgive me. If you do not know the answer to one of my questions, please say 'I do not know.' This is a learning experience for both of us; I've never dealt with an Inalten before. Do you know how long you have been able to speak?"

"No," I answered.

"I see. Only about one in twenty of you picks up that trick, from what I understand. Perhaps you will get other memories of your past self? Some families hold out hope that their children will be returned to them in such a fashion." It was a foolish thing to hope for. I remember nothing before the ritual, waking, screaming naked into the void. If I recalled no more than that, then it was likely wishful thinking that there was more than that.