36. Colt

Colt

It was late in the night, and Colt couldn't sleep a wink. Instead, he worked his body in his room, as he had been doing every morning and evening to strengthen it for the upcoming battle. Afterwards, he came down the steps to see Elian and Rhielle sitting at the table in the kitchen with a single candle on the table. At the counter, Brom packed up jars of apple butter he'd cooked on the stove.

"What are you doing?" Colt asked.

"Making sure we have food to eat after all this is done," Brom explained, setting aside the fifth jar on the counter. "No one ever thinks about where they'll need to get food after a battle."

Colt nodded considerably. It was true, he hadn't once given thought to eating afterwards, should they win. He tried to keep his thoughts favorable in killing Mordren and getting Owen back, but it was hard to gather enough confidence to think they would succeed.

He patted Brom on the back before coming around to Elian and Rhielle at the table. They ate apple butter with the biscuits from that morning, and Elian nodded at Colt.

"Want some?" he asked.

"No, thanks." Colt moved to the window, careful of Clove as she laid on the floor next to the door. He smiled, glad Elian had allowed her to come inside the city with him. But when he looked out the window, his stomach tightened when he saw Arroki soldiers assembling in the streets. They must have caught wind of the Legion soldiers moving outside the city. "I'm too on edge to eat."

"Then tell us what's on your mind," Rhielle said. She patted the seat beside her, and Colt sat in the chair with a sigh. He glanced up at her and shook his head as he recalled his time in Covehaven's prison, when she'd kicked him in the groin.

"No offense," he started, "but I'm still a little sore over you kicking my stones."

Elian's brows raised as he glanced at her. "Elle, you didn't tell me that."

Rhielle folded her arms on the table and looked down, smirking. "Sorry, I was just trying to be like my superior." She looked at Elian, her blonde curls shining in the candlelight. "He told me intimidation keeps me safe." When she turned her face to the Wielder, Elian only smiled sheepishly and shook his head.

"Ah, well, suppose I can get over it." Colt sighed heavily, then said, "Are you planning to take Clove with us through the labyrinth?"

Clove raised at the mention of her name, her ears perking up.

"Yes." Elian took a swig from his cup. "She aided me to Luthien, and she aided us through Vanhelm. Might as well let that wolf in her come out."

It would be good to have her along, as she could prove to be a good distraction for them as they used the rooftops to move towards the Azure District.

Colt looked from Elian to Rhielle. Both of them eyed each other often, and though they were in the same line of work, their lingering gazes told all .

"So are you two… you know…" Colt trailed off when Elian's blue eyes widened.

Elian choked on his water and placed the cup back on the table. Clearing his throat, he said, "Um, look, I have to… get the weapons ready." He stood to his feet and made his way out of the kitchen.

It seemed Elian was even worse than Brom when it came to being sweet on someone.

"It's a lost cause," Rhielle said, and Colt cut his gaze over to her. Her green eyes shimmered colorfully as she said, "Wielders can't marry."

"I don't think he's a Wielder anymore." Colt shook his head.

"At least not until we win." She got to her feet with a sigh, then nodded at him. "You should get some rest."

When she left the room, Colt stood as well, bidding Brom goodnight before he would have to wake in a couple of hours. He kept on the clothes he would wear in the battle—a faded red jerkin and trousers—and laid on the floor while Amias slept in the bed. He dozed off and on, dreaming about him and Owen in a house together and watching the sun set on a porch…

Then a loud boom sounded outside, waking Colt with a jolt. The furniture in the room vibrated, and when he glanced at the window, he saw lightning flash, and then another loud clap of thunder reverberated. It sounded much louder than any thunder he'd ever heard before.

Amias rose from the bed and crossed to the window. He looked out, then glanced at Colt. "This is no ordinary storm."

Colt got up and looked outside as another flash illuminated the street. Footsteps thudded loudly outside their room. When the door opened and Brom rushed inside, Colt knew it was time for them to move .

"We have to go, now." The look on Brom's face was full of panic.

"What's happening?" Colt asked as he changed into his robes.

"Elian thinks Mordren is starting his ritual." When Colt stared at him with wide eyes, Brom put his hand up. "It could take hours, Colt. We'll focus on finding the passage into the labyrinth through the graveyard."

Colt looked at Amias, who nodded. They both worked quickly and grabbed their weapons. When Colt stepped out of the room, he carried a short sword and the crossbow on his belt. A quiver full of bolts was slung across his shoulder. He had practiced with the weapon for hours last night. A smaller canister that held the single bolt with the emberstone was beside it. Colt drew it out to make sure it was there before tucking it back in.

When they came downstairs, Brom had a waterskin filled for each of them, and even small pouches of seeds and nuts. Colt glanced at Helena as she came into the kitchen, wearing padded leather armor over her chest.

"We're prepared here," she told them. "The girls and I will fight, if it comes to it, but we'll keep our doors open for any who need aid."

This made Colt smile. He had chosen the right person to seek out when he came into the city.

Elian and Rhielle came into the room, wearing what the Arroki wore, which would help them blend in.

"The Legion has taken down one of the main gates in the city," Elian said. "I imagine that's why the storm is so intense. Mordren is reacting. The storm is a hindrance, but it'll also aid us as a distraction as we travel to the graveyard on the rooftops. Once we're in the tunnels, there's no going back." He looked at each of them, and they all nodded back. "Let's move out. "

Elian cracked the door open and surveyed the cobblestone streets. He turned and nodded, then strode down the front stairs. Rhielle, Brom, and Amias followed him. Before Colt stepped outside, Helena grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug, which surprised him.

"Your mother would be proud of the man you've become," she told him.

He closed his eyes and squeezed her gently. When he pulled away, he said, "Thanks, for everything."

She smiled. "Go."

Colt took a deep breath, then closed the door behind him as he left. The night was the darkest Colt had seen since he'd arrived in Luthien. Even the lampposts that burned along the streets looked dim, barely casting enough light to find their way to the graveyard. They passed into a narrow alley, climbing up the crates they had set on end to reach the rooftops. They moved along over homes and shops, keeping low on their way to the Azure District. A thick fog began to form and aided them as well, as the beasts on the street couldn't see them, and the Arroki soldiers didn't look up.

Colt moved with assurance, his breath visible in the chilled air he jumped from roof to roof. Ahead of him, Brom's large-framed figure stopped to perch on one of the roofs as he waited for Colt. Amias moved carefully, his limp slowing him down. The man was much more feeble than before from the injuries he'd endured in Milarc, but he seemed determined to get to the catacombs.

Below, on the street, Clove ran alongside them, proving her loyalty to their group by distracting the beasts and Arroki. Colt hoped she wouldn't fall to the hordes of shadow graugs swarming the streets now .

Somewhere in the distance, the clash of steel and the anguished cries of battle wafted their way. Legion soldiers and civilians had begun their fight in the Bronze District, determined to take back their city.

When they approached the end of the buildings of the Bronze District, they slid down a thatched roof that nearly touched the ground. Colt and Brom caught Amias and stood him to his feet, then they began their trek towards Azure. As they approached an archway draped in tattered Legion banners, the Arroki marched nearby, accompanied by the shadow graugs. Soon, they were surrounded by their enemies.

Elian pulled out his Core and held it out. "Behind me," he told them.

Each of them moved behind Elian as the electricity spiraled out from his Core, striking all the Arroki down before them. That left the shadow graugs, who charged forward at once. Colt slashed at the beasts, using the moves that both Brom and Uriah had taught him, until he had cut down three. Behind him, Clove joined their fight and took down several on her own, while the others took care of the rest.

They moved onwards, making their way under the archway that led into Azure and leaving a path of destruction in their wake. The Arroki and beasts weren't difficult to kill, as they lacked any real skill with their weapons. Colt knew the bigger, smarter Arroki were in the Gold District and in the citadel. It made the plan to approach through the labyrinth much more appealing.

When they finally came to the graveyard, they found the place swarming with cryn. The black and white beasts sniffed around the tombstones.

"Wonderful," Elian said. " A setback."

Their group was quiet for a moment, then Brom turned to Elian and said, "Maybe you can gain their trust. Owen used his Essence to gain control of them before. Try using your Core to do the same."

Elian looked at Brom as if he was mad, but when Colt caught his eyes and nodded, Elian's expression turned more quizzical. "What, you agree with him?"

"Just… think trusting thoughts?" Colt shrugged.

Taking a breath, Elian began to make his way forward, but when the rest of them hung back, he stopped and turned to them, asking, "Aren't you all coming?"

"Maybe it's best if we wait here," Amias said.

A loud boom sounded from behind them, shaking the ground, and the cryn stood alert and raised their snouts into the air. Colt looked back to see smoke rising from Bronze. When he turned back to the cryn, the animals had noticed their group and began stalking towards them, growling.

"Elian, use the Core!" Colt said, as the cryn surrounded them menacingly. Clove kept her distance as well, only growling and not attacking.

Colt watched as Elian held out his Core, clutching it tightly with his left hand. Several cryn advanced towards the Wielder until spirals of electricity swirled outwards from the Core. The nearest cryn yelped as the glow of blue light lit before them. The beasts looked stunned, and then, one by one, they sat on their haunches, surrendering to Elian.

"I can't believe that fucking worked," Rhielle said, letting out a breath of relief.

Colt smirked. "At this point, I'll believe anything."

"We are part of your pack now…" Elian said aloud. When he glanced at his companions, they all nodded for him to go on. The Wielder cleared his throat and continued, "Protect and aid us through the catacombs beneath the city. Take down our enemies, for they are your enemies too."

The cryn moved to surround Elian and his companions in a protective circle. As one nudged against Rhielle, she patted it on the head, and Elian's eyes widened at the act. He looked as if he might take her arm and pull it away, but then he curled his hand into a fist and moved away.

"The passage should be beneath here," Amias said. "This is where the entrance is marked."

He made his way towards an unmarked and dilapidated stone mausoleum. The inside was empty except for a stone sarcophagus. It took all of them to push the heavy tablet off the top, and when it hit the floor, it landed with a loud thud and broke in half. Colt and Amias stared into the opening at the steps leading into darkness. Three cryn jumped into the passage first, then Colt helped Amias step over the sarcophagus and onto the top step. Once everyone had descended into the catacombs, three more cryn and Clove went in behind them.

Now, in the dark passage, Elian lit a lantern and held it out as they made their way along a tunnel.

"I must ask," Brom started, looking at Elian. "Why a labyrinth? If people in the city needed to flee, wouldn't they become lost here?"

"The officials knew which turns to take," Elian said. "Any outsiders who followed them inside would become lost instead, not knowing where to go, and if you took a wrong turn, one might be met with a fall into a pit, or perhaps a bed of spikes."

They moved stealthily through the tunnels with the lantern aiding them, the light casting flickering shadows on the ancient stone walls. As they rounded a corner with the cryn running alongside them, Elian suddenly froze and raised his hand in warning.

"Wait. Up ahead."

They all stopped as several red eyes glowed in the distance.

Shadow graugs were already here, awaiting whoever may come through the catacombs. Before the beasts could attack, the six cryn ran forward into the darkness. Clove tried to move into the fray, but Elian held her back, and she whined to move forward. The sounds of slaughter echoed through the tunnels. The catacombs went silent, and after another moment, the cryn came back, their fur bloody.

Their group continued forward until they discovered the dead shadow graugs. They stepped carefully over their bodies as they moved along the tunnels, stopping periodically for Amias to check the map and navigate towards the citadel.

After a long time, Amias stopped again and scanned the walls. "The passage into the labyrinth is somewhere along this wall." He ran his hands along the stone. The rest of the group began scouring the walls, Brom lifting the lantern to illuminate the tunnel.

"Perhaps this?" Rhielle asked, pointing out a stone that stood out from the others by such a narrow margin, it may have easily been missed. Amias nodded and pushed both hands into the stone. When it didn't budge, Colt and Rhielle stood on either side of Amias and helped. Panting with effort, they pushed until the stone finally edged backwards, and a thin stone door slid open next to them. Cobwebs fell from the corners from the movement, and a dank, musty draft wafted their way. Amias took the lantern from Brom and held it at the entrance of the exposed passage as two cryn bounded through the door .

"So begins our journey into the labyrinth," Amias said. "Be mindful of this place. It's old, and no doubt full of pitfalls and monsters."

Coming through the door, Amias immediately led them down the tunnel to their left. There were many twists and turns, some of which led to empty rooms. There were stairs that led to balconies and others that led straight into walls. The darkness and chaotic passageways of the labyrinth were disorienting. At one point, Amias led the group through a passage that circled back on itself in an infinite loop. Colt finally realized that they had passed the same stone three times. When they realized what they had done, it took them some time to locate the narrow opening they had used to get into this tunnel, which was hidden by a rock outcropping. If Aleana had meant to confuse her enemies, she had succeeded with her labyrinth.

There was no telling what was happening above them. Occasionally, they heard a boom, and dust would fall in a cloud from the ceiling. Colt hoped, for once, that the Legion had the upper hand. He walked with urgency, not knowing what would be around each turn or bend. The padding feet of the cryn echoed off the walls, an unsettling sound in such a quiet place. Then the animals ran ahead, turning a corner until they were no longer visible.

"Where are they going?" Rhielle started, her voice alarmed.

Elian shrugged. "If they find anything ahead, hopefully they'll take care of it before we get there."

When they came to a dead end, Colt looked at Amias. "Did we take a wrong turn?"

"I don't think so…" Amias glanced around the tunnel. "There must be another door. "

"Or how about a hole in the floor?" asked Brom, pointing to a spot next to him.

"Well done, Brom. Sometimes you have to stand back and look at things from a new angle." Amias lowered the lantern into the small portal, where the ground shimmered like water. "There may be a pool below." He furrowed his brow.

"I'll go first." Colt nodded and sat down, swinging his legs into the hole. He shimmied his hips and chest through first and then lowered himself slowly, holding on to the edge of the hole. When he was hanging by his hands, he took a deep breath and let go. He fell about five feet, having no idea if he would plunge into water or land on his feet. A moment later, he heard a small splash as his boots hit something wet, but the ground was solid.

"It's good!" he called up to them.

Amias dropped the lantern to Colt, and he gaped at the rock wall as it shimmered around him. They each came through the hole, Brom lowering Amias by the hands and Colt catching him by the legs. Down the way, Clove and three cryn looked back at them. He wondered at the complexity of the labyrinth, considering the animals had found an alternate passage.

It felt like hours that they walked, though they moved quickly. Colt was tense, wondering if something or someone would be waiting for them behind every twist or turn. But the cryn moved ahead of them, and they were never ambushed. Occasionally, they would pass a pile of rags or crumbling parts of the passageways. They often sloshed through water, and at times it was bone dry. Then the ground started to slope upwards.

"We're getting close," Elian told them. "Not much longer now. "

Colt's heart pumped ferociously. He wondered how the Legion was faring on the outside and hoped their enemy was distracted enough.

Up ahead, the cryn growled, and then someone cried out, and a deep gurgling followed. Their party halted and waited. One of the animals ran back to them, holding part of an Arroki's leg in its mouth. When it saw them, it rushed back into the darkness, as if wanting them to follow.

As they neared the other cryn, Colt squinted as he made out the shapes of bodies on the floor. At least five or so Arroki had been slaughtered, their blood trickling out into the tunnel. After a while, there were more sounds of slaughter, and they soon passed another group of dead Arroki. Their throats had been ripped open by the cryn's sharp teeth. Colt shuddered to imagine how this journey might have gone if the cryn and Clove hadn't been protecting them.

Colt looked around at the room they were in. It was circular, made of stone, and three tunnels veered off in different directions.

"We must be getting close to the citadel," Rhielle said as a series of growls came from somewhere in the tunnels. "There are more beasts."

Amias turned to Elian. "Are you ready, Elian?"

"For what?" Elian whispered.

"To do what you were destined for?"

Elian's mouth dropped open, as if he couldn't believe the man's words. The very man the Wielder had shot down, captured, and put in prison was now telling him that fighting against the Legion—fighting to save Owen—was his destiny. The look of gratitude that filled Elian's eyes showed Colt, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was meant to meet them all along.

He would lead them safely through this labyrinth and all the way to the citadel.

Elian nodded, then he held out his Core and turned towards the shadow graugs as they swarmed the room.

Taking a deep breath, Colt drew his sword and prepared as the first beast came forward.