The tunnels were of the crude construction that spoke of ancient origin, far older than the Shaper residence on Sucia, the walls and floors of icy crystals which caused Dakro to slip, and even the claws of his fyora were unable to always keep a grip on the ground. The thahd lurched along, seeming not to mind sliding into walls. One icy-crystal covered corpse bore features which were alien to Dakro, yet with an expression on the face that spoke of terror, an emotion recognized across the cultures. Slipping and sliding through the tunnels, it was not much longer before Dakro learned the reason for the terror.
While there were many pylons with engravings worn near-smooth, pylons which Dakro was certain were tombstones, specters rose, some ahead and some behind Dakro and his creations. The chill was such that even the gouts of flames from his fyoras, which made short work of the spectral foes, did little to change the overall chill of the place itself. Around each corner, as Dakro came within sight of another of the pylons which seemed to be placed at odd intervals, more specters burst forth, his fyoras and thahd being put sorely to the test.
At last he came into a room with two crypts, and the lid of one slid away smoothly at Dakro's touch. At first, he thought it was empty, for there was merely a scattering of dust inside.
Then, a spectral being rose from inside, a form very amorphous, but the spirit of something vaguely humanoid. It seemed to be looking down at Dakro, examining and judging him before reaching out. Dakro gasped as an insubstantial finger traced a cold line through his chest, chilling him. Then the being faded away, evaporating in the dim light.
'It's as if it gave me a strange boon before departing,' thought Dakro, as he turned to leave, resigned to being unable to find a way out other than that which he had come. 'I feel stronger-more charged with energy. It has done a good thing for me.'
Dakro continued, until he reached east Kazg, and seeing a temple, he approached, and two guards at the door crossed their weapons.
"Stay back, Shaper," said one. "This is the Shrine of Defiance. No Shaper who sets foot inside is suffered to live. Back, or we unleash powers on you."
"Bah," said Dakro, continuing. 'Powers? They're serviles ... and no servile shall tell a Shaper what to do or not do.'
Slaying the cultists, Dakro was quite stunned to realize that they were capable of casting some magical spells, though they were not able to stop him and his creations. Then inside, he found an altar with a Shaper robe which had been ritually stabbed many, many times, and a thick tome.
The tome described their beliefs, not centering around a god or other sort of omnipotent being, but rather some intricate rules for self-denial and meditation. 'How bizarre-those are the purification techniques of wizards,' thought Dakro. 'They were trying to teach themselves magic, and in some degree succeeded. Considering how much effort we Shapers put into keeping magic out of the reach of serviles, this is most unexpected. For the sake of the Shapers, I hope this is the end of the cult.'
Dakro carefully made his way through the eastern area of Kazg, and there met a servile tinker who was wearing robes stained by the juices of living tools and other Shaper devices.
'Odd. Serviles normally make some effort to bathe regularly. Suppose isolated living has caused this specimen to give up the habit. Eww,' thought Dakro, managing to avoid showing disgust at the smell. 'Suppose it is pleasant that he doesn't regard me with the usual hostility for a servile in this area.'
The servile said, "Greetings, Shaper. I am Tinker Kurit. Welcome to my little shop."
"What do you do out here?" said Dakro.
"I am a tinker. My mother, and her father, and his ... well, something ... have passed down the secrets taught to us by the Shapers, the secrets of maintaining and repairing their tools," said Kurit. "And I can, if you wish, trade with you for supplies. Or even sell you access to my special Shaper artifacts."
"Special Shaper supplies?" said Dakro, wondering if it might be another canister. It had had been a day since he last used one, and he was finding himself wishing for that peculiar feeling of being re-written.
"The Shapers left us with many artifacts. Some are useful to serviles. But some kill us. I have some specimens of the latter sort of item. One is good for warriors, one for wizards, and one for creators of life. Each is seven hundred fifty coins," said Kurit.
"That's rather steep," said Dakro.
"They are quite wondrous," said Kurit.
"Two fifty," said Dakro, recognizing the manner of a merchant who had expected barter, wondering briefly where the servile might have learned such behavior.
"I couldn't eat if I did that," said Kurit. "Seven hundred."
"Two seventy-five," said Dakro.
The banter went back and forth until Dakro had talked him into five hundred, and then Dakro said, "I will look at the artifact for Shaping."
"Please leave for a moment, so that I may unlock the door," said Kurit.
Annoyed, Dakro did so, and then returned.
Kurit said, "The right door leads to your prize."
"So, why are you not hostile to me?" said Dakro. "That is unusual in a servile around here."
"I mostly agree with the Takers," said Kurit. "But not totally. I feel that you Shapers are our enemy. But I believe that if we deal with you bravely and fairly, it will not be necessary to go to war with you. I am even more liberal than Gnorrel in this regard."
"Why do you live out here, then?" said Dakro.
"Because some Takers find my moderation repellent," replied Kurit. "They would gladly kill me, if they had the chance."
"Does Gnorrel accept your disagreement?" said Dakro.
"She does not want to. But she needs supplies and weapons," said Kurit. "So she needs me."
"What can you tell me about this area?" said Dakro.
"East Kazg is a ruin, as you can see, and it has not received the attention of the other areas. There are three features of note, besides where you are standing right now. There is the Cult of Defiance, the Mixing Hall, and the gates," said Kurit. "The Cult of Defiance has a temple to the west. They are ... well, extreme in their views. They hate Shapers. They are determined to gain magical powers, the powers Shapers forbade them to develop. I hear that they have had some success. Even Gnorrel and the Takers hate them. They want to interfere with Gnorrel's plans, whatever they are. They stayed holed up in their temple now, waiting to be killed by someone."
Dakro decided not to mention the fact that they had already been killed by someone, and said, "And the Mixing Hall?"
"It is to the south. Shapers once used it to mix noxious substances. It is well secured for that purpose," said Kurit. "Some serviles tried to use it a few months ago. Their errors made those chambers quite dangerous."
"And the east gate?" said Dakro.
"I recommend against trying to pass there, until you have permission from Gnorrel or Eko Blade. They aren't letting anyone go past there," said Kurit. "I don't know why."
"I see," said Dakro, and he left the tinker's shop.
As Dakro made his way south, alongside the east gate, a servile warrior came up boldly to him.
Standing toe-to-toe with him, the servile said, "I am Veel Blade, Shaper. You are not allowed here. You may not pass."
"What is past the gate?" said Dakro.
"I will not tell you," said Veel. "This is not your place. Go back to Kazg. That was only warning."
"So what can you tell me about the area?" said Dakro.
"Nothing, now you go," said Veel.
"I will not be commanded by you," said Dakro.
"Our orders are absolute. No Shaper can pass. We want to deal with Shaper, but Shaper must not go by here, even if Shaper die," said Veel. "That only warning."
"And this shall be your only warning, I will not be commanded by you. I am a Shaper, and I can unmake you," said Dakro, and he pushed on.
As warned, the serviles moved to attack, and Dakro and his creations repulsed the servile attack, leaving dead serviles guarding the gate as he continued to the east.
Beyond the gates, rogue battle alphas patrolled, but using the narrow passages to his advantage, Dakro picked off the alphas while moving steadily toward the caves, at first the turrets were hostile, and as he began to bring his fyoras' fire to bear, the noise of fighting drew attention from the outsiders, and the humans drew weapons, and then said something in their tongue. Dakro shook his head, gesturing that he did not understand their alien speech.
One of the strangers sheathed his blade, holding his hands in a peaceful gesture, others shouted what Dakro believed was news of his arrival through the tunnels, and the remaining hostile turrets turned away.
'It seems these humans are willing to let me enter their lair peacefully, but I don't feel quite that peaceful. I am so angry every time I see outsiders in Shaper lands,' thought Dakro. 'Still, I believe these are the outsiders Rydell spoke of, so it may be worthwhile to speak to them.'
Dakro moved further into the caves, and met an outsider wizard who had several sacks of goods at his belt. He looked nervous at Dakro's approach, as though expecting an attack.
He pointed to himself and said, "Solyony," and then took a step backwards.
"Can you speak my tongue?" said Dakro.
Solyony looked at Dakro blankly, pointed to his chest again and said "Solyony."
Another outsider, seeming terrified of Dakro, said simply, "Masha. Masha." This one pointed further down the path which Dakro trod.
Then Dakro caught sight of a servile, and moved over to him, for he was confident that he could communicate with the servile, even if the servile had thrown his lot in with the small group of outsiders.
"Hello, Shaper," he said. "I am Narsu."
"What are you doing here, servile?" said Dakro.
"Shaper, I was a Taker of Kazg. I believed that we ... well, I will not bore you with my minor thoughts. But then, Gnorrel came, and she started dealing with Trajkov and the Sholai, and I thought it was mad," said Narsu. "So I fled, and I came here."
"What do you think of the Takers now?" said Dakro.
"They want to kill us. They might even have sent you to kill us. Any Takers who come here, we kill," said Narsu. "Otherwise, they will use tricks to kill us all."
"I see," said Dakro.
"The Takers are deadly, to the Shapers, to the serviles, to all," said Narsu. "I renounce them."
"Good," said Dakro. "Tell me about these outsiders."
"Masha is the leader here. She is to the north. Deal with her, she is wise, and she has things to say that you should hear," said Narsu. "If you decide to help her, come back to me. If you are with us, I can tell you things which could help you."
"I see," said Dakro, and he continued to the north.
There, he met one of the outsider humans, a female. She stood tall and proud, and had a strange alien attractiveness, though Dakro still felt anger and disgust at the sight of these people. 'These are outsiders, after all, in lands Barred by the Shapers. There's only one punishment for such a crime, swift death. And they forced me here,' thought Dakro. 'Were it not for them, I should be at my apprenticeship now.'
Holding out her hands in a gesture of peace, Masha spoke in a heavily accented manner, "Shaper, I am Masha of the Sholai. We are strangers from far away, stranded in your land. We wish to deal with you."
"What are the Sholai?" said Dakro.
"We are people from land far away. Icy land, harsh, across sea," said Masha. "We are great explorers, so we came here."
'Well, at least that makes a little sense. No Shaper has ever crossed the great sea. I know some say it is impassible, but that is clearly incorrect. Sholai probably never heard of Shapers before, but that does not change the fact that the law dictates they be killed,' thought Dakro, and he said, "Who are you? Why are you on our island?"
Masha smiled, relieved that Dakro was not going to kill her, and she said, "This is core of our dealing, there being much I tell you now. I tell you our story. You ready?"
"Very well," said Dakro. "Tell me your story."
"Yes. We were explorers. To cross great sea. Three large ships. One sinks on way. Many lost. We hungry, and much water and wind ripping sails. No food. Then miracle," said Masha. "We see island here. We land. One more boat lost, bottom ripped on harsh rocks. Only one boat left, not enough for us, and we trapped on this Sucia Isle. Then our leader goes about to explore. Leader is Trajkov."
"Tell me more about Trajkov," said Dakro. "What did he find?"
"He found many tunnels on north end of island. Mad Trajkov goes in to explore, and he finds secrets of you. He look for shelter. He find madness. He find books and labs and your secrets. He has all come ashore and hole up in tunnels. We look for food and settle to repair, and he studies your secrets and figures out your language and learns how to use your canisters," said Masha. "He gains your power, and shares it with those he trusts most. And then he gets plans."
"What plans?" said Dakro.
"He find out you have something called the Geneforge, some amazing powerful thing. He and allies want to use it. But they can't. It not ready. It need full Shaper for some reason, so he get a Shaper. Not you, though. He get another Shaper first. He send out ship and abducts Goettsch. Goettsch is old Shaper. He comes and learns of Geneforge. But then he flees. Trajkov furious. Goettsch is still on island. We don't know what he doing, but he here," said Masha. "Trajkov still want power, so he give command to get you. And then we know we must flee. Anfisa, Trajkov assistant, make plan. We take small boat. We slip away. Then things go wrong."
Highly intrigued now, Dakro said, "What happened?"
"I was just lesser than Anfisa and know less of what Trajkov was doing. She know much, and she have journal. It in chest," said Masha, and she pointed to a sea chest against the wall just northwest of the fire. "Magical chest. Locked. But when we leave, Trajkov knows and sends ship after us. He sink us on docks at southeast corner of isle. Anfisa killed. We flee into tunnels. Key to chest still on Anfisa body. We think it is back at docks. We want to be in chest. We think things inside help us with goals."
"What are your goals?" said Dakro.
"Trajkov is mad. He tinkers with awful balance. He angers your people, and commits crimes against them, and our mission is to meet people and make peace. Trajkov is true rogue, raising hate in your people, hurting the Sholai," said Masha. "Trajkov must be dead. Then we will try to meet with your people in peacefulness. That is the goal we have."
"What do you know about my abduction?" said Dakro.
"Madness. Stupid madness. He send our last ship, you destroy us, we stranded now. That all we know about it," said Masha. "Forgive our foolishness."
"You know this island is forbidden to you? The penalty for being here is death?" said Dakro.
Masha looked down at the ground, and said, "We know this now. But our choice was landing here or death. We were ignorant of rules. We hope you choose justice over law."
"I'm looking for a boat," said Dakro. "Where can I find one?"
"If you can help us, we give you information," said Masha, "straight across trade."
'Just like an Awakened, and I thought I was quit of them,' thought Dakro. "You speak my language. Can you teach some of yours to me?" he asked.
"I glad to, but first we need help. Fair trade, straight across. First you help us, then I teach," said Masha.
Feeling another surge of anger, Dakro said through gritted teach, "Very well, I shall look into opening your chest."
"That is what we wish for and hope. That is dealing we want. Go southeast. Find body and Anfisa, and hope to find her key. In return, we share more information with you," said Masha. "We hope you repulsed by Trajkov as we are. We may find common cause."
"Perhaps," said Dakro, and he turned to leave before the anger overcame him.
Arriving in the docks, he found that the defenses were on full, something he had never seen before-peculiar pylons which seemed almost crystalline in form to him, and upon destruction, they billowed out a quickly dissipating cloud of poison. Learning from this, Dakro held his thahd back, letting the thorns, fyora breath, and artila spit bring down the pylons.
Emerging from the warehouse after finally defeating the defenses, Dakro found one body, and then another. The second was the body of an outsider wizard who appeared to have been struck down from afar by a large, fiery missile. It seemed none of her supplies had survived, any weapons had been destroyed or taken, but she did have in her hand a small silver key with delicate runes that looked like a match to the runes on the chest Dakro had seen with the outsiders.
He continued, searching through the dock area for anything else useful, dealing with rogues as he crossed paths. Finally, he came across a dusty servant mind-not dead, asleep, nor deranged, though it did not appear to have been given a great deal of intelligence upon creation.
"Shaper, I am Tro. Welcome to this area. It has been time since I received instructions," it said.
'Doesn't even seem aware of how much time it's been,' thought Dakro, and he asked, "What is your purpose?"
"I am looking after the docks area. I admini ... admini ... look after this area," replied Tro.
"What is around here?" said Dakro.
"The docks are ..." said Tro, pausing as it thought. "East. This area has inns, barracks, and a shaping post for your use and enjoyment. Holding One is east, and Holding Two is north."
"How do I get to the docks?" asked Dakro, wondering if there were a way to get through doors he had been unable to open before.
"The gateway is to the southwest. Just ask the guards there," said Tro. "They will be glad to let a Shaper through."
"Can you unlock any of the doors outside?" asked Dakro, deciding against any attempt at explaining to Tro that the guards no longer were present.
"No, but I have a key thing," said Tro. "I can give it to my supervisor."
"Oh," said Dakro, "I have just been made your supervisor."
"You have? I am glad!" said Tro. "I haven't had a supervisor for a long time."
Dakro heard a cabinet click. "How long have you been waiting for instructions?" he asked as he opened the cabinet to take the key.
Tro blinked a few times, and said, "I ... I forget. I think it has been awhile. I don't know."
"Do you know anything about the Geneforge?" said Dakro.
"Should I?" asked Tro.
"I suppose not," replied Dakro. "Do you know anything about why this island was abandoned before?"
"It was? Oh no! I'm all alone?" said Tro. "Now I'm scared!"
"No matter, it is not abandoned any more, so do not fear," said Dakro. "So what exactly do you do?"
"I admini ... admini ... I do things. People say, "We need essence." And I say "Oh." And someone says, "Do you need anything?" and I say "Essence." And they say "oh." Nobody has told me I have done anything wrong for two hundred years," said Tro, "so I am doing good."
"Carry on," said Dakro, with a shake of his head.
Finally, Dakro returned to the cave where the outsiders were, and said, "I have recovered the key."
"Wonderful! Yes! You do us much good! Open the chest! We will all profit! But first, I can give you little instruction in our tongue. Then you can profit from inside things too," said Masha. "Now we know you help us, we also tell you more. We let you know more of what happens and who can help you."
"Good, teach some of your language to me," said Dakro.
"Gladly, Shaper. My knowledge weak and my skills soft, but I tell you what I can of things," said Masha, and she began teaching Dakro the syntax and vocabulary. "There, Shaper. We help each other now. I hope this was of use."
"Now that I have brought back the key," said Dakro, "tell me more of what is happening here."
"All right. We come back here in tunnels. We move west, only to find horrible surprise. Trajkov? He deal with stunted people to west. These serviles, they called Takers. He deal with them. He get them to try to block us in, and kill us," said Masha. "We want to explore island, but we trapped here. We get some of us out to explore, I go with them and return. There are more of us on Sucia, but hidden."
"I would like to meet them," said Dakro. "Where are they?"
"I go with them when they sneak out. I help them find place. I come back here. They are in cave north of village serviles call Pentil. Look hard in peaceful valley of trees," said Masha. "The leader name is Astrov. Find him and talk to him. And let me know how he is doing, please, if you can. He make efforts against Trajkov. He can help you do same, if you want." Masha handed him a letter written in her own language. "Present to Astrov. He helps you. This tells him you from me."
Dakro nodded, tucking the letter away, and then he went to the chest and opened it. Inside were salty, dirty clothes, some broken scrimshaw, and an old battered journal. Concentrating, he began to make sense of what was written there.
'It is the journal of this Anfisa, assistant and advisor to Trajkov. It is as this Masha told me, they were leading an expedition across an unexplored sea, starting with three ships, lost one to a storm. Reached Sucia, starving and without hope. Landfall cost them a second ship, and then Trajkov led an expedition and he and Anfisa found a Shaper research facility.' thought Dakro. 'On the northeast of this island, I haven't been able to get there yet. Tunnels provided shelter for the sailors as they stocked up on food and tried to figure out their next move. Trajkov and Anfisa continued to explore research chambers, and managed to translate our documents and figure out who the Shapers are and what they were doing here. Then her entries get shorter and vaguer, as though she was afraid Trajkov would read her journal. Definitely seems afraid of what was happening.'
Andela 17 - Trajkov has figured out how to use the canisters. He places a hand on top of one, and it changes him. If the Shaper writings are to be believed, they are re-working his genes. I don't know what those are.
Andela 21 - Trajkov has used eight canisters. I have used none, despite his urgings. They are changing him. He can use magic now. He never could before. It is very strange.
Andela 28 - Trajkov grows angry very easily now. He has used every canister we have found. The current total is twenty. That I know of.
Vit 3 - We have penetrated the deepest chambers. We believe we have located the Geneforge, referred to often in Shaper writings. Trajkov thinks we should use it. He should use it.
Vit 8 - Trajkov is frustrated. His anger is frequent. He is missing something. He said he needs some gloves. I am not sure if he meant gloves. His speech is strange sometimes.
Vit 15 - We know that Shapers pass this island, in their living ships. Trajkov has a plan. He will abduct one, using our sole ship. Or maybe this plan is already taking place. Many are loyal, and he speaks with me less.
He uses more canisters. Others use them too. They are loyal and strong. And they get angry easily.
Vit 20 - We have a Shaper. It is called Goettsch. It talks to Trajkov. I don't know what they say. Trajkov doesn't involve me. I know they are talking about the Geneforge.
Vit 25 - Trajkov and Goettsch spend lots of time in the Geneforge chambers. Some of us wonder when we will continue our mission. We have food. The boat is ready. Some are restless. We know, though, that Trajkov's path is the wisest.'
Ermin 1 - Goettsch has left. He has taken something from Trajkov. Trajkov is furious. He called me in to see the Geneforge. He wants me to hunt down and kill Goettsch. Goettsch is hiding in the wastes to the east
I told Trajkov I would kill Goettsch. He showed me the Geneforge. It has several power columns around it. Trajkov told me to stay away from them. They are unstable, he said, and could destroy the whole place.
Ermin 10 - I have not yet left to hunt Goettsch. Trajkov accused me of not wanting to. Suggesting we continue our mission infuriates him. He has stopped using the canisters. He didn't say why.
Ermin 25 -Trajkov has returned. He and his assistants explored the island. He said they laid traps and created controlling things and did diplomacy. He did not elaborate.
Ermin 27 - Trajkov has set his new plan in motion. He will abduct a new Shaper, a weaker one, who can be molded. We will anger these strange and powerful people even more. I am not sure this is the wisest course.
Ermin 28 - My own plans have come to be. As I write this, we are rowing away from Trajkov and his loyal, mad minions. At last I can write freely. Trajkov is mad.
Why is he doing what he is doing? Where did his lust for power come from? I do not know. I know this, though. We must stop him. We must return to our mission, our good mission, of exploration and peace.
We will land near a servile village. They call it Kazg. Hopefully, they know nothing of Trajkov or his plans, and we can enlist their help.
We have been sighted. The ship is following us. There are docks ahead, though. We will land and disappear into the tunnels. It is a risky path, but I don't think they will give chase. We threw fire at the sails. They will not risk the ship.
Dakro closed the journal after reading the last entry.
'Fascinating reading, that was,' he thought. 'I don't remember how many canisters I have used. It's no matter. Now back to speak with those serviles in Pentil, and then I think it will be time to try to find this Goettsch.'
Dakro made his way through Kazg, finding that they did not forgive him for having forced his way past the eastern gate earlier, but Dakro did not care, and obliterated the serviles as they attempted to get in his way, and soon they did not continue to try to block his way. The remainder of the journey back to Pentil, however, was quite uneventful, for already he had done much to reduce the number of rogues in the region.
In Pentil, Dakro paused to read the journal of Rydell before speaking with the servile again. Rydell had been the leader for some twenty years, and he had spent those years undermining Vakkiri and Kazg and playing the two settlements against each other. Yet there was one entry just before Dakro's arrival that caught his eye.
Why do they leave us here? Why do they test us so? Why won't they return? My people suffer. And I suffer. Year after year, death after death. Natley has lost her bonded, and she asked me why the Shapers allowed her pain.
What am I to say? I will follow them and do their will, whatever it is, until I die. But alone here, I can dare to wish.
I wish a Shaper would come here, and tell me I did well.
'At least that much is well within my power,' thought Dakro, and he left for Rydell's hall.
"I have met Masha, the leader of a group of Outsiders which has broken away from Trajkov," said Dakro. "She tells me there are others of her type north of here."
"Excellent. This is much as I suspected. The outsiders are divided, and not all are acting against us. Please, tell me all you can learn of the research warrens to the northeast," said Rydell.
"I shall," said Dakro, once more taking his leave of Rydell.