Blue Lightning and the Bear

by Blue Paladin

Two shadows from the past rise up to confront the New State Army. First they must dispatch the vampire who seeks to make life dance to his whims. But who will aid them against the Dark Knight of Chaos?

76. Chapter 76 The Way

Chapter 76 – The Way

Flik stumbled down the shaft, afraid that he had hesitated too long, that his friends had left him behind. Pale light blossomed ahead of him and he picked up the pace. As he approached, he could see that the light was being generated by Riou's Rune. Viktor gave Flik a wink when Flik caught up. Flik shrugged back, then noted that Kahn and Riou were studying the map.

The light was sufficient for Flik to make out features sixty feet away. He slowly turned about, taking in his surroundings. They were in a chamber filled with evenly spaced supports of wood and rock. The ceiling was little more than a foot above his head. He had to fight the urge to stoop.

"That way," Kahn said, pointing left, off into the darkness. He rolled up the map and their journey began, Riou in the lead.

For a time, they walked past the seemingly endless supports. The mine was silent except for the sound of their footsteps on the loose gravel of the floor. Abruptly, they came to a corner where the path turned to the right. Riou glanced back to Kahn, who nodded. They continued onward, solid rock to their left, pillars and open shafts to their right.

Finally, a path appeared on their left, too. Flik recognized it from studying the map. Taking this course would ultimately lead them to the mines of Tinto City. Riou turned without hesitating and walked on, dispersing the gloom with his Rune.

And that's when the original plan came undone. After fifteen minutes of walking down the shaft, they were confronted by a wall of smashed timbers, large rocks, and loose earth.

"Oh hell," Kahn muttered. "The mine's collapsed here. We can't go onward."

Viktor walked up to the obstruction, pulling on one of the embedded timbers. "Can we dig our way forward?" He pulled harder and the timber snapped. Viktor fell backwards with a grunt.

Flik offered him a hand up. "That's probably not smart." He glanced back up at the ceiling, which now appeared much more threatening. "We don't want to bring the whole place down on our heads."

Nanami looked up, then reflexively crouched. "Could that happen? I don't want to be crushed to death!"

"That is always a possibility when dealing with caves," the Star Dragon Sword declared. "On the other hand, getting crushed by several thousand tons of rock all at once is a relatively painless way to die. You won't even know what hit you, unless you're unfortunate enough to get trapped in a pocket of air, but the odds of that are statistically insignificant."

Nanami covered her ears. "Stop talking about it!"

"You shouldn't worry so much," Sierra said. She stretched her arms out in front and yawned. "You can't help but take risks if you want to get things done. Of course, if the roof did come down, I'd just turn into mist and drift outside, so it wouldn't bother me much." Nanami frowned and looked away from Sierra.

Viktor was still holding his end of the timber, which he hurled at the cave-in. "Damn it! I'll get to Neclord, even if I have to tunnel through this mountain with my fingernails!" The wood bounced harmlessly off a rock and clattered to the stone floor.

Flik turned to watch Riou and Kahn, who were looking at the map rather than complaining. Tracing on the paper with his fingertip, Kahn suddenly exclaimed, "Ah-ha!"

"You've found another way?" Flik asked, stepping closer to look at the paper.

"It's a bit rough." Kahn started rolling up the parchment before Flik could see what he was talking about. "The path's not nearly as defined, but I believe it will take us all the way to Tinto. We're just lucky that the Miners' Guild was so thorough in their mapping."

"How rough is 'a bit rough'?" Flik continued.

"We'll probably have to break out the ropes," Kahn said. "You can climb a secured rope, can't you?"

He'd done that back in the Warrior's Village and not much since then, but he wasn't about to say he couldn't. Regardless, now they had a new plan to follow, so Riou led them back out into the chamber of stone supports. They continued along the outer edge, passing nearly a dozen shafts that opened to the left before Riou stopped. Kahn briefly consulted with the map and declared, "This is the one."

At first the passage was like any other, complete with wooden supports and the signs of mining. However, as Riou's Rune rolled back the darkness, Flik could see that the far end of the shaft was boarded over, preventing any further progress. A warning sign had been placed on the boards, in case any further admonition was needed. They walked forward and Viktor rapped experimentally on the obstruction. They could hear the noise echoing on the other side.

Viktor drew the Star Dragon Sword. "So, are we going to smash this down?"

"I am not a tool for mere smashing!" the sword complained, rattling in Viktor's hands. "Your comrades have more than enough magical power to reduce this to kindling."

"But it's more fun to smash things with your own hands," Viktor groused.

"Then put me down and actually use your hands for once! I have no desire to get scuffed up!" the sword retorted.

Riou walked up beside Viktor. "Stand back and look away."

Viktor backed up a few steps and continued his conversation with the sword. "You know, for being an all-powerful Rune, you sure are prissy. What good is a sword if you can't use it?"

Flik looked aside as the light from Riou's Rune suddenly trebled in intensity, filling the corridor with light. He could hear the blocking timbers creaking and also the Star Dragon Sword's counter argument. "At least I have some self-respect. If you want to go around being smelly and dirty, that's your own business, but I prefer not to sink to your level!"

Viktor yelled something at the sword, but it was drowned out in the rush of noise from Riou's Rune. Flik closed his eyes, hiding them behind a red veil and a sudden spike of heat. After a second, the light and heat subsided back to tolerable levels. Once the afterglow had faded from Flik's eyes, he could see that the passage ahead was clear, save for the smoking remains of a few timbers. Beyond was a natural cave, the ground and ceiling uneven.

"Does anyone know why this was abandoned?" Nanami asked, trepidation evident in her voice.

"The area is unstable, or so I was told by Gustav," Kahn answered. "Apparently we're near an underground aquifer that supplies water to the Lana."

Nanami shook her head. "You're telling me that this is easier than trying to fight our way into Tinto directly?"

Sierra was already walking forward. "Neclord is a notorious coward. If he knows we're coming with enough power to defeat him, he'll flee to work his evil somewhere else."

Riou glanced over at Flik. "Could you take over the light duty?" Riou was breathing hard and sweat glistened on his forehead.

Flik raised his right hand. "Sure." The light that flowed out from his lightning rune seemed weak in comparison to Riou's but it was enough to see by. It also meant that Flik had to take the lead.

The traveled for hours. Eventually Flik passed the duty of maintaining the light off to Nanami. The walls of the cave grew damp, then wet. Flik found himself sloshing through puddles on the floor and ducking around both stalactites and stalagmites. He began to worry that he'd end up tripping over the latter and smashing his head against the former. Worse still was when the tunnel began to climb, or when holes appeared in the floor. Some dropped only a few feet, and Flik could see the bottom when he shined his rune into them. The depth of the others could only be determined by having Sierra turn into a bat and fly down to the bottom.

As Kahn predicted, they had to break out the ropes and spikes to scale many of the slopes. In this case, Sierra would often ascend first as a bat and then secure the rope at the top, after which the others would climb up. Riou and Nanami proved to be excellent rope climbers, having both the dexterity and size to navigate tight spaces. For his own part, Flik tried not to worry about getting stuck when the walls grew narrow. Instead, he worried about Viktor getting stuck.

At the top of one climb, after he'd recovered his breath, Viktor said, "Let this be a lesson, Flik. Getting old sucks. I used to be able to eat anything and not worry about my waist."

"I seriously doubt that," the Star Dragon Sword retorted. "Next time we have to squeeze through a space like that, pass me up first. I don't want to get stuck with this idiot. I'd have to put up with his complaining until he succumbed."

Flik laughed. "Thinking about taking up that all-salad diet of Huan's?"

Viktor frowned, but looked back down the dark hole they'd just climbed up. "Remind me to cut down to three cups of rice with my curried beef."

After a few more scrambles like that, even Viktor's good humor subsided into silence. Flik's arms and legs began to grow sore. His clothes were damp from groundwater and his own sweat. He realized that he'd been awake for hours, yet he had no idea what time it was. His stomach growled uncomfortably. The noise seemed to echo in the cave, but no one appeared to notice. He wondered if he hadn't imagined it.

Suddenly they came to a stop again. Flik put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath, before looking up to see what would be required this time. He found the others staring at a solid wall of earth and stone. There was no going forward through that.

"Damn," Kahn muttered. He was now generating light for the party.

"What now?" Viktor asked irritably. "Do we need to turn around and march back the way we came?" Flik, standing at the back of the group, looked over his shoulder into the darkness.

"Let's check the map," Kahn answered. "Maybe we can find another way around." He didn't sound very hopeful. "We're nearly there. If we can just find a way to get up another hundred feet."

"How about we rest?" Nanami asked. She started to sit down, then checked the ground beneath her and decided that it was too damp for her posterior. She straightened up and added, "At least let's have something to eat. I know I'm not the only one who's hungry." Without waiting for anyone's consent, she swung her pack around and started rummaging through it, pulling out a block of cheese.

"I think we could use a break," Sierra agreed, setting down her pack. "Exhaustion leads to poor decisions."

"Yeah, fine." Viktor glared at the wall, then turned his back to it and sat down. "Let's eat and after that, I'll break this thing down with my bare hands."

Flik began to lean back, his hand searching along the damp stone for a comfortable nook. Instead, his fingers came up against warm flesh. Much to his embarrassment, he yelped as if he'd touched a burning coal and scrambled away from the wall, nearly tripping over his feet. "Someone's there!" he shouted.

In an instant, weapons were drawn. Flik regained his feet and pulled out his own sword. He and Viktor turned to confront the intruder, while Kahn increased the light from his rune and Riou stepped in front of Nanami. Out of the corner of his eye, Flik noted Sierra yawning and stretching her arms. Then the intruder spoke, drawing his attention.

"Who dares to interrupt the meditation of the great Mazus?"

Flik wasn't sure what to make of the speaker. He was a man dressed in a heavy, but fine, cloak and several layers of long coats and dress robes, all in varying shades of purple. His brown hair, thin beard, and long, thin mustache were all impeccably groomed. His face was covered in the lines of age, especially his forehead, and his mouth was curled back in a smile that could only be described as smug. Here was a man who should be in a court, not a cave.

While Flik was studying him, Mazus appeared to study them in return, ignoring the two swordpoints hovering inches from his throat. "An impressive collection you have here – the Bright Shield, the Night Rune, and even the Mistress of Vampires. I have heard that my former master has woken from his slumber. Perhaps I should rejoin the cycle as well."

"Care to explain how you know so much about us?" Viktor threatened. "Maybe you're some sort of spy for Neclord." He pushed the point of his sword in closer, nearly touching Mazus' throat.

Mazus ignored that, instead focusing on Riou. "So, you are the one this time, right? I offer you my services until the cycle of destiny is resolved. All I ask in exchange is a place to continue my experiments."

"I still wonder why we should trust you," Viktor said. "It seems awfully convenient for us to find you here. How can we know for sure you're not working for our enemies?"

"Convenience is an illusion," Mazus responded. "I am here both because I had a choice and because I had no choice. More importantly to you, you have no way forward without me."

"Do you even know what this conflict is about?" Flik asked. "Why are you so eager to join a war that doesn't involve you?"

Mazus snorted in humor. "On the contrary, I believe I know better than you what is going on. The things that you think are important – borders, governments, and nationality – all of these things are artifices created by humans. None of them reflect the truth, so I care nothing about the rise and fall of nations."

Nanami stepped out from behind Riou. "What do you think we are fighting for?"

"Can we rebuild that which has been torn down by the hand of humanity?" Mazus asked.

"What?" Flik responded. He wasn't the only one.

"This conflict has left so much in ruin," Mazus answered. "Before it ends, it will threaten to destroy all that it encompasses, both physical and spiritual. Who, then, will restore to us what is lost? That is what this is about. Knowing that, why should I stand aside when destiny has picked me out?"

Riou looked at Mazus quizzically. "So you were waiting for us here all this time?"

"Not at all." Mazus smiled and stepped away from the wall, almost as if he were detaching himself from it. Viktor and Flik backed away, lowering their blades. "I had no idea you would come this way. I was simply studying my earth magic." Flik glanced beyond Mazus; he was surprised that there wasn't a man-shaped indentation in the stone.

"Wait," Kahn said, rubbing his lower lip. "A minute ago you said you were here because of us and now you say you weren't. Which one is it?"

"Both," Mazus replied. "I could judge the stars and tell that something of importance would pass this way, yet I knew not what form it would take." He cleared his throat and turned to face Nanami. "So, you were talking about food?" Mazus continued. He stretched and Flik could hear popping and cracking from his joints. "I could use a little something to eat; it's been a couple of years since the last time I had anything." He smiled towards Nanami. "That cheese looks absolutely delicious."

Nanami looked doubtfully at the yellow cheese in her hand, then handed the whole block over to the mage. "Go ahead. I'm kind of sick of cheese anyway."

"I still don't trust you fully," Viktor warned.

Mazus didn't even bother to look in Viktor's direction. "Seeing as most of you didn't even know I was there, if I truly were your enemy, you'd be nothing more than drifting ashes by this point, and I'd have a talking sword to study." Without another word, he took an enormous bite out of the cheese.

"He isn't your enemy, Viktor," Sierra said. "He may be a bit eccentric, but that's only the result of his experiments." At this point, Mazus jammed the remainder of the cheese fully into his mouth. "I'm not sure we could make him go away if he's got his mind set on staying with us. Trust me," she concluded.

Flik sheathed his sword. He wasn't entirely sure about Mazus, but there seemed to be no point in antagonizing him. "You said you can help us go forward. Do you know another way through these caves?" Flik asked. "We have to get to Tinto."

"Patience," Mazus mumbled, mouth full of cheese. He chewed a couple more times, then waved his right hand dismissively at the stone wall. A rune on his forehead glowed and, with a mighty rumbling, part of the wall suddenly split, a thin seam opening from floor to ceiling. To Flik's disbelief, tons of rock simply swung aside, like a door being opened, revealing more tunnel beyond.

Viktor frowned. "Great, I feel like we've just been saddled with a larger version of Luc. Hell, if it gets us closer to Neclord, I suppose I can tolerate anything. Let's go."

"Not before I get a drink," Mazus said, licking crumbs of cheese off his fingers. "A spell like that is thirsty work." He eyed the rest of them carefully. "Is anyone packing wine, or is it just water?"

Once Mazus was satisfied, they set off again. The way that he'd revealed was easier than the earlier path, though it did rise sharply. For a time, they were walking nearly doubled over. As they climbed, Flik noted that the walls became drier, until finally all trace of water had vanished.

"There's light ahead!" Nanami shouted. Flik, who'd been focusing on the ground at his feet, unbent slowly. In the distance he could see a faint point of natural light.

Nanami started to dash forward, but Viktor put out his hand to stop her. "Hold up." Everyone stopped around him, as he squinted off into the distance and frowned. "Don't you think it's odd that we've seen no sign of zombie activity here? Neclord's got to know that there's more than one way into Tinto, since he was able to launch a surprise attack himself. There's got to be some sort of trap."

Riou looked from Viktor to the exit. "How should we proceed? We have to go forward to get to Neclord."

"We can handle anything he's got prepared," Sierra said confidently. "Why don't you lead the way, Viktor, or are you afraid?"

Viktor glowered at Sierra, then pulled out the Star Dragon Sword and turned to face forward. "Gah! Nothing of Neclord's scares me! I'll crush him!" He charged towards the exit.

A small smile slipped onto Sierra's face. "We should follow him. Not too closely, though."

"You'd best have your weapons ready, as well," Mazus added.

Flik drew his sword and took the lead as they jogged after Viktor. Approaching the exit, the walls and ceiling of the cave fell back, opening to a large, vaulted chamber. Fifty yards away, the afternoon sky was clearly visible, distant mountains silhouetted against the light.

Viktor was halfway across the room when the ground began shaking. Flik started to sprint, even as a giant fist of stone rose out of the chamber floor. It was large enough to easily bear Viktor up towards the roof. Flik tried to get closer, but a second arm appeared, again rising out of the earth, blocking his way. This was followed by a head and torso, all apparently of stone, as if some giant creature were trying to pull itself upright. It stood nearly as tall as the ceiling and was twenty feet wide. The fist carrying Viktor crunched hard into the roof, making the room vibrate and sending down a shower of stone shards.

Flik cried out and whipped up his shield, ducking as stone clattered off of it and all around him. The other arm was sweeping forward, a wall of stone rushing right at him. He stumbled backwards and tripped over the debris at his feet, but Kahn grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him aside. The giant knuckles passed within feet of his face, stirring up a wind that tugged at both men's cloaks.

"Where's Viktor?" Flik shouted, trying to regain his feet. Riou dashed through his vision, the Bright Shield Rune starting to glow in his hand. Sierra stood back, a rune of darkness radiating on her hand. A globe of similar darkness appeared around the monstrosity's head.

"There!" Nanami shouted, at Flik's side, pointing back to the first giant arm. Flik followed her gaze and saw that Viktor had rolled out of the way, down the arm, and was valiantly hacking at it with the Star Dragon Sword. That was all Flik had time to see before Riou's Rune filled the chamber with blinding light.

The stone monster started to thrash about, hammering its fists into the floor, each blow making Flik tremble. He reached out to Kahn and Nanami and found them doing likewise, all trying to stay upright. Mazus, meanwhile, appeared unaffected by the monster's fury, but stood with his hands outstretched. As the light from Riou's Rune cleared, there was a fiery explosion engulfing the elbow of the monster's left arm. The whole forearm was severed. It cartwheeled over their heads, shattering into stone and earth on the far wall. The impact was enough to knock Flik off his feet.

"It's weak!" Mazus shouted, breathless. "Keep at it!"

Flik wasn't sure how he could get into it. He got up onto his hands and knees, looked up, and saw that the thing was swinging its remaining arm in great arcs in front of its body. Riou had to scramble back before he could cast another spell. Another sweep of the arm nearly caught Sierra, who turned into her bat form and zipped away. All the while, Viktor lay flat of the limb, holding on with one arm and hacking away with the Star Dragon Sword in the other.

A spear of ice as large as Flik flashed before his eyes, cast by Nanami. It shattered full on the monster's torso, rocking it back. Flik finally remembered his rune, and sent a ball of lighting towards the monster's good shoulder. Pieces of rock exploded in all directions, and both Nanami and Flik sheltered behind his shield. The giant arm passed over their heads, then back again, slower this time, sweeping across the room. On the third pass, Viktor managed to stand up and, bracing the Star Dragon Sword with both hands, plunged it in at the elbow.

The monster groaned, though Flik hadn't thought that possible, and tried to raise the arm. Instead, the forearm bent, then snapped right off, falling towards the floor. And right at Flik.

He was vaguely aware of Nanami and Kahn scrambling away at either side but, for the oddest reason, he couldn't make his own legs move. He watched as Viktor, riding the arm down, jumped off backwards, disappearing out of Flik's sight behind the arm of stone. At the last moment, Flik's instincts told him to put up his shield, a gesture that he knew to be futile as the shadow fell over him.

The world roared as the arm crashed right in front of him, disintegrating into a wave of gravel and dirt. Flik closed his eyes as he was swept off his feet and pummeled from all sides. For one long instant, he thought he was going to be rolled forever, but the motion subsided, leaving him battered and stung by dozens of small abrasions, but only covered by a layer of pebbles.

He shook himself, feeling grit fall out of his hair, and tried to get back to his feet. There was more grit in his mouth, which he spat out, before Nanami was at his side, her water rune glowing.

"Are you hurt badly?" she asked, placing her hand on his cheek.

Viktor also appeared, as nonchalant as if he were on a stroll. "You really ought to try dodging when something like that is coming at you, unless you want to look like ground sausage."

Flik winced and stood upright, scanning the room for any sign of the stone monster. His heart was pounding. "What happened?"

Riou, Kahn, and Mazus were examining a large mound of stones and earth in the center of the room. "It's defeated," Riou answered.

"It was a simple matter to undo the runic binding once the arms were gone," Mazus explained. "Really, this was a second-rate golem, at best. Whoever created this is little better than an apprentice, whatever powers he has access to."

Sierra had reappeared and was dusting herself off. "How very typical of Neclord. He was always searching for shortcuts to hard tasks. He never did figure out how to work hard at anything."

"Speaking of that," Viktor declared, turning to face the vampire, "you knew that trap was there, didn't you?"

Sierra smiled. "But you're not hurt, are you, Viktor?"

Viktor shook the Star Dragon Sword at her. "I nearly got squished because of that thing!"

Kahn walked over and placed his hand on Viktor's shoulder. "It won't help you to get mad at her," he said soothingly. "We should focus on Neclord for now. We're nearly there."

Riou looked up from examining the remains. "Yes, we should confront Neclord while there is daylight left."

Flik was still shaking gravel out of his clothing. Looking at all of the small rips on his cape and pants, he knew he'd need to visit a tailor after this was all over.

"If you can't go on, you can wait for us here," Viktor offered.

"I'm fine," Flik snapped. He knelt down to pick up his shield, ignoring the pinpricks of pain. He stood up, strapped the shield on his back, and concluded, "Let's finish what we've started." He ran his hand through his disheveled hair, scattering out more dirt, and started walking towards the light streaming in from the mouth of the cave.