The Gates of Night

CHAPTER 26

Xu’sasar hated riding.

She had seen horses before. The outlanders who came to plunder her homeland usually brought these creatures as mounts or beasts of burden, and she knew from tales that horses ran wild in other parts of Xen’drik. Xu’sasar was naturally fleet of foot, and when she stalked explorers the magic of the spirits allowed her to match the speed of the outlander mounts. But these faerie horses of Thelanis were another matter. This came as no surprise. These were surely spirits of speed, the inspiration for the mortal creatures she had encountered in the past, and she could hardly expect to keep pace on foot.

Fortunately for Xu’sasar, her horse was both friendly and responsive. He seemed to know the path, and all Xu’sasar needed to do was to hold on. She’d tried talking to the horse, but if it had the power of speech it chose not to speak with her, and she was left alone with her thoughts.

At the moment, those thoughts were gloomy. She did not understand this interaction between Daine, Pierce, and Lei. All Xu’sasar knew was that it didn’t involve her in any way, and that there was now a stronger bond between Lei and Daine. This was made worse by the knowledge that she would not be able to join Daine in this struggle against the forces of darkness. Here was an epic conflict, a chance to battle spirits of legend, and she was left to watch others sleep. Alone.

As her horse trotted across the meadow, Xu’sasar took a second look at the amulet she had been given as a gift. It was a locket made from pale silver, bound to a wide strip of black leather. A symbol was carved on the face of the amulet, but it held no meaning for her. Opening the locket, she found a shard of chitin, a piece of a scorpion’s shell. When she wrapped the band around her neck, she could feel a tingle along her skin. Surely the amulet was a gift from Vulkoor, passed down to this Queen of Dusk. Xu’sasar wore little armor, relying on her speed and her vambraces to deflect attacks. If this amulet gave her skin some of the strength of the scorpion’s shell, that was a blessing indeed. And with the Tooth of the Wanderer in her hand, she had been given sword and shield. She was prepared for the challenges that lay ahead-yet it seemed that she was to be denied the chance to fight in the greatest battle of all.

Perhaps luck would be with her. Perhaps an army would strike while the others slept.

She turned her attention to Kin. The fey envoy troubled her. For all that he had human teeth, his smile reminded Xu’sasar of the innkeeper Ferric. Xu’sasar was a child of the natural world, and there was something fundamentally unnatural about Kin. His features were handsome enough, but looking at him, she was certain that another face lay beneath the warm mask.

“There it is,” Kin said. “The Bier of the Sleeper.”

They had crested a hill. In the small valley below, Xu’sasar could see a ring of trees surrounding a pool of still water. As they rode down the hill, Xu’sasar caught sight of a stone slab next to the pool-the bier from which the grove took its name. At first Xu’sasar thought that a man was laid out upon the stone, but as they drew closer, she saw that the figure was a statue carved from black marble. Kin dismounted at the edge of the trees, and the others followed suit.

Xu’sasar darted forward to examine the statue. It was the figure of a warrior, clad in chainmail, with a longsword by his side. Muscular arms crossed over his chest. Strangely, she found that she couldn’t see his face. At first she thought it was unsculpted, yet the longer she studied the statue, the more strongly she felt that some force was turning her eyes away, that the detail was there, just beyond her grasp.

“Who is this?” she said.

“The Sleeper’s far older than I am,” Kin said. “I’m afraid I don’t know the full tale. A soldier of your world, favored by the queen. When he died, the monument was erected to honor his memory and guide future travelers.”

“Where’s his sword?” Daine said, examining the bier. Only now did Xu’sasar see that the scabbard lying next to the warrior was empty. For a moment she thought of her own empty sheaths, and the daggers given to her by her mother, lying next to the corpse of her father in the monolith of Karul’tash.

“A fine question, Master Daine, and one I will explain. Please gather around the pool and bring your horses.” Kin produced a pouch from his own pack, and proceeded to sprinkle a sour-smelling dust over the companions and himself. “Now, Daine, if you will touch that empty scabbard-”

“What?” Daine said. “Why?”

“A gate can take many forms, as I would think you’d have learned from your time beneath the Hunter’s Moon,” Kin said. “The scabbard is the portal.”

“You’re going to make us small enough to walk through it?” Daine said.

“Not at all,” Kin replied. “Please, just do as I ask.”

As Daine laid his hand on the stone scabbard, Kin threw another handful of powder into the air above the water, and suddenly they were falling. The earth rose up, tumbling them down into the pool …

… and just as quickly, flinging them out onto dry land. They were standing by a pool of water. The trees were gone. The bier was gone. And there was no sun. Four moons could be seen in the sky, along with the faint glow of the Dragon’s Ring. They had returned to Eberron, although the stars and the Ring told Xu’sasar that they were far from the land of her birth.

“Was this supposed to happen?” Daine said. The others turned to look. Daine was holding a scabbard in his hand, and it wasn’t made of stone. The sheath was black leather, studded with purple dragonshards and chased in silver.

“Fascinating!” Kin said. “I wonder what effect that will have on the journey back. No matter.”

“I thought you said we’d go through the scabbard,” Lei said. “It seemed to me the pool was the portal.”

“Yes, it did,” Kin said. He shrugged. “We appear to be in the proper place, and that’s all that concerns me.”

“Are we?” Lei pointed to the sky. “I’ve never seen that before.”

There was a new moon in the sky, and it was a moon Xu’sasar had never seen. Or was it? It seemed hazy, indistinct, and Xu’sasar felt that she could see the stars shining through its heart.

“That’s your moon, Lady Lei,” Kin said. “Let us move swiftly before it arrives in full glory. Mount up while I change into something more appropriate to our new surroundings.”

With that, his face rippled. Darkness flowed out across his hair like smoke across a fire, transforming golden blond to coal black, and his hair pulled in on itself. A tan spread across his skin. His clothing followed suit, as the velvet and silk of the courtier turned into a black robe hemmed in silver, with a silver veil beneath a deep hood.

“What manner of creature are you?” Xu’sasar said. She held the bone wheel in her hand, ready to throw, and the points were sweating venom in response to her anger. She knew Kin was a trickster. This power alone was no proof of treachery, but she held herself ready to strike.

“Oh, did you not know?” Kin said. His voice was deeper, slower. He pulled back the hood, and now his skin faded to dull gray, and his eyes became as white as Xu’sasar’s own.

“You’re a changeling?” Lei said.

“Yes,” Kin replied. “I was born in the land you know as the Eldeen Reaches. The people of my village follow the ways of the Greensinger druids and have close ties to the faerie court. As a child, I caught the eye of my mistress, and she brought me to Thelanis to serve as her envoy.” As he spoke, he resumed his Riedran guise.

“Wait,” Lei said, considering this. “So you’re a … changeling?”

“I suppose so,” Kin said. “Yet what I am now is your guide. The monolith we seek is a few leagues to the north. The lords of this land have impressive supernatural powers, and I suggest that we move quickly.”

“What about this?” Daine said, gesturing with the scabbard.

“Keep it, if you want,” Kin said. “Otherwise, I’ll hold onto it.”

“Fine.” Daine tossed the jeweled sheath to the changeling and mounted his horse.

“What dangers can we expect?” Xu’sasar said.

“The people of this land prefer not to travel,” Kin said. “With luck, the only challenge will be the guards at the monolith itself. If we do encounter anyone, let me speak on our behalf. I can be quite convincing, when I need to be.”

“I don’t think any of us speak Riedran anyway,” Lei said.

“You are mistaken, Lady Lei. My mistress fed you knowledge as well as food. Thanks to the waters of Dusk, you will understand all languages, and all who hear you speak will know the meaning of your words. The effect will fade, but it should suffice for the task you must accomplish-here and in Dal Quor. Now follow me.”

Xu’sasar considered the Queen of Dusk. She disliked Kin, all the more now that she had seen his true face. This Thelania … it was obvious that she was one of the great spirits, and she had been most generous in her gifts. Yet she too concealed her nature behind an elven face. Vulkoor was the great scorpion, the deadly hunter who strikes unseen. What primal nature was Thelania hiding?

They rode across a vast plain. Xu’sasar was born in rolling jungle, and this flatland was strange to her eyes, so empty, lacking even the hills or tors of the Huntsman’s realm in Thelanis. The fields were filled with tall grasses, and rodents and insects scattered as the fey horses pounded across the plains.

Daine rode next to Lei, and the two spoke quietly. Though Xu’sasar was still learning the customs of the outlanders, she could see that they did not wish her company, so she stayed close to Kin, keeping an eye on the changeling and the shadowy landscape.

“What’s that?” she said, pointing to the west. She could see a slight break in the silhouette of the grasslands, a sharp edge rising above the swaying plants.

“Ruins, I should think,” Kin replied. “This land has a long history of war, and when the current overlords took power, they razed the old cities and built anew. There are ruins scattered across Sarlona, usually far from any current village.”

This thought brought some small comfort to Xu’sasar. Xen’drik was a land of ruins, and the Qaltiar used these remnants of giant civilization as shelter, moving from one shattered city to the next. Surely these ruins differed greatly from what she was used to. Nonetheless, it was comforting to know that there was shelter in the wilds, if they should need it.

“There’s our destination,” Kin said, halting and pointing. A black teardrop was silhouetted against the stars, rising up against the horizon. There were no lights, no signs of activity. “From this point on, we must act with care.”

“You don’t think your disguise will hold up, then?” Daine said.

“Please, Master Daine,” Kin replied, “my abilities are not a concern. They would not suspect me. But the Riedrans fear foreigners, and the mere sight of strangers will likely cause alarm.”

“Then I suppose I’m in her majesty’s debt.” Daine sighed and pulled the glamerweave cloak out of his pack. The shifting black patterns made it all but invisible in the shadows of night. “Lei, can you make a temporary cloak of invisibility?”

Lei nodded. “It’ll take a little time, but it’s simple enough.”

“Pierce, Xu, I want you to scout ahead. We need to know what we’re up against.”

Lei looked troubled, and she hesitated slightly before she spoke. “There’s something else. I’m not sure if it will work, but …”

“Yes?” Daine said.

Lei closed her eyes, a look of deep concentration settling over her features. For a moment, nothing happened. Then Pierce spoke.

“I hear you, my lady.”

“What are you talking about?” Daine said

Lei opened her eyes. “It’s the bond that let me heal and hurt him before. I can touch Pierce at a distance. I thought we might be able to communicate through it, and it seems that we can.” She looked at Pierce. “Here, try to respond without speaking.” She closed her eyes again, and after a moment she smiled. “Good.”

“I remember Lakashtai doing the same thing,” Daine said. “Can you bring the rest of us in?”

Lei shook her head. “No. This is just between Pierce and me.”

“Still,” Daine said, “it’ll help for coordinating actions. Pierce, Xu, move out. See what you can see, and wait for word from Lei.” He looked at Xu’sasar. “Is that understood?”

“Yes,” she said. She felt the slightest hint of shame because Daine thought this necessary. This was a situation of great import, and she knew just how critical it was for their pack to work as one. She would prove her worth in time.

It was a pleasure to dismount from the horse and to feel the soil beneath her feet once more. “Take lead,” she said to Pierce. “I will follow.”

She drew on the shadows in her blood, winding herself in the comforting dark. She held the Tooth of the Wanderer, still in the shape of the bone wheel, and for the first time since they’d entered the realm of Dusk, she found herself at ease. The enemy was ahead of them. The hunt was on.

The giants of Xen’drik built with stone, and Xu’sasar never imagined that metal could be worked on so vast a scale. The monolith was a smooth steel ovoid, easily a hundred times her height. She saw no guards in their path, but they had traveled only a short distance when Pierce raised his hand. Xu’sasar had learned only a few of the signals the others used, but this one was easy enough. Stop.

Xu’sasar dropped into the grass. She called on the spirit of the scorpion, drawing on the stillness of the hidden hunter to conceal her from her enemies. None too soon, for a moment later the enemy was upon them.

There was no sign of movement on the plains, no hint of human activity. Yet in that moment, Xu’sasar felt a presence. They were being watched, of that she had no doubt. As a child she had ventured into the City of Tears, although the teller of tales had warned her of the ghosts; she’d felt the same sense of presence in that place, a force of personality beyond mere flesh and blood. Xu’sasar held her breath, letting the spirit of the scorpion calm her fear and hold her in stillness, and a moment later the presence was gone.

Continue, Pierce signaled.

While Xu’sasar did not understand all that the Dusk Queen had said, she gathered that Pierce had a bond with a lesser spirit that advised him on matters of magic. Most likely this guide could see the guardian that had passed them.

Motion! There were openings set into the base of the great metal seed, wide arches filled with pale light. And as they moved forward, Xu’sasar saw the silhouette of a man pass across the portal. The figure was only caught in the light for an instant, but that was long enough. Male. Long sword, sheathed. Chain mail, no shield seen but likely kept close. She studied the other portals. There. An archer, barely visible, peering around the edge of a gate. Face hidden behind a black helm and silver veil.

Hold position, Pierce signaled. Watch.

Regretfully, Xu’sasar settled into her crouch. She would have rather moved closer, to peer within the monolith, but she understood Pierce’s tactics. Someone should watch the archer, be ready to strike if the alarm was sounded or, if it became necessary, to flee and alert the others. And so she waited, watching the lights and envisioning the battle that lay ahead of her.

The archer didn’t move, but a new figure passed across an archway. She could see the shape of a greatsword slung across the back, a long bow held ready for action, but what caught her attention was the sheer size of the creature. Xu’sasar was used to fighting giants, and she’d fought larger foes. Nonetheless, this warrior was about twice her height and many times her weight. His muscles spoke of fearsome strength. And even from this distance, she could see the short horns protruding from his forehead. This is my foe. No question in her mind. Let the others fight these human soldiers. Xu’sasar would bring down the giant.

Pierce returned. His voice was barely louder than the wind in the grass. “There is a woman within who watches the area with her mind. We must eliminate her the moment the battle begins, before she can bring other powers to bear.”

Xu’sasar clicked her tongue. A challenge!

“You possess the skill to approach unseen and the ability to resist the other forces that will be brought to bear. Daine wishes you to circle around, enter the monolith, and when battle is joined, ensure that this woman in purple is eliminated before she has the opportunity to act. Are you willing?”

“I have already gazed upon the fields of death,” Xu’sasar said. “I have no fear, and I will not fail. Just let me fight the giant when the woman falls.”

Pierce was silent. Xu’sasar imagined that he was relaying the message back to Lei.

“Very well,” he said. “A burst of fire will signal the attack. Strike swiftly and hard. We will arrive as soon as possible.”

Xu’sasar placed her palm against his, dark flesh dwarfed by the metal gauntlet. “We fight as one.”

She rose and moved into the night.

Three archers stood sentinel in the monolith, watching the plains for any signs of motion. However skilled they might be, they were only human, and no match for Xu’sasar. She was a scorpion wraith of the Qaltiar. Shadow was her shield, and the night her hunting ground. She drew the darkness to her and slipped toward her foes. Soon she stood at the base of the monolith itself, at the edge of one of the gates. Pale green light spilled out onto the ground. The light was unbroken by any motion, and Xu’sasar peered around the edge of the gate.

The monolith was a vast, hollow shell, a single chamber, and the only feature of note was a beam of light rising up from the ground. No, it was crystal, a glowing pillar hundreds of feet in height. Her horned giant, his bulk wrapped in chainmail and black leather, paced restlessly about the chamber. He was a strange creature, more bestial than the giants she was used to battling. His pale blue skin looked as tough as leather, and long black tusks protruded from his mouth.

Two soldiers slept on the floor, with swords set just within reach. A third warrior sat on the floor, oiling his blade.

Then Xu’sasar saw the woman in purple. Her eyes were closed, her legs crossed-and she was floating a few feet off the floor. The woman’s robe was silk hemmed with intricate silver patterns, and she wore a headdress made from violet glass, with sweeping horns curving up and around her head. Her skin was pale, her hair dark, and her features reminded Xu’sasar of the one who had accompanied Daine in the burning jungle-Lakashtai, the servant of demons.

Though there was little cover in the inner chamber, the green light of the crystal core was faint, no stronger than moonlight. Calling on spirits of scorpion and shifting panther to hide her from her foe, Xu’sasar slipped within the monolith. The blue-skinned giant turned as she entered, but his gaze slid past her.

Xu’sasar raised the Tooth of the Wanderer. The bone wheel was not the weapon for close battle, and she considered her options. The twin knives were the weapon of her mother, the weapon passed down to her, yet using the Tooth in that form reminded her of the heirlooms she’d left behind, the memories she would never pass on. The single sword? The razor chain? The rod of venom? In the end, she decided on the long teeth, a polearm with a sharp blade on each end of the haft. As soon as the thought was clearly formed in her mind, the Tooth shifted in her hands, bone and leather stretching into the new shape. The balance was perfect, and though it had the appearance of bone, the weight of the weapon spoken of a stranger truth. Xu’sasar felt the thrill of battle rising within her. She held the tooth of one of the great spirits. What mortal creature could stand against such power? Now it was just a matter of waiting for the attack. A burst of fire, Pierce had said. She crept forward, moving to where she could see the plains, watching for signs.

There! A flash in the night. Flame filled the monolith. This was no mere signal; it was a deadly fireball, a blinding burst of heat. The wall of flame boiled toward Xu’sasar, and she heard the first notes of the soldier’s screams.

You possess the ability to resist forces that will be brought to bear, Pierce had said. Fortunately for Xu’sasar, he was correct. Night and darkness were bound to her blood, and this shadow had the strength to extinguish lesser magics. The flames swept over her but melted before touching her. Even the air around her remained cool and breathable.

The mystic fire lasted for only a second, fading as swiftly as it had struck. Xu’sasar was already in motion, the point of her blade leveled at the demon-woman in purple. The initial thrust slammed through her opponent’s breast, piercing the woman’s heart. Violet eyes flew open, filled with shock and pain. Xu’sasar kicked her in the chest, using the force of the blow to pull her weapon free. Before anyone in the chamber could react, Xu’sasar spun to the side, lashing out with the Tooth. Both blades flashed across the woman’s neck, cutting flesh and muscle with ease. The woman never made a sound. She simply fell to the ground as blood flowed across the floor.

Would that she had time to savor the triumph. Xu’sasar turned, taking in her surroundings. The human soldiers lay scattered around the floor, and though a few still twitched and feebly reached toward their weapons, the stench of burnt flesh and smoldering cloth told her all she needed to know.

But where was the giant? The horned creature was nowhere to be seen.

There! Floating in the air, shimmering into view as the spell of invisibility faded. He was drawing his great bow, preparing to loose a second arrow. The first ripped across Xu’sasar’s ribs, and even the magic of the fey amulet couldn’t turn this bolt.

Fire flowed through Xu’sasar’s veins-excitement, not fear. A worthy foe at last! She rolled to the side, and the second arrow slammed into the ground just behind her feet. Clearly he thought to wear her down, using his power of flight to his advantage. But Xu’sasar had fought the firesleds of the sulatar, and no mere bowman could get the best of her. As the beast drew a third arrow to his bow, Xu’sasar leapt, the strength of the spirits flowing through and carrying her across the air. Her blades flashed in the green light, sundering the giant’s bow and scattering shards of wood across the chamber.

“Dark spirit!” the beast cried, his booming voice echoing throughout the empty tower. And with that, he disappeared again.

Xu’sasar felt pleasure. This one still had much to learn. She set her back against the crystal pillar, brought her weapon into a cross guard, and closed her eyes. Darkness was one of the weapons of the Qaltiar, and every child of her tribe was taught to fight without the benefit of sight. Sound, scent, even the pressure of the air combined to paint a picture of her surroundings. She heard the greatsword slide from its sheath, the sword cutting through air on the backstroke. She could see the enemy in her mind, and even as he swung at what he thought a helpless foe, she dove forward, rolling down and under the blow.

The giant came into view again as his sword crashed into the crystal pillar, sparks and shards of glass flying through the air. Already in motion, Xu’sasar felt a thrill as her blades pierced leather and steel and sank deep into blue flesh. The creature grunted in pain as he turned to face her.

The battle began in earnest.

This giant was no fool, save for the arrogance that led him to fight instead of flee. He learned from each wound, and he fought more carefully, using his size and reach to hold her at bay. His strength was formidable. One clean blow with the greatsword would be devastating, and he knew it. Worse still, his wounds were healing. As they circled one another, Xu’sasar saw that the cuts on his back had vanished. The skin beneath the armor was smooth and unblemished.

Xu’sasar felt the first touches of fear. She was not afraid to die. But for the last of the Qaltiar to die at the hands of a giant, without even harming her foe? This was shame indeed. Surely there was a weakness she could exploit. As she danced away from the giant’s sword, she realized that his face was burned, that he had recovered from the stroke of her sword, but not the blast of fire.

Then Pierce arrived.

The warforged swung, the whirling chain singing in the air, the golden ball ablaze with light, nearly as bright as the sun itself. The giant turned to face this new foe; it seemed that Xu’sasar was unworthy of his attention, having proved unable to inflict any true injury.

It was a fatal mistake. With a thought, Xu’sasar shifted the form of her weapon. The hard haft of the polearm divided into a hundred links of chain. One swift motion, and she caught the giant’s leg with a coil of razor-edged bone. For all his strength, the creature was unprepared for the attack, and he tumbled to the ground. As he started to rise, Pierce’s flail smashed into the giant’s face. Bone snapped beneath the golden ball, but physical force was only part of the blow. The flail’s glow was the result of terrible heat, and the stroke seared the flesh even as it tore through the skin. Two more blows, and the giant fell still.

“My apologies,” Pierce said. “I know you wished to battle this one, yet-”

“The pack is stronger than the one who hunts alone,” Xu’sasar replied. As she spoke, she returned the Tooth of the Wanderer to the shape of the bone wheel. “I thank you for your aid.”

The others arrived within moments. Daine looked down at the burnt corpses and shook his head. “A bad way to die,” he said.

“I assure you, there would be no reasoning with the likes of these,” Kin said. He looked down at the woman in violet. “We’re lucky. This one was only a vessel in training, not a host to one of our true foes.” Kin placed his hand on the crystal pillar and closed his eyes. “Yes, this will do,” he said. “All you need to do is sleep.”

“Now if only I was tired,” Daine said.

“Look in the pack my mistress gave you,” Kin replied. “The vial of green fluid is a powerful sleeping draught. Drink it, and you will sleep. Pierce, Lei … you’ll be relying on Pierce’s companion to provide you with a passage into Daine’s dream.”

“Yes,” Pierce said. “She says to place your hand upon my chest, my lady.”

Xu’sasar approached Daine, who was rummaging through the pack. “I am sorry that I cannot accompany you,” she said.

“You’ve done your part, Xu,” Daine said, without looking up. “You did well. Aureon only knows what that woman would have unleashed if you hadn’t brought her down.”

“Any of you would have done the same.”

“You’re right,” he said, and he looked up. “But none of us could. I’m glad you’re with us, Xu. It’s good to know someone will be watching over us while we sleep.”

Xu’sasar closed her eyes, inclined her head, and let him go about his work. Lei pulled blankets from her magic satchel, and soon Daine and Lei lay on the ground with Pierce between them. Lei laid a hand on Pierce’s chest, and for a moment she stiffened. Then she relaxed.

“Whenever you are ready, captain,” Pierce said.

Xu’sasar knelt next to Daine as he swallowed the potion. His eyes unfocused, and his eyelids began to flutter.

“Return,” Xu’sasar said, touching her palm to his. “Do not leave me alone.”

Daine smiled at her.

And then he fell asleep.