Skinny And Ragged
The Valley of Tombs is the resting place of some of Rouhani's greatest warriors. Many a man has ventured into the valley in search of hidden treasure. But beware the ancient traps.
Ariana had found it at last. Her trembling fingers scurried along the page of the musty tome, scanning the passage one more time.
Sightings and rumors of the laughing snake have continued for centuries, long after his supposed defeat. Even today, new reports are nearly annual. Descriptions of the laughing snake, however, are inconsistent and vary. Some sightings conflict, putting him in multiple locations at once. Due to the vague nature of these sightings, most historians, conclude them the result of superstition or flight of fancy.
Ariana stared at the passage, trying to reconcile it with her own experiences. Was it really possible? Though the passage was vague, the implication fit with what she knew. It wasn’t proof—she doubted anyone would believe her with just this. She wasn’t even fully convinced herself. Nevertheless, it was the closest she had come to confirming her suspicions.
“Princess?”
Ariana bolted upright, jarred from her thoughts. She whirled toward the door and found Melika standing there. The elder sauntered forward, the tap of her walking stick echoing in the library.
“Apologies, Princess, It was not my intention to frighten you.”
Ariana shook her head. “I was just a little startled, it’s okay. Did you need me for something, Master?”
“There are some new arrivals at Alcaraz Hall,” Melika said. “They’ve requested your presence.”
Ariana stiffened. “My father’s men?”
“Not men. Arash Shara Executioner is here.”
Ariana’s blood went lightning cold in an instant. Executioner had come all the way here? For her? She had known that her father had informants here, that it would only be a matter of time before he sent someone for her. She hadn’t expected Executioner to come.
She stood, her chair groaning as she pushed it out. “I’ll see her. Right now, I take it?”
Melika nodded. “Front entrance, Princess. They’ve only just arrived, and are waiting for you there. A woman will accompany you.”
Ariana nodded. They strode from the library, easily navigating the twisting, labyrinthian corridors. Throughout her training she had spent many a night wandering Alcaraz Hall, spurred by the restlessness accumulated throughout years of feeling trapped in the royal palace and the first opportunity she’d ever had to escape her father’s supervision.
They arrived at the large foyer that preceded the rest of Alcaraz Hall. Executioner was already there, waiting.
The enormous woman turned toward Ariana. Though Executioner’s eyes softened upon seeing her, Ariana couldn’t help but wilt beneath the paladin’s gaze. Executioner had come for her. She’d actually left Tel Kellah and come for her. There was no way Executioner had gotten permission. Ariana had heard the rumors coming out of Tel Kellah: they said that Vahid had kidnapped her, that war with Babosar was imminent. There was simply no way her father would have allowed Executioner to leave the city under such circumstances. The idea that Executioner was risking her station for her made Ariana’s stomach churn with guilt.
Melika bowed her head low. “Arash Shara.”
Executioner returned the bow. “Master Melika. It’s been some time.”
“Indeed,” the wizened elder said. “Not since the Shah’s name day tournament, I think.”
“Your student competed in the final bout against Kazem Davani,” Executioner recalled.
“Yes,” Melika said, lightly tapping her walking stick on the floor. “Unfortunate for my student.”
Executioner didn’t reply. Instead she returned her gaze to Ariana, wordlessly staring at the crown princess.
Ariana folded her hands over her hips. “You shouldn’t have come.”
Again, Executioner didn’t reply. She remained stock still, expression as unmoved and neutral as a stone wall, affixing Ariana with an intense stare.
Ariana breathed out slowly in an effort to steady herself. “I can’t return with you, I’m sorry. You should go back before you get into trouble.”
Executioner shook her head. “You are not the only reason I’m here.”
“Why else would you-” Ariana stopped mid sentence, recalling what Melika had said. They. Standing just behind the Arash Shara was a bruised, dirty, stick of a girl, skinny and ragged. She was so small that Ariana hadn’t noticed her behind the domineering figure of Executioner. The girl was Ariana’s age, but bore no tattoos signifying her as either a magus or warrior. “Who’s this?” Ariana asked.
The small girl dithered awkwardly before slinking out from behind Executioner. “Um, h-hi. I’m S-Sadie.” The girl hurriedly bowed, as if she’d only just remembered to do so. “It’s an honor to meet you, Crown Princess.” The girl looked exhausted. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she had deep, violet welts beneath the lids.
Ariana frowned. “What am I missing?”
Executioner cocked her head. “Show them.”
Sadie hesitated. “A-Are you sure?”
“Don’t unsheathe it.”
Sadie hesitated for another beat, then nodded. She reached into her pocket, gold sparks flickering across her fingers, and withdrew a sheathed blade wrapped in a gold chain. The pommel of the blade was encrusted with a glistening emerald.
Ariana’s eyes widened. “An empyrean blade!” Impossible. This thin, beat up girl who looked like she had never seen a fight in her life had been claimed by an empyrean weapon? She eyed the girl again. “You’re a magus?”
Sadie chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head. “I-I’m not.”
“A warrior, then?”
Sadie hiccuped. “I’m merchant caste.”
Ariana turned to Executioner. “How is that possible?”
“I don’t know.” As she spoke Executioner’s stoic facade cracked just a fraction. She was concerned about the situation, moreso than she was letting on. Moreover, Ariana got the distinct impression that Executioner wasn’t telling her the full story.
Melika approached the girl, draping her hands over Sadie’s cheeks. “Most fascinating...” the elder murmured.
“How could a merchant bond an empyrean weapon?” Ariana asked.
“The vow of the hundred and one was different for each of them,” Melika replied, nodding thoughtfully. “Each has their own standards for claiming a wielder. “One might surmise the blade saw something special in young Sadie.”
“Is there a way to break the bond?” Executioner asked.
Ariana nodded in agreement. So long as Sadie was that blade’s master she would be a target for all manner of demons and sorcerers, people who would seek to kill her and take her empyrean weapon for themselves. It wasn’t a life fit for someone outside the warrior or magus castes. If there was a way to break the bond, it was the best option for her.
Melika shook her head. “An empyrean bond has never been broken. Unless the girl is killed and the blade taken from her, the bond will remain.”
Though the Arash Shara’s face remained neutral, Ariana could see the worry in her eyes. Just who was this girl, and how had Executioner become responsible for her? Something had happened, something Ariana was missing.
“There may be another solution,” Melika offered. Executioner cocked her head. “If you are willing to spend some time here, I can teach the girl to use defensive magic, so that she can protect herself,” the elder explained. “In learning this she will also take a step toward mastering the blade.”
Executioner turned to Sadie, who was inspecting one of the murals on the wall.
“This place is amazing!” the girl exclaimed to no one in particular. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” Executioner raised an eyebrow at her. “Uh, sorry,” Sadie muttered, straightening and turning her attention back to the conversation.
“Did you hear what Master Melika offered?” Executioner asked.
Sadie nodded. “I did, but... I mean... I’m terrible with magic! Are you sure there isn’t a way to get rid of the sword? Couldn’t I just give it to someone else?”
“Once the empyrean bond is formed, it is lifelong,” Melika said.
Sadie’s expression fell.
“This is the safest place for you. You will stay here and learn,” Executioner told her. “I will return to check on you after I escort the princess back to Tel Kellah.”
Ariana felt her face flush. “I already told you I’m not going back!” she exclaimed, surprised by the forcefulness of her tone.
Executioner’s already stoic expression hardened, like rock becoming diamond. “This is not a request. If you do not return there will be war. Already I am being lenient by not taking Vahid to stand trial for taking you.”
“He didn’t take me!” Ariana snapped. “I went with him willingly. And I’ll continue to stay with him willingly, and I’m going to accompany him to Babosar willingly.”
Executioner took a step in her direction. “As I said, this is not a request. I will return you by force if necessary.”
Her hand flew to the hilt of her sword. “Then try it,” she snarled, daring Executioner to act.
Sadie’s eyes widened. Her gaze flitted anxiously between Executioner and Ariana. Melika stepped between the two women, putting a hand to each of their chests. Her walking stick clattered to the floor, punctuating the already tense silence.
“This is a discussion to be had with cooler heads, I think,” Melika said. “Perhaps some rest, Arash Shara, and then the princess can be given an opportunity to explain her position to you?”
Executioner deliberated for a moment, silent and imposing like a gathering stormcloud. “Acceptable,” she decided.
Melika beamed, bending to retrieve her walking stick. “Very good. Perhaps a meal then, I think?” She gestured to Sadie. “A girl appears famished. When did you last eat a proper meal, girl?”
“M-Maybe a week ago,” Sadie replied.
Melika’s smile widened triumphantly. “A meal, then!”
Ali Reza crested to the top of the hill just as the sun began its descent, casting an orange hue over the horizon. The valley below gave way to rocky terrain and towering cliffs, jagged and unforgiving.
“Hmph,” he mused to himself. “Looks like I’m here first.”
Wasting no time, he made his way down. In this forgotten desert crevice lay rows of stone mausoleums varying from mere stone mounds to grand structures adorned with intricate carvings and massive statues of armed warriors.
The air in the Valley of Tombs was heavy, desiccated by sand so that every breath scratched at Ali Reza’s throat. The valley trapped heat, causing the air to also feel soupy, like wading through underwater currents. Sweat dribbled from his brow in thick beads, dripping off his chin and staining the armpits and chest of his shalvar.
Ancient cypress trees dotted the way down, gnarled roots twisting toward the nearest tombs, as if drawing life from the legends buried there. Dusk fell by the time Ali Reza reached the bottom. The stars began to emerge, their light casting eerie shadows among the tombs. Early in his career as a warrior Ali Reza had heard that the spirits of the warriors buried in the valley roamed around at night, their whispers carried by wind as they recounted tales of ancient battles. He hoped such tales were merely rumors. The last thing he needed was to contend with a mob of vengeful spirits, or, worse, a wild djinn.
Ali Reza gathered some dry twigs and wood scattered around the base of a nearby cypress tree. He used these to start a fire outside one of the smaller tombs, a nondescript mound that seemed to blend into the landscape. The flames crackled to life, casting a warm glow against the cool, blue light of the emerging stars. He settled down beside the fire, his back against the cool stone of the tomb as he waited.
An hour passed, then two. Ali Reza spent most of the time lost in thought, his only companions the occasional crackle of fire and the distant howl of desert wind. He felt a strange sense of companionship amid the rows of tombs. Only warriors could be buried in the valley. The men and women laid to rest here had all been like him - enslaved by oaths and vows they’d been forced to make by masters they’d been born to serve.
As the night deepened dark clouds began to gather overhead, obscuring the moon and stars and bathing the desert in darkness. The sound of a twig breaking caused Ali Reza to bolt to his feet, suddenly alert. He scanned the darkness that lay beyond the reach of the firelight, seeking the source of the sound.
A pair of gleaming eyes appeared, reflecting the firelight from the shadows. Then another pair appeared, and another. Silent, watchful, wolves emerged from the darkness, their forms becoming more defined as they cautiously approached. Their eyes gleamed with predatory intellect, their movements methodical as they stalked their prey.
Ali Reza’s hand dropped to his belt. He unsheathed one of his curved daggers. The wolves of the Golden Sea were bold creatures, willing to attack even when there was fire or groups of people. A lone traveler alone in such a deserted place? They wouldn’t even think twice. The wolves circled him, growling, eyes fixed on their next meal.
One of them leaped at Ali Reza, jaws aiming for his throat. His reflexes kicked in. He swung his dagger in a swift arc, catching the wolf mid-air. The blade sliced through its throat, spraying blood across the sand. The sanguine liquid began to stain the ground as it oozed between the grains. The creature toppled over lifelessly.
No sooner had the first been slain than another lunged towards him. Ali Reza dodged with superhuman speed, feeling the power coursing through his veins. The tattoo on his chest glowed, filling him with strength. Heart of The Free, the oath that bound him to the laughing snake, was fundamentally different from the likes of Greater Alacrity or Iron Skin. Unlike those more traditional spells, Heart of The Free required no actions to maintain the oath. All that was needed was continued loyalty to the laughing snake. In exchange Ali Reza gained superhuman reflexes and agility and the strength of ten men.
He easily cut through the second wolf, his second stroke as lethal as the first. The wolf’s body thudded to the earth, a growing pool of blood darkening the sand beneath it. He barely had a moment to catch his breath before a third and fourth wolf attacked. Ali Reza drew his second knife with his left hand, intercepting both beasts with a pair of ferocious slashes that crossed in the air. A single ray of moonlight broke through the clouds, its pale glow reflecting off the edge of his curved blades. The night air was filled with the sounds of his heavy breathing and the snarls of the remaining wolves.
One by one, they came at him, and one by one, he cut them down. His body was a blur of motion, movements so fluid it was as if his bones weren’t fully solid. His ka burned inside like a wildfire, making his skin buzz, spurring him to use the power within, to act! The ground around him became littered bodies, blood seeping into the ancient sands of the Valley of Tombs as if to create a small lake.
And then there was silence, the last of the wolves slain as unceremoniously as its comrades. Again the night was silent but for the occasional crackle of fire. Ali Reza stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving, his daggers dripping. He allowed himself a moment to lean against the tomb, feeling the cool stone against his back.
A hollow, staccato sound began to echo across the desert. It took him a moment to realize that it was the sound of someone clapping.
“That was a hell of a performance, Ali Reza! I didn’t know you had it in you.” A juggernaut of a man appeared from the shadows, hulking frame casting a shadow over Ali Reza in the garish glow of firelight. The man was both tall and wide, probably the biggest man Ali Reza had ever seen. His hair had been cropped entirely but for a red line of fuzz marking the center of his head. The man was covered in weapons - a chain whip wrapped around his arm, multiple spears on his back, knives on his belt and in holsters above his boots, and many other tools of maiming and killing.
Ali Reza turned to regard the newcomer. “Almiraj.” He returned to his seat by the fire.
“You been waiting long?” the colossus asked, taking a seat next to him.
“Two hours,” Ali Reza said.
Almiraj grinned sheepishly. “I got held up. Woke up to some asshole bartender telling me to pay my tab. Didn’t remember how the fuck I got there, so obviously I wasn’t going to pay. They called some guards, and, well...” His eyes briefly lost their hardness, and a shadow passed over his face. The colossus recovered a moment later, grinning widely. “Anyway, I dealt with that.” He clapped his hands together as if dusting them. “Job well done. Literally.” He chortled loudly, “Haw haw haw!”
Ali Reza tried to hide the disgust that welled up in his chest. He wasn’t sure if he succeeded. Of all the people the laughing snake could have paired him with, why did it have to be this man?
Almiraj leaned back, stretching his massive frame to look to the sky. He pointed toward the stars. “Hm, the Guardian. Not too far from Gen, are we? So, what’re we doing in this godforsaken valley? What’s the plan?”
Ali Reza scowled. Of course Almiraj had no idea what they were doing there. Typical. All muscle, no brains. Destroyer, he hated working with this man. He poked at the fire with a stick, drawing sparks. “Not all of the tombs in the valley are above ground. Some were hidden beneath the sand to secure them against thieves. Our first target is in one of those underground tombs.”
The colossus groaned loudly. “So we have to look for the damn tomb?! Destroyer, that’s going to take forever!”
Ali Reza ignored his fellow Apostle’s outburst. “After we’ve located the tomb, we need to figure out how to get inside without triggering any ancient traps.”
Almiraj snorted. “Haw! Some folks think every tile’s got a swinging blade.”
Ali Reza regarded the large man scornfully. “You should be just as concerned. Shahnashah’s Faithful would’ve been thorough. The tombs are probably full of ancient magic. We're just fortunate we don't have to fight anyone yet.”
Almiraj laughed, a deep rumble that echoed off the stone tombs. He clapped Ali Reza on the back. “Scared, are you? I thought you were tougher than that, Widowslayer.”
“Don’t call me that!” he snarled, slapping the man’s hand from his shoulder. “Blasted idiot! Do you even understand what we’re doing? Every single one of those empyrean weapons used to be one of the greatest warriors in history. Anyone wielding one has access to that warrior’s spells! Of course I’m reluctant to fight someone like that. You’re a fool if you’re not.”
The giant warrior shrugged, still smirking. “Well, I guess that’s why the laughing snake paired me with you. To handle the tough stuff while you worry about curses and old ghosts.”
Ali Reza sighed in exasperation. He knew better than to argue with Almiraj. Nothing productive ever came of talking with the colossus. He turned back to the fire, kicking sand over it to douse the flames. “Come on. It’ll be too hot in the day. We may as well start searching now.”
Comments