Like some part of her knew the way.
They saw what looked like cages for shadow wolves, filthy and reeking of death. There were bones piled up in corners, and whips leaning against walls. They passed a training room for magic, enormous and domed and full of blackened burn marks on the walls and floors.
And at some point, Ezer was beginning to wonder if perhaps the Acolyte and his followers had gone elsewhere to another mountain inside the Sawteeth. Maybe they moved constantly to keep themselves hidden in the event that someone made it through the shadows and the strange, intoxicating mind trap the door gave off.
Maybe Realmbreak would end … and they’d fail simply by running out of time.
But just as soon as she was about to tell Six to turn back, fearing that they’d get lost, and end up stuck in here forever … light came from up ahead.
And the reek of dead things, and the sound of voices.
They came into another massive entryway, and Six stopped. Andslowly, so slowly, crept forward just enough that they could peer around the corner, Ezer’s scarred eye seeing despite the shadows.
A spike of fear stabbed Ezer’s heart.
Darksouls.
There were hundreds of them. Enough to fill the cavern as they filed through an enormous set of black doors.
They looked human at first glance, all of them standing in a line. Each one wore the same cloak as Ezer and Kinlear, with hoods pulled low.
But it was their hands that struck fear in Ezer’s heart. Their terrible, clawed hands, capable of rending flesh and bone in one swipe.
They watched for a few moments, utterly silent. The wind seemed to sigh towards them, instead of away. Like it had changed course to hide their scent.
She couldn’t look away from those claws, long as daggers, utterly black.
What would cause a person to want to give up their humanity in such a way? To become a monster?
Kinlear hid another cough, and the wind blew a bit harder. Taking the sound elsewhere, and Ezer knew her mother was with her still.
But she doubted Styerra’s spirit would be here much longer. She couldn’t rely on her to save them should things go south. If only she knew how to call upon thatraw magic,as Styerra claimed. If only she knew how to wield. But there would be no birds, here. Not this far beneath the earth.
And as Ezer watched how many darksouls there were …
She knew there would be no hope of leaving this place alive.
Not if Kinlear didn’t strike true.
And what about after? Would the entire army fall? What if they were wrong about that part too?
Her stomach turned. She could run, take Kinlear and Six and retreat to the other side.
But this was her calling. Her fate, impossible to ignore. She’d never convince Kinlear to leave now. And to abandon him …
It would break her heart.
So she stayed, because of fear, because of morbid curiosity … because some part of her still needed to see the Acolyte’s face. To realize her mother and father’s dream for them and discover the truth.
One by one, the darksouls entered through the doors. Like a war meeting or a worship session, for each one bowed their heads as they entered, and made their way down a set of crude stone steps just inside.
‘We’ll slip in with them,’ Kinlear said. ‘It’s our best chance.’
A boom rumbled the mountain around them.
The doors stayed open, enough that she could suddenly see something moving within. A pillar of darkness in the middle of the enormous room.
A pillar made of living shadows.
