The Gemcutter's Daughter

27 - Stone Song

Even from a distance, Tali could hear the workings of the great mine that was Narghaasa, a deafening grinding overpowering even the groans of pulleys and roaring of furnaces. "Do we know if it is really a free city?"

"Only the bat made it sound so. We will not know until we approach." Yari rubbed at her jaw, humming a half-hopeful sound in her throat. "There were groups in Narghaasa that Iolur spoke with, but that was years ago. We assumed they would have been crushed there, like we were everywhere else. And so close to Dzverin Ta'al...surely the Maker would not tolerate it. I think we can risk a party going close to find out, but we need a way to signal the others."

Tali looked over when she heard the sound of scouts returning. Ka'anis and Prideep had gone to take a closer look while everyone else waited hidden in the rocks. "Well?"

"The front gate is decorated with the head of an elder fiend," the undead guardian said. "Whatever happened within the city, Apollyon is destroyed."

An awed hush fell over all of the deep dwarves present. "Truly? He was one of the Maker's most deadly servants," Bar rumbled. The smith leaned heavily on his maul. "Quite the statement."

"There's no way the elder fiends would let the corpse of one of their own be used as a banner of victory." Yari's awe was still audible in her voice. "Certainly not one as powerful as Apollyon. It would give our people too many ideas."

Ka'anis inclined her head in agreement. "The walls had guards. Not as many as I would have posted, but if they are weakened from their uprising, it would make sense."

Prideep moistened one eye with his tongue before speaking. "River runs clean. No poison now."

Yari glanced over at their gem-cutter. "What do you think, Tali?"

Tali winced as she shifted. Now that the adrenaline was completely gone, her back hurt something fierce. "I hope you're not leaving this up to me."

"I just want your opinion. You have a better head for hearts than I do," Yari said, drumming her claws on the stone beside her.

"We need to speak with the one called Raak," the young dwarf said. "I'm not sure what his intentions are without talking to him, but he could help us against the Maker if he's really what he says he is."

Rhesis approached and sat beside Tali. "I hear a hint of caution for once. I approve." The siren cleared her throat slightly, more than enough to capture the attention of everyone. "Just because we have a mutual enemy in the Maker does not necessarily make this Raak a friend. He may have decided to supplant the control of demons with his own. We have been very lucky in our choice of allies so far, but that means nothing."

Bar nodded. "There's a nest of stone-singers nearby too. We may even want to talk to them first, in case they know more of what's going on there."

"Do we have a way to talk between groups? If we can, we could do both," Tali ventured.

"Even if we can, we shouldn't," Yari said firmly. "We'll talk to the stone-singers first and leave the main group of our forces in reserve in case that goes badly. Then we'll do the same thing for Narghaasa."

Tali was more than happy to defer to her friend's leadership. "Sounds good to me."

Another set of footsteps approached, easily identifiable by its long stride: Jarek. The mage had been quiet for the past three days since his quarrel with Ka'anis, sitting off at the edge of camp with Rhesis in silence. He'd mumbled a hello to Tali, but nothing more to anyone. For him to approach was a surprise.

"Jarek, are you alright?" Tali asked, cocking her head towards him.

"I..." He hesitated and pulled in a deep breath. "I will be. I hope. I just..." Jarek turned to face the undead guardian. "I owe you an apology, Ka'anis. I should not have attempted to wrest anything from you."