The Wielder and the Source

Chapter 38

Kitaya inhaled the damp night air, the undergrowth in front of her face shivering. At the edge of the cliff she lied, eyes on the rocky terrain below. The moon had broken the east when she'd gotten into this position. Now it was high over her head, casting silver light over the trees.

The bounty hunters hid on the other side of the cliff, as far away from her as possible. They were working together out of respect for Ade. Or fear. Either way, they'd called a temporary truce to achieve their common goal—eradicating the Vidaldi.

The little intel they had guided them to this area, a place they'd seen the Vidaldi passing through. According to Oshun, they worked in the dead of night, all over the backlands, lighting fires and chanting in their strange language.

Making more thin spaces, perhaps. Kitaya couldn't be bothered with all the speculation. Her focus was on finding Aldeheid. A beetle crawled in her line of sight, stretching its horns up to the sky. Over said horn, a shadow appeared in the distance.

A group of Vidaldi landed in the clearing below, porcelain masks glowing in the moonlight. They stretched and strolled as though they'd just returned from a refreshing walk through the woods. They gathered in a small circle and a moment later, a flash of gold lit up the night. In a blink,they were gone.

At first glance it seemed like a regular teleportation spell, but after a moment, she caught a faint tang of smoke on the breeze. Not a regular spell, but something more potent.

A muted thump sounded next to Kitaya as Jayer came down from the canopy. "What do you think, Kitaya?" he asked, not taking his eyes from the clearing.

She bit down on her thumbnail. "I think I know what kind of spell that was. But I'll need a closer look."

"I'll relay the message, you head down."

While he sauntered off into the bushes, she rose from the loose dirt and measured the way down. She could make the jump with minimal injuries but didn't want to risk it. She moved to another part of the cliff where the roots of the trees clung to its face like a web.

They held her weight easily as she climbed down to the clearing. The earth was well beaten and rocky down there, making it difficult for trees and shrubbery to take root. Still, a few weeds grew in cracks and small, soft patches of dirt.

Kitaya crossed to the spot where the Vidaldi were and found scorch marks on the ground. The black soot formed a circle of ancient script. She knew this magic. She could dispel it.But using her power in front of Ade and the bounty hunters would be unwise, considering they associated it with the Vidaldi.

She raised her dagger to signal for help, and Ade and the guildmaster joined her a moment later. "This rune circle is hiding something." She crouched and carved runes at the four cardinal points. "Do either of you know the ancient tongue?"

"I do," Oshun said. "But I'm not familiar with this spell."

Kitaya pointed to the southern rune. "Start here and work your way counter-clockwise."

She gave a nod and outstretched her hand and chanted the ancient words. The runes lit up with a blue glow and the ground wavered like hot, summer air.

Kitaya held her breath as the edges of a gaping hole appeared in the ground. It was deep as a well and glowing with orange light. This had to be it, their hideout. They were using the rune to teleport in and out without revealing it. Clever. No wonder they found no traces of Aldeheid near the ruins.

"Look out!"

Kitaya leapt back as a silvery glint lit up her peripheral vision. A chain shot by her face, the back-draft tickling her nose. A veritable army of Vidaldi emerged from the shadows, chains winking in the moonlight. Kitaya swore under her breath. She came here expecting a fight, not a war. She just needed to get to the opening. Then she could focus on finding Aldeheid while everyone else fought.