The Codex Lacrimae: The Book of Tears

Chapter 37: A Sword of God

Alex released Clarinda's hand. No longer amidst the undead enemies on the plateau of Hisn al-Akrad, he stood instead in a vast underground cavern. The soothing sounds of water filled the air, a constant splashing whose source were cataracts of varying sizes that spilled into a multitude of illuminated pools.

Subterranean earth formations were visible in the wavering reflections of what Clarinda called sorcière-flamme orbs, the devices glowing in alternating colors of the rainbow. Alex noticed that the globes were effectively placed throughout the grottoes (to illuminate, but not distract), resting in rock niches or on underwater outcroppings.

Besides the expansiveness of the underground chambers, the Greek soldier was struck by how civilized the area felt. If it weren't for echoes of the waterfalls and rills conveying water between the ponds, he imagined that he could have been in one of the larger scriptoriums he'd visited back in Constantinople's imperial palace.

Bookshelves and scroll niches seemed to emerge from the rock walls themselves, the sheer volume of manuscripts in the area staggeringly impressive; indeed, whomever lived here seemed to be fully committed to using all the natural stone shapes of the gigantic caves for study and research.

Broad stone tables and comfortable oak chairs were situated throughout the grottoes, strategically placed between a multitude of rocky drapers, thin limestone straws, and contorted stalactites. Strange rectangular panels of light shone from the tops of some of the tables, similar in their luminance to the sorcière-flamme orbs.

"Where ... where are we, Clare?" he gasped, taken aback as much by the dislocation of transporting in the heart of the Nine Worlds as by Clarinda's apparent familiarity with the area. There was simply too much to see here, and he felt as if could spend days in the workspaces and only just begin to familiarize himself with their contents. From the sense of urgency imparted by both women, though, he knew that they were all in a great hurry to get somewhere.

"The Norn Grottoes," she replied, casting her wet cloak to a nearby length of flow-rock.

"How deep underground are we?" Alex asked as they ascended.

"At least half a league."

"But ... isn't that daylight ahead?"

"Mm-hmm. Natural sunlight in the middle of Mount Glittertind, thanks to the ingenuity of the giants and dwarfs."

"Giants and dwarves?"

"They made the mirrors and chutes that bring daylight to us," Fatima said.

"Unbelievable. Unbelievable," the warrior's eyes widened. "Hei, I've got it. This is part of Derinkuyu, isn't it?"

"Where's that?" Fatima asked, also doffing her cloak.

Alex retained his own garment; a warrior's habit of keeping belongings with him because he was never sure where he'd be sleeping on any given night. "An underground city in Cappadocia," he said, "probably a week's hard travel northward from here." He returned his attention to Clarinda, explaining, "I was on campaign in eastern Turkey a few years ago, and I saw underground caves, but nothing like this ... this is beautiful." He glanced at the pools. "And surprisingly warm."

"We're nowhere near Cappadocia," Clarinda said. "We've just traversed a thousand leagues to the northwest of the Krak."

He laughed. "Come on, Clare. It's me. Don't try to fool—"

"Alex, benefit of the doubt. The three of us were just on a rainy battlefield in front of the Krak des Chevaliers. Now, you're here." She lightly punched his arm. "You're not dreaming, and I don't have time to convince you of anything except that we still need your help."