Summoned to a Shattered World

Birthright Chapter 50 - New Blood Amongst the Rubble

We reached the cellar, without seeing any sign of her father and paused there, on the threshold between the manor and the depths that lay beneath. The absolute black of the tunnel was more foreboding than ever. And we were actually going down there? We must be insane. "What if it just traps us again like last time?"

Elmidath shrugged. "It might, but I don't think it will. Last time it seemed to take a long time to react, right? If that's the case, we should have plenty of time to get what we need before it notices us."

I tried to recall my brief meeting with the being controlling this whole complex that lay before us. From what little I could remember of my encounter with it, it did seem quite lethargic. I suppose I had that much in common with it, whatever it was. But that was hardly a guarantee of our safety. I snorted. When had I ever gotten something like that in this world, anyway?

Elmidath gave me a strange look. "What's so funny?"

"Our impending death."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh. Yeah, it's hilarious."

I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, but as we descended, the darkness of the tunnel seemed to retreat less than before from our meagre light. Not only that, every so often I caught a glimpse of it moving of its own accord. The magic of this world had definitely been a mistake if this was the sort of thing it had created. Who wanted stupid shadow entities anyway? No one, that's who. The mixture of trivial humour and grumbling helped to keep my mind occupied.

By the time I finally limped into Tagath's workshop, I was only sort of a terrified mess. Despite its owner's disappearance, it was as cluttered with diagrams, tools and half-finished projects as ever. It took some digging, but we found the bottle he'd shown us. The core of the dark blue substance still lay suspended within the water surrounding it. Having got what we came for, we hurried back toward the surface. We were getting close to the exit when we heard the now familiar sound of stone grinding against stone.

Not wanting to see what was in store for us, we ran for it. The walls were shifting around us, but we reached the stairs before they could move enough to stop us. Sitting at the top of the stairs panting, we watched as the tunnel closed behind us. It was hard for me to get my abused, exhausted body up again after sitting down. Only the thought that we were almost done kept me going.

We emerged back into the cellar to find Elmidath's father waiting for us. "There's really no need for any of this. I understand that you harbour reserves at working with a being you don't understand, I did as well at first. But there is great gain to be had here for both of us. A new life for me, who would otherwise be dead, and power. Real power; enough to change the world."

Elmidath blanched, though she remained resolute. "You were already capable of changing the world, and you have before. Don't you even remember?"

"Of course I do, and I have far larger ambitions than that. As you should well know if you are truly my daughter. Or are you satisfied with this meagre existence; eking out a pitiful living in the borderlands?"

She tilted her head back haughtily at her shadow-clad father. "Far from it, I intend to advance to a much greater position. But I will do so with my own power, not by relying on a pact with whatever terrible entity holds you in thrall."

"Then I have raised a fool. This is the greatest opportunity that you, or I, shall ever be offered. A chance at true greatness."

"If you believe that, then you are lost. Your new master offers nothing other than shadow and death."

"Then I shall simply have to kill you." Her father drew himself up, voice full of cold fury. "You will better understand the gifts offered to you when they are all that's keeping you from Ortyx's embrace."