- The Hunt [4]

The lantern brightened their path, paving the way for their onslaught, as Lia led the point, Rian covering her back.

In the silence of the tunnel, Lia could hear the sounds of his gauntlets, the many small pipes that ran along its edge and the many gears that turned from a simple movement of his fingers.

Rian had described them as steampunk designed, a form of new technology, Lia was not even aware of.

In her youth she had always seen the 'Barbarian lands' as some devolved ecosystem, filled with a group of barbaric people, tribes that killed one another in some cannibalistic fashion.

True, Lia had to admit the rumors she often heard were so exaggerated, that even she, a woman who was blocked from any form of news or social aspects, could tell it was fake.

But even then, there were many things she thought to be true.

Afterall, if you're born into this world, and your parents try to teach you to speak, they'll constantly try to make you say simple words, easy enough to understand, and even easier to get the hang of once you repeat it a few times.

The same thing happened with Lia, only in terms of social standards.

She learned a lot just from watching her mother and father, including the world news they often discussed in their room, where Lia would be playing on the floor.

Through this, she learned that the 'Barbarian lands' were some forbidden palace, and inside those borders lay a race that was to be feared, not for their strength, but for their insanity.

This was what Lia was raised on, and while she had cut ties with her family early on, the idea of what the world held through her parents eyes was already rooted inside her brain.

'That's why we're out here traveling, Lia.'

Said Cain, giving away the fact that he was reading her thoughts.

'So that you can see the world from a new perspective. Let your mind warp and change, often for the better at that.'

Nodding to his words Lia couldn't help but agree.

In more ways than one her mind had been changed, just from seeing the towns and the cities, places that should have otherwise been barren and wasted, was instead bustling with life and knowledge.

Even now when seeing his gauntlets, Lia was left amazed by how far their technology had come, far beyond that of Rovasta, and possibly far beyond that of Melcor.

Shaking her head from distracting thoughts, Lia half turned to Rian with a question.

"How much farther do you think?"

Looking up from the group, having been deep in thought, Rian was left surprised by the silence being suddenly broken.

"Oh, uh…not too far. Just over this mound is the edge of the mineshaft. Past that is spider territory."

Turning back to the ground he mumbled something underneath his breath.

"Just like everything else in this run down place."

Paying no heed to his words, Lia continued heading forward, trekking up the mound of dirt as the mineshaft bended with the small hill.

Lia found it strange that they decided to go above the hill and not through it. In fact, it wouldn't be a hill at all if the miners hadn't made it one.

But she soon got her answer, as she neared the top, peering over the edge, and catching a glimpse at the horror behind that hill.

Skeletons, corpses, and rotting flesh littered the ground of both man and monster.

Spiders turned over on their backs, arrows, swords and spears piercing their tough and rotting hides, while the obvious cases of bite marks and scars were painted across the bodies of dead miners, Hunters, and what appeared to be escort men.

While the open area behind the hill wasn't large, at most the size of her bedroom back in Rovasta, she still couldn't stop counting the bodies of the dead.

There were just that many.

'So the hill was made that way on purpose.'

Now that Lia had seen it, to her it was plainly obvious why that hill was there in the first place. A strategic advantage point for the miners when they needed to fight. And it was obvious that they had been fighting a lot.

"So you've seen it."

Rian joined her at the top of the mound, overlooking the carnage of old that lied before them.

"This is the death those bugs leave behind. And it's what's going to happen to your friend if we don't hurry."

Nodding her head, Lia silently agreed with Rian, as she tried and failed to tear her eyes away from war torn scenery.

Taking a deep breath, Lia mustered up her courage to ignore this carnage and keep moving forward.

"Let's go. We won't get anything done while standing here."

Following from behind, Rian's eyes panned over the carcases of the dead, this rotting flesh sticking to worn away and torn bones.

His eyes naturally closed as he tore his eyes from the scenery, his face showing just how badly this was affecting him.

When Lia took notice of this, she sighed deeply before reaching into her waist bag, strapped to her side like a belt, and pulled out two glowing glass vials.

Turning them over in her hands, she turned to Rian and passed one off to him.

"What is this?"

Taking it, Rian's eyebrows raised in question, as he turned the vile up and down.

"It's an antidote to the poison the spiders infect us with. I only had a few, not enough for an entire Hunting party."

Lia was careful of what she said, knowing full well what it would look like if Rian mistakenly thought that she had them on her the entire time.

He was an ally she needed to keep by her side until this was all over.

Turning the vial over, Rian hesitantly brought it to his mouth, took out the cork, and drank the contents in one large gulp.

"Glagh.."

Nearly gagging from the taste, Rian rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand, and handed back the vial.

"Terrible taste."

"Indeed."

Lia, who had snuck a sip back before they left, when Rian was rallying everyone to go home, felt that the taste was somewhat a mix between mud water and piss.

Neither of which Lia had ever tasted, but she now knew what they did taste like. And it took all her strength not to gag from the after taste in her throat.

'You could have made ones that weren't so bad?'

She vented her disgust on the vials to Cain, who, she could feel, was secretly laughing at their weak stomachs.

'Trust me, it would be worse if you knew what was inside them. A mix of -'

'Nope. No thank you, I don't want to know.'

Ignoring his words, Lia headed on forward, passing by what looked to be the last wooden archway, symbolizing the end of the mineshaft's tunnel.

Peering into the dark cave, she held out her lantern, looking for any signs of spiders or danger.

Instead, all she could see was the gray casted shadows of stone and rock, that reached to the ceiling in a tight canyon like space.

The floor bed was flat, and gravel paved the road ahead, with the occasional rock that peeked up from the sands.

The canyon was dark, but her eyes easily adjusted to the night, faster than she would have thought. Another mystery of Cain's shared senses.

"This cave?"

She turned to Rian, who picked up a torch from a fallen miner.

Using her lantern, he lit the torch, and headed out forward, a single light in the vast darkness.

"Yeah this is it. Be careful though. I've known more miners and friends who get shivers down their spine from just seeing this place."

Walking forward, Lia reached Rian's side, peering over the rocks and the walls.

"What's so scary about this place?"

Rian only shrugged, his mind clearly elsewhere.

"Lots of folk don't like this palace because it's so open. But also so closed in you have nowhere to go."

"I thought people would feel safer in an open space. That way you can see the enemy in front of you."

Nodding his head, Rian's pace quickened, the torch burning with flame.

"True. But really, more people feel safer in a tighter space when fighting."

Smirking to himself, he half turned to Lia.

"Keeps things from sneaking up on you in an open space. But I don't know, it could just be me since I've always lived in the mines."

Finding an option to change topics, Lia jumped at the opportunity to switch from some war torn conversation to actual talk.

"Have you always lived in the mines?"

"Not always. From when I was just a lad, my old man threw me into the mines to work. We were quite poor so it was the only option since my mother left. But even then, the mines are just very distinct to me. Like a second home."

Sensing she was brushing up against a sensitive topic, Lia tried to avoid any talk about family. Afterall, she knew just how sensitive they could be.

"What about Neverdark. When I met you, you didn't seem like some miner."

"'Didn't seem like?'"

Stopping and turning to her, he repeated her words back to her in confusion. But in a kind tone, not an angry one.

"And what did I look like? Some drunkard?"

"No…I was going to say tattooer."

Momentarily surprised, Rian burst out into laughter at her words, taking great joy and humor in them.

"Hahahahaha. So, tell me then. Surprised to find that I know more about these rocks than the average man?"

Smiling, and taking humor in the conversation herself, Lia played along.

"Ah, yes. The joy of knowing your fighting ally will always be able to tell rock from limestone."

"Hahaha…"

Struggling to stop his laughing, Rian continued forward, his hand over his mouth to keep the laughter out.

As the conversation died down, Cain's voice echoed out in her head, reminding her of where she was.

'Be careful here Lia. This is enemy ground.'

'I'm not in a war zone. I'm just going hunting.'

She could feel Cain scoff at her words, his voice holding traces of sarcasm.

'This might as well be a war zone, considering the sight we just saw.'

Being reminded of what a horrid scene that was, Lia instinctively shook her head, trying to get Cain to stop talking.

'When are you going to realize that shaking your head won't do anything to me.'

Ignoring Cain, Lia tried focusing on something else, but with such an empty stone canyon, she knew she wouldn't find much to entertain her.

However, she was proven wrong when her eyes landed on a large stone boulder, situated in the middle of the pathway, like dozens of others. And like those other boulders, nothing truly caught her eye with it, until she saw the faint outlines of carvings and pictures painted on the sides.

Taking an interest, Lia changed direction and neared the rock, brushing her hand over the rough surface, tracing the edges of the paintings.

Men with axes and spears, rowing in long boats, their sails flung high. Men with beasts and light coming from their hands, ran forward against a mob of people, who clutched spears and bows.

The last painting was of a man, at the top of the stone boulder, and at the edge of the painting. He wore a helmet carved with curving horns, in his open arms he held to double sided axes and looked to be screaming out to the stars.

Sensing he was no longer being followed, Rian turned to find Lia standing mesmerized by the rock's paintings.

It was only until he joined her at her side, and laid his eyes on the paintings did he realize what she was so shocked by.

"Concors. The ancient people of Morden. A warrior race through and through."

"Concors?"

At the mention of her question, Rian turned to her confused.

"You mean to tell me you've never heard of our ancestors before?"

Quickly realizing what she had done, Lia tried to save herself from giving her identity away.

"W-well..I've never been big on history before. Besides, my brother was the only one to teach me anything, and I hardly paid attention."

Rubbing the back of her head, Lia found no choice but to blame this inexistant brother, she had painted after Cain.

'The best way to get out of something is to blame someone else.'

She thought as she prayed that Rain wouldn't question anything.

"You mean your brother was the one who taught you stuff. What about your parents?"

Frowning, Lia turned to Rian confused.

"Didn't I already tell you this?"

"I would assume not. Though if you have, forgive me, my memory isn't the best."

Similarly rubbing the back of his head, Rian smiled awkwardly.

'Perhaps he's testing you to see if you'll tell him the same story?'

Of course, Cian's suspicions rose at any irregularities that showed up. Rian's actions and tone being one of them.

Shrugging, Lia decided to play along, in case this really was just another test.

"Long story short, they're gone. Dead, lost, or simply gone. It doesn't matter to me."

Seeing he was brushing against a sensitive topic, Rian apologized and bowed his head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to question you."

"Don't worry about it."

Shaking her head, Lia glanced back at the vague cave paintings on the stone boulder.

"My brother was the only one who taught me anything, and I wasn't really big on history lessons."

'Liar. The information I have would be gold to you if you would just listen.'

Knowing full well that Lia was talking about him, Cain couldn't stop himself from saying something to her.

'Do you ever stop talking to Cain?'

Because of their shared senses, Lia could feel Cain's heart clench as he quietly dyed his voice down to a barely audible whisper.

'Occasionally..'

Smiling to herself, at her new found victory, Lia focused back on the cave painting.

"So what do you think these paintings are about?"

"Hm?"

Rian looked over the drawings and etched carvings, taking a moment to come to a conclusion. When he turned to face her, he wore a smile on his face, his eyes passing between the stone and her.

"Well, this is a rare find. To think there would be a cave painting of Orthal down here."

"Orthal?"

While Rian hadn't come over his shock of learning Lia was oblivious to their entire culture and history, he knew that it was just better if he didn't ask.

"Right…Orthal is the Barbarian hero of our land. During the time of the war in 300, we were faced with almost dire circumstances. Death lied just beyond our borders and every day it grew closer. Back then our people came to a decision that war was the only option, but where the people who were mere farmers struggled to pick up the blade, Orthal was a god amongst men."

"So I assume he led yo-our people into battle?"

"Yes. He did more than that thought. Throughout his life he established our borders, turned us to the sword, and built back the pillars of Morden. And when the war was over, no more than a few border skirmishes now and then, he settled down with the five tribes, and established a people. 'Morden' comes from his name, you know. Orthal Mor Denever. 'A warrior amongst the men who raised his blade to the battle of fire and blood.'"

Turning his attention back to the path, he setted out, his story of Orthal over.

"A bit of poetry if you will allow. I may not be the best, but I know a few."

Catching up to his side, Lia felt dumb for having Rian explain all this to her. Truthfully it would have been better if she had just asked Cain, got a quick summary of all his knowledge, and been done with it.

But she wasn't about to go back on her words and apologized. No matter how much she needed information. He just talked too much.

'I heard that you little -'

"Rian.."

Glancing at her from his side, Rian only shook his head, guessing that Lia was probably embarrassed from not knowing anything about their culture.

But where Rian should have been apprehensive or suspicious as he normally would, after what he had seen in the mineshaft, he knew better than to ask or poke at sensitive topics. All he could think about now was his constant worries and thoughts, wondering what she must have gone through in her youth to not know any of this.

To this knowledge, Rian's face turned gloomy, feeling pity well up inside him.

But that only lasted for a little while, for at the sound of Lia's next words, he froze, his pity disappearing back into suspicion.

"...Would you be against the idea of a foreigner, or would you welcome them?"

Stopping mid stride, Rian turned his torch to Lia, her face plastered with the light from the flames. On his face he could already feel the frown emerging from his skin, and his smile disappearing.

His eyes felt like they grew hard with the muscles on his face. His look of seriousness surprised Lia more than she would admit.

'What did I say?'

She thought openly, too late to realize what she had done.

'Because of what you said! Lia, are you a fool?!'

Cain's voice didn't bother to hold back the malice he felt inside, like he normally would with his words.

Right now, he was angry. He could feel Lia's emotions welling up inside her, giving him reason as to why she said what she said.

But he didn't care. The mere fact that she was simultaneously risking everything they had worked for, though it wasn't much it was still enough for Cain, it angered him.

'All for some flimsy emotions?!'

He thought, but didn't say it out loud. Unlike Cain, Lia could not read his mind, like he could hers. It was a one way window to her intellect, and he wasn't too keen on showing her anything that lied within his mind.

'Lia, what are you doing?!'

Ignoring Cain's words, Lia turned her focus back on Rian, her emotions pulling at her to say something, but she quelled them, and kept quiet.

"Well?"

She asked again, secretly clenching her fists, hoping and praying this would go her way.

"What are you-"

But she never got to hear the end.

Just as Rian opened his mouth to speak, the sound of an echo so fierce it paved a way to her very soul, shaking it to its core.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"Lukali!"

Instantly able to tell that the voice belonged to Lukali, Lia rushed forward down the path, hearing the pure agony in his scream.

Following close behind her, reacting only a few seconds after Lia, Rian tailed her, dropping the torch and any other questions he might have had for her, down in the dust.

Round the bend, down the slope, over the rocks and through the darkness that surrounded them. Eventually, Lia gave up trying to navigate her way through or remember anything about the path she took.

'Lia…Lia wait!'

Ignoring Cain, Lia continued to throw herself forward, her legs burning from the run, pain seeping into her bones.

The final bend, a stone cracked archway that she paid little attention to, other than her focus on getting around it.

And when her eyes laid on the scene before her, she found the sight to be devastating. Pure and utter terror filled her gut, as she screamed out.

"Lukali!!!!"