Bound to the Abyss Page 8

  He shook his head, trying to knock free the questions plaguing his mind. Wrapping a blanket around his body, he was just about to nod off when he felt Zin draw close. It was going to take some time getting used to, having the ability to feel the imp’s presence. A few moments later the imp’s mostly invisible form crept through the opening and moved to sit down by Ean’s head.

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” Ean whispered, hoping to cut off the inevitable conversation he knew was coming. “Let’s just get some sleep, and we can figure things out in the morning.”

  “Fair enough,” was the reply, and he felt the imp moved down to his feet and curl up beside him. With a sigh Ean kicked a bit of his own blanket over the invisible form then turned his back to the imp. His last thought as he drifted off to sleep was how he hoped having Zin around would balance out traveling with the happy couple.

  THEY WOKE JUST BEFORE dawn. As they packed up camp, the first rays of the sun peeked over the mountains. Grassland surrounded them, making the smooth path cut into the mountain easy to find. Their goal for the day was to follow the trail until they came to a clearing halfway through the mountains. It was where the Merchant camped on his way into and out of their village the one time of year he visited. With that goal in mind, they broke camp and headed up the mountain.

  The road through the mountain was an interesting piece of work. Less of a road, it was more a carving into the natural formation of the mountain itself. Decades ago, Cleff’s father had hired miners to cut a travel-able path to connect their small village to the outside world. They had worked with the natural formations of the mountains instead of against them, carving into the rock wherever it was most convenient. This led to long winding sections that rose and fell, curving at spots and making sharp turns at others, often doubling back on itself. The only convenience the workers had provided was a flat, narrow surface for travelers to access.

  The small group spent the first part of the day traveling in silence. While Ean, Bran and Jaslen moved on foot, Zin had returned to his seat on top of the packs. Ean could just imagine the imp lying back and enjoying the ride. The group ate as they walked, not bothering to waste time cooking breakfast. Ean made sure to slip Zin a dried piece of meat for him to eat. It was strange, not only being able to see the imp while he was invisible but also to actually feel his presence whenever he was nearby. It could have something to do with the tattoo he had painted onto his hand, but there was no way to know for sure. Zin had seemed just as surprised, which made Ean nervous. What other side effects would start to spring up?

  As the sun started to reach its apex in the sky, Jaslen broke the silence. “Ean, there was something we, I mean, I wanted to ask you. If you wouldn’t mind, of course.” Her hands were folded across her chest and she sounded nervous, which could mean any number of things.

  Ean gave a noncommittal grunt.

  “It’s about a rumor that we’ve heard about you,” she continued. “One I’ve been too nervous to ask about.” She looked at the ground for a moment, before continuing on. “Do you really follow Ze’an?”

  Ean remained silent for a time as he tried to figure out how to answer. In his village, the fact that people thought he followed a cursed god made them less likely to bother him. Was she one of those people? Should he continue his lie and tell her that he did follow the forsaken god or deny it? He had no idea how either of his companions would react either way. A quick glance at Jaslen and Bran found them both staring at him with blank expressions. Bran’s opinion he didn’t care that much about, but Jaslen’s was a different story. If she already thought he was a follower of Ze’an and came on the trip anyway, he might as well go along with it.

  “Yes, I worship the Lord of the Abyss.”

  “That’s great!” she said, clapping her hands together in excitement.

  It certainly wasn’t the reaction he had expected.

  "We’ve been trying to learn more about him, and of course we couldn’t ask around our village. The rumors about you are the only time Ze’an’s name is ever mentioned. When we heard you had actually spoken to him, we saw this trip as the perfect opportunity to--”

  That caused Ean to stop in his tracks. "Wait, what? Who told you I've actually talked to a god?"

  She must have heard the panic in his voice, as she raised her hands in a soothing manner. "You don't have to hide your beliefs from us, Ean. We both are interested in Ze’an as well. That's another reason why we wanted to make sure you came. Knowledge about the other gods and goddesses are practically forced down our throat. We want to learn everything you know about the Lord of the Abyss.”

  She stopped, looking at him with wide, expectant eyes.

  He had no choice now but to make something up. “Of course,” he said, standing straight and trying to look impressive. “If you want to learn about Ze’an, I clearly am the best choice to instruct you in…ah…our beliefs.” He placed a hand on his chin as if deep in thought and resumed walking down the path. The other two glanced at each other once then moved after him.

  Ean let them follow along in silence as his mind raced in an attempt to come up with something to say. He knew little about the Lord of the Abyss. Zin, of course, could provide a wealth of information, but he couldn’t exactly ask him at the moment. Bluffing his way through the day was his only option. While he struggled to come up with something interesting to say, Jaslen caught up to him.

  “So what questions do you have about Ze’an?”

  "Well," she hesitated for a moment. "Bran and I wanted to know if you have actually spoken to Ze'an before." Ean grimaced, which caused Jaslen to rush on before he could speak. "I'm sorry if that was too forward. The rumors we’ve overheard all mention you speaking to thin air. We figured that he must speak to you. Or you’re crazy." The laugh that followed couldn’t have been more forced.

  So much for not getting caught speaking to Zin, Ean thought. "Oh...well. To be honest, no, I have never spoken to him. And I have no idea why people think they saw me talking to thin air. That would be crazy.”

  When she remained silent, he pressed on. “I just believe what Ze’an stands for, is all. That’s why I worship him.”

  A smile lit up her face. "Great! That's how we feel too, although Bran and I have our different reasons. I believe that Ze'an is misunderstood. The creatures he creates in the Abyss are meant to be a benefit, not things to be feared. After all, he does keep most of the dangerous ones contained.”

  “I believe,” Bran said, calling up to them, “that he creates dangerous creatures in order to test humans and make us strive to be stronger."

  Jaslen let out a small laugh, casting Bran a fond look before turning back to Ean. "As you can see, we believe close to the same thing, that Ze’an is helping humans in the long run. We try not to worry about the small differences in our opinions. How about you, Ean? What do you believe Ze'an stands for?"

  "Me? Well, actually, I believe the same as you. Why would a god create things if not to help us, right?"

  Behind them there was a burst of laughter that lasted only a moment. Jaslen turned around and shot Bran a dirty look.

  "It wasn't me!" he replied, a confused look on his face. By Jaslen's expression, it was clear she didn't believe him, but Ean did. He knew that laugh, and Zin would pay for it later.

  Casting Bran one last annoyed look, Jaslen turned her attention back to Ean. “I’m glad you feel the same way I do. It makes me feel better about what I’ve believed all along. I mean, the stories we hear from our parents have all been about horrible monsters that eat people and destroy farms and villages. I’m surprised our village hasn’t blamed the monster’s appearance on the Abyss.” She gave a sniff before continuing on. “Enough about that. Tell us about the Abyss, Ean. You must know a lot about that.”

  This was one topic that he did know quite a bit about. Zin had told him a great deal about the terrors of his home.

  “Yes, I do,” he replied. Jaslen’s eyes brightened and she waved him on. Even
Bran picked up his pace and moved closer to hear. “From what I understand, the Abyss consists of eleven levels, each level containing different creatures and areas. The further down you go, the stronger the creatures you will find. Resting at the bottom is Ze’an himself.”

  Jaslen frowned before replying. “Yes, we all have heard those stories, Ean. I want to know MORE, though. Do you know more?” Her voice was a mixture of hope and doubt.

  “Yes, yes, I know more.” Ean said, not bothering to hide the frustration in his voice. “Have the stories you’ve heard mention the types of creatures and where they are? Have the stories told you about the Imps that reside on the first level, simple creatures hunted by every creature stronger than them for food or slaves? Beasts like the Hounds live on the first three levels. They are huge black dogs, three times the size of a normal dog with intelligence, that have acidic saliva that can burn through most things. Or how about on the fifth level, where scores of rock-like creatures called Maruks reside, their only purpose is to forge weapons and armor infused with the energies of the Abyss. Do you know what resides on the seventh level? Spirits. The souls of those too filled with rage or somehow corrupted by the energy of the Abyss lie trapped, unable to be taken by the Goddess Kaz’ren. Or the tenth level where there are creatures so terrible that they are simply referred to as the Nameless Ones. Have you heard any of those in your stories?”

  By her flushed cheeks, it was clear that she hadn’t heard any of it before. Bran also looked impressed, walking along behind them with the horse still in tow.

  “I’m sorry I doubted you,” Jaslen said breathlessly. “You know more about the Abyss than the entire village combined.”

  “We’ll have plenty of time to talk more during our trip.” Ean did his best to look stoic, but inwardly he was sighing with relief. Jaslen and Bran would give him some space now if they thought he was upset. He could use that time to try and get some more information to feed them from Zin tonight.

  They returned to walking along without saying much for the rest of the day. Both Bran and Jaslen hung back with the horse, which was fine with Ean. He had grown uncomfortable after the conversation had ended. It had become natural for him to lie in the past; it kept him out of trouble and on occasion kept trouble from finding him. But it felt wrong now. Bran and Jaslen were being open about a subject that was taboo in their village, and as far as he knew the rest of the world. Didn’t they deserve honesty in return? The thought put him in a sour mood.

  WITHOUT CONVERSATION TO LIGHTEN the mood, the path through the mountain felt even more cold and barren. Few trees grew up out of the rocky ground and cliff faces. A chill wind constantly whistled through the pass. They gathered what few branches and sticks they found along the way so they could make a small fire when they stopped for the night. Unexpected bursts of wind would howl through the pass like the cry of a wounded animal. At twilight they reached the halfway point of the path, putting them that much closer to the village of Rensen.

  Twice as wide as the rest of the path but just as barren, the halfway point was as welcoming as the bottom of a boot. It made the lack of trees and plants all the more obvious. The added space also gave them less protection from the wind, which blew constantly and put a chill in Ean’s bones.

  They moved about the area, setting up their meager camp. They each took their time as there was little else to do once the sun had set. Ean and Bran focused on their tents while Jaslen set up the fire and got to work on their dinner. Ean was glad that Bran refrained from asking any questions about the Abyss. It had been a long and tiring trek up the path. Ean was looking forward to a quick meal and then off to bed.

  Jaslen had a stew of beans and potatoes simmering over the fire by the time the tents were set up. The group gathered around, still silent, as they waited for the broth to warm. Every now and then, the wind would shriek through the pass, overwhelming the crackle of the fire. The three, now used to the sound, would look to each other and let out weak laughs, which relieved some of the tension that had crept into the group.

  While they waited for the stew to cook, Bran moved away from Jaslen and took out his sword. Taking a piece of stone from his pocket, he began to run it up and down the blade’s edge while she continued to monitor the stew.

  “I can’t believe we’re actually out of the village,” Bran said. “I never imagined I would leave at all, let alone one season after my twentieth birthday.”

  “I didn’t think I would have the chance to leave for years, especially after…” Ean glanced at Bran then quickly looked away. “Krane stole most of my money.”

  Bran’s face reddened, but he did not look away. “Ean, I truly am sorry about my brother. I have no idea why he holds such a grudge towards you. I promise when we get back and the monster is taken care of, I will make it my mission to have all of your money returned.”

  Ean dismissed the comment with the wave of a hand. “I would worry less about my money and more about what other horrible things—” he paused a moment as a particularly loud shriek of the wind interrupted him. There was something different about it this time, something that made Ean glance around the clearing. Bran and Jaslen paused at what they were doing and scanned the cliff faces.

  When the sound failed to repeat, Ean’s muscles relaxed until he noticed his right hand had gone numb. Clasping and unclasping his fingers, he wondered if his glove had cut off his circulation.

  Jaslen let out a light yelp. She was staring up behind Bran into the mountains, her one hand on her mouth and her other pointing in the direction she was looking. Both Bran and Ean turned in unison, trying to focus in the direction she was pointing.

  Poking its head out over a ridge not so high above them was one of the ugliest faces Ean had ever seen. About twice as wide as a normal human face, its head was covered in scars and pockmarks. Its skin looked like someone had stretched a normal person’s face out and then stuck it into a hornet’s nest. Its narrow ears stuck out, pointing away from its head, and its chubby nose was just as long. The creature’s eyes were hidden deep in their sockets.

  “What in the blazes is that?” Ean said, slowly getting to his feet.

  Bran was frowning but didn’t seem too concerned. “It looks like a mountain troll. They come down into the valley on occasion but are timid and easy to scare off. I’ve had more trouble with mountain bears than with trolls the past few years of patrolling the village.”

  “Looks like a troll or is a troll?” Ean wasn’t about to relax. There was something in Bran’s voice, a slight question in his tone that kept him on edge.

  “Well, yes and no. Something about it isn’t quite right. It looks…bigger than the ones I’ve had to scare off.” He shrugged and kept his eye on the troll. “They usually aren’t much of a problem. Simple creatures with simple needs. It probably just caught the smell of our stew and thought it might find an easy meal. I doubt it will come close now that it’s seen us.”

  He returned to sharpening his blade, but every now and then he would glance in the creature’s direction. Jaslen returned to her task of stirring the stew, her eyes repeatedly flickering at Bran.

  Not feeling the least bit comforted, Ean watched the creature. Bran was right; there was something strange about this troll, but not because of its appearance. Ean could feel it. In the same way he could feel Zin a few paces a way without even looking for his tell-tale blur. What did it mean? Lost in thought, he didn’t notice when the creature’s head disappeared from view.

  “See?” Bran said, a little bit of tension leaving his voice. “Nothing to worry about. It’s probably moved on to find an easier meal.”

  “Well, that’s good,” Jaslen said, a forced laugh accompanying her words. “I only made enough stew for the three of us.” She lifted the ladle out of the pot, bringing a small amount to her lips. “Shouldn’t be too much longer now, and then we can eat.”

  Ean could still feel the thing out there in the mountains. It was moving, circling around their camp and steadily ma
king its way closer. He stood, keeping his body facing in the same direction as where he felt the creature. He felt Zin move too, away from the tents and towards where Ean was standing. Ean frowned, not sure what to make of any of it.

  “You’re sure the troll isn’t anything to worry about?” He directed the question to Bran without looking in his direction.

  “Of course. Someone even younger than us could scare one off with a little effort. I’m sure seeing the three of us will keep it away. You really don’t have to be afraid, Ean.” He said the last part with a chuckle, Jaslen joining in a few moments later.

  Ean ground his teeth, anger washing away any concern over the creature moving about. “I am not scared!” It came out as a yell even though he had meant to simply state it. They both stopped laughing, Jaslen looking at him with pity while Bran looked down at the ground.

  “Ean, I was joking. Really.” Bran said, the sincerity clear in his voice. “You really need to learn not to take things so personally.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t be calling people—” Ean was on the verge of yelling again when a loud thud cut him off, followed by inhuman screams. Spinning towards the noise, Ean saw a gruesome sight.

  The troll had taken their horse to the ground and was crouched over it, its right side facing them. The horse was flailing around in an attempt to get up, but the troll had it pinned with its large, muscular arms. The troll’s face was buried in the side of the horse, great tearing sounds coming from it, mixing with the whinnying of the horse and the wind’s howl.

  Bran leapt to his feet, his sword gripped tightly in his hand as he rushed to the horse’s aid. Jaslen remained motionless. She seemed frozen in a sitting position on the ground, soft sobs escaping her throat as she watched the horse being devoured. Ean was frozen in place as well, his emotions a mixture of fear and curiosity.