12 Miles Below

The little room felt like it had been split into two. On one side, Atius, two bodyguards and myself standing off against the other side of the room - Lejis and a few other undersider knights with arms crossed standing aloof. They outnumbered us by a wide margin, but neither Shadowsong nor Ironreach looked particularly worried.

“Well now,” Lejis said, arms spreading out in a jovial fashion. “Let’s not have this aura of hostility between us. We’re men of reason, are we not? I’m certain we can come to arrangements that respect both our causes.”

“Aye, I’m certain we will. One way or another.” Atius said. “That still comes with knowing exactly why you came here in the first place.”

The Chosen priest paced over to a table, sitting down on the chair with a weary sigh. “I’ll be honest and to the point: We’ve been tasked to spread the message of our patron and bring back converts. After a certain number, we’re to return home.”

“For what reason?”

“Manpower. Community. Proving our loyalty to the cause. Hundreds of reasons like so I’d guess. I wasn’t told specifically, nor did I ask.” Lejis shrugged. “I see it more like a duty. We have a way out, a way to sidestep this war that’s taken everything from us. I believe people should at least know the option exists. I would have left to spread the message on my own even if I hadn’t been tasked to do so.”

Atius nodded at that. “Understandable. I still warn you that the offer of peace might be more akin to a honey soaked knife, though I suspect you’ve committed too far into your cause to be convinced any other way.”

“I’ll grant you that it’s possible. But, just as there is a chance the machines still plot our death, there is also a chance the peace is genuine. And someone has to step up and take that chance for the rest. I’m willing to die for it.”

“Your life is yours to do with as you please. You might be willing to die for this cause, but your current actions would drag others to die with you, I remind you.”

There was a lull in the talk at that, both sides remaining slightly tense. “Who exactly sent you?” Atius asked, almost casually. “I heard something of a man-like machine when I walked into the corridor?”

Lejis was about to speak when the Undersider knight to his side stepped in. “A feather by the name of To’Galdran.” He said. I think this was the Chosen captain, the one that spoke up against Atius earlier. “When we joined under his banner, he told us to seek out more converts and return once done.”

“And who are you in all this?” Atius asked. “I’ve seen you at the priests side or shadow at all times, I assumed a bodyguard.”

“He’s my second in command.” Lejis said. “He’s in charge of logistics and administration. While I lead the caravan, he’s the one that makes things move. I tell him what I need, and he makes it happen.”

“Always useful to have one of those around.” Atius chuckled. “On topic of your pilgrimage, I’m afraid your stay here will have to be short. Our expedition owes you a life debt, which I believe can be paid off by escorting your group to the nearest entryway into the underground. You’ll be more safe from the elements there.”

“We’ve only barely arrived!” The captain said, sounding shocked, then he quickly went quiet and turned to his priest, as if asking the man for backup.

“My people really do need some rest before we make the next step in our journey.” Lejis said. “Besides, we understand you’re in a situation yourself with the upcoming raiders and slavers. You might need us.”

“All the more reason to have you shuttled away. This place will hardly be safe for anyone, and I can’t have people I don’t fully trust within my halls during war.”

“Lord Deathless, my people might not have come with much in hand, but we do have ties and resources most undersiders lack. The machines allowed us access to a mite forge in full, we can craft weapons and supplies that your people might need. Consider the trade our people might have in the future.”

“On that front, my people are well taken care of.” Atius said. “I’m afraid my decision remains.” He folded his hands behind his back, waiting for something.

"Doesn't seem like a completely binding choice." The captain to the side said, noticing the pause.

"Aye, it's not. I did say I came here to discuss. And while I'm set on the current decision, I'll at least offer to entertain any ideas you two gentlemen might have. For all I know, perhaps you might yet surprise me."

Lejis furrowed his brow, clearly trying to think, while the captain at his side seemed to be scrambling for options. “What of my knights? I've got a squad of twenty three, including myself at the ready. Surely we can buy some time for my people here in exchange for our service against the raiders.”

Lord Atius quirked his eyebrows at that. “A fine proposition, lad. And how, exactly, can I verify you to be trustworthy?”

At that the captain fell still, looking back to the priest as if asking for backup. Lejis gave him a nod, “I suppose that is a bridge we will have to cross at some point. Trust. Might you have a suggestion Lord Deathless?”

Atius hummed. “I can think of a bridge we might cross. Scouts have already reported a few staging grounds that the raiders are using, they’re barely in the initial steps. I have no manpower to initiate an early attack with lad, but you do. See to it that the staging grounds are destroyed, and we can begin to discuss more mutually beneficial terms. Send out all twenty three knights to make certain these outposts fall.”

“Now hold on just a moment, a portion I can afford to send out. But we can't send out all my knights out miles away in that envi-” But the captain was cut off by a curt hand from his priest.

“I think we can arrange something." Lejis said. "I agree to dispatch all my guards to handle these staging grounds for you, in exchange for some more time to speak freely with the people here, and your word of protection while my people have none.”

“That is acceptable.” Atius said smiling like a cat, hand held out. The two shook, while the Chosen captain seemed to fume inside his armor. But at least no further objections came from him.

We strode out of that meeting room with purpose, all of us making our way back to the markets, which had a good hundred people milling about buying, selling, haggling or sneaking things around. People streamed out of our way as we passed by, as if the crowd had a spirit of it’s own and it knew we were here.

You can find all kinds of things in the market, even more exotic items. We passed by a sullen looking rooster, locked in a sturdy cage for example. Something only traditionally owned by the agrifarmers. A few kids were giving the critter a wide berth. They all scrambled out of our way though, one getting too close to the rooster by accident, giving a perfect example of why they’d been giving it space in the first place.

“We’re letting that weasel pollute the clan.” Shadowsong said to the side as we passed by the howling kid. “I don’t agree with this decision, clan lord. I believe it would have been more prudent to send them off immediately.” He paused then, giving me a quick look before locking his gaze back forward. “Though I have been wrong in the past to doubt you.”

“Helmets and indoor voices, people. We're too old for rookie mistakes.” Ironreach said to the other side, already putting on his own. “Can’t tell who’s got ears here, and if we’re talking gossip, Lisa from Logi isn’t going to be spilling those secrets over tea with my name mentioned, thank you very much.”

Atius nodded, affixing his own helmet. He gave a signal for the channel number and resumed talking when we’d all equipped gear. Standard encrypted channel, nothing fancy but proven to work time and time again. Everything we spoke was now between us four, even in the middle of a crowd like this.

“From a strategic point of view, his religion has already tainted the clan. Even if we expel him, the idea will still spread.” Atius said. “A percentage of people are already susceptible to his argument, and so those can already be written off. They would have left one way or another. With this plan, they leave earlier but the end result remains the same."

“You make it sound like you don’t actually want them to pack their bags and hit the snow.” Ironreach said. “I mean, they’re polite guests and all, but they creep me out something fierce. Maybe because they're friends with murderous metal scrapheads? Small details like that, you know? Gut feeling.”

“You’re correct." Atius said, chuckling softly. “I don't intend for them to leave just yet. I haven’t squeezed out every advantage I can from them yet.”

“The undersider knights.” I said, realizing what Atius had gotten. “You were aiming to make use of them from the start.”

He gave me a look that did very little to hide the likely wolfish grin he sported under his helmet and beard. “Nothing like putting a little pressure to get them to comply. Put your thumb in the right place and people start doing what you want them to.”

“You trust they’ll do as intended?” Shadowsong asked.

“All pieces on a board can be moved, even the enemy, so long as you know the right way to press. Either they eliminate the staging grounds and we’ve won an extra victory, or they intentionally fail to do so, in which case nothing changed for us except we have more convincing proof of their real intentions to win people back with. All outcomes benefit the clan. They might not be mine to command, but I will make use of them regardless. I’ll have them out on the snow weeks before the raiders arrive, regardless. Can’t trust having twenty three possible turncoat knights within the clan at that point. Either their armor will have become the clan’s property with some possible sly words, or they’ll be miles away from us going home.”

“With all due respect, you’re sounding a lot like a Winterscar.” Ironreach said, then gave me a glance. “No offense meant, kid.”

I gave him a shrug, pointing to a stall selling ration bars we were rapidly approaching. “Gimmi a quality one and I’ll consider forgiving you. I am feeling magnanimous today.”

The merchant seemed to perk up, as if some sixth sense had alerted him of a possible new customer.

Ironreach shook his head with a tut, reaching a hand out with his identification card to the merchant while picking one of the goods. I could see the stall merchant paying more attention to the clan lord walking by than the proffered card. The poor man reached out to the empty air next to Ironreach’s hand on a first attempt.

Atius walked right past without stopping, the group following his step. “I need to hear his speeches in full regardless. Know thy enemy first. Simply tossing noise at him isn’t going to work forever, and neither would it work for the follow-up cultist that will inevitably become common to deal with. I have a few options prepared already to counter his rhetoric, they need to be tested. I also aim to get supplies from them next time we meet. See what kind of material the enemy works with.”

“Can we even trust their supplies won’t be sabotaged?” Shadowsong added.

Ironreach caught up to us, tossing a ration bar my way which I deftly snatched out of the air before inspecting. Fruit. The kind that didn’t taste like fruit.

I tilted my head at him reproachfully. He shrugged back. “You said you were feeling, and I quote, magnanimous. Surely you can have mercy on my… ahh ‘limited’ selection.”

I waggled the bar at him, in the universal gesture of ‘This isn’t over.’

“The supplies and weapons the Chosen could offer wouldn’t be enough to make a dent on the war effort, nor do we need them. I only care about what those supplies could tell us about their logistics.” Atius said.

“Wait, what? We don’t need the additional weapons?” Ironreach asked, suddenly alert. “I mean, I’d never say no to an extra occult knife, assuming it worked. Knife is a knife. The lady Winterscar's shown me just how deadly two of them are.”

Atius gave him a slow look, as if considering something. “About that, lad. There's been a new source for Occult weapons recently."

"You've got some new trader trying to pawn off stolen goods at a discount or something?"

"Better. The warlock secrets have finally been cracked by one of ours."

Ironreach and shadowsong both stopped cold in their tracks, before stumbling forward and catching up. While Ironreach seemed stunned into silence, Shadowsong's head snapped to me. I could see the gears in his mind turn, click, and reach a conclusion. “He can’t have.” He whispered. “Has he?”

“Has he what?” Ironreach said. “You lot keeping me in the dark here? Who in the bloody wastes could crack that?”

“Aye, he has managed it. The lad here figured out how to manufacture Occult blades. The clan won’t be strapped for those anymore ever again, although we’ll need to consider the best course of action in terms of equipping the clan without upsetting the balance of the world. I’ve been debating the best method forward, but it’s clear to me the Chosen plan to move fast and I need to match step. No more time to think now. You are my inner circle of knights, I’ll let you in early. I intend to inform the center council of Houses a few hours from now in today's meeting.”

“Gods in heaven.” Ironreach said after a pause. “You’re not joking. First Winterscars grow wings, now they’re forging blades?”

Atius nodded. “I wouldn’t joke on a topic like this, you know that. An Undersider would have cut ties and ran with the discovery, either joining the warlocks or founding a branch guild.”

“But up here, we're not greedy savages." Ironreach finished for him. "What one can do for the clan, the clan can do for all. Gods, this changes everything. We’re going to squash the raiders like insects. They won’t stand a chance. No wonder you don't care about supplies from the Chosen.”

“Occult weapons will be a massive advantage and we need manpower to wield them. Relic armors remain something that can’t be replaced. But yes, I see our odds of victory high. I won’t stop stacking the odds in our favor however. I intend to use everything I have. Our enemy is also trying to stack their own odds as high as they go.”

The group fell silent as we walked on past the market.

“Urs protect me, what sort of demon did you walk out of the underground with kid?” Ironreach asked. “I thought it was all talk and gossip ‘bout you turning into a sorcerer. Truth is gods damned stranger than gossip this time around.”

“Oh, I got some help from a few ghosts of various kinds.” I shrugged. “The usual.”

“I don’t care what kind of deals you made, if you can forge me longer sword, I’ll buy you the whole ration shop. The things I could do with a few more inches of reach…” He paused. “And I don’t mean it that way, for the first time in my life. Swear on the gods.”

“Why keep it from us for this long?” Shadowsong asked. “If I had known the depth of his discoveries…”

Atius sighed. “A mistake on my part. You don’t haphazardly move around with secrets that haven’t been broken for over five hundred years, the reflex was to keep it quiet and figure out what kind of trouble could come our way. In this case, I should have gone ahead without pause. We don’t have the luxury of milling about. Those secrets will turn the tide of war, but they need to be used.”

“Think we can request metal seeds from the Chosen? Have them give us the materials for forging the blade bases to grow out the metal prints. Would be ironic in a way. They can’t possibly sabotage base materials.” Ironreach said.

“If I were in the priest’s position, I wouldn’t sabotage anything at all.” Atius said. “I’d already expect my moves to be monitored and any sabotage would have been caught. Materials aren’t my goal however. Like I mentioned before, it's all about what they indirectly reveal. I want to know what they find valuable and what isn’t. What they offer and what they choose not to offer. How long it takes them to gather such items, and so forth. If the supplies work or not is irrelevant. They likely won’t be used.”

We reached the lifts, where all four of us boarded. Atius clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Besides, making longer reaching swords seems rather banal. We’re surface dwellers. We can do better. Isn't that right, lad?" He said, patting my shoulder pad a few times.

The lift shuddered and rose, bringing us back to the Retainer House levels. Up to where the engineering forges were.

“Oh, I've got something much better than swords in mind.” I said. “Much better.”

Next chapter - Kidra (T)

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