Path of Dragons

The cave was entirely desolate, and when Elijah looked back, he saw that there was no evidence of the door through which they’d arrived in the Primal Realm. However, he was more concerned about the cold. To him, it was only mildly uncomfortable, feeling like it was a touch above freezing. But the others were far more affected.

The worst off was Zhang Yue, who looked as if he was on the verge of hypothermia, but Nico wasn’t doing much better. The others took the frigid climate progressively better, with Gideon coming next, then Dat, and finally Sadie, who didn’t seem much more affected than Elijah.

And that didn’t make sense.

If Sadie could take it, then his Cloak of the Iron Bear should have been more than capable of countering the cold. So, Elijah took the garment off, stuffing it into his Ghoul-Hide Satchel. Doing so left him slightly colder, but no more so than if he’d removed any other fur cloak. Clearly, the Temperate effect did nothing against the cold. That suggested that it was system interference deactivating it, or the cold wasn’t actually based on temperature.

Whatever the case, Elijah had grown accustomed to the weight of his cloak, so he once again donned it. By that point, the others had already taken steps to combat the cold, as Sadie and Dat had removed winter gear from the packs they’d gotten back in the Trial. Unlike the Ghoul-Hide Satchel, they had been made by a talented crafter, which meant that they weren’t nearly as powerful as the tower reward. Still, they were spacious enough to hold winter coats, gloves, and hats for everyone except Elijah, who’d never really needed it.

That gave Elijah a moment to look around, both with his eyes as well as the sense granted by Soul of the Wild. And he was disappointed to find that they had arrived in an entirely ordinary cave. He saw nothing noteworthy, and with Soul of the Wild, he couldn’t detect anything but more rock. There was also only one way out, so their path was clear.

“Do you want me to scout?” he asked after donning his own cloak. As the weight settled onto his shoulders, he felt far more comfortable. Not so much in terms of the cold, but rather, he’d grown used to wearing it.

“I think we should stick together,” Sadie answered, adjusting her furry hat. It looked like a Russian ushanka, with red streaks among the white fur. The others wore mundane ski caps, though Dat had opted to keep his normal, wide-brimmed hat, claiming that he wouldn’t compromise his style for a little cold. Otherwise, everyone had donned heavy coats trimmed in fur. That they were prepared for the frigid temperatures was laudable, and it highlighted how dependent Elijah had become on some of his magical equipment.

“Agreed,” Gideon stated. “We haven’t a clue what dangers are held within this Primal Realm.”

Elijah nodded, and once everyone had adjusted their equipment for maximum mobility, they set off through the cave. Fortunately, the single exit meant that they weren’t forced to make any decisions as to direction, so they could each focus on the environment.

What Elijah felt was not promising.

As expected, there was a heavy cloud of death attuned ethera in the atmosphere, and though it wasn’t visible, everyone felt it. Elijah, Sadie, and Dat had no issues dealing with it, largely because they’d felt something similar during the Trial of Primacy when they’d fought for days in death-attuned tunnels. However, the others certainly weren’t equipped to handle it, and all three looked like they were in the throes of a fever. Despite the cold, each face was coated in a sheen of sweat, and their skin had grown incredibly pale, with dark circles beneath their eyes.

The only thing keeping them on their feet was Nico’s healing. He might’ve been reluctant to use his spells on what he considered superfluous injuries, but he didn’t hesitate to cast them in service of keeping himself and the other two going. Pointedly, he didn’t bother with Elijah, Dat, or Sadie. Maybe because he could tell they didn’t need it, but given his obvious disdain for them, Elijah suspected other motives. Likely, he figured that if they experienced negative side effects, they could take care of the issues themselves.

It was a marked difference between how Ron approached healing. He never hesitated, and he was always the first to offer help. Once again, Elijah questioned Nico’s commitment to – or suitability for – his chosen role.

Regardless, it was enough to keep everyone moving, so he suspected he was being a little harsh based on his personal feelings concerning the healer. Resolving to keep those to a minimum, Elijah led the way through the cave. It was more than a mile long, and he felt the exit well before they reached it. So, he wasn’t surprised when they finally arrived at a gaping maw of a cave entrance, overlooking a landscape that took even Elijah aback.

The snow-covered mountains surrounding them were enormous, and they looked as if they stretched far into the heavens. If they were less than twice the height of Mount Everest, he would have been incredibly surprised. Far above, a grey sky filled with dense clouds cast the area in what seemed a perpetual twilight. Snow drifted down from those clouds at a steady rate – enough to account for the huge drifts Elijah sensed all around.

However, as impressive as the natural environment was, he was far more concerned with the valley far below.

“This is not what I signed up for,” Zhang Yue mumbled, clearly out of his depth. “I…I want to go back. How do I go back?”

That was not an easy question to answer, because there had been no portal at their point of arrival. Elijah suspected that the only way out was to conquer the Primal Realm. That had always been his expectation, but obviously, Zhang Yue hadn’t considered it.

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Whatever the case, no one responded to the Explorer, because they were all focused on the valley. Or rather, its contents.

There were thousands of undead down there, and even from miles away, Elijah could feel their power. These weren’t like the creatures they’d encountered back in Hong Kong. Each zombie was at least of a level with Gideon, and what’s more, they certainly weren’t alone. The zombies made up the bulk of the army – and it was an army, Elijah knew – but there were many other varieties in there as well. Huge, bulbous hulks – they moved like obese toddlers armed with giant hooks and covered in scars – ambled through the crowd, while giant, thirty-foot-tall skeletons in medieval-style armor stood sentry. Meanwhile, there were demons as well. Some were large and muscular, reminding Elijah of Tim Curry’s portrayal of Darkness in the movie Legend – complete with red skin, sweeping horns, and folded, bat-like wings. Others went on four legs and looked like the bull demon Benedict had summoned back in the Trial of Primacy.

That wasn’t the extent of the variety laid out before him, but Elijah didn’t need to catalogue each type of undead or demon. Because he knew what that army represented.

“They’re massing for an invasion,” he stated.

Sure enough, there was a large arch made of fused bones standing before the army. It was currently empty, but Elijah suspected that it would be their point of entry into Hong Kong.

“We can’t let them through that gate,” Sadie stated, having made the same connections Elijah had.

“There are only six of us, one of which does not possess a combat class,” Gideon replied, glancing at Zhang Yue as if his choice of class was a personal affront. “We can’t do anything about that army, even if we wanted to. Look at them.”

Elijah didn’t care what Gideon said. He had no intentions of leaving that army of undead alive. Or whatever passed for living among the undead.

“I’m fighting them,” he said. “And I’m going to do everything I can to destroy that arch. Once it’s done, we can move on to finding the Queen of Desolation.” řＡƝÒBÊṩ

“You can do it alone, then. I’m not fighting –”

“He’s not alone,” Dat interrupted Gideon.

Sadie added, “We just need to set up the right battleground. I wish we had Kurik with us. His traps would help.”

“But we’d have to put up with his complaints,” Elijah pointed out. Then, he adopted his best Kurik impression, saying, “Ain’t no good reason nobody should be fightin’ no zombies.”

“Was that supposed to sound like him?” Sadie asked with a smirk.

“Uh…yeah?”

“It didn’t.”

Elijah shook his head, “Well, you got the picture. Anyway, my point is that this is going to be a lot more difficult without him.”

“I don’t disagree,” Sadie said. “But not impossible.”

“I said I’m not –”

“Listen, man – I know you don’t want to do this,” Elijah interrupted, turning to face Gideon. “I get it. The odds don’t look great. But here’s the thing – you see that giant wall on the other end of the valley? That’s where we’re going. Do you see what’s between us and that destination? Right – that army. And I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that Zhang Yue’s group stealth won’t let us pass through undetected. So, the way I see it, we’ve got one option. We have to fight through them. Now, do you want to do that as an assault where we have to carve a path through them? Or do you want to set up somewhere, build some defenses, then draw them into a battlefield that favors us?”

The wall in question was at least a couple thousand feet tall, and it looked as if it was made entirely of black iron, with spikey protrusions and flanges that gave it a sinister appearance. Atop that wall – on each end – there were enormous towers that glistened with so much ethera that they seemed to glow. Both were wreathed in blue fog that obscured their true height.

There were even more undead up there, and through the fog, Elijah caught glimpses of creatures that dwarfed even the largest undead or demons down below. Even if they managed to climb the wall, reaching the top would offer no solace.

Fortunately, there was a gate in the center of the wall which offered a clear path through. Reaching it, however, would require the decimation of the army before it. So, as Elijah had already pointed out – the only way to accomplish their goal was by defeating the army of demons and undead.

And Gideon seemed to recognize that, though he wasn’t happy with it.

Nico ignored Elijah, choosing to speak to his sister instead. Looking at her, he said, “You went through similar battles in the Trial. What would you have us do?”

Sadie took a moment before answering, “We need to be careful with our preparations. Give me a few minutes to survey the potential battlefield.”

With that, she stepped forward to the edge of the cave and looked down. Elijah joined her while the others retreated further into the cave, likely to take shelter from the frigid winds. There was no established path leading to the base of the mountain, but with their attributes, they wouldn’t have any difficulty with the descent.

She pointed to a clear spot flanked by a series of boulders. “Will that do?” she asked.

There were three approaches – one from the rear, another from the front, and a smaller area to the left. “You and I could plug that hole in the front. Gideon to the side. And we leave Zhang Yue in the back, just to warn us if someone’s circling around?” he asked.

“That’s what I was thinking. Dat can support Gideon so he doesn’t get overwhelmed,” Sadie explained. “If one of us falls…”

“I know. Is your brother up to the task of keeping everyone healed?” Elijah asked. “He’s no Ron.”

She sighed. “He’s not,” she agreed. “If we had our whole team…”

“I know, but we have to work with what we have,” Elijah said. If he’d been alone, he wouldn’t have hesitated to use Guise of the Unseen to sneak around the army. But he had the others to worry about, and Zhang Yue’s ability wasn’t as effective as his personal stealth, largely because the Explorer’s level was so much lower. He was good enough for Hong Kong, but the level disparity with the creatures down below was just too wide.

“I think it could work. If it comes down to it, I want you to leave us behind, though,” she said. “You and Dat could make it.”

It was almost like she’d been reading his mind.

“I won’t abandon you.”

“You might have to,” she stated. “I don’t want to be a martyr, but if we’re overwhelmed, you and Dat might be the only chance Hong Kong has. If that army makes it through…”

She didn’t need to finish. The amassed army would decimate the city and kill everyone in it. It was not even a question.

“Fine,” Elijah said at last. “But I won’t break away unless it’s the last option.”

“That’s all I ask. Let’s go tell the others,” she said.

Before she left, Elijah grabbed her arm. “Do you want to talk about us?” he asked.

She gave him a small smile. “Not the time.”

“Might not get another chance.”

“Maybe not, but that’s just incentive to make this work, right?” she responded.

“I suppose you’re right,” he acknowledged. Though he didn’t actually believe that. If saving an entire city wasn’t enough motivation, nothing would be. However, he rethought that as he watched her walk away. Sighing, he mumbled, “Motivation indeed.”

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