Chapter 71: High Above the Lava

Ubund leaned back against the side wall, and then with the briefest of nods towards Alcar, pulled forward and spun around through the archway, bow raised. There was a screeching sound as Alcar followed.

He found himself in a vast and unevenly-shaped cave, in which several vulture-like birds were circling, perhaps ten in all. Before Alcar fully had time to take in what was happening, one of the creatures fell to the ground with an arrow through its neck.

“This way!” called out Ubund, leading his way up the left side of the cave. The vep-te guide then shot a further cave bird with great precision, and continued forward. He was heading towards... what was that?

Alcar blinked as he hurried after. “What the hell?” he murmured.

It was the glow of daylight.

But he had no choice to run along after Ubund, with Brutus just at his side once again.

Ahead was a mouth of the cave – a long low entrance opening onto what appeared to be the outside world by twilight.

It was just that Alcar couldn’t understand how that was possible... he and Brutus had descended deep into the earth, walking down the steps for many hours. How could there be daylight outside the cave? How could the cave even have an ’outside’?

As Ubund shot another bird, Alcar ducked another, but a third landed on his shoulder and bit down hard on his upper arm. Its beak was long and serrated, larger than that of a swan and shaped like a hook, and Alcar yelped in pain as he shook the creature off. He then thrust the torch towards the bird, causing it to flap upwards, thump hard into the wall, and then swoop away again.

As another of the birds approached, Alcar crouched and waved the torch above him again to fend it off. Or to be more accurate, he waved the smouldering stick. It had almost burned out completely, now. Cursing, he flung it towards the ground and ran on, his staff raised in both hands.

Ubund had stopped at the cave mouth, and was now silhouetted. His bow twanged once again as Alcar approached, and another bird shrieked and thumped to the ground. He couldn’t have many arrows left.

This time, however, their actions had apparently done enough. The remaining creatures swooped away from the adventurers and towards the back of their cave, and did not return.

“Those were Palluck crows,” said Ubund, as Alcar and Brutus caught up with him, panting. “A dangerous bite, but they’re cumbersome and cowardly. Let’s go.”

The guide turned and led the way on. “You’re going to be surprised at what is ahead,” he added, gesturing towards the cave mouth.

“You think?” said Alcar, clutching at his wounded arm. Blood was now soaking the sleeve of his robes.

Ubund nodded, a sly smile playing across his face.

They walked on, and as they stepped across the threshold of the cave mouth, Alcar realized that they were on some kind of ledge, halfway up a vast rocky slope. A mountain loomed up above behind them, and there was also a huge drop below.

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“What’s down...” began Alcar, looking down towards the edge.

But he didn’t need an answer to the question that he had been just about to ask. The rocky sloped descended at a near-vertical angle until it reached a vast red lake. An enormous river of lava, deep beneath the earth.

“Fuck me...!” exclaimed Alcar, stepping back from the edge in horror. “That’s deadly! Shouldn’t there be a safety barrier here, or something?”

Brutus wined, pulling close to the rock behind.

Ubund looked around at the pair, frowning in confusion, and then shrugged, leading the way onwards to the left, along the ridge. “Come. We make our way around. Stay close. We must cross.”

“Cross? Like, another bridge...?” began Alcar, still standing where he was. He looked ahead and then over his shoulder, crouching down with one arm around Brutus’s neck. “This place is madness. It’s not safe for me, and certainly not for a dog!”

Ubund paused, turning. “Welcome to the rift valley,” he said. “It wasn’t wise to bring your dog, but if he’s smart and stays close, he may survive.”

“May survive?”

“Now – to the bridge.”

Forcing himself onwards, Alcar clutched Brutus’s collar and walked on, keeping the dog as far from the edge as he could. His arm hurt, though at least the patch of blood where the palluck crow had bitten him had not gotten any larger.

The broad rocky ledge that they were walking along now wound around the face of the mountain – or rather the cliff – and soon the cave mouth was out of sight behind.

And it wasn’t long before Alcar saw the bridge – a long, vertiginous, wooden suspension bridge that led right above the lava, and over to the opposite mountain. It was a good fifty yards long, and at the far end of it was a closed wooden door.

It seemed to him insane that such a structure should even exist.

“You’re... going to tell me that we need to cross that, aren’t you?” said Alcar, pointing with his staff.

Ubund, still walking a few paces ahead, nodded sharply. “Cross over, yes.”

“But... what is this place? I mean, I heard you say it’s the rift valley. But how is it possible that I went down steps for a long time – like, hours – and now find myself high up a mountain face?

Ubund said nothing for a moment, walking on in silence, but as they reached the near end of the suspension bridge, he paused, looking around at Alcar and pulling his bow back across his shoulder. “Well observed, human. We are on a mountain, but yet we are very low into the roots of the world, here. Lower even than the city of Dathmir, or the islands of my home.”

“We’re below the level of the ocean right now?” asked Alcar, astonished.

Ubund made a face, then shrugged. “Low, yes. This area has the highest peaks and the lowest valleys of all. As you can see, some valleys are filled with lava. There are volcanoes, underground lakes... you name it.”

“I just don’t... I can hardly believe it.”

Ubund smiled slyly once again, and leaned one hand on the bridge posts. “My people tell stories about how this rift valley was created. According to our tales, our ancestors originated here, and fled when the god Guthram took his mace and smashed the land, for he was filled with fury at being thrown out from the pantheon.”

“Guthram,” repeated Alcar, recalling his book learning. “The outcast god?”

Ubund nodded. “That’s right. At least, so we islanders say, and you folks from Dathmir and Kamerok province, too. But as you might know, the Varians don’t accept that the gods were divided.”

Alcar peered at the guide. “Say, Ubund – don’t the vep-te people have your own gods?”

At this, the guide shrugged again. “We have our own names for Guthram, Forox and the others. Not Varian or Dathmiri names. But according to our mystics, they are all the same gods.”

“The same? Are you sure?” Alcar was aware that some species – orcs, for instance – had their own gods that sounded to him brutal and evil.

“Yes. Different people and cultures have different legends, that’s all.”

Alcar nodded. ”Well, I guess that makes some sense... I mean, how many gods can one world have? How many pantheons can have created the earth, or rule the oceans?”

“Hmm.” Ubund nodded sharply. “As you say. Anyway, spellcaster – time to move.”

With this, Ubund turned and took his first step onto the bridge.

From this closer point, Alcar could see that the crossing was missing around a quarter of its boards. It was held at both sides by a series of ancient-looking ropes that were attached to posts at both ends, and it swayed gently from side to side for no obvious reason.

As Ubund continued out onto the bridge, Alcar gripped Brutus’s collar more tightly, still standing on the rocky ledge. “Hey – how do you know this bridge is safe, man?”

“Trust, or don’t trust. All the same – we have to move.”