Mud and slush from snow squelched uncomfortably between my paw pads. I frowned at the sensation. There was something to be said for shoes. I wondered what the ‘heli did in the cities where literal horseshit likely filled the streets.
Thirteen of us, including the 9 expedition members and Rain, headed north away from the banks of the Serpent river. From the clearing where the expedition camped, we followed a tree-lined path of sorts that led further into the ruins.
“It’s a result of the old city.” Rain told me when I asked about the not-so natural formation. “The old flagstone roads are intact and close enough to the surface here so that the larger trees grow around them.”
As we ventured further into the ruins, the relict piles of stone bricks became more and more whole until at last I spotted several free-standing walls from old buildings. Ahead of us, a massive line of crumbling stone blocks, the remnants of a once-massive wall, stretched out of sight into the forest.
Our little group made for an odd assortment of creatures and outfits. While the three humans and elf of the adventuring party wore a mixture of steel, leather, and padded armor, the other ‘heli in the group wore only the light vest and kilt I’d become accustomed to. Although, even the unarmored ‘heli carried weapons with them.
“We don’t just have spare weapons lying around.” Hendric explained when I prodded him about getting something to protect myself. “There is no point in giving what few we have to someone who doesn’t even know how to use them.”
“Then how do we learn?” I asked.
Hendric shrugged. “If you decide on a martial combat path, then we will do what we can to help you.” Rain said, listening in on our conversation.
“What about armor?” I asked. “This is the Heartwood after all.”
“Our supplies are limited to what we could carry with us across the Heartwood; our weapons and armor will remain with those who can best wield them.” Rain explained. “And we ‘heli don’t wear armor like that.”
“Tradition?” I asked.
“Between a thick coat of fur and no sweat glands, a traditional set of armor is unusable in anything short of deep winter.” Rain said. “I can see you panting even now from our light walk. It’s a cool autumn day and you’re only wearing a light vest.”
It made sense. I was panting, although more from being out of shape than hot. Not that I would admit that to Rain when Autumn and my sister seemed to be following along just fine.
“As disgusting as sweating is, I will be the first to admit its effectiveness.” Rain continued.
“What do ‘heli warriors do for protection then?” I asked.
The sek’heli shrugged. “The simplest answer is to use something other than physical armor for protection. Better materials or inscriptions can also be used to keep you cool, but inscribed material is expensive. Most simply don’t go into frontline martial paths. We tend to specialize in avoiding a direct confrontation.”
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“It’s a saying in Dorin that you’ll never meet a trained ‘heli on the battlefield.” Hendric said, leaning over. “You know why?”
“Why?” I asked, humoring him.
“Because they’ll kill you before you can say hello! You ‘heli tend to be sneaky little shits.” the human explained. “Something about being ambush predators. It’s instinctual, you know?”
“Instinctual?” Rain said, giving Hendric an amused look. “Is Wind putting ideas into your head?”
Our group passed through the crumbled wall, where like the rest of the ruins, the bricks retained their square edges and smooth faces unmarred by the elements. In the distance ahead of us, a plateau of speckled gray stone, the same I’d seen on my descent the day before, rose above even the tallest trees. An enormous arched ramp of the same gray stone rose from the ‘road’ to connect it with the ruins atop the plateau. Unlike the rest of the ruins, the ramp remained mostly unbroken except for a large chunk missing halfway up it’s length
“You never answered my question about what a Warstone is.” My sister said, turning to Rain.
“I did not.” Rain agreed. “Wardstones are objects that both control the flow of magic and inhibit the spawn of monsters in their sphere of influence. They are a relic of the old Heli Empire, though many modern cities are built around them.”
“What do you mean by the spawn of monsters exactly?” Autumn asked, straying closer to join our conversation. “Do creatures like those beetles we fought just appear out of nowhere?”
“The obsidian-horned beetles are what we call magical beasts. They follow the normal cycle of birth and death like most creatures. What I refer to as ‘monsters’ are instead creatures of pure mana that spontaneously appear when mana oversaturates a region of space. Magical beasts tend to live and thrive where these monsters are common, often preying upon them. That is why these ruins are so tame compared to the rest of the heartwood. With no monsters spawning here, the stronger magical beasts keep to where food is more plentiful.”
“That’s how you know the wardstone is still active.” I realized.
Rain nodded. “A few beasts may wander into the ruins, but the true Heartwood is a brutal place.”
“Is the wardstone the reason why all the stone here looks completely un-weathered after however many years?” I asked.
“Wardstones don’t have that function. We think there is something else still functioning deep within the ruins. Something powerful.”
We trudged onwards, soon reaching the base of the great stone ramp where thick stone pillars rose to form massive arches supporting the sloped roadway. It was a delicate structure reminiscent of the roman aqueducts, but on a scale far surpassing anything I had ever seen.
Wind led us onto the ramp without hesitation, the roadway wide enough for two cars to pass side by side. We climbed above the trees while my brain desperately tried to reassure itself that if the stone stood for all these ages, it would surely stand for at least one day longer.
Halfway up the ramp we stopped where a great chunk of the roadway had fallen away to the forest below, leaving a narrow bridge of stone to cross the gap. Around the edges, the impervious blocks were crumbled and damaged. Gouges wider than my arm marred a surface blackened and chipped as if from some intense flame. Like the pristine stone of the ruins, the damage had been preserved for all to see.
When at last we reached the top of the ramp, we were greeted by the ruins of a stone wall ringing the top of the plateau. A small gap remained where a great gate might once have stood - the wood having long since been turned to dust. We scrambled over the stone blocks to get our first real look at the plateau.
A field of earth and grass spread out before us, growing amidst a single massive pile of white stone blocks that marked the ruins of a once-grand complex. On the western edge of the rubble a single remaining tower still stood, its conical spire reaching more than a hundred feet into the sky. Smooth curving shapes, wide arches and stone pillars carved into the likeness of vul’heli and sek’heli provided a taste of the ancient city’s architecture. Emerging from the base of the tower were thick stone walls that extended for a ways before merging with the rest of the rubble.
Rain detached a wooden cylinder from the strap across his shoulder. From within it he produced a roll of parchment filled with some detailed sketches that I couldn’t quite make out.
“Our goal today is to scout the ruins of the High Plateau and to look for evidence of the wardstone.” Rain began. “The records refer to the stone as sitting within a chamber somewhere beneath the council hall. This council hall should be located in the centermost portion of the palace.”
We looked down at the entire palace worth of rubble sitting between us and this supposed council chamber. I suspected this mess would take months to dig through, even with superhuman strength. Certainly not the work of an afternoon.
“I propose we take these records with a grain of salt.” Rain continued. “Today we scout the area in groups. You will not under any circumstances move alone or without someone with a primary combat path. If you find anything of interest, we will reconvene here in three hours. Wind, Carmen, and Thorn, our newcomers will be with you.”