Then. But Gazi also remembered when she’d left. She had ridden out, out through a broken place filled with empty-eyed people whose gaunt, vacant expressions bore no hope for tomorrow, let alone the future. The pavement had been cracked, and the first signs of decay had begun to touch even the magnificent structures Drevish had built.
“Lord Drevish and Lady Amerys have not yet made their way back. But Lady Mars and Lord Takhatres have both joined us. Mars arrived mere hours before you.”
“Two of the Seven are dead. They perished before our King went into his slumber. And two more have yet to return. Amerys, the Calm Flower of the Battlefield and Drevish, the Architect.”
“—Still surprised Amerys isn’t here. Drevish I could see; if he’s got some sort of project going on he wouldn’t abandon it even for our lord, but Amerys?”
Drevish had died from a swift chop to the neck. The blood still flecked around his neck as Flos slowly held the dripping cube of ice. Everyone was staring at him. Mars was gripping her sword, tears falling from her eyes even as they burned with rage. Takhatres bowed his head, crossing his wings together and murmuring what sounded like a prayer. Orthenon’s hand was clenched so hard Trey saw a streak of blood running down and staining his perfect clothing. And Gazi—
“My friend, my brother, my comrade in arms. Drevish. You built me my cities and weapons of war when you desired naught but to create works of art. And now you are slain. I will meet this Emperor of the Sands and take his head for this, I swear it.”
Revi glared at Halrac and looked at the magical compass in his hands pointedly. He opened his mouth to retort—he and Revi got along least well—but he turned his focus back to his task instead.
Revi glared at Halrac and looked at the magical compass in his hands pointedly. He opened his mouth to retort—he and Revi got along least well—but he turned his focus back to his task instead.
“Even if you wanted to dig however far down it is to this dungeon, I doubt you’d be able to blast through the walls without a serious amount of effort. Frankly, I don’t believe I could do it even with Revi’s help. No; we need to find an opening in the earth, or a surface tunnel. The compass should flash when it detects an opening of some kind.”
The [Scout] scowled, but he gently nudged his horse into a walk again. He knew he was being irritable—well, moreso than usual, but they’d been travelling day and night to get here before the others. The [Message] spell Revi had received from Liscor had told them of the dungeon and its possible riches, and that was enough to motivate them to make the thousand-mile journey.
Revi frowned as the group slowly drew closer to the odd sight. Yes, in the distance a lone skeleton was exchanging blows with a Snow Golem of roughly the same height. It was an uneven fight; Halrac could already tell the skeleton was going to win. It had speed, reach, and strength on the Snow Golem, and even as he watched the undead creature speared the Golem through its vulnerable head.
