Chapter 32 – Nexus.

“Fairweather! Crys!”

Clocky’s voice floated down through the mists. He sounded panicked and worried, which was understandable. There was the potential that they had both fallen to their deaths. On the other side though it also meant that he was alive as well.

“Down here!” Fairweather shouted back as loudly as she could.

“Oh thank heavens!” Clocky shouted back. “I’ll drop a rope.”

Crys stood with Fairweather back on the start of the ledge, watching. A few minutes passed, and nothing seemed to happen.

“I’ve dropped a rope. Can you see it?” Clocky called out.

“No.”

Some indistinct swearing floated down.

“Now?”

Looking up, Crys could just make out the end of a rope dangling against the rock face, still well out of reach.

“Yes,” Fairweather shouted up to Clocky. “But it’s still out of reach. Just come down. There’s a route out from this end.”

She then looked back at Crys, doubt in her eyes. “You’re sure of that?” Fairweather asked in a quieter tone.

“Yes,” Crys answered, nodding. That much she was certain of. The hints were there, both the breeze that flowed out of the cave, as well as the man made stairs that started part way into the cave, but the presence was leaving her with no room for doubt. The figurine was just confirmation on top of all that. It was the way that they had to go.

Crys absently gazed down at her right hand as she clenched and stretched it. It was still sore and tender from her descent down the rock face, but now it also had another layer to the tattoo on the back of it, that she had originally gained somehow when using Clocky’s gun. The new layer both went around the outside of the original as well as threading itself through it, covering the entirety of the back of her hand now, a complex array of of lines, patterns, and symbols that meant nothing to her. It was beautiful in a mystical way though.

Clocky appeared through the mists, climbing carefully down the rope. He gave Fairweather a questioning look as he got to the end, Fairweather nodding in response, before she then motioned to Crystal that they should move further along the ledge. Once they had shuffled along, Clocky manoeuvred himself along the rock face before dropping down onto the ledge, Fairweather steadying him as he landed. Vorsce then appeared on the end of the rope above him.

“So what have you found?” Clocky asked as Vorsce remained hanging from the rope.

“A cave system that heads deeper into the mountains,” replied Crys. This would be her responsibility after all. “It quickly becomes man-made, but the clincher is Pyre.”

“Pyre?”

“I’ll have to show you, but I am certain that it exits onto the mountain further up. It’s the way we have to go.”

Clocky looked at her intently before suddenly looking startled as a flash of energy sparked off his finger tip. He shook it, as if he’d just received an electric shock. He then nodded. “Okay. It appears there is no room for argument.”

Fairweather looked at him curiously. “What just happened?”

“A backlash from the ambient mana?” Clocky answered, motioning for Vorsce to join them, who proceeded to do so, Clocky steadying him as he landed. The ledge wasn’t really well suited to any form of manoeuvrers. “I’m not exactly sure, but the certainty was clear.”

Shuffling and walking carefully along the ledge, it didn’t take them long to get to the cave, Crys walking up to the raised rock and picking up the figurine that she had left there.

“This is Pyre,” she said, handing it to Clocky. “Or at least a perfect duplicate. I painted that figurine back in my age. The original was still in my room. It would no longer look like that now, at the least the paint would be long gone. We found a second one in Old Town, which Rachael has.”

Clocky nodded, handing the figurine to Fairweather. “Let’s see where this goes then. Vorsce?”

Vorsce placed his backpack on the ground, pulling out a couple of cloth bundles which he carefully unwrapped, revealing a pair of lanterns. “Oil lanterns,” he said as he pulled out some matches and lit both lanterns, which gave off a comforting yellowy orange glow. Stashing the cloth, he handed one to Fairweather, and held the other himself.

“She’s cute,” Fairweather stated as she gave the figurine back to Crys. Crys blushed a little, pocketing Pyre in her satchel. Crys wondered if Rachael still had the one that they had found in Old Town. She’d put it in her hoodie pocket to look after it for Crys, but Crys also had no idea what had happened to her since then.

Crys had done a preliminary scout of the cave earlier, but he hadn’t been able to make out much beyond the man made stairs with the lack of light at the time. She could see the stairs much clearer now, and to just say that they were man made would be an understatement. Each step was identical to the others, carved to perfection out of the stone of the cave and even the passing of time and the dripping water present in the cave had not changed that. They were old but not. It was if they survived outside of the flow of time itself. Intricate patterns of water and flames decorated the edges of each stair, seamlessly flowing from one stair to the next, and also flowing up into the walls of the cave, which while the still retained their natural nature, also featured patterns carved into them. Some spoke of the elements, while others seemed to hint at landscapes or forces of nature. Never explicitly shown, but rather impressions carved into the stone, a feat only achievable by a master of their craft. Every twentieth step a pair of pillars was carved into the wall, vines creeping up them and small stone lizards carved into the walls above them, identical in style to the ones that had been over the archway by the train tracks. Awe inspiring, and the initial climb was slow as they all found themselves staring at it all.

“What happened after I fell?” queried Fairweather as they climbed, the staircase winding its way upwards, twisting and turning as it followed the original tunnel that probably been created by a trickle of water or the shifting of the earth.

“We managed to knock another of the Grazeye’s over the edge, one of the smaller ones, and it was looking hopeful. But then a really big one appeared, from up the mountainside, snatching up the wounded lady in its jaws before it bounded back down the track, the rest its pride following it. We tried to stop them, but they were gone too quick.”

Clocky paused, before continuing.

“It almost seemed as if that was their intent from the beginning. I know that doesn’t seem right, it is certainly strange behaviour for Wildlings, but that is the way it looked. It didn’t eat her, or even bite her, but ‘picked’ her up.”

“That is odd,” Fairweather agreed.

“The old man also managed to get wounded, and he seemed distraught at the loss of the young woman. However, after a few more obscenities in our direction and declaring that Sean was still their prey, they left, continuing up the trail. I’m pretty sure he was certain that we wouldn’t follow given that you two had fallen off the edge, and he was right there.”

“They were corrupted like the Dark Wolf was, weren’t they?” Crys asked. “They’re not normally like that?”

“Grazeye’s are definitely not like that, so it’s a good chance that they were corrupted,” Fairweather answered.

“But that raises the question of where and how it happened...” Clocky added solemnly.

“Is it possible that the girl could have been touched by the darkness as well and they saw her as kin?” Crys wondered out loud. “She was likely wounded on the train...”

Clocky nodded. “That is a possibility, but it raises its own questions as well. Scary ones.”

‘She definitely was tainted. I could see it in her blood.’ Spectre, always the observant one. Crys just nodded.

After about an hour of climbing the stairs finally finished, the group taking a break at the top, exhausted. The tunnel continued along in the same fashion with a gentle incline, the patterns of water and flame continuing along the sides of the tunnel floor, which had been smoothed out. It certainly made walking easier. Eventually the tunnel exited into a larger cave, a sizeable dais sitting in the middle of it, seven pedestals arranged on it. Over each pedestal a ghostly flame burned, ash purple in colour but not emitting any light nor heat. Crys could feel power flowing through the room, but she had no idea what it actually was.

‘It’s the mana of the leyline. It’s particularly strong here. I’d wager that the tunnel actually follows it,’ Spectre said.

Fairweather stood near the dais, curious but wary, watching the flames. “They’re kinda pretty, in an ethereal way.”

Crys had to agree with that. They were certainly alluring, speaking of beauty and life but also of power, and the devastation that they could bring. The flames just added to the strangeness of the area in which they were currently in. There was definitely something special about it, that much was obvious. As a gamer she would have pegged it as a temple to some long lost forgotten god, but as to what the truth actually was, that they would find out in due time.

“Places like this aren’t normal?” Crys asked, on the off chance that she might be wrong about that.

“Nope. This would be the first I’ve ever seen like this, and I’ve explored a lot,” Clocky confirmed. “To say that it is a find would be an understatement. Best though if we don’t let any Channellers know of its existence.”

They had no problems working out where to go. All but one of the tunnels exiting were just that, standard cave tunnels. The remaining one continued on in the same nature as the one that they had been following, perfectly smooth floor with the intricate carvings on the edges and walls, with the frequent pillars. This time though the pillars had both flames and vines climbing them. And no more stairs.

Night had fallen by the time the tunnel opened out into a cave mouth, exiting out into what appeared to be a valley somewhere in the mountain, the stars bright in the sky and the moon a sliver, but shadowy walls of rock surrounding them on the sides. The floor of the valley was covered in a soft grass, and a few trees were visible from where they stood.

“We rest here for tonight,” Clocky declared, moving back into the cave mouth. “We can wait till the morning to explore in proper light.”

Crys definitely wasn’t going to argue. She was the most exhausted that she’d felt in a long time. It didn’t take them long to set up a rudimentary camp as there was no need for tents in the cave, and after a quick unappetizing meal of dry travel food and delegation of watches, Crys was fast asleep.

---

Rachael stiffened as the Dark Grazeye’s approached their camp, three of them, all massive cats and easily her height, one of them carrying what looked to be the body of a young woman in it’s mouth. Sleek, muscular, wisps of darkness swirling all over them. An apex predator.

They had camped on a small rocky outcropping, Saylin saying that they were less than a day and a half behind the rest of their team now. They had made good time across the mountainside, Rachael easily able to maintain a fast pace due to her reinforcing magic, but the others weren’t able to match her speed for long periods, understandable but unfortunate, so they hadn’t caught up as much as she’d hoped. She had volunteered to take the last two watch shifts, not feeling the need for as much sleep as the others were going to need, realising that her magic was actually helping to sustain her as well. Alison had put up a little fuss before agreeing and splitting the two remaining shifts into three and taking the last herself, waking Rachael up at midnight as agreed.

The tracks of both the Grazeye’s and those who had attacked the train were clear and evident to Saylin, alongside those of her teammates. The cats had been moving fast, and by the looks of it had not been stopping to rest at all, which was more than evident by the current situation. She hadn’t spotted them till they were at the edge of the camp, which left her with no time to wake the others.

‘Leave them. They aren’t hostile at the moment, they just appear to be passing by.’

Rachael was not happy with that. There was that body in the cat’s mouth, not to mention they were tainted, corrupt, and there was no telling what danger they posed.

‘You could fight them, and probably kill them at least two of them given your power, but not before they killed the others first. Is that cost worth it?’

No. It wasn’t. Rachael knew Kitsune was right, as much as she hated it. But surely Kitsune had spotted them well before she had.

She pulled more magic forth, armoured gloves materializing on her hands as they glowed with magical power, a warning to the creatures that she meant business if they tried anything.

The lead cat looked at her, intelligence glinting in its eyes, a dark flame dancing within it’s third. There was something else with them, behind their actions. It then turned its head away, padding its way past their camp. Rachael held her ground, resisting the urge to attack them. If she was stronger though, if she’d had more power, it would be a different story. Once the Grazeye’s were past the camp they bounded off down the track, quickly out of sight.

they fear and respect you.

they know.

Rachael sighed. She’d have some explaining to do in the morning. However, it didn’t change her purpose in being here, and they were definitely getting closer.

---

Given the nature of the mountain that they had been travelling along, Crys was dumbfounded when she woke the next morning and looked out of the cave mouth and into the valley. She got up in a hurry, walking to its edge, staring out over it. The valley was large and she was unable to see the end of it from here as it stretched its way further up into the mountain. The walls surrounding it were high, probably a good three to four stories tall, and the valley was also wide, the morning sun bathing it in its light. A soft lush green grass blanketed the ground, trees in full blossom around its edges and in regular groves across it. Pink, blues and purples, and she didn’t recognise any of them. Their placement wasn’t random, they had been planted and maintained with a purpose in mind. She could see a small stream weaving its way through the valley, disappearing at its lowest point between some trees off to the left, and patches of flowers grew both along its banks and in pockets across the valley itself, yellow, orange and red, complementing the groves of trees. A paved path, engraved with the same patterns of water and flames, wound its way from the cave entrance up through the valley.

“It’s beautiful and breathtaking, isn’t it?” Fairweather asked as she walked up beside Crys.

“Yes, it certainly is.” She had never seen anything quite like it, and its beauty was unmistakable.

‘It’s also drenched in mana,’ Spectre informed her. ‘This place is a Nexus, where a large number of leylines meet.’ Crys could definitely feel that as well.

Once everyone was ready and the camp packed up they headed out into the basin. It was warm and pleasant, the suns heat more than welcome, Crys returning Fairweather’s top to her. Small birds flittered around them as they walked along the path, eating seeds and insects, and dancing to themselves, the entire area seemingly at peace. The water of the stream also tasted clean and pure. It was almost off putting, given the events of the previous day and what they had been through to get here. Nor were they alone. Crys could feel them. Other presences, lurking deep within. Exactly what and where she had no clue, but they were here. Foreign yet familiar.

They saw the structure well before they reached it, sitting in the middle of the valley, reaching as high as the walls surrounding it, rising out of a grove of trees. It reminded Crys of the ruin that they had found in Old Town, that Rachael had referred to as an Anchor Temple, except this one appeared to be in perfect condition. No surprise really, given the state of the path that they had been following to get here.

“It’s a temple isn’t it?” observed Fairweather.

“Certainly looks like it,” agreed Clocky. “But what is it doing all the way out here, and why has it never been mentioned before?”

“Something has been hiding it I would guess,” suggested Crys. After all, they had been drawn here. It would be within the realm of possibility for such things to keep people away as well.

“Indeed. The question then is what.”

Which was of course the problematic question.

The temple was impressive, and Crys felt dwarfed by it as she stood at its entrance, the grove of tress encircling it having stopped around ten meters out from it. It stood three stories tall, crafted from the stone of the mountain itself, grey and awe inspiring. The engravings from the path seamlessly flowed and merged into the temple, running along its edges and up the pillars that were carved into the walls. The scenes and impressions that had lines the walls of the tunnels as they had travelled here were repeated on the outside walls, with more details but still only leaving the viewer with impressions rather than a clear and precise image. Stone lizards sat on top of each of the walls pillars, as well as on all of the corners of the angled roof, staring down at them. Four spires reached out into the sky, sunlight glinting off the numerous stained glass windows that they were decorated with. Statues of two large dragons sat on either side of the entrance, stoic and powerful.

“Senrir and Dynis,” Crys said as she looked at them. There were no plaques this time, but they were definitely the same dragons as she had seen last time, the guardians of the temple. Or was it temples, as this was not the same temple as she had been at last time.

Fairweather gave her a questioning look as they climbed the dozen stairs that lead up to the entrance of the temple, Clocky and Vorsce just behind them.

“I’ve seen them before. Last time they were labelled,” Crys offered as an explanation, stopping as they reached the top.

The interior of the temple was one big chamber. Crys had half expected there to be an antechamber and them a whole lot of corridors and rooms to get through before reaching the central room, but no, it opened up straight into the main feature. Mind you, they had just passed through a long cave system and across a valley as well to what was probably a hidden location within the mountain. The very air inside the temple seemed to be shifting and moving, so thick with magical energy that it could be seen. The centre of the nexus that Spectre had mentioned.

Large statues lined each side of the chamber, intricately sculpted and stunning. The left hand side was all female, the right all male, the statues all in pairs, each pair with unique aspects to them. Looking through them, well the female ones anyway, she could see animalistic traits, similar to what Fairweather had, one definitely feline and another lupine, while there also seemed to be angels, demons, and even what she would have classed as demi human races for a fantasy setting. Pointy ears, fine and delicate features for one, short and stocky stature for another. All definitely humanoid though, no monsters or anything.

Apart from the centre point statue in the at the back of the temple. The last statue, singular and without a matching mate, was of another dragon, majestic and powerful, large wings unfurled and covering the back of the temple, as if to protect all the others within. Large horns curved back over its head, ornate bands adorning them at the base, its head tilted down as it peered across the chamber towards the door, mouth open as if to roar. One claw was held protectively at its side while the other was stretched out and held open, as if to offer a gift, sunlight streaming in through skylights in the temples roof to illuminate it. It too was beautiful in its own way, and Crys couldn’t help but admire it.

In its claw, an object glinted in the sunlight. Even without being able to see it clearly, she knew exactly what it was.