The Shattered Land: The Dreaming Dark - Book 2 (14 page)

T
haask was as good as his word, and the following evening the ship arrived at the port of Stormreach. Lei had finished her work, Lakashtai had emerged from her meditations, and all four of the travelers gathered on the deck to watch as the ship approached the colony.

The shore of Xen’drik was nearly as inhospitable as the Straits of Shargon. Stone columns and massive splinters of rock jutted from the water, and the coast was a sheer cliff. To the southwest, Daine could see a break in the cliffs, a jagged hole miles across. It looked anything but natural; it was as if a giant hammer had come down and blasted a gap in the rock, and knowing the legends of this shattered land, that may have been exactly what had happened.

It soon became clear that this unnatural gap was their destination. A handful of fishing boats were scattered across the rocky bay, and as they approached, a galley of an unfamiliar design came into view. The vessel was long and narrow, with a curving prow that rose high out of the water, and its sail was painted with a complex design of blue and silver lines—a dizzying labyrinth that drew the eye into its depths.

“An ill omen,” Lakashtai said, watching the vessel head out to sea.

“How so?” Daine said.

“That is a Riedran ship, and the people of that land are the servants of the Inspired—and thus, the allies of our enemy.
Most likely it is mere coincidence we see it here, for Riedra has as much interest in the wealth of Xen’drik as any other land. The ship is heading away, but I fear to think what it may have left behind.”

Lei shook her head. “Nightmares, brain eaters, sinister agents of doom—don’t you ever have anything cheerful to say?”

“In times such as these, I prefer dark truths to pleasant deception,” Lakashtai replied cooly.

A moment later, the colony itself came into view. Compared to the majestic towers of Sharn, this was an unruly sprawl. Buildings were scattered across the coastline as if dropped by a child. Every building was unique. Some reflected the traditions of different cultures; Daine spotted a building constructed in the Flamic style popular in Thrane and another that seemed to be the work of goblin hands. Stranger than the designs were the materials that were used. There were a few solid houses that might have been plucked from the streets of Fairhaven or Metrol, but many were odd patchwork buildings, using mismatched pieces of stone, chunks of driftwood, or what appeared to be rosy crystal. As they drew closer, Daine could see that a number of the structures incorporated pieces of ships’ hulls, undoubtedly scavenged from vessels that foundered in the deadly harbor.

“The designs are most unusual,” Pierce said, studying the coast. “Have there been many wars to cause such devastation?”

“This is not the result of battle,” Lakashtai replied. “Stormreach is one of the few safe landings on this edge of Xen’drik—and safe is most definitely a relative term. As the people of Eberron took to exploring the seas, many ships were broken on this shore, and the survivors made their way to this place. In time people mastered the seas, and many found this place a welcome refuge. Smugglers and pirates sought a haven from the strength of Galifar, while explorers and scholars yearned for the treasures of legend. In recent years, prospectors have found the land to be rich in dragonshards and other valuable substances, such as the crystal material you see in some of the buildings. The dragonmarked houses came to Stormreach, and the princes of Khorvaire and Sarlona followed in their wake.”

“Which nation claims the land?” Pierce said.

“Stormreach is its own sovereign state, and its lords are descended from the first settlers, but the laws are loose here, and you will find that justice is even harder to find than it is in Sharn. Each lord has his own guards, who do his bidding. The commoner and the traveler must make their own way in the world—force and guile are all that these people respect. We walk a dangerous path, and it will only get worse from here.”

“I am pleased to hear it,” said Pierce. Daine shot a quizzical glance in his direction, but the warforged had nothing more to say.

Soon the
Kraken’s Wake
pulled into the harbor, and sailors on the piers guided it to an empty slip. There were ships of many nations scattered across the bay. Daine saw a squat dwarven yacht, with a gilded sail and a jewel-encrusted dragon on the prow. There were a number of gnome merchant vessels, which seemed like delicate toys next to the larger Brelish freighters. Next was a black ship—an elven vessel from Aerenal, formed from darkwood and adorned with skulls. An actual tree sprouted in place of a mast, with a web of gossamer sails spread throughout its branches.

“Livewood,” Lei said, pointing to it. “Remember? Sustained by magic. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a dryad in it.”

“And the skulls?” Daine said.

“It’s a common tradition among the sailors of the Aerenal islands,” Lakashtai said. “Rather than rest on land, they prefer to have their bodies bound to the vessel they served on. If the proper rituals are used, the spirit can be bound to the skull, allowing the ship’s priest to speak to the sailors and ask for advice.”

“Charming,” Daine said.

Moments later, the gangplank was lowered. The travelers already had their gear prepared; Lakashtai and the captain exchanged pleasantries and gold as Lei, Daine, and Pierce made their way across the plank.

“Solid land,” Lei said, swaying slightly. “I never thought I could be so happy and so nauseous at the same time.”

Lakashtai led them onto the street, which was loosely cobbled
with an odd assortment of stones. The population was even more diverse than that of Sharn, and Daine could hear shouted conversations in three different languages. A pair of ragged goblins were arguing with a perfumed gnome woman dressed in bright silks; as the travelers passed by, the goblins drew knives and a gem-tipped wand appeared in the hand of the gnome. No one else spared a glance for the encounter, and Lakashtai caught Daine’s arm even as he reached for his sword.

“This is not a place to go looking for trouble,” she said.

He ground his teeth and pulled free from her grip but kept walking. A moment later, they heard the
fwoosh!
of magical fire and the distinctive smell of burning goblin.

“Do we have a plan, Lakashtai,” Daine said, “or are we just walking the streets until we run afoul of the local gnomes?”

“First, we need shelter,” Lakashtai said. “Then we need a guide. As you’ve seen, the streets of Stormreach are no place for strangers. As for your affliction, that will take time. I doubt the answer lies within the city itself, but someone here may hold the key. There are a few people I planned on speaking to when I thought I was coming alone. They know much of the mysteries of the land, and this would be the best place to start.”

“Will we be staying with one of these friends of yours?” Daine said. He kept his eyes on the crowd; a tall man wrapped in a hooded black cloak caught his eye.

“None of these people are my friends,” Lakashtai said, a smile drifting across her lips, “and I think it would be most unwise to put ourselves in their debt.”

“Great,” Lei put in, “so when it comes to shelter, do you even know where you’re going?”

“I have a general idea,” Lakashtai said. “While I have never been here, others of my kind have. Through our shared link to Kashtai, I can draw on traces of their memories. I think we’ll find a reasonable inn down here.”

“Great.” Daine caught Pierce’s eye and shifted his head; the warforged nodded slightly and drifted back to take up the rear. “Good food, you think?”

“I am afraid I am not qualified to judge such things,” Lakashtai replied. “I am certain you would consider my diet to be quite bland.”

As Lakashtai was talking, Daine bumped into Lei. When she glanced at him, Daine rubbed the palm of his left hand with his index and forefinger.
Web
, he mouthed silently.

Lei looked surprised but slid a hand into one of the pockets of her pack, coming up with a small clay disk.

“What’s Kashtai have to say right now?” Daine said.

“It is not so simple, Daine. She does not speak in words. Her memories … they simply rise to the surface when needed. She is part of me.”

“Well, not to question her guidance, but let’s try a shortcut.” Daine put an arm on Lakashtai’s shoulder and steered her down an alleyway off the main street.

Lakashtai resisted at first, then shrugged and allowed Daine to lead the way. With a careful glance back Daine saw that the man in the dark cloak had followed as well—and he had a friend, likewise shrouded in black, with the distinctive shape of a shortsword visible in the folds of his cloak.

Not a problem, Daine thought. Two we can handle. Just a little further.

He was prepared for two, even three. He hadn’t counted on five.

Just as Daine was preparing to turn on the two men shadowing them, three new figures stepped out of the shadows that lay ahead. They were dressed alike in loose black cloaks and robes hemmed in labyrinthine patterns of silver thread, faces hidden beneath hoods and silver veils. The man in the lead held a long, curved blade that appeared to be carved from a single piece of glass, and there was a glitter of chainmail beneath his cloak. The woman at his side held a blade of steel. These two were blocking the alleyway, but Daine caught a glimpse of the woman behind them and didn’t like what he saw. She carried no weapons but held a crystal in one hand. Daine knew enough to recognize someone used to using magic in battle.

Daine cursed. These back alleys were a maze, and he’d chosen at random—how could these strangers have predicted his path?

“Lakashtai?” he said. “From now on, we’re letting Kashtai choose the path.”

S
ervants of the darkness,” Lakashtai hissed, her voice even colder than usual. “You know not what you do. Forsake your foolish path and turn away from your masters, while your souls are yet your own.” A wave of coercive force accompanied her words—even Daine felt a momentary compulsion to do as she commanded, but if the strangers were affected by her words or her power, they gave no sign of it.

“It is you who have turned away from the light,” called the man with the crystal sword. His voice was soft and clear, with an unfamiliar accent that gave a sibilance to his words. “We did not come to this place in search of you, lost one, but my lady came to me in dreams and warned me of your arrival.”

“Feel like introducing us?” Daine said quietly. He hadn’t drawn his sword yet; so much about Lakashtai was a mystery, and for all he knew these were second cousins.

“Warriors of Riedra,” she said. “I give you this last chance. Leave. Now. For my wrath is as fearful as any nightmare.”

“Mine too,” Lei muttered, keeping her eyes on the soldiers behind them.

“You underestimate your power, katesh. Our lords are all-knowing, and they have not left us unprepared.”

The sparkling crystal shard in his companion’s hand flared with a burst of red light, and Lakashtai cried out in pain. She dropped to one knee, her face a mask of concentration and agony. Daine’s hands flew to the hilts of his weapons, but the
stranger spoke again before he could draw them—and even though he knew his thoughts were being manipulated, Daine felt compelled to hear him out.

“Surrender, fool,” he said. “You cannot fight our power. It is you alone that we seek. Come with us now, and we leave your companions alive—even the foolish katesh. Do battle and we take you still, and their deaths are agonizing and slow.”

“All right,” Daine said quietly, turning to Lei and letting his eyes flicker back over her shoulder. “I’d hate for my friends to get tangled up in something that doesn’t concern them.” He looked at Pierce, tilting his head slightly. “Sorry, old friend, it’s for the best. Just let me do what I have to do.”

Pierce nodded solemnly.

Daine looked at Lakashtai. Her eyes were still closed, her teeth clenched, and her face was beaded with sweat. “Whatever you’re doing to her, stop. Now.”

“You are in no position to bargain. She will recover when we leave this place.”

“Thanks, that’s very reassuring, but those are my terms. If that’s not good enough for you, I guess we’d better fight.”