The Eternal Blade Saga Book 2, Chapter 30: Out the Front Door

Behind me, I heard Quint cry out amongst the sounds of raising voices and weapons fire. The sound of tumbling rocks echoed throughout the passageway and was followed by more yells and cries. Guilt chewed me up on the inside for leaving Quint back there with Torx and his krewe, and I paused for a brief moment as the distressed sounds invaded my ears. I fought the urge to go back and help, just to save him from the asura. I was their intended target after all. But I couldn’t let myself give in to my guilt. The Byrnes’ were coming and I had to get back to the hall before they found the blade.

Recalling the old poem in reverse, I retraced my path out the way I came and emerged from behind the Order of Whispers’ massive globe and into the Chantry proper. A cacophony of distressed voices and clashing weapons rose up before me. Whisper agents were grouped together at the base of the stairs below, fighting off intruders. I remained hidden in the shadows near the globe while assessing the situation and looking for an opening to make it out without being seen. I knew there was an exit straight ahead, the front door in fact, but I had to make it through the skirmish and past the dark-haired norn dressed in grey trading blows with a large charr Whispers agent—.

“Dee?” I uttered under my breath, bewildered by her presence.

Clarkus, Alena, and Seren joined her in fighting the agents. I didn’t know whether to scold them for their foolishness in storming the Chantry of Secrets or praise them for their bravery. Either way, I still needed to find a way to get to them and then we all needed to get out. How that was going to happen, I wasn’t completely sure, but I couldn’t just stand around thinking of the best plan. Time wasn’t on our side.

“Where is Nienna?” Dee demanded while holding back the agent’s strike with her oversized greatsword. “Where have you taken her?”

Casually walking down the stairs and presenting myself didn’t seem like the best choice for getting out without drawing too much attention. I needed a distraction: something to pull the Whisper Agents’ attention away from the fight. Taking a hard look around, I searched for anything that could be used. The most obvious choice seemed to be the massive globe, the centerpiece of the Chantry. But the enormous sphere was well secured on its obsidian pedestal and nothing short of a well-placed explosive would set it loose.

I then took notice of racks of scrolls off to the side, illuminated by the tall lamp with many arms and glass bulbs sitting on a pedestal next to them. A plan began to take hold in my mind. Making sure it was clear, I snuck over to the racks and started removing the scrolls as quietly as I could as the small battle continued on below. When I had an armful, I dropped them at the top of the stairs and let them roll down. The agents and my friends were so engrossed in their battle that they didn’t even notice or hear the soft plopping of the parchment as they hit each stair. I immediately went back for another armful and dumped that one before tucking one last scroll into my belt and then scaled the square pedestal to reach the lamp.

As soon as my fingertips touched the surface of one of the glass globes covering the light source, I recoiled. It was blazing hot to the touch. I tore some material from my fur-lined skirt and used it to protect my fingers while removing the glass, revealing the brilliant white flame burning inside. I touched the parchment to the flame and the material ignited like an oversized candle. Lining up my aim, I threw the lit scroll and it landed amongst the others I had pushed down the stairs. Warm orange flames grew as they fed on the flammable material and I waited and watched until the attentions turned to the mess I made.

“Fire!”

One of the Agents motioned to the flames. The fight ceased below and all attention went to the blaze before the agents scrambled to put it out. I climbed down the pillar and snuck around the back side of the globe, quite pleased with how my little plan was shaping up. Making sure the way was clear and that the agents’ attentions were all on the flames, I ran down the stairs toward Dee and the others, waving my hands to get their attention.

“Time to go,” I said as I motioned toward the way out.

Dee’s eyes went wide and she slapped Clarkus on the arm to get his attention. It wasn’t until then that I noticed her hair and her attire were wet. They all were. They must have found the Chantry’s front door entrance.

The charr turned from his defensive stance. “Commander, you’re okay!”

Startled, Seren turned, her sword pointed at my throat, ready to strike, but she stopped just before the tip touched the vulnerable flesh of my throat. “Nienna?” Her eyes went wide at my sudden appearance and she lowered her sword. “What are you-doing here? We thought you’d be in a cell or something.”

“We found you!” Alena cheered. Gordon her golem returned to the asura’s side, his flesh and sinew entwined with the earth from the floors in the Chantry.

“Where’s Quint?” Dee asked, looking around. “He said he was going with you and your captain friend to watch over you.  She said you were sick and needed help, though there was something fishy about the way she said it. We didn’t believe her for a minute so we tracked her here. We found a way in through the water.”

“He’s not coming,” I replied as I clenched my jaw. Dee gave me an odd sort of look, as if she knew there was more I wasn’t saying, but she didn’t press. “Now let’s go before they finish putting out that fire. Quickly!”

As the Whisper agents worked to extinguish the fire, I motioned for my friends to follow me as I lead them toward the front entrance. The way was surprisingly clear of Agents but we continued with caution anyway until we reached the water that served as an entryway into the Chantry.

“I take it you all know this part,” I said as I motioned to their soaking attire.

***

The water was colder than I anticipated. Once my aqua breather was secured in my mouth and I had taken a couple testing breaths, I plunged myself into the dark, briny depths. It was the only thing left on my belt before I was jailed and I was thankful for that. Quint and Danae probably figured I wouldn’t be able to use it to escape.

The others jumped in around me and once everyone was in, we started to make our way through the underwater passage. It was dark but not very deep, so we felt our way along the bottom until we reached the other side. It seemed easy, too easy, and it didn’t sit well with me. But once we emerged into the cavern from the aquatic passageway and took a look outside, I began to understand why.

On the northern bank of the hidden Chantry, we found Whisper agents and Inquest locked in battle. At least half a dozen Inquest golems lined the shore, pummeling the hillside with missiles. Weapons fire filled the air and blocked our path to the bridge spanning the river ahead. We remained at the mouth of the cave, waiting for an opportunity to pass without being seen or harmed.

“How are we going to get through this?” Seren asked. She winced and it was then that I noticed her left steel pauldron and arm bracer had been scratched and dented. She held the limb close to her, her elbow bent. Seren was hurt, and although she was doing a good job hiding it, I could see it evidenced by her tightly knit brow and hear it in her rapid heartbeat echoing in my ears. I moved to help her, but she pulled off the bracer, threw it to the ground and exhaled heavily with relief.

“We could fight our way out,” Dee offered with a hungry grin. “I’ve been dying to give those Inquest rats a good beating.” She looked down at Alena. “Sorry, present company always excluded.”

Alena nodded. “Appreciated, but I’m in agreement. Asura who corrupt their work and use it to harm innocents are rats.”

We all looked down at the asura who tightly wrung her hands on her staff until her little grey knuckles turned pale. She bared her sharp, little teeth as she stared out of the cave opening. Equating an asura to a rat was a serious insult, one very rarely originating from an asura themselves. I raised my eyebrows, marveling at the gumption she had to utter such a curse.

Clarkus growled as he shook drops of water from his shoulders. He offered Alena a nod. “I’d be happy to let them taste the cold steel of my blade.”

I looked at them all in surprise. I couldn’t recall a time when I had seen them all so aggressive, but then again, they had never been under as much stress as they were in our current circumstances. “As much as I appreciate your willingness to put yourselves in harm’s way to get us home, I don’t think that’s the best course of action. There are too many out there and we would easily get overwhelmed.”

Deep frowns settled on each of their faces.

“We could use the river,” Seren suggested as she peered out of the cave entrance. “Cross underwater and use the bridge as cover. We’re already soaking wet. What’s one more swim if it gets us home?”

A loud whistle rung out and grew louder as a missile sailed toward us and struck the hillside near the opening. Chunks of earth and beach showered us in the wake of the strike. We did our best to shield ourselves, but still ended up covered. I brushed off as much as I could, but I could still feel grains of sand escape down the back of my tunic. Frowning, I pulled at the material and arched my back, trying to get them out.

“Assuming we can even get to the river,” Alena said as she brushed some of the fallen earth from her hair. “Looks like we may have been spotted. One of the golems is coming this way.”

“We need cover if we’re going to make it out of here. Otherwise prepare to dig in for a fight,” Clarkus said. The base of his neck quivered and culminated in a violent shake of his shoulders, flinging soil everywhere. A speck hit me on the cheek, and I wiped it away without complaint.

Clarkus was right. We needed some cover in order to make it to Lion’s Arch’s southern gate. However, all we had at our disposal were the weapons on our back. “If anyone has any ideas, I’d lo-.”

The sand under one of the Inquest golems suddenly exploded in a spectacular display of flames and mechanical parts. When the smoke started to clear, all that was left was a deep crater. Every eye on the beach shot up to the sky and I peered upward to find an airship with black sails slowly descending towards the battle. The Raven’s Reach’s cannon adjusted and fired a cannon ball at another Inquest golem, blowing it up in the same fashion as the first golem.

“That’s our cue,” I said. “Let’s go.”