Chapter 48: Bells From Above (Patreon)

He made it halfway down the Westbranch before the alarm began. It was true night at that point, enough starlight shining down through the leaves to render the glowstones in the path unnecessary.

The sound of a tolling bell came from a few hundred feet farther up Mother Yarba, in one of the highest layers of the city where space was mostly reserved for housing. Elliot couldn’t see the origin, but from the volume, the bell must be massive. As it continued to ring, more and more began to join in throughout the city. 

There weren’t many people out at such a late hour. Elliot lengthened his stride, those few figures around him all starting to hurry as well.

As he crossed in front of a fishmonger’s storefront, a woman and two small children came running out the front door. 

“Alek! Stop, come here right now.” The lady reached out and snagged her son’s sleeve while keeping a firm grip on her daughter’s collar. “Stay close.”

Elliot paused to let them go by, returning a small smile that the boy shot him. He looked five or six years old, and clearly didn’t understand enough about the alarm to be afraid.

They’d passed him and were nearly twenty feet trunkwards when the woman stopped, hesitated, then said, “Stay here. Do not move one inch.” She spun and ran back towards Elliot, stopping right in front of him. “Sir, you’re not local. You may not know, but that alarm means there’s a mess of beasts on the way, and the Guard isn’t sure they can protect us. You need to get inside and stay put. They’ll send out criers with more information. Good luck.” Then she turned and ran back to her children, grabbed them both, and continued on.

Elliot felt a warmth in his chest. It took real kindness to warn a stranger when she was clearly, and fairly, focused on her own family. But the feeling faded quickly. It was entirely possible they’d all be dead within the next few days.

Once he reached the central district, everything around him dissolved into barely-controlled chaos. Here, people were still out. All around him there was shouting, rushing, and palpable fear. He stayed tight to the buildings and the edges of the larger roads to avoid the worst of the shuffling mass. Yehi’s home was on the Northbranch, and he was counting on it being too late for her to be out working with Master Etienne or purchasing supplies.

Her house was dark when he arrived. It was a tiny box set right at the edge of the branch, with a nerve-racking view in the light of day. Now, in the starlit dark, Elliot had to remind himself that there was netting below as he eased up to the side door.

“Yehi,” he called out, tapping the bronze knocker. “Are you in there?”

The bells were still tolling, without a moment’s break since they’d begun. Elliot waited for several seconds, then knocked harder. “Yehi! It’s important.”

He heard shuffling, and then the door opened a crack. “Elliot?”

“Can I come in? It’s about the alarm.”

“Of course,” Yehi said, sticking her head around the door and peering out. Her red-gold feathers started to fluff. “I had thought this was ceremonial, but it has persisted for quite some time. An alarm, perhaps, makes more sense.”

Elliot waited a few seconds, but Yehi kept craning her neck upwards, her expression curious.

"It's actually pretty serious," he said, looking up as well. The central bell still rang out from somewhere above, striking through the otherwise blended chorus of chimes. "Can we go inside?"

"Oh, of course. Come."

As they stepped over the threshold, Elliot's jaw dropped. If Yehi hadn't been healthy and happy next to him, he might have assumed the Talessi had already come rampaging through.

Leather, cut into a dizzying variety of shapes, was strewn everywhere. The sole table was covered, and not just with animal hide. Multiple vials of the dark green concoction he remembered from the alchemist's, brushes, knives, clothing, food, and empty wooden crates were a few of the highlights his brain picked out as he tried to take it all in. The house only had a single room, and crafting had clearly taken over any space previously reserved for eating or sleeping. He thought there might be a bed in the corner under a large pile of leather trousers.

"It, uh, looks like things are coming along," Elliot said, eyes widening as he took another step and realized that a stack of what looked like empty paint cans was blocking his path.

"I live as ever at the whim of fate, but my work has been productive, yes," she said, hopping over the obstacle. "I will show you the best of the items I have created; there are some with true potential."

"Sounds great," Elliot replied, taking a slow, tall step over the stacked cans, "but I need to talk to you about the alarm first."

"Yes, the alarm." She squeezed her way between two bookshelves that had been pushed together to act as a drying stand for a large, wet leather cloak. "What does it mean?"

"Well, technically it means there's a beast horde coming," he began, "but you've heard the rumors about the Talessi, right?"

“Of course,” she replied. “I have worried about the possibility for months. But surely they would not have the means to trigger a beast horde?”

“Sorry, that’s not what I meant. There’s no beast horde. I just came from the council chamber, and I heard the Watchmaster order the alarm. He thinks the Talessi are coming to attack Tular.”

Yehi looked vaguely startled. "Why were you summoned to the council chamber?"

"Well, that's actually a bit of a weird story, but it doesn't matter. I know you're really focused on work right now, but it's incredibly important that you stay inside, and not head back to the central district until this all gets sorted out."

Her face fell. "How long will that take? There are several varieties of leather that I must continuously infuse with Master Etienne's potions, and they are only potent for a single day's time. I'll need more by tomorrow afternoon."

"I don't know," he replied slowly. Did she not believe him? "But whether it's a day or a week, it's worth some delay to avoid dying, right?"

“Of course, my friend. I see the wisdom in caution. But surely a Talessi strike on Tular of all places would be quickly beaten back. The Towerbreaker of Anthen is only a branch over, and the Greenguard are close. They would target the council, or key resources like the harbor, not an alchemist’s shop or my humble home.”

"No, listen," Elliot replied, "I promise you, they're coming in force. It confused everyone else too, so I hear you that it's strange, but they’re bringing husks. Lots of husks."

“Husks?” she asked, eyes widening, “but why? A full attack on Tular makes no sense.” Her eyes flickered to a set of hides hanging over a dresser. “It is not that I disbelieve you, Elliot. Never that. But I have so much invested here…I do not know if I can throw away three promising pieces because of a threat that could never materialize. I do not have such an abundance of resources.”

"Yehi," he replied, feeling slightly desperate, "It’s going to materialize. I saw the Watchmaster’s face, he was convinced. It’s not a tentative thing."

“I…” her fingers twitched, like she wanted to grab the leather and hug it close. “I suppose I could delay till morning. Surely more information would be provided for us by then.”

"Yes,” he said quickly, “that sounds totally fair. Just stay in for tonight, and wait until you hear from the criers tomorrow. I don't know when they'll come explain more, but hopefully not later than early morning. Promise me you'll hear what they have to say before you leave the house."

She hesitated. "If it is before noon, then I will wait." Her eyes flicked over to the drying sheet of leather. "After that…I will try to be reasonable, and see what the world offers."

"I'm sure they'll be by before that," he said. I hope they’ll be by before that. "Just stay put.”

"As you say. I will plant roots.” She shook herself lightly, feathers fluffing and settling, then smiled. “Do you wish for a cup of tea, while you're over?"

"No, I should get back." He sighed. Not that it would make much difference, unless Hadrian or Breka returned. "Just remember what I said. Stay inside, and bar the door."

"Of course," she said. "Have a good night, Elliot."

The bells were still ringing. He moved at a brisk pace, the irregular contour of the bark below his feet forcing him to keep his eyes down to avoid tripping. Hopefully the Talessi didn't attack tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully the criers came and said something more convincing than his story. Hopefully people would be somewhat safer inside with the doors barred, and they weren’t all screwed anyway.

A shiver passed through him, despite the summer heat. The air smelled of pine, and smoke. Please, please, let Breka be back.

But she was not, and Wren had no message for him when he arrived back at the inn.

"It's very important you don't leave again," she said, frowning at him from where she'd popped her head out of the kitchen. "The ringing means a beast horde is on the way. You can't be outside."

"Right," he said, hesitating. Would it be helpful to tell her the truth? "Thanks for telling me. I won't leave again."

Once ensconced in his room, he began to pace. It was a terrible thing to be weak in this world. Back home he was powerless, but at least there’d been no invading hordes of killer revenants, or demons that could be summoned by speaking the wrong name. How did normal people get along somewhere like this? He was starting to feel like he’d crave power even if Rowen wasn’t lost.

There were too many thoughts bouncing around in his mind; he needed a list. Whipping out a piece of paper and a charcoal pencil, he began to write. Keep track of Yehi tomorrow, find out why none of the blue stones that created water seemed portable, get water for travel, map out escape routes, check inn’s cellar for security…

The simple act of writing calmed him, as usual. Something about delineating the things that were under his control from those that weren’t, and sorting those things together in a form he could come back to at will, made it all seem less overwhelming.

Then a massive explosion ripped through the night from somewhere trunkwards, and that fragile calm collapsed. Already? That’s not fair!

An instant of frozen indecision gripped him. Stay put? Go for the cellar? He grimaced. Where would be safest if things were blowing up?

Knowing what was going on was important. He grabbed his pack and staff and ran down the stairs, twisting sharply to enter the kitchen as he hit the first floor.

“Wren! Wren, where are you?”

“Here!” The voice came from the floor, and Elliot ducked around the corner of the central table to find the innkeeper huddled in a corner. 

“Where’s Jack?” he asked, rushing over to crouch down next to her. “You both need to get to the cellar.”

“He’s away,” she said, eyes wide, “are the beasts here already? What exploded?”

"It's bandits, lots of them," he said, defaulting to the simplest explanation. "Get to the cellar, and don't leave." He grabbed her arm and helped her up, waiting just long enough to see her stagger towards the stairs before turning and running out the door.

Screams were beginning to pierce the night. Sharp flickers of red and orange licked out from several buildings in the central district, and a much larger blaze was twisting through the sky over the Southbranch, by the guilds.

Near the inferno bright lights were colliding in a sea of smoke.

It was too far to make out the details, but his eyes were immediately drawn to a figure in radiant gold, shining through the darkness like a human sun. He knew that light. Alys.

Darting around her like a pack of hunting dogs were five silver blurs. Every time they connected one of the silver forms would go flying, but then one or two others would swoop in, and the Towerbreaker would have to pivot away from the falling body. It didn't seem like they could fly, unlike Alys, but their leaps were powerful enough to make them a constant aerial threat.

He twitched, almost running forward, but caught himself. What could he possibly do to help? Being able to make his way through some low-energy warrens didn't make him ready to join in a real battle between real powers.

Stop being an idiot, Elliot. Get back inside, hide with Wren.

As he was about to turn, a glowing silver form struck the Westbranch a few dozen feet trunkwards with a shattering crash. Elliot froze.

What unfurled from the ground seemed, at first, to be a man. It had four limbs, ragged hair, and wore no clothing. But where its eyes should be, there were only holes of light, and its core was shining so brightly silver that Elliot could make out the ghostly sphere of it through the thing's chest. Husk. 

There was something listless in the way it stood: head tilted slightly to one side, spine curved, arms hanging loose. Then its face snapped towards the trunk.

Someone came running through the night. No, three people? Coming from the central district.

One wore a white tabard emblazoned with the golden mark of the Sunsguard while the others were dressed in simple leather armor, but all three held swords. They charged together.

The thing's core pulsed, its silver glow almost blinding for an instant, then it moved faster than anything Elliot had ever seen.

The first strike, with nothing but its naked fist, went through the Sunsguard's face without slowing. As the man's body started to fall, the husk kicked out twice, each strike connecting savagely with one of the remaining guards and sending their bodies hurtling away.

And just like that, in no more than a second, it stood still and silent above a single corpse on the trunk. Then, in response to nothing Elliot could see, it shot off into the air towards the Southbranch.

His heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant fist, the tightness in his chest warring with the speed of his pulse.

Another massive eruption of flame came from his left, on the Northbranch. A new chorus of screaming began, faint from the distance, but rising in volume. He turned, eyes widening until they burned from the strain and the thickening smoke.

Yehi.

Elliot sprinted for the trunk.