Giants

CHAPTER ELEVEN The Cave

Joash hurried. Then he slowed, glancing to his right and then to his left. In a moment he ducked behind a rock and waited. He heard the others arguing, but he couldn’t see them yet because they were on the other side of an outcropping of stone. Beyond the outcropping rose a cliff. Above the cliff towered a lichen-capped peak.

Their voices rebounded off the cliff and reverberated into the hills. If Nephilim followed, they’d hear the voices. Joash listened for the scrape of Nephilim sandals or for the clatter of falling rocks. The wind moaned, the sun blazed its heat, and a fly buzzed past his ear. Joash brushed away the fly as sweat dripped into his eyebrows. He didn’t move, didn’t twitch, and didn’t even breathe deeply. The others depended on him for survival.

A rock clattered. Joash froze. The sound came from where he’d been. The tumbling rock smacked to a stop and made no more noise.

No animal had caused that. For the first time, Joash had proof that someone else was here.

Joash stared at the ledge he’d just climbed, waiting for Mimir or Tarag. Just as he was about to go look, he heard a leathery sliding sound. His heart pounded. He looked at his spear. One cast would be all he had. But his hands shook. What if he froze as he had against the young sabertooth? Joash grabbed his spear and scrambled up the outcropping to join the others. A cliff-face loomed before them.

“There you are,” Elidad said. “Help us tear out this damnable wall.”

Elidad’s spear, sword, and shield lay on the ground beside his cloak, and beside a growing pile of rubble and rocks.

Adah peered at her parchment, then at the cave-mouth. She shook her head, muttering. Gens and Elidad tore at the rocks in the archway entrance. Herrek stood to the side, frowning. Despite the heat he wore his helmet. Although his skin was yellow-tinged, his eyes blazed. He clutched his spear and the huge auroch-hide shield.

“Hurry,” Elidad said.

Joash saw that the entrance had been mortared. Most likely this was Arioch the Archangel’s work. But if Shining Ones had made the wall to hold bene elohim and trolocks, how could they tear out the bricks and stones?

“Work,” Elidad shouted, grunting as he heaved a rock.

“Someone follows us,” Joash said.

Herrek swiveled his head at him, interested.

“There isn’t anyone else in these hills,” Elidad said.

“Might Nephilim be trying to use us?” Joash asked, looking at Adah.

Her forehead crinkled thoughtfully.

“Groom,” Elidad said, grabbing him. “Clear the rubble.” He shoved Joash at smashed stones and bricks.

“Our enemies await us within,” Herrek said slowly. “I yearn to slay them.”

“Secrets lie in the cave,” Adah whispered.

“Then why aren’t you two digging?” Joash asked.

Herrek tightened his grip. “The enemy is near. I feel him. He waits for us to drop our guard. Instead, I’ll feed him a shaft-full of steel.” He grinned. “Herrek, Champion of Teman Clan, will not be taken unawares.”

“What about you, Adah?” Joash asked. “Why aren’t you digging?”

“Work,” Elidad told him.

Joash grabbed a rock. He shuffled to Elidad’s pile and dropped the rock so it hit with a clack. “Well?” he asked the Singer.

Adah tried to speak. Then she looked down and shuffled her feet.

“You know that we’re being tricked, don’t you?” Joash asked.

“Work,” Elidad said, cuffing him across the back of the head.

Joash staggered, but caught himself before hitting the ground. He went back to work. Now wasn’t the time to fight Elidad. After he had carried several loads, however, he dared ask, “What will we use inside the cave for light?”

With white mortar powder on his face smeared by sweat-runnels, Gens pointed at a pile of torches. Each was tarred with black resin.

“Were those already here?” Joash asked.

Gens nodded, and went back to prying out stones.

When Elidad no longer glared at him, Joash walked near Adah. “Isn’t it strange that torches have been left here for us to use?”

She stared at him.

“I think this all has something to do with Elidad’s emeralds.”

“Groom,” Elidad said, bounding beside Joash and grabbing him by the front of the shirt. “Do not talk about these.” He thrust the icy-green emeralds into Joash’s face. They radiated evil power and tried to work their magic upon him. Joash turned away. With his thick fingers Elidad forced Joash to stare at them.

“Hundreds more await us in the cave,” Elidad hissed. “Dig and you shall own some. Then, you will be rich. Then you can buy your own chariot and hire a weapons-master to teach you any skill you desire. But, if you speak more traitorous words, I’ll knock out your teeth and watch your lips swell to three times their size. Then you’ll be speechless. Do you understand?”

Joash glanced at Herrek.

Elidad slapped Joash, and a ring cut his cheek. “Do you understand?”

Frightened, Joash nodded.

“Dig,” Herrek told Joash. “I must defeat the foes awaiting us within.”

Elidad grinned at Joash.

“Wait,” Adah said.

The two warriors turned toward her.

“Something… Something is wrong,” she said. “Something…” She pulled out the parchment and poured over it, muttering to herself.

“Work,” Herrek told Joash. “We must enter the cave and slay the hated foes.”

Joash worked. Together with Gens and Elidad he dug into the pile of broken stones. Joash didn’t recognize the type of bricks. They seemed to be old and very hard. He knew they were heavier than anything else this size. Ah. The bricks had been Shining One-made. They had been made to hold a bene elohim. What could have destroyed these bricks and possibly leeched their angelic power?

They paused later for water. Elidad drained his water-skin and demanded Joash’s. Elidad drained that, too. Gens only had a little left in his skin. Herrek and Adah didn’t respond when asked about their water-skins, but veins rose on Adah’s forehead. She kept striking her thigh, muttering to herself.

“Something is wrong,” she said. “Something…”

With his hands hurting, Joash lifted yet another stone. Then he heard a bizarre sound.

Elidad pushed him from behind. “Work,” the warrior said. He sounded tired.

“Didn’t you hear it?” Joash whispered.

Elidad glared at him.

Joash dared Elidad’s wrath and put his ear against the wall. He heard the sound again. It was like a millstone grinding grain, or two large rocks rubbed together.

Terror wormed into Joash’s bowels. Trolocks. They—

“Work,” Elidad said, hitting Joash between the shoulder blades.

Joash fell. Elidad kicked him. Joash curled up, trying to protect himself.

“You lazy slave!” Elidad shouted. “You’ve dared disobey me.”

Adah laid a hand on Elidad’s forearm. “Do not cripple him.”

“He is lazy,” Elidad said.

“How will you carry all the emeralds home unless you have bodies to move them?”

“Ah, I had forgotten.” Elidad said, as he pried a rock out of the wall and carted it away.

Adah squatted beside Joash. “Are you hurt?”

He rose to a sitting position, his body a giant bruise. He looked into her glazed eyes, but it seemed they were less glazed than before. Maybe his words had an effect, or perhaps her will was finally breaking the bewitching spell. Or maybe she liked him, and despite her bewitchment, she couldn’t stand to see him hurt.

“Something moves behind the wall,” he said.

Adah nodded.

“Is that the secret you’ve come to learn?” Joash asked.

“Now is not the time for me to tell you about that.”

Joash rubbed his side where Elidad had kicked him.

“You are one of us,” she whispered. “That’s why I didn’t let Elidad beat you.”

Joash frowned. Did she mean he was a singer? He worked to his feet as Elidad scowled at him, carting another rock.

“I’d better work,” Joash said.

Adah nodded.

The way into the cave deepened, and despite his sore back, Joash found himself in the rubble as he pried out chunks. Then the rocks above him groaned and shifted. He crawled out and stood panting.

“What’s wrong?” Elidad asked.

“The rubble is unsteady,” Joash said. “It’ll crash and bury me.”

Elidad squinted at the stones. “If we clear all the rubble we’ll be here for days. No, we must risk a small hole, straight through.”

“In that case,” Joash said, “shouldn’t we remove the highest rocks?”

Elidad shrugged, and yanked out another stone. The wall groaned ominously.

Joash went back to work, but now he removed only the higher rocks until he reached the top of the arched ceiling.

For a time Elidad studied him. The warrior finally grunted, “Work faster.”

Joash tried to obey. It was an oven in the wall. His hands were wet with sweat. The rocks tore the knees to his pants and put rents in the rest of his clothing.

Gens finished his water-skin. Herrek waited, ever vigilant. Adah let Joash sip from her water-skin. When she put it away, she tucked the parchment in her sash and notched one of her poisoned arrows. She had yet to remove her cloak, although she stepped into the shade.

Joash didn’t hear the grinding stone sounds anymore. But he knew the evil in the cave waited, much as Herrek waited. Joash made the opening only crawlspace large. If the Nephilim followed, then they would have to take time to widen the opening.

“Faster,” Elidad shouted. “Work faster.” He was becoming frantic.

As he lay prone Joash pried the stones, rolled them past his stomach, and used his feet to push them to Gens or Elidad. He paused and wiped sweat from his eyes, only to rub rock-dust into them. He blinked rapidly and rubbed his eyes more.

“Keep working,” Elidad shouted.

“Hand me my spear,” Joash said.

“Work!”

“I need my spear so I can pry out a difficult stone.”

Elidad stood at the crawlspace’s entrance, sunlight surrounding his head like a nimbus.

“I think I see some emeralds,” Joash said. “I need my spear to reach that far.”

Elidad jumped down. Moments later, he shoved the spear point-first to Joash.

It was too dark to see ahead, but Joash wanted his spear when he broke through. Dread of the waiting evil filled him. He pulled out another stone. A waft of sepulchral air blew into his face. He blanched. The odor smelled like frankincense, myrrh, and other burial spices. He picked up his spear and thrust it at the opening.

“What is it?” Elidad shouted.

Joash winced. Whatever waited for them must know the prey had arrived.

“Groom!”

Joash crawled out fast. In his haste he knocked his head on the ceiling, and a sharp rock scratched his forearm, drawing blood. Joash panted beside an enraged Elidad.

“I reached the end,” Joash whispered.

The effect on the others was electric. Elidad grinned with greed and rubbed his hands. Gens smoothed his mustache and blinked in amazement. Herrek stepped beside them. His face was solid like stone. He waited, tense as a coiled snake.

Then Herrek examined the entrance. “It must be larger.”

“Groom,” Elidad snapped.

Joash was drained. The crypt, for that is what it was, was too much. Ancient horrors awaited them. Perhaps treasure did as well, but no earthly goods were worth facing the evil in the crypt. What made the feeling so certain was that the Nephilim had bewitched the others in order to lure out the hidden evil. Mimir the Wise, well had he been named.

“Groom!” Elidad roared, buffeting him.

Joash staggered sideways.

“Finish your task,” Elidad said.

Joash shook his head.

Elidad scowled and knotted his big hands into fists.

Joash raised his spear as he backed away. He wouldn’t rush into Draugr’s Crypt. Nor would he allow others to beat him. He’d taken enough abuse, he would take no more.

“Groom,” Herrek said. “Do not threaten your superiors.”

Joash shook his head again.

Herrek lifted his spear.

Gens had finally stopped blinking and wormed his way into the crawlspace. A rock clattered. Gens grunted and pushed the stone behind with his feet. Elidad went to the crawlspace and hefted the rock, heaving it aside.

The tension drained and Herrek went to the entrance. Adah frowned at Joash, as if she wanted to tell him something but didn’t have the words.

“You…” Her frown increased.

“An ancient evil waits in the cave,” Joash said.

Adah nodded slowly.

“I don’t think your poisoned arrows will harm it,” Joash added.

She smiled tightly. “We shall see.”

Joash sat on a rock, exhausted and dispirited. How were any of them going to survive? Somehow, he had to think out a plan. But his mind was too numb.

Gens and Elidad worked feverishly. The crawlspace grew.

Adah set aside her bow and arrow and made a fire. With the fire she lit torches. Joash accepted one. So did Gens. Elidad dusted off his hands, belted his longsword, and picked up his shield and spear. He pushed them into the hole and crawled through. In moments the spear and shield crashed into the crypt. Herrek followed next, then Gens, and finally Adah. Joash sat alone outside the hole, his torch radiating unneeded heat. He didn’t want to face Nephilim by himself, but he was terrified of meeting eon-old Tarag. Surely they watched him, even though he saw no sign of them.

Joash hurried to the hole and crawled over stones. The dry air made the torch crackle. His spear clattered and then he dropped into the crypt.

The others had already headed deeper. Joash saw their bobbing torches. Stalactites fanged down from the high ceiling, and stalagmites rose up to challenge them. He was in the maw of the beast. Now he must go down its throat, and meet his grim fate in its belly. The slippery floor descended at a steep rate. Joash worked his way carefully, the torch throwing dim light all around. Where in the hidden shadows did the evil wait? He rested against a stalagmite. The steep and slippery floor made the way difficult.

The cave was huge so giants could easily maneuver here. The voices of Adah and Elidad drifted to him, eerily echoing. They argued, and Elidad sounded angry.

The sepulchral chill made Joash shiver. It was so different from the furnace-heat of the sun outside. He hurried after the others, hating being alone.

The torch flickered. Joash lifted it, trying to peer farther into the darkness. Where was the hidden evil? He had heard it before. He hadn’t imagined the noise. Then his foot almost went out from under him. He threw up his hands to regain his balance and lost hold of the torch. It fell, but the resin was extremely flammable, and it continued to burn. Joash went to pick it up. Wonder widened his eyes. He thrust the torch near a footprint. The print was human-shaped, but only had three toes.

What was heavy enough to make prints in stone? Trolocks surely, piles of animated stones. Joash studied the print. The rock on the sides of the print was much lighter colored than the rest of the floor. This footprint had been recently made.

Joash clutched his spear and hurried after the others. They stood before a massive door, arguing. Adah urged caution. Elidad laughed at her fear. Herrek wondered aloud where the enemies were.

“Perhaps they know I am the Champion of Teman Clan,” Herrek told the others.

“Look,” Adah told Elidad, shining her torch on the parchment. “That is Draugr Trolock-Maker’s mark.”

Elidad frowned at the parchment.

“Now, notice the mark on the door,” she said, lifting her torch to illuminate it.

Joash and the others saw a stone mask embedded in the door. The door was black, but the mask was made out of a giant bloodred ruby.

Elidad dropped his spear and shield onto the ground. Then he unsheathed a dagger and pried the ruby mask from the door, plopping it into a sack.

“Open the door,” Herrek said. “We will slay the enemies within.”

Joash became curious about Herrek’s certainty. “How do you know enemies await us?”

“I feel them.”

“Yes,” Adah said, “as do I.”

“Bah,” Elidad said. “Treasure awaits us, nothing else.”

Joash knelt and inspected the dusty floor. Within the reach of the door, the dust had been moved.

“Don’t open it,” he said.

The others scowled at him.

Joash tried one last time. “Inside the crypt awaits what Nephilim fear. We rush to our doom if we go on.”

“Madness,” Elidad hissed.

“What do you suggest?” Adah asked.

“That we trick the Nephilim,” Joash said.

“How?” she asked.

“Let them come, as they surely plan to do,” Joash said. “We’ll hide behind stalagmites. Let them be the first to open the door and face Draugr’s Curse.”

“You spout cowardice,” Herrek said. “We will enter and slay the enemy.”

“And gain treasure untold,” Elidad added.

Adah nodded slowly, saying, “We will also learn great wisdom.”

Joash inspected their lurid, torch-lit faces. He glanced at Elidad’s belt, where the leopard-skin pouch hung. Elidad clutched the pouch and glared at Joash. Joash’s last hope fled.

“Open the door,” Herrek said.

Gens grunted as he pulled at the stone handle. The massive door refused to budge. Elidad stepped up and helped. Still the door didn’t move.

“Groom,” Herrek said.

With a fatalistic shrug, Joash helped. Adah notched an arrow. Herrek eagerly raised his spear. The massive door groaned, but didn’t open. At last Herrek set aside his weapons, and pulled. The great obsidian door to Draugr’s Crypt inched open. Then it halted, and refused to move.

Herrek picked up his weapons, as did Elidad his. Before any of them could stop him, Gens slipped through the narrow opening. Elidad roared with rage and squeezed after Gens. Herrek followed, and then Adah.

At last, Joash the Groom, despite his fear and feeling of hopelessness, screwed up his courage. He, too, slipped into the crypt.