Chapter 21 D.

13:05

The small hills and downward slopes let us practice with our cross-country skis, or “Long walkers.” Though the moons on the dungeon ceiling moved, shifting the lightsome, the amount of light never changed. Only when a storm would cover the sky did the soft shadowy light change to near-complete darkness.

Ice pools were found and avoided. Faint steam rising from the body of Clymiphae guided us through the frozen level. The snow seemed to always be at a constant height, covering just below the knees of the centaur. We kept an eye out for any out-of-place monsters, as not to be surprised like last time. Nothing sprung from around the trees; no charging attacks or falling death. It almost would have been better to be attacked, relieving the building tension in the group.

“This is why the forestsss has been emptier,” Branwen said as we all clustered on the top of a slight rise. Down in an open frozen meadow grazed a small herd of Nix Phantus, six in total. The mammoth creatures steadily moved between bushes, eating bright red berries, leaves, and twigs.

“Should we follow them? It looks like they are headed to the bridge as well?” Chariklia asked from beside Lucius. Their cloaks were covering them, shells of frozen cloth keeping some of the cold out.

“We could but they move slow, but if we beat them to the bridge, we’ll have to set up camp farther away if they are headed for it,” Titus added, pulling the scarf from around his mouth.

“They are so majestic. But I am not going on a poop collecting mission.” Ashely said, wrinkling her nose.

“I would rather go past them and set up camp.” Rachel said from beside me, her black braid catching in the soft wind, strands of loose hair swirling.

“Lord Eric?”

“Can we kill them?”

“Not likely, Lord, if we got one by itself, maybe we could all kill it. A heard though even a small one, no. Unless we ran them off a cliff, but there are none of those around us.”

“We best pass them then,” I said.

Picking a path behind the herd, across the meadow, and up into the forest on the other side of the clearing, we moved. Making no motion toward the mammoths, the leader of the pack stopped its grazing and watched us wearily. Once in the cover of the trees, it continued with its endless dinner quest.

13:18

I was expecting more attacks, a wolf or two. Something, but nothing ever came as I got my first look at the bridge that crossed the wide ice water river. From the hill we stood on, the open area in front of the river was alien. Most forests would grow right up the banks of a river; the place instead was almost desolate. 200 meters along the shore on each side of the river, almost nothing grew. A few tufts of dark bluegrass poked out from the white canvas.

“Nearly there, will make camp just inside the tree line from the bridge. Just in case the Nix Phantus do make their way over to cross.” The voice of Titus coming out muffled from behind his scarf. Mumbled yeses and nods of heads were the only replies given.

Following the tree line, I watched the stone edifice of the bridge. It looked cracked with age, and frost clung to it, reflecting glimmers of the moonlight. Two massive foundation blocks sat in the flowing ice water, The current of the river breaking around them. Two massive arches merged into the piers holding up the dark gray stone road. The railing was sized for the mammoths or giants that would use the bridge to cross the ice water.

“Up here should be a good spot to set up camp,” Titus said, pointing to a spot sheltered on three sides by massive trees. The open field along the river was just visible through the tree line.

Clymiphae moved into the spot, and the Titans shield went about setting up a large tent in the clearing. Only a few centimeters of snow covered the grass. Long poles were pulled from her bags along with furs to cover the ground.

“A Tee Pee,” I said offhandedly when the cone was fully erected. They massive hide fit and tied down, making our protective sleeping area.

“A Tee Pee? You mean the cone hut?” Lucius asked.

“Yes, that’s what I meant to say.” We all moved inside. A large fire pit was pulled out, and white wood set ablaze, giving off gusts of warm air and the first orange light we had seen in hours.

“Armor stays on but get comfortable. Odd phrases Lord Eric, Skies, now Tee pees….” Titus offered from where he was unrolling his bedroll.

I looked at Rachel and Ashely; they both were arranging our sleeping area. They looked at each other, then offered me a nod. Sasha was stretching out on her roll and gave me a thoughtful nod as well.

“How best to say this, I’m a world walker,” I spoke into the shuffle of readying the tent. The movement stilled, and the members of the Titans’ Sheild looked at me and each other.

“Explains a lot actually….” Chariklia mumbled after a second.

“World walker? So, you just appeared on this planet?” Lucius asked, confused.

“Sort of.”

“You were born in another world?” Milly asked, transfixed by me.

“Yeap.”

“How were the beast kinsss treated on your world?” Branwen asked.

“Didn’t have any; humans were the only people on my planet.”

“No beast kin….” Clymiphae trailed off.

“Slavery?” Titus questioned. His eyes met mine in a deeply thoughtful expression.

“Nope…Well, we have had slavery a few times. But currently, it is mostly outlawed on Earth. It still happens, but it’s not the norm. My country had lots of slaves, then a civil war to free them. Now “freedom and liberty for all” is the main motto from where I am from.”

“Freedom and liberty for all? So, the empire…you would change it. help the slaves?” Clymiphae asked, a catch in her voice.

“Yes and no…from what I have seen, the empire is massive. And with magic? I just don’t know how to do it. I have some ideas; some lead to bloodshed and untold suffering, some are not fast enough, some may work, while others are a long shot at best.”

“If there was an uncomplicated way, there are groups that would have done it by now,” Titus said.

“Groups? Do they help?” I asked.

“There is a network. The coffin road, they take slaves to the north where the empire’s magic has no hold over those enslaved.” Rachel answered.

“They try and help the worst off…But with their slave compulsions, it’s hard.” Ashley said.

“How is it hard? Why is it called the coffin road?”

“Slaves can barely think of freedom, let alone act on it. In order to free them, the slaves have to be killed; Then revived and placed in a deep sleep until they are beyond the border. They ship them in coffins, more boxes, really. If they wake up, their impulse forces them to try and return to their masters.” Titus responded.

“Only a few can be saved this way, and not all make it,” Branwen added, her words sharp.

“I had hoped there was something like this going on. With magic, though, it does make it harder. How long does the trip take?”

“Months, mostly by land until the ice fang sea,” Chariklia said.

“Gods, that’s a long time.”

“Yeah, no way around it; ships are searched too often and if we were ever found out. Well, a full hunt would be called, and the empire would turn itself inside out trying to find us.” Lucius sighed.

“So, you all are a part of it?”

“The titans’ shield is, Lady Rachel and Ashley are not,” Titus said.

“It’s not that we don’t want to, but we are too closely monitored. We help when we can.” Rachel said.

“Outside of the empire, the slave binding doesn’t work. How does that happen?”

“Rachel could best explain that,” Titus said, motioning with his hand.

“Hum…Well, to best put it, the slaves are bound to every citizen within the territory of the empire, or every citizen feeds the slave compact. It’s why rank is so important and the exalted mages. Most of the mana comes from them. The emperor is the first key, and down the line, it goes. Even if you killed all the exalted mages, each citizen could still hold a few slaves within the confines of the slave compact. Many would-be free but not all of the slaves.” Rachel explained, her armor having folded in on itself. Leaving her in thick shorts and a loose short sleeve shirt.

“The territories of the empire are the real weakness; if one falls, all the slave compacts in the area would be relinquished. Besides the northern expansion, however, no territory has ever fallen, though.”

“So there not just a few people I could kill to free them…there goes that idea,” I said with a huff of air.

“Not an easy thing, even a Civil war, as you said happened on your world would fix it. There are not enough supporters that would go that far. Lots of people don’t mind a few slaves escaping now and then but fighting the legions. Never.” Lucius added from his reclined position.

“Not even all the slaves would want it; many cling to their positions and would actively work against such an uprising,” Titus said, laying his head on Branwen’s lap.

“It’s a matter of perception then,” I said.

“That and what the Gods and Goddesses would do if we tried.”

“We really don’t know what they would do; it’s not like they give clear directions,” Ashley said, sounding studious for the first time.

“We know that Roxclou and Ack both helped for the accords.” Rachel said.

“Yes, but they have been heavily altered since then, besides from Sippsie’s challenge, Roxclou’s path of the servant, Acks Royal blood decrees, and Alleystra’s book of the wife, we don’t really know,” Ashley stated.

“Things to think about Lord Eric.”

“Eric is just fine when we’re in the dungeon, now that you know.”

“That wouldss be an honorss, Eric,” Branwen said, smiling at being able to use only my first name.

“We should get some rest, and We still have a dungeon floor to finish,” Titus said. “I’ll take first watch; Titans’ shield will keep the watch. The rest of you get some sleep.”

Taking off just a few pieces of armor, I settled in beside my acting wives. Allie, Brie, Milly, and Sasha folded themselves around us as well. Soon the crackle of the white wood fire and warm heat had me falling into a deep and troubled sleep.