Chapter 24 – The Ashen Peaks
Ilin slept the entire time we were in the Clockwork Cavern. When she opened her eyes, the blue glow in her irises was barely there, just a faint hint beneath the brown.
"How do you feel?" I asked, keeping my voice low so I didn't startle her.
"Tired, but not empty," she said. "My hands aren't shaking."
Ael was already at the portal platform, his robes untouched by oil or soot. "The next Anchor lies in the Ashen Peaks. A mountain range of black stone and constant ashfall."
Mara coughed. "Ash? My lungs are still mad at the underwater city."
"It is cold," Ael said. "And the Guardians are the Stonewardens."
Garrick flexed his arm, wincing. "At least it's not another thing that wants to hug us to death."
I helped Ilin to her feet. She stood on her own, but I kept my hand on her back.
We stepped onto the platform. Ael touched the stone; the symbols lit blue, and the oval doorway opened onto a cold wind carrying fine gray ash.
Ilin took my hand. "Ready?"
I nodded. "Ready."
We stepped through.
The world was gray. The sky was a low ceiling of clouds, the ground was black rock, and ash fell like slow snow, coating everything in a thin, gritty layer. The air was cold enough that my breath showed, and every step crunched.
Ilin's staff pulsed, creating a small warm bubble around us.
"The Memory Core says the Anchor is at the Peak of Silence, the highest point," she said.
Ael nodded. "The Stonewardens are slow, but they are heavy. One strike can break bone."
We started climbing. The path was narrow, ash making the rocks slippery. After twenty minutes the first Guardians appeared.
They were tall figures carved from black stone, their bodies rough and uneven, eyes glowing a dull amber. Their arms ended in blunt stone fists.
Three of them.
Garrick raised his bent crowbar. "Here we go."
The first Stonewarden swung at Garrick. He blocked with his crowbar; the metal snapped, the crowbar breaking in half.
The second swung at Mara. She ducked, swung her bent rebar, and the rebar shattered against the Stonewarden's arm.
The third came at me.
I dodged its swing, rolled, and drove my blade into the gap at its elbow.
The blade scratched the stone but didn't penetrate.
The Stonewarden grabbed my shoulder — the same shoulder Ilin had healed ten times.
Pain flared.
I twisted, drove my blade into the joint, chipping the stone.
The Stonewarden staggered back.
I turned to the first Stonewarden. Garrick was unarmed now, fists clenched.
Mara had nothing but her hands.
Finn was circling the second Stonewarden, pistol useless.
I ran at the first Stonewarden, jumped, and drove my blade into the side of its neck.
The blade chipped the stone, and the Stonewarden collapsed, crumbling into black chunks.
I turned to the second Stonewarden. It raised its fist at Finn.
Ilin stepped forward, staff raised.
"Ilin, no!" I shouted.
"I have to," she said.
She directed the blue light at the Stonewarden.
The creature slowed, its amber eyes dimming.
I ran and drove my blade into its chest.
The stone cracked and the Stonewarden fell apart.
Ilin dropped to her knees.
I was at her side in two steps, catching her.
"You used healing," I said.
"Only a little," she said, voice weak.
"You said you wouldn't," I said.
"I couldn't let it hit Finn," she said.
I lifted her and carried her to a sheltered overhang.
"You're done," I said.
"I know," she said.
Garrick sat beside us, holding his broken arm. Mara was rubbing her bruised hands. Finn was catching his breath.
Ael stood, looking up the slope where a black stone spire rose against the ash-filled sky. "The Anchor is there."
I carried Ilin the rest of the way.
The Peak of Silence was a flat area at the top of the spire, wind howling, ash swirling. In the center was a crystal pulsing with violet light — the Anchor.
Around it stood four Stonewardens, larger than the first three, their bodies solid and unyielding.
Ael's voice was quiet. "The Peak Wardens."
I set Ilin down on a flat rock.
"We do what we've been doing," I said. "Hold them off while I reach the Anchor."
Garrick nodded, wincing. "Just don't die."
Mara said, "No promises."
Finn nodded, gripping his broken pistol.
The four Wardens moved at once, slow but heavy.
Garrick met the first, punching its arm. His fist cracked against stone, blood showing on his knuckles.
Mara went for the second, kicking its leg. The Stonewarden backhanded her, sending her to the ground.
Finn went for the third, smashing his pistol against its face. The pistol shattered.
The fourth came at me.
I dodged its swing, rolled, and drove my blade into its knee.
The blade chipped the stone.
The Stonewarden grabbed my shoulder — the same shoulder Ilin had healed eleven times.
Pain flared.
I drove my blade into its neck.
The Stonewarden cracked and collapsed into rubble.
I turned to the first Warden. Garrick was back on his feet, fists bloodied.
Mara was getting up, her lip split.
Finn was on the ground, the Stonewarden raising its fist.
The first Warden charged Garrick.
Garrick ducked, slammed his fist into the Warden's knee, and the stone cracked.
I ran and jumped onto the Warden's back, driving my blade into the base of its neck.
It collapsed.
I turned to the second Warden. Mara was on her feet.
The Warden swung. Mara ducked, kicked its leg, and the stone cracked.
I ran and drove my blade into its chest.
It collapsed.
The third Warden was raising its fist over Finn.
I ran and drove my blade into its back.
It collapsed.
I looked at the Anchor.
Ilin was on her feet, staff in hand, the crystal glowing faint blue.
"I can weaken it," she said.
"Ilin, no," I said.
"I have to," she said.
She raised the staff and directed the light at the Anchor.
The Anchor pulsed, the violet light flickering as the blue light hit it.
I raised my blade and brought it down on the crack.
The blade sank in.
The Anchor pulsed, the violet light flickering, then dimming.
A low sound resonated across the peaks, like stone settling.
I hit it again.
The crystal shattered.
The violet light went out.
The ashfall slowed, the air feeling lighter.
Ael placed a hand on my shoulder. "The Anchor is destroyed. The rift in the Ashen Peaks is closed."
I looked at Ilin. She was swaying.
I caught her before she fell.
"You did it," I said.
She opened her eyes, smiled faintly. "We did it."
I carried her to the sheltered overhang and sat with her, her head on my shoulder.
Garrick was sitting nearby, holding his bleeding hand. Mara was wiping blood from her lip. Finn was staring at his shattered pistol.
Ael stood, watching the ash settle.
Ilin squeezed my hand. "We did it."
"We did," I said.
She smiled, tired but genuine.
I leaned in and kissed her forehead.
"You rest," I said. "I'll be right here."
"I know," she said.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep.
I stayed, watching her, listening to the wind move the ash.
The rift in the Ashen Peaks was closed.
Ael had said there were many worlds.
I looked at Ilin's peaceful face.
We would rest here, and then we would find the next passage.
Whatever came next, we would face it together.