The Hidden Relic (Evermen Saga, #2)
James Maxwell
Prologue
EVRIN Evenstar had given Killian a quest, and now he must see to his own vital task. If Killian succeeded in destroying Stonewater's magical machines: the harvesting plant, the extraction system, and the refinery; Evrin must work to ensure that the greatest relic of all remained hidden.
Evrin followed Killian with his eyes until the younger man disappeared from view, vanishing along the pilgrim's trail, heading for Stonewater's heart.
Evrin had done his best: he'd imbued Killian with as much power as he could, considering the young man's lack of knowledge about the runes, and armed him with the destructive cubes. The boy's fate was now out of his hands.
Yet he couldn't help worrying. Killian would face perils within Stonewater, and Evrin wished he could help more. He wished the young man good fortune, and prayed they would soon be reunited at the appointed place, the sky temple in Salvation.
The old man rubbed at his eyes, looking up the mountain, his gaze finally resting on his destination — the very summit of Stonewater, the place they called the Pinnacle.
Evrin began to climb, his joints creaking as he placed one foot in front of the other, and the path became steeper. Soon, Evrin knew, there would be a fork in the path. The left fork led to the work rooms of the senior priests and templars. It was the right fork Evrin was interested in.
Taking a series of winding stairs, Evrin paused for breath, leaning on the stone wall for support. He could remember a time when the scenes carved into the stone were fresh and crisp, and the steps sturdy and new. Now each step was cracked and worn, and he could barely make out the whorls and lines that had once created an image on the wall.
What was it a picture of? Surely he had once known.
As he waited for his strength to return, Evrin looked out at the vista below. The wind buffeted him, and he again grabbed at the stone for support. He was high, so high that even the buildings of Salvation were tiny, the people like little ants.
Evrin thought of the Primate. What it must do, for a man's sense of hubris, living up here at the top of this mountain.
Killian would be inside now. Evrin resumed his climb; he couldn't afford any more pauses. He came to the fork and took the right-hand path, bearing upwards. The pilgrims who took these same steps would be flushed with excitement, about to reach their destination — the place they had journeyed across the world and faced the hardship of travel to see. The Pinnacle.
Evrin increased his speed, but the next stage was a set of steps without break and soon his breath ran ragged, the muscles in his legs burning. He kept his head down, his hands on his knees, taking one step after another, counting them. It frightened him, how hard this path was compared to days gone by.
He heard a rumble from within the belly of the mountain and smiled to himself at the sound of the explosion; Killian was doing well. Evrin had been searching for Killian for an eternity, and while he knew the questions Killian was burning to have answered, first he must —
Some loose gravel rolled under Evrin's foot, and the wind twisted the robe around his ankles. With a cry the old man's muscles gave out and he tripped, falling to the ground, smashing his knees on the hard stone. When Evrin was able to think he realised he was on the ground, sprawled across the steps. Evrin clutched at the wall but pain shot through his ankle, sending stars bursting inside his head. He looked down at his sandaled foot. The ankle was twisted, and already his foot was beginning to swell, the flesh white and puffy.
Evrin probed it with his hands, and the pain made him gasp. He shook his head ruefully.
"In the name of all that's holy," Evrin said. He almost smiled, realising how fitting the words were, given where he was, but the smile came out as a grimace.
The sharp pain settled to a regular throb, timed to the beating of his heart. Evrin needed to get to the Pinnacle before the next explosion. It wouldn't take Killian long to find the extraction system, and then the refinery. He wondered what surprises the Primate had in store for the young man, whether there were templars defending the relics, or something even worse. Nothing the lad couldn't handle, he hoped.
Evrin winced as he tried to stand. Once, he would have been able to heal himself, and the pain would have vanished, the bone knitting together until it was whole and undamaged. It was an ability he no longer had.
He finally used a mental trick to ignore the pain in his ankle and continue up the endless steps. He had been counting, hadn't he?
"What's the point," he muttered. Yet for some reason he again found himself counting from one.
"One."
Groan. Step. Drag. Pause. Deep breath.