Zach Brenner's Arc

Chapter 73 of 86

The town was quiet at dawn. The last cloud was dead, but Ayla's words hung over the group like the fog itself. More would come. Zach stood in the burned street and did the math. One cloud had cost them a full night, a whole airship trip, and both mages working together. The river made these clouds without stopping. They could not fight them one at a time forever. Zach turned to Ayla. "We can't guard every town in the north. We have to kill this at the river. At the source." Ayla lowered her staff. "I don't know how," she said. "I killed the fog with fire and light. But the river is miles of it. I'd burn out before I burned a tenth." Lyra nodded beside her. "Same for me. My flames have a limit. Whatever feeds this thing, it's bigger than the two of us." Zach knew who was bigger. "Then we don't do it alone," he said. "This is mage work. Fire and divine light killed one cloud. Imagine a whole guild of it." He looked at Ayla. "The white mages taught you. Go to your guild. Bring back everyone who can throw light." Ayla straightened. For years she had been the healer who trailed behind Zach's blade. Now he was sending her ahead. "I'll go," she said. "They'll listen to me." Raven crouched by a doused torch, her cat ears turning at every sound. "White mages won't be enough," she said. "You need black mages too. The ones who study the dark. If anything knows what breeds in a dead river, it's them." Lyra's face went tight. She had come from the guild that studied both. "She's right," Lyra said. "I'll take the black mage guild. I can speak their tongue." So the plan split in three. Ayla south to the white mages. Lyra to the black. And Zach needed a place to gather them all, close to the river, strong enough to hold. He looked north, toward the mountains. "Black Hollow," he said. "Garrok's town. Dark timber and stone forts. It sits between us and the river." Talon sheathed his katanas. "Garrok will host us. He owes you an inn and a war." They moved before the sun cleared the peaks. The airship carried Zach, Raven, and Talon over the passes. Black Hollow rose from the rock below, smoke curling from a dozen chimneys, banners hung on heavy beams. Garrok met them at the gate, axe on his shoulder, bald head shining. He looked at the airship, then at Zach. "You only come north when the world's ending," he said. "What is it this time?" "Fog from the Dead River," Zach said. "It eats whole towns. We're gathering the mages here to kill it at the source." Garrok grinned, hard and hungry. "My hunters died in these mountains for less. Bring your mages." He swung the gate wide. "Black Hollow is yours."