Unexpectedly, one of the hellsouls picked up a rock and threw it. It struck a Qubari warrior in the head. The hellsouls shrieked in victory and scrambled to pick up stones. One of the Qubari warriors hurried forward, his long spear threatening the closest hellsouls. He grabbed one of the gates and swung it shut. Another warrior saw what the first was doing and pulled shut the other gate. Once the gates were closed, the creatures dropped their rocks. Slowly the crowd dissipated until there were no hellsouls left. Voltak came running along the road to see what the commotion was.
“That was close,” exhaled one of the Qubari warriors who had closed the gates. “If they started throwing stones, they might have gotten out. We should have brought shields with us.”
“There is only one problem with your actions,” sighed Voltak as he stared at the closed gates. “You closed the gates. How are we supposed to get through them in the morning?”
“We will tell the Astor that we need them reopened,” shrugged the warrior.
“And how will you do that?” asked Voltak. “Do any of you know how to make an air tunnel?”
“Mistake does,” answered a warrior.
“So she does,” frowned Voltak, “but she entered the city a few moments ago. We have a problem. Our Astor is expecting us to attack the hellsouls in the morning. We are not going to be able to do that.”
Chapter 11
Best Laid Plans
Mistake led the elves along the wide boulevard leading to the central plaza. She saw a hellsoul appear a dozen blocks ahead of her and dashed to the side of the street. The others quickly followed her lead.
“Do you think it saw us?” asked MistyTrail.
“I don’t think so,” replied Mistake, “but we must be more careful. If Emperor Marak is drawing all of the hellsouls to this avenue, we might be better off approaching the temple from a different direction.”
“But we will not catch up to the other group if we detour,” Eltor pointed out.
“Did you see anyone ahead of us?” scowled Caldal. “I think Mistake has underestimated the speed with which the humans move. We are not going to catch up to them.”
“Do you wish to return to the gates?” snapped Mistake. “I do not need anyone to follow to reach the temple, but if you are afraid, I will escort you back so you can wait outside.”
“Let’s not fight,” sighed MistyTrail. “We all agreed to go to the temple. Let’s just do it. Lead the way that you feel is best, Mistake.”
Mistake nodded and hugged the buildings as she worked her way up to the next intersection. She looked both ways before turning to the right onto a narrower cross street. The elves moved silently along the narrow street until they came to the next intersection. Again Mistake peered around the corner, but she quickly ducked back.
“There are several of them,” she whispered. They are still quite a few blocks away.”
“Can we get across the avenue without them seeing us?” asked Eltor. “I don’t much care to be on this small street with hellsouls on both sides of us.”
“I think we can,” Mistake nodded. “Perhaps one at a time is safest. They might notice four of us quicker than just one.”
“You go first, Mistake,” suggested MistyTrail. “I will go last.”
Mistake peeked around the corner again. She inhaled deeply and then dashed across the broad avenue. Eltor stepped up next and repeated the procedure. Caldal and MistyTrail soon followed.
“They seemed pretty intent on something in the other direction,” remarked Eltor. “I don’t think any of them saw me.”
“I saw flashes of light when I crossed,” offered MistyTrail. “I think it was magical in nature, but I can’t be sure.”
“That would mean the humans ran into a battle,” frowned Caldal. “It would be rather dangerous for us to come up behind the hellsouls if the humans are attacking them.”
“Caldal is right,” MistyTrail said begrudgingly. “We have no chance of catching Emperor Marak at this point. Let’s find a path that is free of hellsouls and make our own way to the temple.”
Mistake agreed and led the way along the narrow street. At the next intersection only two hellsouls were visible. The elves repeated their method of darting across the avenue one at a time. By the time they reached the fourth broad avenue, the sky was beginning to darken. Still Mistake could make out the forms of hellsouls blocks away.
“We will have to cross this one, too,” frowned Mistake.
“That seems to bother you,” Eltor pointed out. “Why?”
“The second avenue led directly to the temple,” answered Mistake. “Each avenue that we cross is taking us farther away from our goal. We are doing a lot of traveling without getting any closer.”
“Perhaps,” shrugged MistyTrail, “but not if our goal is to reach the temple safely. I do not mind going out of our way if it decreases our risk. Lead on.”
The elves continued moving through the ancient city while the sky grew dark. Each broad avenue seemed to have at least one hellsoul on it, although they remained many blocks away.
“How many blocks have we traveled?” Mistake asked. “I have lost count.”
“I am not sure,” replied Eltor, “but the last four avenues were not as broad as the first ones. I think we are moving into a lesser area of the city.”
“We need to move along one of these avenues,” sighed Mistake. “How can there be so many hellsouls? I expected them to be gathered in the plaza by now, but we keep seeing them on each avenue.”
“Perhaps we should find a place to sleep for the night,” suggested MistyTrail. “The hellsouls are going to be awfully hard to see in the dark.”
“Sure,” retorted Caldal. “We can just choose a building and curl up for some sleep and a nice dream. How could you even think of sleeping in this city?”
“Continue as you have been doing,” Eltor urged Mistake. “You have kept us safe so far. I have faith in you.”
Mistake smiled at Eltor and then stuck her head around the corner. She held up one finger and then dashed across the intersection. When the rest of the elves had joined her, Mistake ran along the narrow street to the next intersection. She smiled when she did not see any hellsouls.
“Finally,” she grinned. “This avenue is clear. We are going to turn to the left and travel as a group. Keep to the sides of the street.”
Mistake stepped around the corner and led the group along the avenue. They had progressed six blocks before Caldal halted suddenly in the center of the intersection.
“What are you doing?” Eltor whispered loudly to his friend. “Get out of the street.”
Caldal pointed towards the right excitedly and then ran to catch up to Eltor.
“They have ships,” Caldal reported with enthusiasm. “I saw the masts when we crossed that last street.”
“So they have ships?” replied Eltor. “What of it?”
“I saw the masts,” Caldal said excitedly. “The wood should have decayed ages ago if this was really a closed city. I think we are being tricked.”
“Everything in Angragar is preserved,” Mistake declared. “Nothing has changed since the closing of the gates. There was not even dust in the temple when I was there.”
“That is impossible,” scowled Caldal. “No wooden ship can last for thousands of years. It is just not possible. I want to investigate those ships.”
“Caldal,” scolded MistyTrail, “will you stop acting like the humans are trying to trick you? You are beginning to make no sense with your ramblings.”
“If we show you the ships,” posed Mistake, “will you finally believe all that we have been saying? I am willing to detour if it will end this nonsense.”
“If you can prove that they are thousands of years old,” Caldal promised with skepticism, “I will finally believe you.”
“Then it is worth the detour,” sighed Eltor. “I, too, am growing tired of this conversation.”
Caldal frowned at his friend, but Mistake merely nodded and retreated to the last intersection. She turned towards the distant masts. There did not appear to be any hellsouls in this section of the city and the run to the harbor was quickly accomplished. When they finally arrived, the elves stood in shock.