Nissa watched Sorin as they walked. At first he appeared to be unaffected by the presence of edible creatures. But soon they passed the tents of the cutters and relic seekers and entered Affa proper, and the amount of life increased. Soon there were humans, merfolk, goblins, elves, and even other vampires moving around the cookfires in the dark. Nissa thought she could hear Sorin s breathing quicken. If he was as hungry for blood as she was for a drink of water, then she had best take the others and leave him to his unutterable desires.
The center of Affa was more built up than Nissa would have guessed. More than just a tent city, it had permanent stone-and-mortar buildings with steep roofs of slate and weathervanes of wrought dragons. The streets were cobbled with intricate designs. The steep mountain peaks stood out in stark contrast against the light brown clay shingles. A small, turreted keep hunched in the middle of town, surrounded by semi-permanent stalls built of wood and manned by merchants selling all manner of wares. Where did they get the wood? Nissa wondered. She had not seen a forest in leagues.
Braziers burned on the street corners, and when Nissa exhaled she was surprised to see her breath outlined in the chilly mountain air.
Nissa turned to Sorin, only to find him gone. Only the shadows around the various braziers remained. Smara muttered behind her as they walked. Nissa turned and caught the goblin Mudheel looking at her in a curious way. Even the goblin knew about Sorin, she thought.
Had Sorin been sneaking off the whole time? she wondered. She had spent so much time watching Anowon for the slightest glimmer of aggression directed at her that Sorin could have supped on her blood twenty times over, if he had had the interest.
Smara s muttering behind became louder as they walked.
May I ask how long we will be walking tonight? Mudheel said with more than a bit of acid in his voice.
Nissa turned. The goblin was carrying Smara over his shoulders, and she struggled on the goblin s back. As Nissa watched, the kor kicked her legs out and generally writhed.
The goblin fought to gain control of the kor s flailing body. After struggling for some moments, a grumbling Mudheel switched his hold, moving Smara from his shoulder so he was cradling her forward across his arms. Nissa was never more impressed to see a goblin s strength as she was at that instant. Mudheel bent its snout close to Smara s ear and hummed the kor a low song. It was a moment so strangely touching that Nissa had to look away. When she turned back, Smara was singing to herself, stroking the smoky, dagger-length crystal she clutched at all times.
I thought we should sleep at the side of the camp that faces the mountains, Nissa said. She lowered her voice a bit.
So we can leave undetected.
The goblin nodded. I have not seen sign on the ground of brood lineage for many days, he said.
Neither have I, Nissa said, looking out of the corners of her eyes at the outlines moving around the fires. But it is not the brood I am worried about just now.
The goblin kept walking, holding Smara in his arms as one might a child. Lady elf, we will need supplies if we are to ascend into the Teeth, you know?
I know. Nissa said. She was still getting used to the goblin speaking and thinking as well as he did. Mudheel could surely be the leader of a whole goblin nation if he wasn t bound to Smara as he was. As kor to goblin.
Where will we find the coin for this? Mudheel said, snapping her from her thoughts.
We will steal it, Nissa said, looking straight ahead. After her talk with Anowon about Sorin and the Eldrazi, her opinion about the importance of the expedition had changed significantly. We will steal and acquire what is needed to climb to the Eye of Ugin and save Zendikar.
The goblin looked at her a moment longer than normal, blinking.
Nissa continued. How many days can we expect to climb to the Eye?
From Affa, two perhaps three days, the goblin said.
And what will happen then? Nissa said. What are your and your mistress s reasons for traveling there in the first place? I suppose I never asked.
Mudheel looked down at the face of Smara, who looked up at the pocked, mole-covered face of the goblin. She feels drawn by the spirit in her crystal.
There is a spirit in that?
A most fabulous one, the goblin said. The words were barely out of his mouth when Smara began struggling again. She bucked her body up and snapped her legs out. Mudheel struggled to hold her. When Smara s struggling became more violent, Mudheel gently put her down on the ground.
The gift is in the loam, Smara screamed, suddenly. She kept screaming it.
Should we both carry her? Nissa said.
The goblin nodded. Nissa took the kor s ankles and Mudheel her wrists, and they hoisted Smara and began walking with her, struggling, toward the edge of the settlement. She stopped screaming.
Nissa waited a couple of beats before speaking again. What ails your mistress? she asked.
Nissa could not see the goblin s face as it walked ahead, but she imagined a wince.
It started after she heard you and the vampire speaking yesterday.
You heard that? Nissa asked.
I did not, Mudheel said. She did.
But how do you know she heard it
She speaks to me, the goblin said as he stopped walking for a moment. In my head.
What did she hear? asked Nissa.
She was bothered by the Sorin vampire s plan.
Was she?
Her ghost tells her to release the Eldrazi, Mudheel said. He tells her to kill you all. He tells her to burn things.
The hairs on the back of Nissa s neck stood. Really?
Yes, the goblin said. Kill you in the fire of the Eye of Ugin.
I see.
The gift in the loam must be released.
You want to free them?
It is not I, the goblin said. It is the desire of my mistress s ghost.
And who is this ghost?
The knower of all things, the goblin said.
The predictor of everything.
And it says free the Eldrazi?
From the back, Nissa saw the goblin look left and right at the mention of the word Eldrazi. It says: free those who shall not be named.