by M. L. Forman
“That’s some remedy,” said Andy, carefully stretching. “I’ll have to get some before my next adventure.”
“Or always travel with a dwarf,” laughed Skeld.
They packed their tents, shaking off the snow, as Thrang prepared breakfast. Thrang made Alex practice starting the fire and putting it out again before he started cooking. He seemed to be pleased that Alex had picked up the bit of magic so quickly, and Alex couldn’t help feeling a little proud of himself as well.
“The more you practice, the better it’ll work,” said Thrang with a wink.
When they were ready to ride, Thrang had Alex put out the fire once more. The quench command worked well in the wet snow and there was little smoke from the fire. Alex felt slightly dizzy again after putting the fire out, but not as much as he had the night before.
With the fire out, they climbed onto their horses and set off along the snow-covered road, riding south as the day grew brighter around them. They continued to travel south for three more days. Each day they stopped at midday to stretch their legs and eat a little, and every time, Alex would practice with the fire before Thrang started cooking the meal. Alex’s control improved rapidly, and after a few days, he was able to put out the fire without any smoke at all. The dizziness had passed completely now that he had used magic several times.
“You’ve picked that up fast,” said Thrang as they ate their midday meal on the fourth day. “Some people practice for weeks and still leave behind a trail of smoke.”
“Do you really think I could become a wizard?” Alex asked, happy with his success.
“If you choose to be,” Thrang answered. “Though not everyone with the gift wants the responsibility.”
“Responsibility?”
“Where there is power, there is an accounting for it,” Thrang replied and fell silent.
Alex thought about Thrang’s answer while he ate. Yes, power had to be accounted for, but he wondered who did the accounting.
The road turned easterly that afternoon, and Bregnest took a map from his bag and examined it closely with Arconn as they continued to ride. Bregnest seemed pleased with the progress the company had made in the four days they’d been in Vargland, though Alex had no real idea of how far they’d traveled.
“We’ll camp early tonight,” Bregnest announced when they stopped by a stream later that day. “This water is good, and we should refill our water bags.”
They set up camp between the stream and a grove of trees growing close to the road. The wind had picked up again, but the sky was clear and the late afternoon sun was warm. Thrang asked Alex to start their campfire, but didn’t have him put it out as he normally did.
“You’ve got the hang of it,” said Thrang when Alex questioned him. “Now fetch me a large pot of clean water from the stream.”
Alex took the large iron pot Thrang had pointed to and walked to the stream. The full pot was heavy, and he had to pay attention to where he was walking so he wouldn’t spill the water all over himself.
While Alex and the others were setting up camp and taking care of the horses, Arconn took his bow and disappeared into the woods. As the sun was slipping out of the sky, Arconn returned with two rabbits and three birds that were almost as big as turkeys.
Thrang took the rabbits and birds from Arconn and quickly prepared them for cooking. The rabbits were added to the pot on the fire, while the birds were skewered on long poles and propped over the flames to roast. It wasn’t long before Thrang had a wonderful rabbit stew ready for them to eat. The birds continued to roast, filling the air with a mouthwatering smell.
“You’re a master cook,” said Skeld, bowing to Thrang. “It is a wonder your people let you go on adventures when you cook so well.”
“If you think this is good cooking, you should visit the halls of my people,” Thrang laughed with a pleased look on his face. “I am only a fair cook in my own land.”
“Then perhaps our next adventure should be to your land.” Skeld laughed happily, filling his bowl with more stew.
The company was merry that night, and there was plenty of talk and stories of past adventures. Even Tayo, who normally didn’t say much, told them part of the tale of his first adventure. Both Alex and Andy listened to all the stories, fascinated and entertained. Though Andy had been on one adventure before this one, he said that he had no stories to tell.
“Have you all traveled together before?” Alex asked between stories.
“No, not as a group,” answered Thrang.
“Tayo and I have been on a few adventures together,” said Skeld. “And I think all of us—except for you and Andy, of course—have traveled at least once with Bregnest.”
There was a general agreement with what Skeld said, and then some talk about who had traveled where and with whom in the past. Alex tried to keep track of it all, but there were too many jokes and bits of stories mixed in with the talk. In the end, all he knew for sure was that Thrang and Arconn had traveled together many times, Skeld and Tayo had traveled together, and Bregnest had been on too many adventures to count.
Finally, when the fire was burning low, they went to their tents, tired and happy after their fine meal and long talk. The wind was still blowing, but gently. The full moon rose, covering the ground with a pale light. Alex feel asleep, peaceful and relaxed.
* * *
Alex felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake. Struggling to open his eyes, Alex was confused to see Tayo in his tent. It was still dark outside and there was a grim look on Tayo’s face. He motioned for Alex to stay silent. Alex nodded and pulled on his boots, following Andy out of the tent. The rest of the company was already gathered around the cold ashes of their fire, speaking softly.
“The horses have broken away,” Tayo said in a whisper. “Something has spooked them into flight.”
“Whatever it is, it hasn’t come close to the camp,” said Thrang. “There are no tracks or any other signs to be seen close in.”
“Should we wait for dawn to seek the horses, or go now?” Arconn questioned, looking at Bregnest.
“They could be far away by dawn,” said Bregnest, looking at the trees where the horses had been tied. “We should look now, but in pairs.”
Alex volunteered to go with Andy to look for the horses, but the others were against the idea.
“You are both young and have little experience,” Skeld commented. “Perhaps you should remain here, in case the horses find their own way back.”
“Good idea,” said Thrang in a heavy whisper. “They are good animals and will try to return if they can. And as nothing has come close to the camp, you should be safe enough.”
“Agreed,” said Bregnest, looking at Alex and Andy. “You two remain here and keep your eyes open. We will look for the horses and return. I don’t think we will need to look far, perhaps a mile at the most. If you need us, call out loudly. Arconn will hear you.”
Alex, unhappy about staying behind, wanted to argue, but the look in Bregnest’s eyes told him it would be pointless. Remaining silent, he and Andy watched the rest of the company walk away toward the trees.
“Should we light a fire?” Alex asked in a lowered voice.
“Best not,” Andy replied. “If something is out there, a fire might draw it to us.”
“What do you think might be out there?”
“Goblins, maybe,” said Andy. “Or maybe a troll.”
“You couldn’t just say robbers, could you?” said Alex, bumping Andy’s shoulder in fun.
“Bandits or robbers would have attacked the camp before taking the horses,” said Andy. “Trolls or goblins are more likely to steal the horses for food and leave us alone.”
“Trolls and goblins eat horses?” Alex asked in a worried tone.
“Goblins do,” said Andy. “I don’t know about trolls, but I’ve heard they’ll eat most anything.”
The two of them stood looking into the darkness without speaking for what seemed like a long time. The light from the full moon gav
e the nearby trees a strange, shiny look and cast long, dark shadows across the ground. Alex’s ears started to ring as he strained to listen for any sound at all, but all he heard were the branches moving in the soft breeze, the trees creaking gently, and the water running in the stream beside them.
“How long do you think they’ll be?” Alex whispered.
“Depends on what they find,” Andy answered quietly. “Though I don’t think it will be long. We should have set a watch, but I’m sure Bregnest didn’t think we’d run into trouble so soon.”
They fell silent again, listening and swaying slightly from side to side. Time seemed to be moving slowly. Alex didn’t like waiting at camp, though he knew it was probably for the best. He rolled his head around on his neck to fight off sleep, and halfway through the roll, he heard a sound. Freezing, he strained to listen. He heard the sound again: the frightened whinny of a horse.
“Did you hear that?” Alex asked.
“Yes.”
“What should we do?”
“I don’t know,” said Andy nervously. “It sounds troubled.”
The frightened whinny came a third time as Andy finished speaking. It was a scared and lonely sound. It sounded to Alex like a desperate call for help.
“Stay here,” said Alex, turning to follow the sound.
“What are you doing?” Andy asked in alarm.
“I’m not sure. I . . . I just feel that I have to go.”
“We were told to stay here,” Andy protested, grabbing Alex’s shoulder. “We should do as Bregnest said. He is the leader.”
“I know,” Alex answered, pulling free. “But I have to go, I can’t explain why.”
Alex felt desperate, and he was determined to go, no matter what. Following the distant sound would mean leaving the post Bregnest had assigned to them, breaking an important rule of adventurers.
“Go,” said Andy after a moment of thought. “If you run into trouble, call out or light a fire and I’ll come. If you find the horse, return as fast as you can.”
Alex nodded and started off along the stream. He didn’t know why he had to go into the darkness alone, but something inside him knew he had to get to the frightened horse. The feeling was stronger than his fear of breaking the rules and upsetting Bregnest. Something in the terrified and lonely whinny of the horse called out to him, and Alex knew that the only thing that mattered was finding the horse, and fast.
He moved quickly along the bank of the stream in the darkness. The ground was mostly clear and the moonlight reflected off the large rocks and bushes in his path, making them easy to see and avoid. Alex tried to move as quietly as he could. He had never seen a goblin or a troll and he hoped he wouldn’t be seeing either of them tonight.
Alex heard the whinny again. It was closer now, and off to his left. Leaving the stream behind, he moved deeper into the trees, stopping to listen. He heard nothing, so he moved forward, trying to head in the same direction as the whinny. He climbed a small hill and stopped to listen again. There was a sound of movement in front of him: hooves stamping the ground nervously.
Moving cautiously, Alex tried to stay silent. He had no idea what he might run into, and he didn’t really want to think about the options. Putting his arms out in front of him, he was able to keep the small tree branches from slapping his face and poking him in the eyes. He moved as fast as he dared in the darkness under the trees, worried about every little noise he made. Soon the trees began to thin, and he could see moonlight filling an open clearing in front of him. His eyes, accustomed to the darkness beneath the trees, could see clearly across the open ground.
On the far side of the clearing stood Shahree, stamping her hooves in fear. About halfway across the clearing was a massive figure—ten feet tall, five feet wide, and with long arms and oddly bowed legs. Alex’s mouth went dry, certain he was seeing a troll for the first time.
The troll was closing in on Shahree, a huge club raised over its small, round head. It was clear that Shahree was afraid to run into the darkness under the trees, and the troll was using that fact to trap her.
Alex could see Shahree’s terror, and her helpless fear filled him with an anger he had never felt before. Even though he had only known the horse for a few days, he already felt a great fondness for her. He wouldn’t let this troll kill her.
“Over here!” Alex shouted, jumping out of the trees without thinking. “Over here, you stupid troll!”
The troll turned away from Shahree. It spotted Alex moving into the clearing and lowered its club slightly. The troll tilted its head to one side, as if considering how dangerous Alex might be. Then, without any warning, the troll charged. The creature was faster than Alex would have thought possible for something so large.
Before Alex could stop it, the huge club came down, missing him by inches and shaking the ground under his feet. Alex staggered backward, tripping over an unseen rock and falling to the ground.
The troll grabbed Alex by his left leg and lifted him up until they were face to face.
“Run, Shahree!” Alex yelled. “There is nothing in the darkness to fear. Run, and find the others.”
The troll, apparently understanding what Alex had said, turned to look at Shahree. The horse whinnied loudly, and without hesitation, she bolted into the darkness under the trees. The troll made angry sounds that Alex thought might be curses, and when it looked at Alex again, anger burned like tiny flames in its eyes. Alex wondered if the troll would club him on the spot, but then the troll lowered its arm to its side—Alex’s head almost hitting the ground—and started off toward the far end of the clearing.
Swinging along upside down and helpless, Alex knew he was in trouble, but he had no idea what to do. His sword hung at a strange angle to his body and he couldn’t draw the blade. His friends were far off and scattered, looking for the lost horses, and it was unlikely anyone would hear him if he yelled for help.
Looking at the troll’s heavy leather boots gave Alex an idea, an idea he almost lost when he noticed the troll was wearing three boots—three boots for the troll’s three legs. Putting aside his surprise, Alex pointed his finger at the boot nearest him and called out.
“Inferno!”
Three things happened almost simultaneously: the boot burst into bright red flames; there was a deafening roar as the troll stamped madly to put out the flames; and Alex was dropped on his head.
Rolling away from the troll’s burning, stomping foot, Alex rubbed his head. He hadn’t expected to be dropped quite so quickly, and he felt lucky the ground was soft and damp. Scrambling to his knees, he saw the troll had almost put out the flames on its burning boot and was turning around to look for him.
“Inferno!” Alex called again, focusing on a different boot.
The second boot burst into flames and the troll howled even louder than before. The troll stormed around the clearing, trying madly to douse the flames in its boots. A stream of angry sounds flowed from the troll, and this time Alex was sure they were curses.
Alex knew he couldn’t kill the troll by lighting its boots on fire, and in its rage, the troll might simply ignore the flames and rush him. For a moment Alex considered running, but he didn’t think he could outrun the troll, even with its burnt feet.
Stepping a little further away from the troll, Alex drew his sword. The sword’s edge shone like blue flame in the pale moonlight, but he didn’t have time to appreciate its beauty. Alex watched for an opportunity to strike as the troll continued to curse and stomp around the clearing.
Seeing his chance, Alex summoned his courage and leapt forward, swinging his sword with all his strength. He thought he was close enough to hit the troll, but the blow seemed to miss completely, and Alex spun around, falling with the force of his own swing.
The troll’s screaming and howling convinced Alex that he had managed to injure it after all, but he feared he hadn’t done much damage. He scrambled to his feet, ready to strike again. A strange heat was growing inside of him, but he didn�
��t have time to wonder what it might mean.
To Alex’s surprise, his first swing had completely removed one of the troll’s three legs. Off balance, the troll lifted its club and swung wildly. The club caught the edge of Alex’s sword, knocking it out of his hand.
Alex reached for his sword, but he could see the club coming down again. He rolled away to escape being crushed by it. He tried to get back to his feet again, but the troll was right on top of him, its curses filling the air. Alex managed to roll away a second time, but as he did, he hit his head on a large, sharp rock. His eyes blurred as he struggled to get up, and he could see strange flashes of light in front of him. Something warm and wet ran down the side of his face, but Alex didn’t have time to think about it.
He was in more danger now than he had been before. The troll had him cornered, and Alex couldn’t get to his sword. He looked up at the troll as he tried to clear his vision. Its eyes were burning with rage and its club was raised, ready to strike the fatal blow. Alex wondered what it would feel like to be squashed by the huge wooden club.
“Quench!” Alex yelled in desperation, his hand pointing at the troll’s body.
Alex closed his eyes, waiting for the club to fall, but nothing happened. Opening one eye, he looked up. The troll was still there, but it wasn’t moving. Its mouth was slack and its eyes had lost their burning anger.
Alex staggered to his feet and hurried to retrieve his sword. He wasn’t sure how or why, but the quench command had frozen the troll in place. He leaned on his sword, dropping to one knee as he gulped in the cool night air, wondering what he should do next.
“Alex!” Arconn’s voice called loudly. “Alex, where are you?”
“Over here,” Alex called back, his voice weak and shaking. “I’m here.”
Arconn, Thrang, and Bregnest came crashing into the clearing, their weapons raised and ready for battle. The three of them stopped as soon as they spotted the frozen troll. They looked from the troll to Alex and back again.
“What have you done?” Thrang asked in wonder, his eyes fixed on the troll.
“I quenched his fire,” said Alex, wiping the blood off his face. “At least, I think that’s what I did.”