Slathbog's Gold

by M. L. Forman

  “Do not be sad,” said Skeld with a faint smile. “Tayo knew this might happen, yet still he came.”

  “We all knew that this might happen,” Bregnest added. “Few were as prepared for it as Tayo.”

  “He’s not dead yet,” Alex said loudly, an angry edge in his voice.

  “You are correct, my friend,” agreed Arconn, putting a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “And we all hope for his recovery, but dragon wounds are deadly. Even your growing skill with magic may not be enough to cure him.”

  Alex nodded, feeling sadness dragging him down like a great weight hanging around his neck. Even his companions’ happiness about the treasure that was theirs did not cheer him, nor did their retelling of how he slew the dragon. He remembered Tayo’s interest in the wall between life and death, but, unlike Bregnest and Skeld, Alex did not think Tayo was prepared to meet death. If anything, he thought Tayo feared the wall and what was beyond it.

  Alex’s sorrow changed to anger as he looked at Slathbog’s dead body on the chamber floor. Tayo had saved his life, attacking when he did. Tayo had made it possible for him to destroy Slathbog without losing his own life in the battle. Now Alex could do nothing for Tayo but wait to see if his friend would live or die. Slathbog and his evil were to blame for all of this, and as Alex thought about it, his anger began to burn inside of him.

  Alex stood up, a deadly rage growing inside of him as he walked toward the smoldering body of the dragon. His anger was hotter than the power of his magic sword had ever been. All he could think about was his hate for Slathbog and his evil. The others were focused on Tayo and did not see the terrible look of pure rage on Alex’s face. They could not feel the great sorrow he was feeling.

  “Inferno!” Alex screamed, his feelings pouring out of him with the word, his eyes fixed on the body of the dragon.

  Slathbog’s dead body instantly burst into blue-white flames, lighting the entire chamber. There was no noise or smoke as Slathbog incinerated in the intense heat of Alex’s anger. The rest of the company watched with open mouths and wide eyes as Alex walked back to them and dropped to the ground beside Tayo.

  chapter eighteen

  The Wall

  Days passed but Tayo remained unchanged. If anything he was growing even more pale and weak, and Alex would seldom leave his side for any reason. The rest of the company spent their time sorting through the dragon’s hoard. When they returned in the evenings, they would tell Alex about the vast piles of treasure they had searched through and the wonderful things they had found. Alex smiled at their stories, but a deep sorrow had settled inside of him, and he wondered if he would ever feel happy again.

  Sometimes Andy would sit with Alex at night, watching Tayo, worried and troubled. After the third night of Andy’s vigil, Alex asked him what was wrong.

  “There is a custom among adventurers of our land that if one saves another, there is a debt of honor,” Andy said. “The debt can only be repaid in one of two ways. Either the adventurer in debt—or a member of his family—must save the life of the honor holder, or a member of the family in debt must offer the honor holder their share in the primary treasure collected on another adventure.” Andy looked down at Tayo’s pale face. “My family owes Tayo a debt of honor,” he said softly. “Long ago he saved my father’s life, and we have not been able to repay him.”

  “Tayo is the honor holder, and you fear he will die before you can repay him,” said Alex, feeling Andy’s sorrow.

  “It is more than that,” said Andy, his eyes remaining on Tayo. “If the debt is not repaid, my family will lose honor forever. A black mark will be placed against us in the records of our land.”

  “He has not crossed the wall yet,” said Alex, trying to sound hopeful.

  “But he is near it,” Andy replied. “I had hoped to repay my father’s debt on this adventure. But I fear I have failed.”

  Alex could see by the troubled look on Andy’s face that the idea of losing both Tayo and his family’s honor were of great concern to him.

  The next day, Arconn forced Alex to come up into the sunlit ruins of Varlo with him. The fresh air was pleasant, but the cold winter sun did little to warm the desolate city or to burn away Alex’s sadness.

  “I fear Tayo is moving toward the wall,” said Arconn, looking at Alex. “I do not think I can call him back.”

  “Would you try?”

  “Not willingly,” replied Arconn, looking over the ruined city. “Though I have nothing to fear at the wall, I do not wish to see the shadowlands again.”

  Alex remembered his talks with Calysto and what had happened when she had called him back from the wall. He had not shared the details of the experience with his friends, but he understood Arconn’s words and feelings.

  “How long will the dragon’s wasteland last?” Alex questioned, changing the subject.

  “With Slathbog dead and reduced to ashes, his hold over the land will begin to fade,” answered Arconn. “The fields will turn green again this spring, I think.”

  “I would like to see that,” said Alex, looking across the bleak and empty lands.

  “You may have the chance,” said Arconn. “The treasure is far greater than even legend says. It will be some time before it is all sorted and divided. Plus, with so much snow, it would be difficult for us to travel anywhere.” Arconn nodded to the three feet of snow that covered the ground.

  “Has anyone found the crystal of the White Tower yet?” Alex asked, a strange thought forming in his mind.

  “Not yet. Though it has only been four days.”

  “I will come and look for it,” said Alex, his thoughts taking a definite shape.

  “A noble task, though dangerous. Perhaps more for you than any of the others.”

  “What’s an adventure without a little danger?” said Alex, laughing grimly.

  That afternoon, after checking on Tayo, Alex went with the others to search Slathbog’s hoard. While the others were happy that he was doing something besides watching Tayo, Arconn was nervous and worried.

  “I believe I know what you are thinking,” said Arconn, as he helped Alex sort through a large pile of treasure. “I should warn you that the crystal might show you things you do not wish to see.”

  “I have already seen things I have not wanted to see,” Alex replied. “I will risk seeing more, if it will help me find the answers I need.”

  “Then I will do all I can to help you,” said Arconn in a firm tone, but his worried look remained.

  The two of them searched through the hoard, seeking the treasure Iownan had asked them to return. Alex quickly realized the search could take weeks—weeks he did not have if he wanted to save Tayo. The great chamber was larger than he remembered and every corner was covered with treasure of some kind.

  They searched for three more days, and Alex grew more worried and troubled as each day passed. Tayo had started coughing in the night; his time was running out. Skeld said something about him traveling to the other side, and the others all seemed sad and depressed. Alex knew that if he didn’t find the crystal—and the answers it held—soon, it would be too late to help Tayo.

  As the rest of the company moved around the great hall, sorting different treasures into different piles or carrying it up to the first hall to be sorted, Alex sat down on a pile of gold coins. He was beginning to lose hope of finding the crystal in time, and as his hope fell, so did his mood.

  Rubbing his knuckles into his eyes, Alex wondered if Slathbog had known what the crystal was. Would he have put it someplace special? Or would the crystal have been just one more treasure to keep hidden in his dark home?

  Alex looked up at the pile of treasure in front of him. He shook his head; it was more like a small mountain of treasure. It would take him weeks to sort through it all, even with everyone’s help. It was hopeless to think he could find the crystal in time.

  Dropping his head into his hands, Alex felt despair wash over him. He was lost in a sea of treasure, and trying to find the
one single item he needed more than anything else appeared to be an impossible task.

  “I need to find it,” Alex whispered in frustration. “I need to find it before time runs out for Tayo.”

  Looking back at the mountain of gold in front of him, Alex wondered if there was some magic spell that would help him find the Oracle’s crystal. He didn’t remember anything from his studies, and he shook his head in frustration. He started to turn away from the pile of treasure when something caught his eye.

  At the very top of the massive pile of wealth a strange ball of light glittered brightly. Alex knew the ball was only reflecting the torches around the hall, but it was amazing to look at just the same. The ball of light had not been there a moment ago—he was sure of that—but now it was as clear as the sun on a cloudless day.

  Alex climbed the mound in front of him, slipping and sliding as the loose treasure moved under him. He kept his eyes fixed on the crystal as he climbed, afraid it might vanish as suddenly as it had appeared.

  Stretching up and forward, Alex grasped the globe of light with both hands. It was feather-light in his hands despite its large size. Carefully lowering himself into a sitting position, he looked into the depths of the crystal. There was no time to worry about what might happen to him or what he might see.

  What had been a glowing, fiery surface turned milky white. Alex stared into the crystal, willing it to show him what he desperately needed to know. The orb seemed to come alive with a thousand tiny sparks, and then the face of Iownan appeared, smiling at him from far away, giving him hope.

  Alex concentrated on the crystal as Iownan’s face faded away, replaced by others he did not know. The faces started changing faster and faster. Alex’s eyes began to water, but he did not blink, afraid of breaking the spell. Somehow he knew if he could hold on long enough, the crystal would show him the answers he was looking for.

  Alex didn’t know how much time had passed before he felt Arconn’s touch on his shoulder.

  “Alex? Alex, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” said Alex, drawing a deep breath and blinking several times to clear his vision.

  “I see you’ve found what you were looking for,” commented Arconn, pointing at the crystal in Alex’s hands.

  “And it has shown me what I need to know,” replied Alex, standing up and carefully climbing down the pile of treasure with Arconn’s help.

  “Then you must use what you have learned,” said Arconn. “I do not think Tayo will last another night.”

  “Quickly then,” said Alex, hurrying across the chamber floor.

  As they were leaving the great hall, Alex handed the crystal of Iownan to Bregnest and hurried past without explanation, ignoring the surprised looks from his friends.

  “I’m going to call him back,” said Alex, as he and Arconn climbed the stairs out of the great hall. “Either that, or help him to cross the wall.”

  “It will be dangerous,” Arconn warned, looking worried. “It has not been long since you almost crossed the wall yourself. What lies beyond will call to you again, and you are not a trained healer.”

  “I will be fine,” replied Alex, smiling at Arconn in a reassuring way. “I know what to expect, and I know how to get back.”

  When they reached Tayo, Alex knelt at his friend’s side. He picked up Tayo’s right hand with both of his. He paused for a moment, preparing his thoughts for what he was about to do. He knew it was dangerous and possibly even foolish, but he also knew he had to try. Somehow, he already knew he would be safe.

  “If it looks like you are fading, I will break your hold,” said Arconn in a determined tone.

  “There will be no need, my friend,” Alex replied confidently. “I will be safe.”

  Arconn nodded. He looked worried sitting there in the torchlight, but Alex had no more time to reassure him. He took a deep breath and focused his thoughts.

  “Tayo,” he called softly. “Tayo.”

  It happened faster than Alex expected. Suddenly he felt himself leaving the torchlit chamber, even though he knew he was still sitting next to Arconn. He was walking up a gray, grass-covered hill, a soft breeze blowing in his hair. At the top of the hill, Tayo stood as still as a statue. Alex was surprised that Tayo had waited on the hill for so long.

  “Why do you wait here, my friend?” Alex asked, walking up beside Tayo.

  “The Oracle told me to wait for a sign,” Tayo replied, not looking at Alex.

  “What sign?”

  “I do not know,” said Tayo in a dreamy voice. “I had hoped she would give me a sign, but she has not.”

  “Who?” Alex questioned, watching Tayo’s face as he spoke.

  “She who waits beyond the wall,” answered Tayo, raising his hand and pointing down the hill to the stone wall below them.

  Alex looked and saw a woman standing on the far side of the wall. He wondered who she might be and why she was waiting for Tayo. At first he thought he should ask Tayo who the woman was, but then quickly changed his mind.

  “Wait here,” commanded Alex.

  He turned away from Tayo and walked slowly down the hill to the wall. He felt slightly nervous, remembering the last time he had been this close to the wall. But this time, he felt like he knew what he was doing. This time, he had a different reason for being here.

  As Alex approached the wall he could see the woman more clearly. She was tall, with long dark hair that hung loosely around her face. She was pretty, and although she was smiling at Alex, there were tears in her eyes.

  “Do you wait for Tayo?” Alex asked the woman when he reached the wall.

  “I do,” she answered in a voice that sounded far away.

  “Why do you not call to him? Or show some sign?”

  “It is not his time,” she said, her eyes leaving Alex and returning to Tayo.

  “Then why do you not send him back?”

  “Because I long to speak with him again,” she replied in a desperate, longing voice.

  “I will speak to him for you—if you will allow me to.”

  The woman slowly looked away from Tayo once more, her eyes resting on Alex. Her smile faded and she looked lost and confused.

  “You would . . . you would do that for me?” she asked in disbelief.

  “For you, and for my friend Tayo, who has waited here for many days.”

  The woman smiled, as if Alex had given her more than she had ever dared to hope for. Tears of joy ran down her face as her eyes returned to Tayo.

  “Will you tell him that his time is not yet, but that Elsa waits for him,” she said. “Tell him I do not blame him for what happened, or for him not being there when I crossed the wall. Please tell him that he should seek life and happiness while he remains beyond the wall.”

  “I will tell him for you, Elsa,” said Alex, bowing to the woman.

  “Bless you, friend of Tayo,” replied Elsa, smiling and bowing to Alex.

  Without saying anything more, Elsa turned away, walking back into the shadowlands. She vanished from sight before Alex could even look away.

  Alex turned away from the wall. He could feel the call of the shadowlands behind him, pulling at him as he walked away, but he did not look back. He slowly climbed up the hill to where Tayo waited. When he reached his friend, he took Tayo’s hand in his own.

  “Elsa sends word,” Alex said softly.

  Tayo turned to look at Alex for the first time. Tears poured down his rugged face as Alex gave him Elsa’s message.

  “I . . . I was away when she died,” said Tayo. “She had been sick, but she was getting better. She said I should go on the adventure, and I foolishly went.”

  “There was no way for you to know she would die,” said Alex.

  “What kind of man would leave his sick wife to go on an adventure?” asked Tayo.

  “You are not to blame for what happened to Elsa.”

  “Perhaps not, but I should have been there for her,” Tayo said. “I should have stayed home until I was s
ure she was well. If I’d been there she might have lived. She might still be in the world of light.”

  “Let go,” Alex whispered. “Let go of your anger and doubts. It is the past, and hating the choice you made will not change what happened.”

  “I should have stayed,” Tayo murmured.

  “Come,” said Alex, taking Tayo by the arm. “You have been here too long, and your friends are worried about you.”

  Tayo allowed Alex to turn him away from the shadowlands and lead him down the far side of the hill. Neither of them spoke as they walked, and Alex did not look at Tayo.

  The gray lands slowly faded around them and Alex could see the glimmering light of the torches growing brighter.

  “Alex?” he heard Bregnest say his name softly, nervous and worried.

  Alex opened his eyes and looked into the faces of his friends.

  They had gathered around Tayo and himself. Each of them looked worried, even afraid, and Alex understood why.

  “Tayo,” Alex called softly. “Tayo, can you hear me?”

  “Yes,” answered Tayo in a quiet and tired voice.

  “Would you like something to eat?” Alex asked.

  “Yes, I am hungry,” Tayo answered weakly, opening his eyes to look around. “I feel as if I haven’t eaten in days.”

  “That’s because you haven’t,” said Skeld with a laugh as tears of happiness filled his eyes. “We thought you were going to leave us, now that the dragon is dead and his hoard is ours.”

  “What?” Tayo blinked several times. “The dragon is dead?”

  Alex leaned close and spoke a few words into Tayo’s ear. Then, leaning back and looking into Tayo’s eyes, he simply said, “Remember.”

  For a moment, Tayo looked puzzled, but as the memories flooded back, he burst into tears. The others quickly busied themselves around the chamber, not wanting to embarrass Tayo by seeing his outburst of emotion. As Alex turned to move away, Tayo caught his arm.

  “I am forever in your debt,” he said through his tears. “I can never repay your kindness.”