The Stones of Magic

by A.W.Chrystalis

  Chapter 7

  With nothing but barren land ahead, they made good time marching toward Sirunre. Though he was hotter than he could ever remember being, he was fully enjoying his time so far on this adventure. Mach had a feeling that this was going to turn out far better than he had originally thought it would when they had all left Eldour just a few days ago.

  This would be the adventure of a lifetime.

  There were some signs of life. The tell tale signs of snakes and rats, and though they were very few of those that could actually be seen they were still present. As far as Sehto had been able to determine, those were the only two species that could live here in these kind of barren lands.

  The capital city Gehnith came into view before mid-day on their second day. The group took shelter behind a large rock when the walls first came into view and they looked out onto the city. Though the group doubted that anyone could see them from this distance they all thought it best to hide just in case.

  The city was still several miles away, but even from this distance he could see that it was fortified far better than Eldour. The walls stood at least twice as high as those of the capital city and, as far as Bastra or anyone else could see, soldiers were spaced every few feet from each other. Men on horseback marched around the base of the wall while a large group stood guard over the gate. If they could see them from this distance, he could not fathom at the moment.

  Nor did he care about the how’s and why’s. “How are we going to get in? All those soldiers watching, I don’t see how we are going to make it by them. If these were the people that attacked Selane, wouldn’t they be on watch for invaders?” Mach asked.

  “I am not sure, but it will be almost impossible for Bastra and I to get in there during daylight. We might be able to sneak in during the dead of night, but...” Mendoll answered.

  “I have been thinking about that.” Sehto said softly. “What if Mach and I head into the capital, coming up from the south. If I claim to be a mercenary, and that I am to meet a ship that is docked or is going to dock in their harbor, I should be able to get by the guards easily enough. Mach, being my apprentice, should be allowed in without any awkward questions. That way there would at least be someone on the inside before nightfall.”

  “What if the two of you get into trouble?” Bastra asked bluntly. “How will we know to come and rescue you? As good as it would be to have someone inside there looking for the answers we need, I don’t want to let the either of you out of my sight for too long.”

  “Sight spell,” Mendoll said softly. “The same one I used to see that hydra in the forest. I could cast it on the boy, even if there was someone looking for such a thing, even if they were capable, I do not think they would ever check the boy.”

  “I was thinking that very same thing. Can you use that spell on us before we leave the two of you? Then you can track our moves easily enough.” Sehto said. “That would allow you to see whatever we see. Perhaps you may be able to get a better idea of what is happening in there than we will. You also won’t have to worry about being discovered or noticed.”

  Mendoll looked worried for a moment. “Unless there is someone in there that can sense magic, even if it is a dormant one like a sight spell.”

  “How likely is that though?” Sehto asked.

  Mendoll’s concern was apparent in his eyes. “That I am not sure of without checking for such magic myself and if I do, and there is someone in there that is looking for any signs of use, they will surely notice my probing. But you are right, I can do it easily and it may just mean all the difference in finding the answers we are looking for if I do it to the both of you.”

  Sehto smiled candidly. “Then we will just have to watch our backs just in case. Is there any way that you can sense or feel if someone has detected us?”

  Mendoll nodded his head as his eyes turned to the city that lay ahead of them. “If anything touches the spell at all I will be able to sense it and can give you a warning of some kind. But, that is if someone finds it and tries to locate it with magic. If they only sense it and a physical search commences then there is nothing I can do.”

  “Then as Sehto said, we watch our own backs.” Mach said without thinking.

  Mendoll cast the sight spell without a hitch. In the light of day, the flare from Mendoll’s staff was almost nonexistent but once again, it did glow gently as the Mage did what he knew best.

  The two left Mendoll and Bastra to sit around the hills as they headed for the capital. They headed south and east first. This would make their story more believable if soldiers approached them before they actually reached the capital. If they were questioned, coming in from the southern lands would help.

  Mendoll had performed one more spell before the two left his side. He cast a spell of hearing over the two of them. This allowed Mach and Sehto to communicate with Mendoll and Bastra. From what Mach understood, Mach’s own ears were somehow linked to the staff. Whatever the staff's crystal was within range to pick up, Mach would be able to hear, and whatever Mach heard, Mendoll and Bastra would be able to hear through the crystal.

  Though he felt no different now than before the spell was put on him, he could feel something left over once it was all said and done. Like a bug crawling on his skin, it was noticeable only when he paid any attention to it.

  Though the Healer had said that there would be some kind of buzzing when the spell was used, Mach had not noticed anything but for a single pop in his ears when the spell was activated. When Mendoll tested whether or not it had worked, he could hear them perfectly fine. Like a whisper at his shoulders if not a bit more defined.

  They made it to the gates of the capital as the second sun was setting, the soldiers marching the battlements watching them like hawks. As they approached the guards finally they truly looked as though they had been traveling all day with dirt and dust covering most of their body. After the last few days walking from the fort to here, they were as dirty as any other traveler and were allowed in quickly enough when Sehto explained their story to the guards.

  There was apparently enough travelers coming and going from the capital that it was not uncommon for men to wander in from the wastelands.

  On the other side of the wall were farming fields, though they did not look as though they had produced much of anything…ever. It was apparent that these people had gone to great lengths to try and grow food here but had failed. Dirt and soil had been dumped on top of the grey stone ground in an attempt to create healthy fields for planting crops. However, the desired effect was not what happened.

  This late in the season, crops should almost be fully-grown or already ready for harvesting. However, what little had grown in those fields were drooping and stunted in growth as though the soil beneath them had no nutrients or moisture whatsoever.

  Several hundred paces from the main wall rose another wall beyond the fields which only served to make the city look more formidable. Any army would have had trouble breaking through the first wall and when they did, to find another wall just as strong may force invaders to rethink their strategy or give up altogether.

  This inner wall was the same size as the outer wall, although there were fewer soldiers pacing the top of it. Large houses were scattered along the inside of the inner walls. These were probably housing for the few farmers and soldiers.

  “Most of these houses are for the soldiers.” Sehto said. “That way, they are right here at the wall to respond in case there is an attack on the city. Many of the sleeping quarters are spread out all along the walls themselves. Just one of the advantages of being a soldier here in a military style kingdom is that you are sure to have a room to yourself.”

  They entered the main city through another set of gates and he got his first real look of his enemy’s domain. All the buildings were made out of the same kind of brick that had been used to build the walls and looked practically identical to each other. The city was almost uniform in its construction unlike Selane which held a
variety of shapes and sizes.

  He and Sehto spent what remained of the day doing exactly what new mercenaries would do in their position. They spent their time in weapons and armor shops, asking questions that would pertain to the life of a hired hand. He began to enjoy himself as the day went on and almost forgot some of the horrors that had recently happened. It was almost easy to forget all that had happened and to become engrossed in the lie of a life they were spinning. Especially when they started entering the pubs in the late afternoon. His partner said it was to gather information but he thought it was more likely that the tracker needed a drink.

  “That is the basic idea, isn’t it?” Sehto answered as Mach asked if it was safe for them to be questioning everything. “Mercenaries always want the latest news, to know if they need to make a change to their contracts. And often enough they need to. It is never wise for a mercenary to fight on a losing side. Most of them find out how things are going before officially signing off. Or before showing up for work for that matter. Sometimes it is better to cut your losses and leave quickly.”

  He had always thought that mercenaries had a code of honor, at least that is what his father always use to tell him. But the way that Sehto was talking it sounded as if those men had none.

  Sehto smiled gently at him, the thoughts going through his mind must have shown on his face. “They do have their honor, though. Most, once they are contracted, they are bound until things are evened out between them and the ones that hire them, either by money or work. So they usually go to these taverns for news, and at times for other things. Most importantly though, if they feel they have been dealt a wrong hand or have been lied to, they want out of the contract by any means and that may mean a death or two somewhere down the line. Mercs are not kind when they think they have been cheated and in a business like theirs, well let’s just say that it is a cut throat type of life.”

  He was not sure what Sehto meant by ‘other things’ until they entered the first tavern. As they walked into the pub a woman passed by them, she put a hand onto his and Sehto’s chests. “Are you boys in need of anything.” He glimpsed her hand as it reached down below Sehto’s waist for the briefest of moments.

  “Just a few drinks, milady.” Sehto said with a grin on his face. “But perhaps another time.” He whispered the last words to her and she giggled as she walked away to offer her services elsewhere. That was something that had never crossed his mind before, but it was something that Mach's father had always said was something that had to be watched out for. There were men and women ready and willing to do most anything for money, and some didn’t really care who they did it with.

  “We will sit and listen for a bit,” Sehto said softly to Mach as they approached a table near the back of the meal hall. “You want some ale?”

  He nodded enthusiastically and Sehto signaled to one of the servers. He ordered not only ale, but also a small variety of meats and bread. Half of the pub was full of men in soldiers clothing, apparently enjoying their time off.

  “Remember, lad,” Sehto said softly to him, reaching for the pitcher of ale and a slice of meat. “The best way to get information is to be quiet and listen. If you appear to be so involved in your conversation that you don’t seem to notice anything else around you, normal people tend to say things they would not normally say if they thought they were being watched. Comfort is the key to a great many things in life.”

  No sooner had Sehto finished speaking that one of the serving girls came up to their table laden with mugs on a tray. “Do you boys know when his Highness will be back?” She asked innocently with a touch of anticipation in her voice.

  “Afraid not, lass.” Sehto said with an accent that Mach had never heard before, even among the sailors that came to Selane. “We only just got to town ourselves. Didn’t know he was out.”

  “Oh pooh,” she pouted, “I wanted to see him come through town again. He is going to notice me this time, I swear he is.” She said dreamily as she strolled off toward another table with her tray of drinks.

  “The king may be gone for a while,” a voice said from behind Mach. It was an old man who looked as though he may have been a soldier at some point in the past.

  “Why do ya say that old man?” Mach asked taking his lead from Sehto and changing his voice to match the trackers.

  “Because that youngster is chasing after legends with a passion I aint never seen before.” The old man said before taking a long drink from his mug. “Youngins” he said under his breath and shaking his head, looking at Sehto and Mach as though he were insane for not knowing.

  “What kind of legends old man?” Sehto asked, his tone was none too serious. “The twenty foot eagle? Or a sea monster that can sink a fleet of ships and never be seen?”

  The whole pub burst into laughter at Sehto’s remark. The old man was visually restless but that did not seem to stop his voice from rising slightly. “You younglings have no idea the power he is trying to find.” The old man said, “Those Mages could do things that would make even the mightiest warrior shiver in fear. Entire cities were destroyed by them Mages!”

  A sensation came to Mach, a feeling of being touched with a feather inside of his head. It was as though something was tickling his mind. “Just keep laughing at what is being said.” Mendoll’s voice came to him, as though the old sorcerer was standing right beside him and whispering into his ear. “I think I may know what that man is talking about. Try and get him to talk more about what he knows if you can. There is a legend of magical items, Stones to be precise. I don’t want to get into it too much right now, but see if you can’t get anything else out of that guy or anyone else that may jump in to heckle him.”

  He leaned over to Sehto and told him what Mendoll had said, still smiling broadly and chuckling. To everyone else it must have looked like the two were going to try and get some more laughs out of the old man.

  “Say, old man,” Sehto said loudly “why don’t you tell me about it huh, I mean I could use a good story to put me to sleep, but the boy here is interested in those, watch ya call ‘ems...Mages or whatever.”

  Mach looked humorously with a spot of interest at the old man. He looked a little outraged at their audacity but Mach had a feeling it was his curious look in his eyes that won the old man over in the end.

  Sehto smiled mockingly “Tell ya what, old timer. If the kid enjoys it enough, I will buy you a drink. How about it?” Sehto said mockingly, though he signaled to a tavern girl to bring another round of drinks right away.

  “Don’t they teach you youngins anything anymore?” The old man said. “Guess not, history ain't that important anymore I guess... Well, it all really comes down to the past.”

  The old man looked inquisitively at Mach. “You do know that the only Mages allowed to live are the ones that are in service to the Kings and High Lords, right?” he nodded with a smile thinking privately that this old man might not be all there. “Well ages back, Mages were free to do what they wanted. There was not just the healing stuff you all see nowadays. There was black magic too.” As the old man said the words ‘black magic’ a few patrons who were laughing up at the bar snorted into their drinks, but the old man ignored them, his eyes focusing on Mach. “Well I don’t know it all, granted, but it was said that them Mages tried to take over the world with their demon powers. They started a huge war, see. One spell or another destroyed city after city. Cities were burnt to ash, stone and all. Or buried under tons of sand or blown away by fierce storms.”

  The old man took a long drink from his mug, finishing it and reaching for the mug the serving girl placed in front of him. “So the Great Emperors got together their armies and marched on the whole lot of them. Well that King of Mages showed up with his staff and all these Stones in it. They were able to kill that Demon King and finally take control over the war. It was not until later, after the hunts were dying down, that they realized what those Stones were.”

  “See, they had captured a few of them Mages a
nd questioned them. Those Stones, they were supposed to have the power of the Gods themselves within them. Such power would make it possible for one of us normal folk to use them demon magics.” Several people laughed at the old man, but there were a few who looked somewhat serious, almost as if the old man was indeed telling the truth.

  Mach had thought he had known a lot about what had happened through his studies back home in Selane. But what this man said now was new to him.

  “Well when they killed that Demon King, they left the staff behind thinking that it didn’t matter. After all, all them Mages not under control were dead now anyways, or would soon be. Well one of the generals weren't too happy with that and he sent them back to retrieve it. But when they went to find it, the thing was gone. Legend has it that a few of those Demon King’s men lived on after all that. They hid the staff and the Stones so no one could find them.”

  By this time even the ones that had been laughing had stopped and were actually listening to the old guy, some had even paid for a few more drinks for the guy, the mugs were beginning to pile up on his table. The old man accepted each one gladly. It looked like this was not the only time this had happened.

  The old man looked into his mug, his mind focused on other thoughts. “If his Majesty can find even one of those Stones, it may just put an end to our suffering. Just one Stone has the chance to end the damned curse that is on the land of this country. If you don’t believe me, take a look outside these walls, kid. Those plains have been that way since way before the Great Wars. Nothing will grow out there and nothing can survive for long.”

  Many of the men in the tavern were nodding their heads knowingly as the old man went silent. Apparently, they thought he was accurate enough in his tale that they had decided to stop mocking him. Mach even felt a little respect for the old man but he was unsure of whether it was because of the story or the old man's bravery in telling it. Talking about magic and Mages was extremely dangerous and could get a person killed. Of course, his courage could have just been stupidity and drunkenness, he may not have known they were poking fun at him either.

  The old man’s tale had taken plenty of time to tell, so much so that Mach had not realized the day was coming to an end. Candles and torches had been lit in the tavern and more people were showing up. Time had slipped by him once again and he was a little surprised to see Sehto rising from his seat.

  “Where are we going to sleep?” Mach asked suddenly as it dawned on him that they had little money, if they even had any at all after their meal. He did not fancy sleeping on the streets in a city that he knew nothing about. If this were Selane it would not be a problem. Of course, if this were Selane, I would be home right now and it would not matter.

  Sehto looked at Mach with a sly grin on his face. “Don’t worry about it. I got it all figured out.” He said quietly before he moved over to the bar and spoke to a man who looked every bit a bear, with his shaggy and unkempt hair and beard that made him look wild and untamed.

  Sehto came back to the table with a wide grin on his face.” The tavern master is allowing us to use the guest quarters he has upstairs. He normally does not like having it in use just in case family comes to call, but since we gave him a laugh with that old man and we will be gone in a day or two, he is letting us use it for free so long as we help the ladies here clean up after he closes the pub for the night.”

  A little cleaning for a free place to stay was nothing to laugh at was a fair deal. He would never have thought of that trade, but then again he had never had need of finding a place to sleep. His life had always been easy until recently.

  The moment the pub emptied for the night, Mach rose from his seat and got a broom from out of the closet near the entrance. Together he and Sehto helped the three women who were present clean the pub’s main room. The tavern master seemed to be in a good mood as he counted the money he had earned that day. It was apparently more than he normally made and for that he was overjoyed.

  Soon enough he and Sehto were climbing the stairs to their room and were pulling off their boots. Mach, remembering the fight on the plains with the wolves, kept the rest of his clothes and his leggings and vest on. If they were surprised during the night, he wanted to be as ready as he possibly could be.

  The room was not very large, but there were two straw mats laying upon the floor that looked comfortable enough for what they needed. As Mach laid his head upon his arms, Sehto blew out the candle sending the room into total darkness. He had not even realized he had fallen asleep until he opened his eyes again and saw that dawn was already peaking into their room.

  Mach could not help but lay on his mat for a while, thinking of what the old man had said and what Mendoll had commented on during the conversation. Did the old Mage really know what that old man was talking about? Or was it just him simply saying he had an idea?

  Their only window faced to the west, so as the sun rose over the horizon it cast a fiery glow into the room and made the straw look as though he and Sehto were each on a bed of flames.

  The moment the tracker awoke, they gathered what little gear they had and left their room in search for their breakfast. The found their way down to the kitchens and were able to barter a meal each for a few coins. They may have had to pay for it, but it was fresh off the stove and was the most delicious breakfast Mach had in almost a week.

  They left the pub as soon as they were done to continue their search in the city. Once again they found themselves within weapons shops seeking information. With all that was around him, he could not help but imagine himself using each and every one. He had just started to ask Sehto about some of the weapons on the walls when a voice echoed like a whisper in his ears.

  “Mach.” Mendoll's whisper came from his shoulder. He reached out, touched Sehto on the arm lightly, and directed him to a weapons window display. Sehto understood what was going on right away the moment they stood before the rack of weapons, he started explaining the different weapons to Mach in a low voice without actually looking at them or at Mach.

  “What have you found out?” Mach said so softly that only he and Sehto could hear him.

  “That legend the old man spoke of, it is a true legend and if this king is truly looking for those Stones, we are in far bigger trouble than I could have thought possible.” Mach repeated the words to Sehto as he continued to gaze at the weapons. He was making sure that no one was around that could hear him. After all, the last thing he wanted to do was to alert any guards as to who had made it into their city and for what.

  “What is our next move?” Mach asked silently, reaching out to touch the hilt of a long blade.

  “This is going to be much harder than I had initially thought. We need to get a ship and do whatever we can to stop this. Bastra and I are guardians, our pledges go beyond what our king ordered us to do. But the two of you, if you don’t feel up for it we can head back to Eldour and than Bastra and I can go from there.”

  “So what’s up?” Sehto asked Mach. Quickly he relayed the message from Mendoll. “Whatever you all decide is fine with me. I will go with them, if you do. I made you a promise and I intend to keep it.”

  “I am in.” Mach answered without a moment’s thought. If there was a chance that this king was the one behind the attack on his home, he wanted to be the one to find the bastard and bring him to his knees begging for mercy. “But, how are we going to get a ship? We don’t have that kind of money.”

  “Remember Mach, we are mercenaries, right.” Sehto said calmly and so silent that Mach almost could not hear him. “Well, mercs sometimes work as pirates. All we have to do is commandeer one from the harbor.”

  “Commandeer one?” Mach repeated and then it hit him what that meant, “What the hell are you thinking? How can we possibly commandeer one of these ships? If the walls are any suggestion as to what guards the ports, there is no way we are even going to get close to a ship. Not to mention how we are going to handle one with only the four of us?”

  �
�Don’t you worry, it will be easy. We just wait for night to make our move. Bastra can come in from above and land right on the ship.” Sehto said with a slight grin on his face. “In the mean time, let’s go to the docks and see what is available. All part of the plan, right.”

  They reached the docks we well before first sun set. There were far more ships here than could possibly come to Selane in a week. Ships of every size and variety sat tied off to the piers. He did not know what it was they were looking for, but between Mendoll’s voice in his head and Sehto’s keen eyes they finally choose a ship. It frightened him to walk through the port surrounded by the guards and officers of the enemy. It seemed to him that every guard, both on and off duty, was watching the two of them as closely as hawks.

  Their final choice was one of the largest ships sitting in the docks. Rumors could be heard among the sailors wondering around that the one they chose was also the fastest on the open waters even against the wind. It was the perfect ship for what they needed.

  With one of many problems solved, and the last sun setting in the east, Sehto and Mach left the docks and returned to the pub they had stayed at the night before. Again, they found the old man sitting alone at the same table talking up a storm about absurd things he had seen in his time.

  Sehto kept up their persona of mercenaries by teasing the old man again and by the time the pub was closing, Mach found himself far too awake to sleep if he had had the time to try. As they waited for silence to envelop the city, the two sat in their rooms in silence.

  When time passed by without the waited for silence coming, it was clear that they were not going to have an easy time with their chore. They could hear the footfalls of heavily armored men outside their windows, marching in unison and frequently passing through the area. If the soldiers of Gehnith occupied the city during the night as they did during the day, it would make their job far harder than it already was.

  “It may be harder,” Sehto as Mach looked through the window to see the passing soldiers, “but if they are used to marching these streets every night, it may actually be easier. They may have become complacent where they would overlook the simple things, like a pair of shadows in the shadow themselves.” Mach could only hope that was the case tonight.

  It was well after mid-night before they left their rooms for the streets outside. Even in the darkest of night, the city was quietly alive with action. One look at the streets when he stepped outside and he knew why the soldiers were prowling the streets. Though the stalls for fruits and breads were closed, stalls with other goods had opened up in their place. Weapon peddlers lifted their gear out to show the people passing by. Women lifted skirts to show hints of their goods. The city was wide awake with brigands and thugs while the city slept.

  They quickly spotted a group of men that wore clothes very similar to sailors’ garb. Keeping to the shadows of the buildings, they kept their distance carefully and followed in silence. The men stumbled over their own feet and one almost fell over completely, all of them laughing drunkenly. Mach was glad to see that these men may have had too much to drink. This group could very well be the distraction he and Sehto needed if they walked and stumbled into the dock area.

  Their original plan which was to set fire to a building and attract the guards away from the docks quickly became obsolete as they watched the group stumble and laugh. That had been something Mach was not looking forward to.

  The group of men entered the docks noisily. Sehto held out his hand and together they stood back and watched as several men in soldiers gear marched up to the sailors. Mach could only just hear the many voices as the two groups met, both sides to quiet for him to make out anything coherent.

  The voices began to rise quickly as the conversation turned heated. Within moments the conversation turned physical as one of the sailors swung at a soldier who had just insulted one of the sailor’s mother. The sailors easily won the skirmish, their skills easily out matching the soldiers. Mach had always wondered whether a drunken sailor could overpower a sober soldier. Now he had his answer.

  The noise of the skirmish roused the attention of the other guards in the area and before the sailors could react properly, they were surrounded and taken into custody.

  This was the exact thing that Sehto had been waiting for. As the sailors were hauled off, presumably to a jail cell for the night, the tracker dashed through the darkness and shadows to their target ship with Mach in closely in tow.

  To their pleasure and surprise, the docks nearest their desired ship had been emptied out of soldiers and their target ship was deserted. Most of the work had already been done by the time they had boarded the ship. They were free to finish prepping the ship without interruption and it took only moments for it to be ready enough to leave port.

  It was an easy process really, Mach had learned and watched everything he could when ships would come into Selane. Untying the ropes that held the ship in place and un-binding the ropes that bound the sails up to the mast. He found the work refreshing compared to what he had been doing this last week. It reminded him of the good days when he was allowed on the merchant ships that docked in Selane.

  All too soon, Sehto was standing at the helm while the ship pulled away from the docks, heading out to the open water. With only small adjustments to the mast lines, the winds were pulling them onward with the wind at their backs. It was a glorious feeling as the sea air hit his face as it had never done before. There was a freedom in all of this that he had been longing for. This was where he was meant to be, out here on the open waters, sailing to his heart’s content.

  The sounds of alarm bells echoed over the sound of crashing waves as the capital was lost in the darkness. Hmmp. Must have just noticed we took it, he thought with contempt and humor. They had gotten what they needed with almost no hardship. All they needed now was to get word to Mendoll and Bastra and to get the both of them on board.

  No sooner had Mach thought about them that there was a loud thud directly behind him. Both Sehto and Mach turned, swords drawn and ready to defend themselves. Bastra and Mendoll were standing there, the smiles on their faces discernible in the starlight. Bastra was already folding his wings over his shoulders.

  “So this is our new transportation,” Bastra said chuckling at the stunned looks on Mach’s and Sehto’s faces. Mendoll was already walking away from them and heading to a door that lay just behind Bastra. “Looks like you chose well.”

  Sehto turned back to the helm, calling out over his shoulder. “This ship was already ready for departure, they had plans to use it within the next day or so.” The trackers words went unanswered but that did not seem to bother him.

  He followed Mendoll across the deck and through a cabin door while Sehto remained at the helm. Bastra, who was still chuckling at the look on Mach's face, followed a step behind him. The room beyond the door was larger than most private rooms Mach had ever seen. This must be the captain’s personal cabin. No other crew member would have this much possessions onboard a ship.

  Sitting in the middle of the room was a table large enough for more than twenty crewmembers to sit and eat comfortably. With several dozen legs to hold up the weight of a fully loaded table, a feast could be laid out onto it with ease.

  A map sat waiting rolled up in a tight bundle and tied with black string. Mendoll unrolled it as he came up to the table. Laying out the map onto the table and holding down the corners with raven statues, Mendoll whistled tunelessly to himself as he looked it over.

  Mendoll stared at the map for a while before speaking. “It looks like this is the king Rubious’ own ship. We may have just gotten a huge break, if this is indeed his ship then we have all the supplies that he was going to use for his journey. Not to mention perhaps some of his records as well. Let’s see,” the Healer said looking at a small section of a large landmass on the map, “it really does seem that he is planning to find the Stones. Look here, at the X that was marked on the coast and this symbol beside it.” pointi
ng at the map, “That is where Selane sits on the coast, if I am reading this correctly, there was supposed to be a Stone there.”

  “Fat chance! The Mages would not be stupid enough to hide something that important in or near a mere village where it would be easily accessible. Especially on the main land.” Bastra said scathingly, scanning the map more intensely and glancing at Mendoll, “look here, these islands on the corner of the map, you realize what they are?”

  “All too well, they are the same ones that we visited the last time we were together. Shall we head that way first?” Mendoll said while he looked at the area Bastra was pointing to intensely. Five islands were drawn on the map, four of them were small, probably only large enough to hold one or two cities on it. But they surrounded another. Crescent shaped and more than ten times the size of the smaller ones, it sat directly in the middle of the other four islands. They were far out into the open water, alone and far away from the rest of the world.

  The Gargoyle looked worried as he stared at the map intently. “Yes I think we should. Since it appears that Rubious is definitely going after these Stones, and that he is willing to destroy entire villages to get them. I think it is best that we get there as quickly as possible.” Bastra answered. He took one last look at the map before turning around and leaving Mendoll and him alone. Sehto walked moments after the Gargoyle left and looked curiously at the map.

  “Is that the place we are going?” Sehto asked pointing at the four islands.

  “Yes it is. Bastra should be setting our direction now.” Mendoll said just as Mach felt the subtle movement of the ship as the course was adjusted.

  “Mach, shall we go have a look around and see what supplies we have?” Sehto said after several moments of silence as they all studied the map. Mendoll nodded his agreement in the idea and Mach found himself being steered out of the Captains’ cabin by the shoulders.

  Spending so much time on various ships in Selane, it was easy for Mach to find his way around a ship. He knew the first place that should be checked was the storeroom. If this ship was built like most standard merchant ships, all the provisions and gear would be near the base of the ship. Food and liquids would be on the last deck while weapons would be on the level above that and living quarters for the crew would be above those. Most ships were the same, it usually varied only by size.

  When they entered the supply room, he saw that was more than enough provisions to supply a small army. There was enough food and weapons for a hundred soldiers or more to last several weeks. This was a good thing, it meant they would not need to stop at all to restock what they needed. They could head straight to the locations on the map. But it was also very bad sign.

  Sehto confided in him as they went through the provisions and the tone of worry was evident. “Apparently they were going to use this ship for their search. Can you imagine how many men he was planning on bringing with him? All the gear we will need is already here. We won’t even need to stop for food supplies. But just think of what he was going to use this all for. That is what worries me and I am sure that Mendoll will have to keep this in mind. Sooner or later, the king of Sirunre is going to get another ship ready and when he does he will be on the lookout for this one. Until then, we have to be wary and ready. That means that in the morning, we begin.” He said as he tossed a blunt edged sword to Mach.

  Mach looked at the sword in his hand and imagined it to be the one from his dreams. The sword he knew he would use to kill his red-eyed enemy. The fantasy of the dream felt so real he could almost swear it was going to happen at that moment.

  The scout turned away from the crates with Mach close behind and the two went straight back to the Captain’s cabin. Sehto quietly reported to Mendoll what the two had found in the lower decks while Mach looked over the map again. He was tempted to go and see if he could see his home way out here on the open waters but in the darkness it was most likely lost to sight.

  He found himself yawning heavily and left silently to find a room to sleep in. On the deck below was fully large enough for several men to sleep in, though they would have been crowded. Every bit of the wall had bunks three high. Several tables sat around the room with chairs for each. For now, it would do for what he needed. He walked over to one of the beds and flopped down on it, never remembering if he had undressed himself or not.