by Jon Bender
He stayed like that until the light returned. Someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked back to see Vaniece regarding him with concern. “Why didn’t you wake me for my watch?”
“Are you sure we are going the right way?” Darian asked again.
“Yes,” Jaxom said, trying to not let his irritation show. They had been moving at a steady pace through the forest for six days.
They all trusted him but had a hard time believing his story. Vaniece worried the risen messenger was a hostile death mage, leading them into a trap. Darian on the other hand, tried to get him to admit he had fallen asleep on watch and dreamed the entire fantastical story. Adriana had pulled him aside to ask whether this could be another part of what was happening to him. Jaxom had reassured her that it was not, unsure whether he was telling the truth. In the end, it did not matter. They had to find the fortress, and so far, this was the best they had to go on. To Jaxom, the direction he was taking them was just as good as any other. Why not follow the path he had been shown? Besides, he felt himself being drawn in the direction, as if he could not go any other way. Even the thought of veering off the path made him anxious. Whatever was calling to him would not allow deviation.
Today, Vaniece rode with him as they traveled through a particularly dense part of the forest. The vines had become more numerous, slowing the durgen considerably. “Can you do something about this heat again?” Laiden asked Darian.
Darian nodded and raised his hands to cast when he froze, staring up into a tree nearby. Following his gaze, Jaxom found the largest cat he had ever seen sitting on a thick branch and watching them with bright yellow eyes. Its fur was an onyx green, and it easily matched the durgen in size. The group remained quiet as they moved forward, never taking their eyes off the animal. Then the cat leapt for Brenin, who was bringing up the rear. The Captain was quick, nocking an arrow and drawing as he leapt from his saddle. His aim was true. The tip sank into the dark hide but seemed not to have an effect. The durgen reared up to meet the cat. Jaxom drew his sword and turned to charge. The cat landed on the ground, agilely avoiding the durgen, and continued after Brenin. Several ice daggers struck its flank as Vaniece’s black spheres slammed into the animal’s ribs. It growled in pain but did not stop its pursuit. Brenin had landed on his back and was scooting away on all fours trying to gain some space, his bow left on the ground in the retreat. Just as the cat reached him, Adriana’s durgen leapt into the air, its wings aiding in a short flight to collide with the animal’s side. At the same time, she swung her mace and connected with the feline’s shoulder. The cat twisted and managed to throw the durgen over, sending Adriana tumbling. Jaxom reached the animal as Laiden’s coil wrapped around one of its legs, holding it in place long enough for him to slash down, his blade carving a shallow rent in the hind leg. The cat seemed to have had enough. When the coil slipped, it jumped into the dense foliage and disappeared from sight.
“That was close,” Brenin said, standing and brushing himself off.
“It’s not over,” Laiden said.
Jaxom was about to ask what he meant when he saw dozens of men standing in the forest around them. Their skin was a dark brown, and they wore only brown pants that went halfway down the calves. Their feet were bare. They carried spears or bows and quivers. Not one was taller than Jaxom’s chest, and most were closer to Laiden’s size. The group circled defensively. Brenin gathered up his bow and moved to his durgen to pull another arrow from the quiver on the saddle.
A man older than the rest stepped forward. Like the others, his hair was dark and cut evenly all around. Only the red bead armbands he wore on each bicep separated him from the rest. “Who are you?” he asked with a strange accent. His words seemed to flow together like he was singing.
“My name is Jaxom.” He moved his durgen out of the circle a bit to speak.
“You have mages among you,” the man said in a tone that made it sound like an accusation. “Why are you here? We have told the people of the dry land that they are not welcome. To enter the forest means death.”
“We are not from Rilnorm,” Jaxom said quickly. He did not want them associating the group with people they thought of as enemies. “We are from a land far to the north called Ale’adaria. We are not here to harm anyone. We are looking for something.”
“There is nothing in the forest except trees and the tribes who call it home,” the man said.
“We are looking for a great fortress built into a cliff,” Jaxom said.
The men broke into whispers, and the leader raised a hand to silence them. “You cannot go to that place.”
“I have no choice,” Jaxom almost growled.
“You do not understand,” the man said, unaffected by Jaxom’s threat. “None who enter that place return. To go there is forbidden.”
“I have no choice,” Jaxom repeated grimly.
The man nodded. “Very well. I offer you food and rest in our village. What of the others? Are they a part of you?”
“What others?” Vaniece asked.
The man looked at her annoyed. “Do you always allow your women to speak out of turn?”
Jaxom felt Vaniece tense behind him and glanced back, giving her a meaningful look. She nodded. “We have different customs where we come from.”
This seemed to placate the man. “There is a large group of men five days behind you. They seem to follow your path.”
Jaxom felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. “What do they look like?”
“Most are dressed in black. Some seem to move through the shadow as if they were shadows themselves. Their leader’s hand is made of pure black, and he wears the green of the forest.”
“They are dangerous people who worship a dark god,” Jaxom said. Why would Tandis choose now to hunt for him?
The men surrounding them broke into a chuckle, and even the older man grinned. “The gods have no power here. Many of their followers have tried to force the tribes to worship. None have succeeded.”
“What do you intend to do about them?” Jaxom asked.
“We give them a chance to leave,” he said.
“And if they don’t?”
A low rumbling sound came from the leader’s throat, and the cat leapt gracefully from the thick green brush. It was bleeding from its wounds but stood powerfully next the him. “Fashile is only one of the great cats who protect us.”
“You sent that beast to attack us? Why?” Darian demanded.
“We wished to know who you were,” the man said, cocking his head slightly. “Now we do.”
Jaxom held his hand up to calm his friend. “We are grateful for your hospitality, but please do not underestimate the people following us.” The older man took a moment to consider his words and nodded. “What should we call you?”
“I am Buewin of the Narux,” he said, turning away into the forest.
Most of the strangers moved off with their leader, some staying to the rear as they followed Buewin. “What do you intend to do about Tandis?” Adriana asked. He could hear the anger in her voice. The shadow mage had taken Warin’s arm and nearly killed them all the last time they had met.
As Jaxom mulled the question over, Vaniece spoke up. “I say we turn around and help the Narux deal with them. I saw what he was capable of in Kilreth. We should eliminate him if we have the chance,” she said, echoing Jaxom’s thoughts.
“I doubt Tandis will turn around just because these people say to. They are going to have a fight on their hands, and I would enjoy a bit of payback,” Darian added.
Jaxom looked at Brenin, who shrugged. “What do you think?” Jaxom asked Laiden.
The apprentice looked surprised to be included, but it took him only a moment to gather his thoughts. “From what I have heard of this man, he is someone we will have to deal with eventually. We can go back with Narux to do that now, but… I don’t think you should go with us, Magus,” he said. When Jaxom nodded and waited, he continued. “I saw you in the fight against the Rilnorman
s. If you confront Tandis, you may become a greater threat than he is.”
They all stared at the apprentice for a long moment before Brenin broke the silence. “I agree with Laiden. Jaxom should continue on.”
“Then no one goes back. I will not let any of you face him without my help,” Jaxom said.
“I’m neither, one of your students nor one of your subjects,” Darian declared defiantly.
“Do you intend to face Tandis, then?” Jaxom asked.
“No,” Darian admitted. “I’m just reminding you that I don’t answer to anyone,” he said with a mischievous smirk.
“I’ll be sure to let Danika know that when we return,” Adriana laughed.
The others joined in, grateful for a bit of humor to break the tension. Jaxom’s mind still dwelled on Tandis. The shadow mage needed to be dealt with, but he was not sure he could turn back even if he wanted to. Whatever was in that fortress was calling out to him. The urge to move forward almost irresistible.
The Narux led them through the forest for almost six hours before coming to the edge of a large village. Many of large trees had been cut down to make room for the round, windowless, thatched-roof huts. On top of a massive stump, a large platform had been built with wooden steps leading up. Spread across the platform were low tables surrounded by woven cushions. The houses themselves seemed to have no order. All around, children played. Some kicked a heavy ball between two wooden frames. Jaxom could tell there were two teams. Each tried to kick the brown leather ball into their opponent’s goal.
The young children all wore the same pants as the men, but the older girls and women had added a small wrap around their chests. Most of the women stood near cooking fires or in small groups weaving long leaves together into what looked like mats, their long hair woven with colorful beads. Older boys and grey haired men fletched arrows and added forged iron tips to them. Jaxom spotted a small forge where a well-muscled man and a young boy labored over an anvil, creating a spear tip similar to the ones their escort carried.
At some point, the large cat had left them. Jaxom had not seen the animal slip away and made a mental note to ask Buewin how he controlled the creature.
As they moved among the houses and nearer the platform, the people all took notice of the strangers and stopped what they were doing. Most of the children playing the game stopped to watch, allowing one boy to kick the ball into a frame. He jumped into the air cheering, stopping only when he noticed that the others were no longer playing. From a group of three women talking near the platform, one moved forward. She was older, with fine lines in her face to match Buewin, but her soft features were still appealing. She was also the only one who wore red beads in her hair.
As she came closer, Jaxom noticed the demeanor of the men change, especially Buewin. All lowered their heads slightly, and their soft conversation, which had persisted during the trek, went quiet. The woman circled around the party, examining them closely. She paused near Laiden and ran her hand along the durgen’s wing, cooing slightly as her fingers caressed the feathers. She moved on to the others, lingering near Adriana. She seemed particularly interested in Adriana’s mace and the bow strapped to her saddle.
Circling back around to the front, she stood in front of Buewin and smiled. “My heart is happy that you have once again returned safely to our fire, my husband,” she said, her voice holding the same singing accent. Jaxom detected a bit of formality to her words.
Beuwin returned the smile. “My heart sings to see you again, my wife.”
She moved in closer and hugged him briefly but with affection. “You return with the people who have come uninvited to our home,” she said, after stepping away from him.
“They are only travelers through our land.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“It is better we speak of it later, during the feast,” Buewin said.
She nodded and turned to Adriana. “I am Yinafil, and I welcome you to our village. To honor your visit, we offer you food and a safe place to lay your head.”
Adriana glanced nervously at Jaxom, but he shrugged. The gesture seemed to annoy Yinafil. “We gratefully accept your hospitality,” Adriana said.
“And what of the men?” Yinafil asked Buewin.
“They have gone on to confront the others. These here say that they are evil men who worship a dark god.”
Yinafil gave a girlish giggle that did not fit with her air of authority. “Are they now? Then we will deal with them as we have many others.” Turning back to Adriana, she smiled. “Please, come down and rest.”
Adriana slid down from the saddle, Jaxom and the others following suit. “I would like to introduce my husband, Lord Jaxom of Terika. He is the leader of our group.”
Jaxom stepped forward and gave a small bow. “Thank you for welcoming us.” Once the others had removed their bed rolls and saddle bags from the durgen, Laiden commanded the risen to leave the village the way they had come. This caused the people to jump slightly, the men gripping their weapon nervously. “They will wait at the edge of your village until we leave,” Jaxom explained.
“There are mages among them,” Buewin murmured to his wife.
The news did not seem to put her off. “I will take you to a place where you can rest before the feast,” she said, leading them deeper into the village.
Yinafil left them in an empty hut, pulling back the woven door and telling them she would return when it was time. The hut was windowless, the light provided by shallow bowls that hung from the walls containing a wick and a dark oily fluid. The only furniture were wooden-framed beds with woven hammocks stretched over them, similar to the canvas cots commonly used when an army was on campaign. Jaxom stretched out on one and found it to be quite comfortable. The others placed their blanket rolls and saddle bags on the remaining beds. Darian lifted his hand in the center of the one room, and the air began to cool. The wooden walls trapped the chilled air inside. Closing his eyes, Jaxom let out a long sigh and relaxed, just for a moment.
The fortress rose high up into the cliff. The three towers loomed over him, calling to him, drawing him in. The scene shifted, and he was standing in a great hall with a large arch that led to a spiraling stone staircase. The pull was stronger now. He began to climb, taking each step faster than the last until he was running. He labored for breath, the muscles in legs burning, but still he could not stop. He was sure he would collapse from exhaustion, but then he came out on a landing before a large, iron-bound door. Whatever was calling to him was on the other side, waiting for him. He reached for the handle. As his fingers touched the iron, something grabbed his shoulder from behind.
Jaxom eyes snapped open as Adriana gently shook his shoulder. “Yinafil says to come now. They are waiting on us.” Jaxom fought the urge to jump from the cot and leave for the fortress right then. He had to know what was behind that door.
Around the hut, the others were already strapping on their weapons. He had fallen asleep with his sword still belted on. The scabbard had pressed into his leg, leaving him with a small cramp. Standing, he rubbed the sore spot and followed the others out. On the raised platform, the tables were full of the dark-skinned people all talking in their singing voices. Some of the children sat next to them, but most ran about, chasing each other and laughing. Large wooden platters were scattered around the tables and seemed to contain food of all types. There were two roasted dear-like creatures smaller than those they had seen in Ostega, huge bowls of steaming soups, vegetables, and strange fruits he had never seen before. Buewin and Yinafil sat cross-legged on woven mats near the center. The latter waved the group to join them.
Sitting down next to Buewin, the man nodded and offered a wooden plate. “As guests, you may serve yourself from any table, but it is expected that you share words with those who sit there,” he said.
Jaxom looked around at the plethora of food and decided there would not be any need to move to another. Instead, he used a crude fork to pull some meat from the roasted animal
and place it on his plate before ladling some of the vegetables next to them. “The large cat that was with you in the forest, do you control it with magic?”
Buewin looked surprised. “None born within the forest have magic. We train the Rilika to protect us. They are family to Narux.”
Jaxom was just as surprised as he was. Mages were not as plentiful as they had once been hundreds of years ago, but still they were born in the fifteen kingdoms. “What about the men who went to deal with the people following us? Did some of the Rilika go with them?”
“Yes. We do not take chances when dealing with those from the dry lands,” he said, nodding to where men armed with bows and spears stood away from the platform. The warriors had their eyes fixed on Jaxom and his friends. They had been welcomed, but they were not trusted.
“You should not worry about the Narux,” Yinafil said. “We here are one village of many, and we have dealt many times with outsiders. These men are no threat to us.”
Jaxom knew better than to underestimate Tandis. The Narux had no idea what they were up against. He wished he could trust himself to face Tandis. Buewin had said there were shades with him and likely priests of Or’Keer as well. Even with the large cats and their superior knowledge of the forest, the Narux had no magic to defend themselves against the dark god’s servants. He could only hope their confidence was warranted.
“Do you allow your men to speak for you when you are in your own home?” Yinafil asked Adriana. Darian choked on his drink.
Adriana gave him a withering glare before looking back at the woman. “As I said before, Jaxom leads us, but we are equals both in our home and out of it. How is it for you and Buewin?”
“Outside of the village, Buewin commands, but the village is my responsibility,” she replied, giving her husband a warm smile.
“My wife and the other women have many more concerns than I,” Buewin said. “They care for our children, prepare the food we hunt, and when called upon, fight beside the men.”
“You should consider adopting our custom. It works well for us,” Yinafil said.