The Girl and the Guardian

by Peter Harris

CHAPTER 14. OF KORMAN AND HILLGARD. When Korman was three, he was taken on a journey with his mother and father and younger brother Hillgard to the city of Dragonflight. On the way, Korman and his brother strayed from the camp, following some little creature which had run across their path. When their parents left the camp to seek them, the Aghmaath came out of the thorns and wounded Korman’s father Entanifer. Korman helped his parents escape into a cave, but there Entanifer died. For a time Tarasura stayed in the cave, grieving, while Korman brought her berries and water to drink. Then the Trackers found him, and took Korman and Tarasura to their thorn stockade to be endarkened.

  But his brother had hidden in the wilderness, until he was found by an Aghmaath who was of the Order of the Keeper – wizards who fought for the redemption of his brethren and their return to the old ways. This wizard was called Raktaniar, (Taniar for short )and he raised the boy to become an adept in the ways of the Order.

  Meanwhile Korman was held in the thorn village of Rakmad the Thirteenth, and was separated from his mother, and Rakmad himself adopted him. He was converted, and became initiated into the power of the Void at the age of twelve. But one night he entered the Dreamweb of the Aghmaath and his brother appeared to him, and he persuaded Korman to forsake the Void. The next morning there was a raid by the men of Dragonflight, and Korman escaped from the thorn stockade and gave himself up to the Guardian warriors. But his mother had already passed over into the Void, and was lost to this world, and all worlds. So it was that the wise warrior Hillcrest the Farseeing, of the city of Dragonflight, adopted Korman.

  And in dreams his brother came to him again. Then Hillcrest and Korman went forth and met with Raktaniar, who agreed to return Hillgard to his brother. Then Hillcrest raised the two boys to be mighty warriors, and wise. And Korman learned from Hillgard of the ways of the Order of the Keeper, and later he went and learned also from Raktaniar.

  When Korman was called to serve in Aeden, guarding the Tree of Life, after some years he sent for Hillgard also to join the garrison. And when the Jewel was stolen, and the Aghmaath came to the sacred grove and the Guardians were routed, Korman was already in exile and did not know if his brother was alive or dead.

  But Hillgard, wounded with many wounds, escaped through many perils, and came at last to Baz Apédnapath, where he was nurtured back to health by the parents of Goldheart. Then he passed east toward Baldrock and was forgotten by friend and foe alike.

  But Korman never forgot his brother, during the long years of his vigil, and sometimes he dreamed of him, and believed that he still lived.