The Keeper of Tales

by Jonathon Mast

  Well. That answered that question. I kept my relief to myself as best I could and put a hand on my companion’s shoulder. “You did well, Lazul. You were honest. Because of your truthfulness, I suspect we will indeed see our mounts again at dawn. In the meantime, we should prepare a meal and sleep.”

  Abani and Daragen returned from their circle of the tooth. Abani said, “We’re alone here, and I don’t think even a goblin could climb the sheer edges,” she reported. “We should still set a watch tonight, though. We don’t know what kind of creatures the Patriarch of Lies might have patrolling the edges of his lands.”

  I nodded. “Did you look to the west? What did you see?”

  Abani answered, “Vast dunes of black sand. I saw many fires, as if a great army camped there. In speaking with Ka’Keneh, I believe that the griffins will be able to fly undetected by simple goblins below. From here on in, though, we will have to watch for flying beasts that serve the Fallen Lord. These will be the true threat; if any spot us, we will have to slay them before they can report us to any below.”

  I did not like the sound of this, and it appeared to make both Lazul and Daragen nervous. I spoke for them. “So, there may be some flying creatures that will be much more interesting than we encountered today?”

  Abani nodded, “Ka’Keneh and I already worked out a plan. Perhaps you saw us practicing. I should be able to leap off his back and strike at any foes with my blade. Ka’Keneh will strike out on the other side of any beast, and then we will rejoin before I am dashed onto the earth below.”

  Yolian appeared jealous.

  Lazul’s dark complexion turned gray. “Do the other griffins expect us to do the same?”

  The Parvian replied, “I think the others will suggest it if they think it is a good idea. At the least, we should have our weapons ready to strike should any enemy fly close enough for us to reach them.”

  Galatea grinned as she looked up from the fire. “Sounds like fun.”

  Both the dwarf and Daragen paled further.

  The white goblin returned with more dry timber. It handed its load to Galatea.

  I raised the next topic. “Who of you told your mount of Badron?”

  Yolian spoke at once. “I did. My mount seemed relieved and mentioned a test.”

  I nodded. “Yes. A test of honesty, not of cleverness.”

  A sigh of relief came from both Daragen and Abani. “Then we have nothing to fear,” the Parvian said. “I told mine.”

  “And I, mine,” spoke the shorter man.

  Galatea added, “I don’t know why you thought you had to keep it secret. I told Kerek right away, and he was happy. We talked for a long time. He’s charming.”

  I nodded. “Good. I’m glad you enjoyed your flight.” So. We all passed the story’s test. Every one of us. That meant we would be rewarded, right?

  But we already were. We had our new friends who could travel so fast.

  All right. Time to move on to other matters. I clapped my hands together. “Then, shall we bless our meal together?” I led the way and made a point to thank Badron. It reveled in my kind words. It also looked on with great curiosity as we spoke the ancient words of blessing over dried meat and traveling bread. I noticed the question in its eyes. “Don’t you do the same?” I asked it.

  The white form shook its head. “We gobble our food; we do not think to bless. We must eat quickly, else by theft food becomes less.”

  This bothered me. I stepped away from the fire to teach Badron the words to the blessing, which thankfully already rhymed. I had no doubt it would be able to learn it quickly and hoped it might join us in speaking it at the next meal. When it was able to repeat the words a short time later, I led it back to the fire. Indeed, it did gobble its food quickly, not even stopping for breath.

  Abani brought up the next question. “Now that all the griffins know of its existence, will Badron ride openly tomorrow?”

  I considered, but Yolian spoke my thoughts before I opened my mouth. “It might be best that it remain concealed; if we’re spotted, it will be good for us to have a secret member to our group.”

  I concurred. “And besides, I am not sure the griffins will appreciate a white goblin touching them, even if they already know he is riding.”

  As we continued eating, Abani and Yolian discussed leaping off the griffin. Apparently Yolian’s yellowed griffin had not been confident that he would be able to catch his rider.

  After we completed our meal, I raised my voice. “I’ve delayed long enough. It’s time to tell the next tale. A tale that must be told by any who cross this barrier, this great monument to the power of Lord Garethen, Sovereign of the Black Sands.

  “In days of old, Garethen battled the usurper of his throne, a fool named Ydarion who thought to rebel against the rightful ruler of all the earth. Their battle was so great, their blows so fierce, they rent the heavens and the earth, opening floodgates below and above. Ydarion was destroyed in the watery blast, drowned in the waters of creation.

  “When Garethen saw what was happening, he fled back to his lands and tried to protect the creatures he commanded. He gathered his loyal followers and put them in circles, the circles positioned in a great line along the ground. The earth trembled under the onslaught of the water. The rains poured down and rose from below. Yet his subjects loved their lord so much that, though it seemed futile, they obeyed his words.

  “Garethen gathered all his strength, all his marvelous abilities, and poured them into the earth, lifting up stone and rock. The ground below one circle was lifted high into the air on a great pillar, strong and mighty. Garethen bent all his power into another, and then another. Soon a huge row of teeth stood upon the earth, and on each one another goblin family took shelter from the rising waters. Finally, Garethen himself was raised up, last of all, so that as many of his subjects might be spared the waters as possible.

  “The Great Master had hoped that this row of pillars might stand against the onslaught of the waters, that he might even spare the homes of all his subjects, but he failed in this. The waters passed below, and all the world was remade. But by the amazing effort of their lord, the goblin race survived. Praise be to Garethen! Praise to the lord of all the world! Praise be to the master of Ban Maraseth!”

  The story was done. I fled and retched.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Yolian took first watch. The rest of us laid down to rest before braving Garethen’s homelands. Thankfully, no dreams came to me that night. Yolian’s hand woke me to take second watch.

  The night was cold, but I enjoyed it. It was not the biting cold of the mountains around the Tower. I wondered at that, since we were higher now. Perhaps it was because we were so close to the Dark Lands—indeed at their very threshold—and in tales the barren lands were always warm. Something about Garethen’s presence seemed to heat the air, just as many of his minions seemed to bring about a chill.

  And here our troubles would begin. If stories controlled us, and the stories here praised Garethen, did we have any hope? Is that why no one could eradicate Garethen—the stories here kept him alive, and no one could slay him on this side of Raumioch Beti?

  Dark thoughts, and this was not the time to have them.

  If not now, then when? When we landed on Ban Maraseth, ready to spy?

  All the tales tell that a small group led by an unlikely hero would go and return. I told myself to take comfort in that. But I also knew that often only some would return. Some, not all. Who would the stories take this time?

  Yes. Some will go and return. Not all.

  I shook my head. Make a circuit. Circle the top of this tooth. See what’s what.

  I walked first to the east, so I might look at the lands I knew, or at least was allied to. In the darkness of the night I could see nothing, and there were no human habitations close enough I might be able to see light. I decided to wander to the other side, the side of the tooth that was most dangerous.

  It looked as if a vast army enc
amped below. I heard no sound but the whistling of the wind. I edged to the very precipice and saw what I could of the westward face of the tooth. Here, too, it was a sheer drop.

  Turning back to the camp, I passed close by the thicket. I had been surprised that trees at so high an elevation would still be green, but perhaps the warmth provided by the Dark Lands nourished them. I turned to face the thicket.

  Directly before me, the thicket was dead. I saw the bare white branches of the trees. As I peered into the thicket, I made out a mound, and hanging from a tree was the carcass of a bear.

  No. No, no, no. I looked once more into the home of the nameless beast.

  I ran silently and swiftly back to camp and awoke Yolian first, putting a finger up to my lips. He understood and packed quickly, his eyes scanning the area. He whispered, “Where is the enemy?”

  “I don’t know, but we have to get off this tooth now.”

  We woke the others. They were trained well enough to remain quiet. Even Badron was silent. It sensed the urgency and scattered sand onto the fire. Galatea watched him and nodded approval. We were ready to move in a matter of moments.

  We crept to the edge of the tooth, weapons out. What before had been a short distance seemed a league in the dark. I had no doubt that Abani and Yolian would be able to leap it without problem, but Daragen would have difficulties.

  So would I.

  Yolian tossed his pack across. He followed it with a flying leap. He turned and beckoned. Abani followed suit.

  I threw my pack to the other side, and Abani caught it. She gestured for me to leap. I backed up and ran, hurtling as far into the darkness as I could. I landed on the edge, but friendly arms caught me and hauled me in. Galatea followed, landing with a smile. That left only the shorter two and the goblin.

  Badron leaped next, and it fairly flew, its arms waving in the breeze as it passed the gulf between us with ease. It landed at my side, barely breathing any heavier than it had been before.

  Daragen and Lazul both threw their packs, looked at each other, and nodded before sprinting for the edge. They jumped together and landed next to each other. We moved toward the center of our new tooth, weapons at the ready. All peered into the night.

  Yolian whispered, “What is the threat?”

  I wasn’t sure what I could say, nor if what I had seen even was a threat. The creature seemed to want nothing more than to be left alone by all storytelling races, and we were endeavoring to do just that now. Perhaps we would be safe on this tooth, though I wasn’t sure. Nevertheless, I had to explain my alarm to the others. “Abani, do you remember when we found the lair of some beast, near where Lazul was attacked by the Blue Riders?”

  “Yes.” She squinted into the darkness. The moon was hidden by clouds. We could not see far.

  “I found a den very similar in the thicket. Such a beast would surely be a threat to us if we stayed where we were.”

  She looked to me. “Such a beast would find the gap between this tooth and that a small one. We should keep moving farther away.”

  The Parvian was right; if the thing thought to attack us, such a distance would mean nothing. Yet I did not think I would be able to make such a leap again; already I could feel my legs under me shaking. “We can make a stand here. If we need to.”

  Lazul rumbled, “There’s something coming from the thicket.” His keen dwarven eyes, used to darkness, had spied it. “It’s gigantic. Larger than any beast I’ve ever seen before; perhaps the size of three bears together. It has long fur and a whip-like tail. Its eyes are rather large. Pointed horns coming from its head. It’s looking back and forth, as if searching for something. I think it’s sniffing the ground.”

  The others now faced the other tooth. I felt a tugging at my shirt, and I looked down to see Badron pointing away behind us. I followed its urging, turning and taking a few steps away from the others.

  I saw again countless campfires below. One winked out. And then another. Some of the smaller fires moved. No, not campfires. Torches. Hundreds, thousands of torches. They were breaking away and heading east.

  The great armies of shadow were on the march.

  Daragen shouted. I turned to see the beast was charging. It ran on four feet to the precipice and leaped, soaring through the air and landing on its hind legs with arms out. It swiped with sharp claws, first one and then the other. The creature cried out in rage and seemed to grow before us, shedding some of the fur and lengthening its arms.

  I started for the battle when Badron grabbed my shirt again. I turned quickly, and it pointed with great need. I noticed this time that it was not pointing to the lands below us but to the face of this tooth. I looked down the precipice and saw hordes of goblins climbing. By the look of panic upon Badron’s face, they did not share its skin pigmentation.

  How they knew we were here or how they made the climb, I did not know. All I knew was that they were a threat to us here, and it was yet several hours until dawn when the griffins would return for us. We had a battle on two fronts.

  Lazul hacked at the creature’s hind legs, throwing all his weight into it. The legs did not falter, though I was sure he had struck bone.

  Meanwhile the creature concentrated its attacks on Yolian, who dodged multiple blows, stepping to the left, leaping above and then ducking below reaching claws. He whispered. His words were forming a shield around him which kept deflecting the long reach of the creature. The attacks came more and more swiftly.

  Daragen struck the other hind foot with his daggers, but to no avail. Abani, meanwhile, had her sword drawn and danced in the space between Yolian and the beast. She struck out at the moving claws and made contact. Galatea splashed oil onto the creature’s fur and lit it, but the flames died quickly.

  In all these attacks, not a single of my allies drew blood.

  Finally, the creature spied me. “You!” it screamed, and it seemed years of rage had finally found a target. “You!” The beast leaped into the air and seemed to hang suspended for a moment, far out of the reach of any of us. Lazul called for it to come back, proclaiming it a coward. Yolian did not stop weaving armor around himself.

  The beast landed before me, crouching and using one foreleg to balance, the other arm held wide, ready to strike. I held Northwind before me in a defensive position.

  The beast drew breath once and spoke. “You have brought storytellers here to my home. You knew what this would do! You are a servant of the Kaerun.”

  Badron tugged again at my shirt and whimpered. The climbing goblins would arrive soon, and the battle would become much more complicated.

  What were the Kaerun?

  No time to wonder. I had to keep my head in the battle. Physical attacks didn’t seem to be working, but a verbal one might. “Would you be an ally of Garethen?”

  “I am neither darkness nor light; I am untold.” The beast narrowed its eyes. It suspected some stratagem, some cunning I would use to entrap it.

  “Then simply leave us alone. Don’t hurt us; that would make you Garethen’s ally. Don’t help us; that would make you a creature of light. Go back to your den and move it again, farther away this time. There are many places not inhabited by any storyteller.”

  The others began circling, ready to move in and attack the second it struck at me. They held their weapons high, and Yolian still strengthened his armor. I would have to ask what story he used to do that.

  The beast remained cautious. “You said as much to me the last time I encountered you. Yet now you have brought an elf with you who would entrap my kind with spells and words. Listen to him even now, speaking the evil language that was used to enslave all my people in ages past.”

  I looked to the elf. “Yolian, let it go. Stop talking.”

  He continued for a moment but then let it go. His last words drifted onto the armor. It began to fade.

  “Go back to your den. We will leave you alone. I gave you my word, and I kept it. None of my companions here would have known you even existed had you not
attacked. I have proven my faithfulness.” My words were desperate now. The beast would be desperate as well; it is easy to let one person go. But a group this large?

  Badron shrieked, and I turned to the cliff behind me. A single gray-green hand reached over the edge, and soon a hideous face appeared. I kicked at it. The goblin was caught by surprise. It fell back, and the one visible hand lost its grip as it fell backwards. We would not be so lucky with any of the others.

  I turned to the monster before me and fairly shouted at it, “Leave now, lest you be attacked by goblins!”

  The thing snapped, “My children will never attack me.”

  I held Northwind, ready to strike at the first goblin to rise above the edge of the cliff, but I stayed myself. Its children? This thing was the mother of goblins? Badron shrieked and ran to hide behind Lazul, who absently kicked at it to get it away.

  Another goblin head appeared, followed by two more like it. They saw me but did not attack. They came before the great beast that had attacked us, but they did not seem surprised to see it there. They set before it some small pieces of food. The nameless beast spoke to them in a chittering language I did not understand. As it spoke, it shrunk down until it was a few hands taller than a typical man, and its hair thinned so much we might be able to see skin. Its face became apparent, a twisted face, much like a goblin’s, but with a snout like a dog’s and darker eyes.

  I shuffled sideways, keeping my blade between myself and the goblins until I rejoined my companions. They were as mystified as I was. I was beyond speech, and I suspected the others were with me.

  As I came close, Yolian whispered, “You knew about this thing?”

  “I made a vow, and even now I will not break it, else Garethen take me.”

  The elf cocked his head but kept his eyes on the nameless creature and goblins. “You move in strange company, my friend.”

  “One usually does when one finds oneself in a tale.”

  Chapter Forty-Four