by Sam Ferguson
“You ran northward then?” Jonathan asked.
“Go north, without delay,” Jaeger’s projection told him. Then the light vanished and Jonathan was once again left alone in the strange cellar. Deciding it was best not to rummage around the desk and shelves for fear of tripping another magical trap, he clambered back out through the hatch and exited the house.
“Seems you are making a habit of calling upon strange figures,” Ziegler said after Jonathan recounted everything that had happened in the house. “In any case, we best get a move on. If Brykith has another migot crystal, he could be able to scry for the Astral Crystal soon with the added power.”
CHAPTER 9
The group pushed through the dense forest for another four days, averaging again only about fifteen miles a day. They made camp often enough to eat, but were careful not to use fires at night so as not to attract attention. Some nights they slept upon the ground, but on others they managed to find natural dug outs and shallow caves for shelter. The cavedog was always nearby, and proved more useful than any of them could have foreseen, often disappearing into the woods while they traveled only to return with fresh game in its mouth. Whatever the three men didn’t eat, the cavedog would finish.
As they came to a large river, they spied a wooden tower jutting up from the bank on the other side. A single elf stood in the tower, watching the nearby area and pacing back and forth on his platform.
“Think there are any others?” Jason asked.
Ziegler shook his head. “Hard to tell, but he’s wearing the same kind of clothes as the group that tried to attack us outside of Tyrwyn. We don’t really have the time to waste sitting and studying him either. It would be better to attack swiftly.”
“I don’t see any signal fires or bells,” Jason commented. “Could be that he is a lone scout.”
“Remember the robin that you both saw at the window shop, and then again when we fought the other elves in the forest,” Ziegler cautioned. “It could be that he is not alone, but that his companion is a bird of some sort.”
“I could get a bit closer and shoot him,” Jonathan suggested.
“No, if you miss, he will run.”
“There isn’t a bridge or any place to cross the river,” Jonathan said.
Ziegler clapped Jonathan on the back. “Wait here, and don’t move. And, by Icadion’s beard, don’t let your cavedog follow me.”
Jonathan and Jason waited as Ziegler disappeared through the brush off to the west.
“He’s going to sneak up on the sentry,” Jason said, as if Jonathan hadn’t already figured that much out for himself.
The two crouched low in the bushes, watching and waiting for a long while. The cavedog curled up beside Jonathan and snoozed in the warmth of the day, and Jonathan was almost beginning to worry that something had happened to Ziegler. Then, a form moved in the grasses on the opposite side of the river.
“There he is,” Jason whispered.
“Impossible,” Jonathan replied. Ziegler had made it to the base of the tower without Jonathan ever seeing him. The large man slowly climbed up the side of the tower, using the support timbers instead of the ladder. Once he was near the top, Ziegler peeked over the platform and then ducked back down. The elf paced toward where Ziegler was, and then the large man reached up and grabbed the elf by the pants and tossed him over the side as if he weighed nothing. Ziegler then dropped down, catching himself midway down on a cross support before letting go and falling down on the elf.
“Okay,” Jonathan said.
Jason reached up and grabbed his younger brother’s shoulder. “Not yet. We wait until Ziegler gives the all clear.”
Jonathan went back to watching Ziegler. It was only a few more seconds before the large man waved them on. The two rushed toward the river and the cavedog came along with them.
“Think it can swim?” Jonathan asked.
Jason shrugged. “I suspect it will find a way if it can’t.”
To their surprise, the cavedog leapt into the water before them, and was at the other bank before they had even made it half way across. When they finally made it to Ziegler, Jonathan realized that the elf sentry was still alive. His right arm was broken below the elbow, and he had a nasty abrasion on his face, but otherwise he seemed all right.
“This is Elf,” Ziegler said. “As I suspected, he is of the same order as Brykith.”
“My name is—”
Ziegler elbowed the elf in the ribs, cutting the sentry’s words short.
“His name is Elf. He will lead us up to the next mountain.”
“Why should I?” Elf spat.
Ziegler tugged at the knife at his belt and held it up so that the sunlight glinted into Elf’s eyes.
“I do not fear death,” Elf said.
Ziegler leaned in close to Elf’s ears. “I have lost many friends thanks to your master, and I have seen evidence of such evil and filth as would make any man mad with grief and indignation.” Ziegler lifted the blade and pressed the tip to the tender spot where the ear joins the head. “I have been a soldier a very long time. That means I know how to kill, but it also means that I know how to inflict a great deal of pain.”
Elf stuck his nose in the air. “I do not fear pain,” he said.
Ziegler flicked his wrist and a bit of blood sprayed out onto the grass.
“GAH! My ear!” Elf shouted.
“It’s still there,” Ziegler said apathetically. “If you want to keep it there, I suggest you help us out. What is the fastest way to the north?”
“He’ll kill me!” Elf said. “Master Brykith will kill me!”
Ziegler slowly put his foot on Elf’s broken arm and pressed down.
“ARGH!” Elf squirmed. “Stop, please stop!”
“I will kill you too,” Ziegler promised. “The difference is I will make it slow. Have you ever heard of the Tarthuns who leave cowards staked in the desert and cover them with honey?” Ziegler didn’t wait for an answer as he sheathed his knife. “Such a death by ants must be horrible indeed, but I promise I know far worse ways of ushering you to Hammenfein.”
“Please, I’ll help you,” Elf said.
Ziegler reached down and pulled the elf up. He bound Elf’s hands behind his back, with much groaning and a few shouts as Ziegler handled the broken arm, and then he indicated a few weapons on the ground nearby.
“You guys can have his daggers if you like. Jonathan, take the extra arrows. The bow is still up on the tower if you want that too,” Ziegler said.
“I can only use one bow at a time,” Jonathan said with a shake of his head. He wasn’t sure what he thought about Ziegler’s cruel side. He understood the goal, but couldn’t help wondering whether there might be better means to achieve the information they wanted.
In the end, Elf led them around a small outpost that was hidden in the woods. Jonathan counted about fifteen other elves inside the wooden palisade, but figured there were likely more than that inside the several wooden huts and buildings within the walls. By that point, Elf was bound and gagged to ensure he wouldn’t give them away.
They traveled like that for another two days until they found themselves on the north side of one mountain, and staring at the southern face of three more tall peaks. As the group began going up the nearest mountain, Elf became quite fidgety, looking up over his shoulder and at the skies continually. Noticing this behavior, Ziegler steered the group to the cover of a large aspen grove and then pulled the gag from Elf’s mouth.
“All right, Elf, tell me what’s going on. Are you looking for one of your bird scouts?”
Elf sneered wickedly and shook his head. “Scouts? No, no scouts here.” He threw his head back and made a loud screech that sounded more animal than human or elf.
Ziegler punched Elf in the gut and took the breath from the thin sentry.
“Who are you calling?” Ziegler whispered harshly as he pulled the gag up close to Elf’s mouth.
“You are done,” Elf replied. “Didn�
��t you think it odd that none of the others from the outpost came after you when they realized I was gone?”
Ziegler glanced to Jonathan and Jason.
“They didn’t follow you, because in the event any sentry is captured, we have a specific place to lead our captors. A place that seems as though we are helping, when really all we are doing is—”
A mighty screech rent the air above and a dark shadow passed over the grove.
“Sir,” Jason started, “you aren’t going to believe this.”
Ziegler replaced Elf’s gag and then looked up to the skies. Jonathan turned and peeked through the branches. There, flying high in the skies was something terrible. The back half looked like that of a lion, but the front half had eagle’s talons instead of feet, and a massive eagle’s head with a curved beak. It screeched again and turned to soar upon great wings that shimmered gold and tan in the sunlight.
Its call was met by several replies as more of the beasts took to the air and began flying over the forest.
“Very well,” Ziegler said. “If this is the game you want to play, then you go first.”
Jonathan turned to see Ziegler seize Elf and toss him out from the grove and down the mountainside. A gryphon squealed angrily and then dove down to snatch Elf. The beast’s talons tore through Elf’s chest and back as the gryphon carried him up into the air. From the way Elf’s head and legs were dangling, it was obvious that the impact had killed him.
“What do we do now?” Jason asked. “That takes care of one, but there are several more out there.”
Ziegler put a finger to his lips and continued to look around. He crawled to the edge of the grove and was quiet for a few seconds, then he turned back to the group. “There is a cave over there. I can’t see how deep it is, but if it covers our heads, I would bet we can fight the buggers off between the three of us.”
“Elf was barely out of the grove before they snatched him up,” Jason said. “How do we get out without them coming after us?”
At that moment, the cavedog came up to Jonathan and nuzzled his leg. The beast looked up and stared into Jonathan’s eyes and then it hissed and darted out the other way, stopping briefly to snarl at the gryphons.
“There’s your answer,” Ziegler said. The large man clapped Jonathan’s shoulder. “I bet you’re happy you befriended that cavedog now, huh?”
The three of them rushed out the other side of the grove as gryphons squealed and screeched above them. Jonathan glanced over his shoulder once, but saw only a flurry of wings and claws through the trees.
“Don’t look back, just run!” Jason urged as he pushed Jonathan’s shoulder. The trio made it to the cave just as a gryphon landed behind them with a heavy thawump!
Ziegler spun around without hesitation, pulled the other two in and lunged out with his sword. A terrible skwaaak echoed through the cave when Ziegler’s sword cut across the gryphon’s breast. Jonathan spun around and tried to get a good angle to shoot, but Jason jumped in front of him to help Ziegler. The two older warriors battled the beast until it screeched angrily and flew away.
Ziegler and Jason, both breathing heavily, turned and jogged deeper into the cave.
“We need a torch,” Ziegler said.
Jason prepped one and had it lit in less than a minute. The three of them then cautiously explored the rest of the cave. Unfortunately, it ended only fifty feet from the entrance. There were no side chutes or other tunnels whatsoever. Seeing that they were trapped, the group got to work grabbing loose stones and piling them in strategic positions as best they could. They couldn’t make a solid barrier, but they made a few piles that might slow the large gryphons down should the beasts decide to come in after them.
Jonathan placed the last stone and then set three arrows out on the largest rock as he crouched down behind it and waited. “If they come in, I’ll be ready for them,” he promised.
Jason slapped his back. “Easy little brother, I think we have scared them off well enough. They don’t want any more of what Captain Ziegler and I gave the last one that chased us.”
Ziegler cut in then with his dry, sober voice. “You’re both wrong,” he said. “They won’t come in after us, but that’s because they know they don’t have to. They’ll be right outside, waiting for us. They know our only choice is to emerge eventually. Or die like this poor wretch.”
Jonathan and Jason turned to see an old skeleton leaning against the side of the cave.
Ziegler bent down and yanked the skull free and walked toward the entrance. He tossed the skull out and a taloned hand swooped down, snatching the bone up the moment it emerged from the cave. An angry squawk was heard along with the crushing of bone as the gryphon realized it had been tricked.
“We’ll have to think of some way to fight our way out,” Ziegler said.
“I could stick the torch out and see if it grabs that,” Jason offered.
“That might work with one, but it won’t solve the problem. There are far too many of them out there,” Ziegler said.
“What if we toss out bones and I try to shoot the gryphons that dive down after the bones?” Jonathan suggested.
Ziegler grunted and sat on a nearby rock. The large man closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall.
“We have to do something,” Jonathan said.
“We have rations. We can wait a few hours,” Ziegler said.
“Maybe we can rest until nightfall, and then try to use the torches to blind the beasts and run away in the darkness,” Jason said.
Ziegler folded his arms without saying another word. The large man started pacing back and forth, edging close to the entrance to the cave before coming part of the way back, mumbling to himself all the while.
Jason leaned down to Jonathan. “I’ve never seen him without a plan before, even in the Quags,” he whispered.
Jonathan frowned and then turned back to the opening. He couldn’t figure out a solution, but he could keep watch over them with his bow. He agreed with Jason to prop the torch up nearby so he could see and then Jason would rest while Jonathan stood watch over them while Ziegler continued to pace, hopefully working on a plan.
The young archer watched Ziegler pace for roughly half an hour before the screeching and squawking outside stopped. Then, there was only the sound of the wind whistling through the cave’s entrance. Ziegler went to the mouth of the cave and carefully leaned out to look around. He then quickly retreated into the cave.
“Perhaps they have left. I can’t tell. Still best to stay here for a while. Keep watch while I grab a few winks,” Ziegler told Jonathan.
Jonathan nodded and continued staring at the opening. If any gryphon was going to come after them, it would find itself filled with arrows before it could it could close half the distance to any of them.
Another two hours passed without any sign of movement. Then, as the sun began to weaken in the waning afternoon, something approached the mouth of the cave. Jonathan readied his bow, not entirely sure what the shadow crossing the entrance was. At last, when the figure came into view, Jonathan shouted out with joy as his cavedog came trotting into the cave with a gryphon’s tail dangling from its mouth, dragging along the ground.
“What is it?” Ziegler shouted as he jumped to his feet and reached for his sword. He eased up when he saw the cavedog. “Remarkable,” Ziegler commented.
“Impossible,” Jason said.
Jonathan put his bow down and moved around the rocks and knelt on the ground, slapping the front of his legs as he would if calling a dog. “Come on, boy, come on!”
The cavedog quickened its pace and dropped the severed gryphon tail in front of Jonathan.
“Good boy!” he said as he turned the cavedog this way and that, inspecting for injuries. There were indeed a few slices along its body, but none of them were terribly deep. The worst wounds were a pair of punctures at the base of the cavedog’s tail, from which twin lines of dried blood streaked downward.
“You need to name
that thing,” Ziegler said.
“I’ll call him Griff,” Jonathan said. “How about that? Shall I call you Griff?”
The large lizard cocked its head to the side and then went around Jonathan toward the back of the cave.
“I don’t think he likes the name,” Jason said.
A heavy thump landed outside the cave. Jonathan turned and caught just a glimpse of another gryphon as it moved away from the opening and off to the side.
“They’re still out there,” Ziegler commented dryly.
“Well, at least we have Griff back,” said Jonathan.
“A fat lot of good that will do us now,” Ziegler responded. Jonathan shot the large warrior a look, but Ziegler shrugged it off. “I don’t see how we are much better off than we were before. Even if he killed the one he took the tail from, that still leaves many more out there. I can fight trolls and snakes, and anything else you like that walks or crawls upon the ground, but we can’t beat things that can pick us off from the sky. It’s an uneven fight. They will always have high-ground advantage.”
Just then, Griff started clawing at the back of the cave.
“Oh come away from there,” Ziegler said. “I don’t need that kind of noise right now, I’m trying to think of a way out.”
Griff tore through the dirt and the stone as if it was made of butter. Within moments the entire length of the lizard was in a large tunnel of its own making.
“Where does it think it’s going?” Jason asked.
Griff poked its head back out of the tunnel and then began to widen it considerably before darting into the hole once more.
“I’ll bet Memaw’s freshest rolls and apple butter that Griff is digging us a way out of here,” Jonathan said.
“No,” Ziegler said with a shake of his head. “It would take hours to dig through a mountain.”
Jason grabbed the torch and went to the hole. He bent down and stuck the light inside, then he turned back around with his boyish grin. “What if the mountain already had caves, and Griff just had to connect us to one of the other caverns?”