by Allan Joyal
"Hard to see," Mertiln said. "They look like stone until they decide to strike."
"Your man noticed," I said in protest.
"It was rising up to strike," Mertiln said. "That's the only reason he was able to get his axe into the body like that."
"Is that going to be part of dinner?" Victoria asked.
"They taste terrible," Mertiln said.
Victoria and I laughed as Mertiln stopped walking. He drifted to the back of the caravan as we continued to march in the darkness.
Sometime later, we started to note a faint light in the distance. Al had returned to guarding and noticed it first. He announced the discovery. "Hey! I see the oncoming train, but there are no tracks in this tunnel."
"It's the southbound moose I tell you," Jennifer added. "We should be extra careful."
All of my friends from Earth laughed at the comment. I watched Shaylin's gaze switch from Natalie to Jeff and then drift over to me. She was clearly confused.
"Jokes based on things from our homeland," I called out. "We might be able to explain them later, but I doubt it."
"Why not?" Verval asked.
"I'm not sure we can describe things so you'd understand," Victoria said. "But I promise to try once we get a camp set up."
"Trains and cartoons," I murmured to her. "Good luck. Perhaps Lydia and I should do a performance of Green Eggs and Ham again."
Victoria giggled. "Save that idea. I think I can entertain everyone without that. Besides, you'll need to talk to Mertiln. If I remember correctly, the beetles hate light. How will we get to Purahomp without them?"
"I'm sure Mertiln will explain that. If we have to, we can pull our sleds again," I replied.
The light ahead of us was growing brighter. We could actually see the edges of the cave when the caravan came to a halt. We could hear some of the dwarves shouting to each other.
"A fight?" Al asked.
"I expect they have to unhitch the beetles," I said. "Remember that they don't like light. I'm just wondering how we'll move the carts. Al, Steve, Henck, be ready to move forward to pull our first two sleds out of the cave."
"Sunlight," Hencktor said. "We actually get to see sunlight."
"Everyone, we've been in darkness for a while," Esme called out. "The light is going to be too bright at first. Make sure you allow your eyes to adjust."
I heard a chorus of affirmative responses as the sled ahead of us moved forward a few feet. The shouting ahead had calmed down some. I glanced around for Mertiln to find him at my shoulder.
"We'll need you to pull your sleds out of the cave once the beetles are unhitched," Mertiln told me.
I nodded. "We expected that. I'll have the men move forward so they are in position to grab the harnesses. How will we move them tomorrow when we head to Purahomp?"
"We'll pull them," Mertiln said. "We have plenty of dwarves here."
"And getting your beetles back?" I asked.
"We'll link them together using their harness loops and a small band of dwarves will drive them to Purahomp. Few scavengers will take on those beetles. It was the carts that were the problem. We carried food and the scavengers would smell that," Mertiln pointed out.
I nodded again. "I'll make sure we're ready to pull the sleds."
Mertiln turned away as I looked up at my friends. Most had put their weapons away and were smiling. "Al, Henck, Steve," I shouted. "We're going to have to pull the sleds out of the cave. I'll take the third one; I need you to head forward so you can move the first two."
"Got it," Steve shouted. "Al, you and me on the first sled. Henck, do you want help with the second?"
"He has it!" Victoria shouted.
Henck passed me heading for the second sled. Lydia walked with him. She was smiling and pointing toward the light. "You see. I told you we'd be perfectly safe. Tonight we'll sit up and watch the stars come out."
I could hear Hencktor laughing nervously as the sleds started moving forward again. They traveled about twenty feet and then paused again. I was moving closer to the beetle pulling our third sled when Heather came up to me. "Need help pulling the sled?" she asked.
"I could do it myself, but I'll never refuse help from my wife," I said loudly and firmly.
Heather smiled so brightly I thought she would light the tunnel by herself. I could see Esme and Natalie clapping as they watched my lover.
"Ron!" Heather said as she blushed.
"What's wrong? I thought you wanted to be my wife," I said with a smile.
"I do," Heather said with a sob. The young blond threw herself at me and hugged me tight. "But I never thought you'd be open about it."
"It was past time that I let you know how I felt," I said. "And it's clear the rest of the group knows and isn't too upset."
"Well, we thought we'd ask you to be baby daddy someday, but it won't work now," Natalie said saucily.
"Says who?" Heather called back. "I might loan him out once we have a permanent roof over our heads."
I shook my head as Heather and Natalie cheerfully bantered. We continued to move forward in twenty foot increments every few minutes. The light was starting to become painfully bright when I heard Al shout.
"Fuck!" came the call from our college-age friend. "I knew we'd been in the dark, but that light hurts."
"Look down," Esme said. "And try to find shade."
"It must be noon," Lydia called back. "There isn't any shade."
I looked and found Mertiln standing at my elbow. "She's right. It's about midday now."
"You and the other dwarves need time for your eyes to adjust as well?" I asked.
"If it's fine with you, I'd suggest camping here for the night. There is a clearing just outside the cave mouth that should be comfortable and you can wait at the cave entrance for shadows to grow," Mertiln said.
I nodded. "That is an excellent suggestion."
I raised my eyes to the cave entrance. "Lydia, Henck! Mertiln suggests we camp at the cave entrance for the night. Find a spot to park the sleds and we'll rest in what shadows we can find while our eyes adjust."
The sled in front of me moved again. This time the acceleration was much slower than what we saw with the beetles. I could hear Steve grunt with the effort of getting the sled moving. The herders guiding the last sled carefully coaxed the beetle forward twenty feet and then signaled that we should step away.
We backed off. One of the herders put a long staff between the jaws of the beetle. The beetle slowly backed up while the other herder used a long hook to lift the harness from its back. Once it was clear, the first herder removed the staff and poked the beetle in the thorax. It crept forward a few feet and then turned to the right, entering a passage we had not noticed until then. Mertiln watched me as the beetle disappeared from sight.
"It's a nest we have for them. Later we'll coax them out and link them up for the journey through the tunnels to Purahomp. Now, can you move the sled?" he asked.
The dwarves had left the harness on the ground. I picked it up and slipped it over both of my shoulders. Heather gave a screech of outrage as I lunged forward alone. "I'm supposed to help you!" she protested.
I said nothing and continued to pull the sled forward. The rest of my friends scrambled toward the egress from the tunnel only to recoil from the bright light.
"Eyes down!" Esme said. "Lydia, where did you set up?"
"Turn left once you leave the cave. There are some shadows thanks to a ridgeline," Lydia called back.
The sled moved forward slowly. At first I wondered why, but then the resistance seemed to disappear. I strained forward as the sled rolled out of the cave.
Like my friends, I found the sunlight to be blindingly bright. Lydia must have been watching for me because I heard her call out. "Ron, two more steps forward and then start turning to the left. Follow my voice. Henck will come to help get the sled turned."
I followed Lydia's instructions, taking two more steps directly forward and then starting to turn to my left. She g
ave me clear instructions on when to turn left or right and when to just walk forward. At first, the sled did not want to follow me, but after a few moments the sled started turning with me. "Thanks, Henck," I called out.
"It's the only way to get it lined up," Henck said.
"You are lined up," Lydia said. "Just walk forward until I tell you to stop."
I started walking in what I thought was a straight line. I had taken seven steps when someone crashed into me. "That's not straight!" Shaylin said. "Here, you walk, I'll guide."
She put her hands on my left arm and started pulling me forward. Her steps were so confident that I had to ask. "How can you see?" I asked.
"It's still bright, but I'm getting better. And I can see the trail left by the other sleds," Shaylin told me.
We walked another thirty steps and then Shaylin released my hand. "The sled is lined up next to the others," she told me.
I dropped the harness and raised my left hand to shield my eyes. The shade brought instant relief to my vision and I could see my friends all sitting as a group in a small patch of shade a short distance away. I quickly moved to join them and sat on the dusty ground.
Jennifer looked at me. "I forgot how bright the sun can be," she said.
I nodded. "Anyone see where the dwarves are?" I asked.
"They are parking their carts to the right of the cave entrance and then heading back into the opening. I get a feeling they don't like the sunlight."
"Have they talked about tomorrow's hike to Purahomp?" Steve asked.
"Not yet," I said. "And I won't ask until tonight. I can understand why they don't care for the sunlight, and we've only spent two weeks or so in darkness."
"I thank you for that consideration," Mertiln's voice called out. The dwarf walked into the shade and sat down in front of me. "But I don't mind taking a few moments to calm any fears you might have."
"Not really fears," I said. "We just want to get an idea of what to expect for tomorrow. Obviously we have some distance to walk, and we will be relying on you to lead the way."
"We've had to use this route before," Mertiln said with a snort. "Purahomp is one of the few towns comfortable trading with the various tribes that live underground. We've had to avoid troglodytes, slavers and even some of the unholy elves who live underground."
"This world has dark elves?" Jeff asked.
"Dark elves?" Mertiln said. "I have never heard the term."
"A legend from our land," Steve said. "Supposedly some elves decided to make a home underground. Once there, exposure to new magicks darkened their skin until it was almost black. They are usually described as cruel and ruthless, seeking power over all races."
Mertiln snorted. "They are too few to really have power, but they do hate all other races. But we've never used the term dark elves. They have their own name, but we just consider them the enemy to be destroyed when we can and avoided when we can't."
"I imagine that they send well-armed trading parties," I said.
Mertiln nodded. "All races do. And we've learned to take this detour if we discover another party. Purahomp won't trade with any group that starts trouble in their town, so if we go this way we avoid problems."
"You could be attacked on your way home," I pointed out.
"Empty carts aren't a popular target," Mertiln said. "If we know another tribe is trading, we'll arrange for any purchases to be sent north to another trading town and pick them up there."
"That must be expensive," Steve pointed out.
"Not as much as you'd think. Purahomp's merchants want the business and understand that we'll stop trading if they try to charge too much. We prefer coming here because they have better prices most of the year," Mertiln said.
"What about the beetles? You'll need them to bring your carts home," I asked.
"If the beetles are attached to a cart and harness they can't move around. They are easy for our enemies to avoid. Once they aren't attached, they are dangerous to encounter. No one wants to fight them unless they have no choice," Mertiln said confidently.
"So how long will we be walking tomorrow?" I asked.
"Not as long as you might fear. We are above Purahomp right now. Actually this route is a much easier final day. The other cave opening is on a cliff face above the town and you have to follow a narrow trail down the cliff. We often lose carts while heading down to the town," Mertiln said. "From here, we will follow a trail that slopes much more gently."
"So not a long walk?" I asked.
Mertiln shrugged. "We'll get started before the sun fully rises over the hills and can be in Purahomp before it is directly overhead. Although it doesn't get that high in winter."
"Will the path be easy to find?" I asked. "Or will it be buried in snow?"
"There will be some snow," Mertiln said. "I guess the winds have kept it from covering the ground right by the cave entrance."
I nodded. "I'll make sure that we're ready to go before dawn. Should someone help with dinner?"
Mertiln laughed. "None of your people would know how to prepare this meal. Oh, we'll have some fisher venom for you. At least that's what we call it."
Shaylin smiled. "Oh, I've heard it's hard to find, but a good alchemist uses it as an ingredient in healing potions."
Mertiln stood up and headed back to the cave. We heard his steps speed up once he was out of the limited shade.
"Shay, how are your studies going?" Victoria asked.
"Um ..." Shaylin said. I looked at her and the pre-teen girl was staring at her right hand as her index finger drew circles in the dirt.
"Has it been a bit too dark to read?" I offered.
"That's it!" Shaylin said. "I haven't been able to study because of how dark it was in the tunnels."
"Well, it's not dark now," Victoria observed. "Why don't we sit down and see if you can use the amethysts you were given. I thought you said there was a spell to make things glow."
"I need a staff or wand to cast it. I've never made one," Shaylin protested.
"Why not make a wand then?" Victoria asked.
"I don't have ..." Shaylin began. "Oh, I have the rose quartz. I guess I do have the gems. I just need to decide if I want a wand or staff and then I have to prepare it. It will take some time though. I have to infuse quite a bit of magic into the wand."
"Well, why don't you do some reading and think about which you'd like to make," I said. "And once your eyes are adjusted to the sunlight, there is a snowbank over there. You can go have a snowball fight."
"And will you join in?" Heather asked.
I grabbed Heather around the waist and pulled her into my lap. "I thought we'd just cuddle for a while."
Heather giggled and pressed her lips to mine. "I agree with that idea," she said.
Chapter 24: A Moment in the Sun
The spirits of our group were lifted by leaving the cave. We relaxed in the shade for some time, just enjoying the lack of a ceiling over our heads. Conversation was scant. Shaylin did read aloud at one point as she researched the difference between a staff and a wand. It soon became clear that a wand was faster and could be easily loaded with potent attack spells, but that in the long run a staff would be the better tool. Unfortunately, making a staff was a process that took a minimum of six months.
Gertrilla and Corwar decided to make sure that Shaylin was not depressed by the discovery and dragged her over to the snowbank I had pointed out. Natalie and Aine joined them and an energetic and loud snowball fight soon broke out. I remained where I was and watched as the others frolicked in the snow.
"Why don't we join them?" Heather asked as she used her free hand to poke me in the chest. "You're becoming dull."
I looked over at Steve. "Steve, do you agree that we should look to stay in Purahomp for a day or two?"
"Why?" Steve asked as Lydia and Victoria moved closer.
I pointed at the snowball fight. "We all need a break. I also think we might need a day or two looking around the town in order to find the bes
t people to purchase goods from. We're going to need more tools if we want to succeed."
"How much?" Victoria asked.
Lydia giggled. "Ron doesn't know any more than you do about that. It's not like he's done this before."
"I haven't," I said with a shrug. "But we do have tales of pioneers traveling across the continent back on Earth. However I don't have a manifest of what they might bring with them, but it seemed like they traveled with one full wagon per family of four or five. That wagon would carry their food, clothing and all the tools and seeds they expected to need for the first year once they reached California or Oregon. Right now we have seventeen people total, three of them being adolescents."
"So formal," Lydia said with a giggle. "And we have more girls than boys. Fortunately Esme and Natalie aren't competing for the attention of any of the men, so we don't have tension on that front."
"We will though," Steve said. "I've been watching. Lydia, you and Hencktor are a couple and Ron is with Heather, but Al and I haven't found a girl yet."
"Al will end up with Aine, I'm guessing," Heather said. "She's a bit older than he is, but they fit. Aine needs someone from Earth to protect her. You won't be that man Steve and Jeff is ... ."
I nodded and gave Heather a kiss on the forehead. "I haven't talked to him much, but he does leer at the women quite a bit. I also noticed that he's willing to ride the sled even when he could walk."
"What about Verval?" Lydia asked. "I remember Victoria ... ."
"Took him for a test ride?" Victoria said with a giggle. "He is truly a nice man. He doesn't have much imagination and he'll never be able to lead people. I could see staying with him, but Jennifer has his attention for now."
"No fights?" I asked.
"No," Victoria said firmly. "Jennifer and I talked. He is hers for now, but if I really need it, she'll loan him to me for the night."
I shook my head. "Say no more. Anyways, it sounds like for now we don't have any nasty love triangles brewing. The next question is one we won't be able to answer until we reach Purahomp and get some information on the route to Saraloncto. We need to know about wagons or carts and a way to pull them. I think we need to get away from having people pull the sleds."