“What do you wish, Master?” Gilrod asked.
Kadrak smiled. While another perhaps would have heaped praises on him for his magnificent show of power, Gilrod was always ready to serve him. Gilrod knew of his distaste for false flattery.
“Can you figure out a way to collapse the snow banks and seal the pass off once all of the troops have passed through?” Kadrak asked.
Gilrod hid his surprise well. He looked back at the narrow path through the avalanche and thought for a moment. He then turned back.
“Yes,” he replied. “I think I could manage to collapse it and block off any chance for retreat.”
Kadrak smiled. Gilrod had quickly figured out the reason for the request. He didn’t care how Gilrod accomplished the task. He just wanted to know he could do it and was willing to do it.
“May I ask a question?” Gilrod said carefully.
“You may,” he replied.
“While I will not go against your command, I would like to point out that not only will blocking the path prevent our soldiers from retreating, it will also prevent us from receiving any supplies or reinforcements,” he paused for a second before continuing on. “I don’t doubt we will be victorious, but we currently only have enough supplies to last for about ten days. If the battle doesn’t go according to plan, I think it’s prudent to have other options.”
Kadrak stared back at the cunning man. He had said that he would do as he was commanded to, but he also had expressed that he didn’t agree with the command. Gilrod was loyal, but he wasn’t a fool. He understood the implications of a trapped army running out of food and supplies. What the man didn’t know was that galdak warriors would be in place to reinforce the army if needed. The battle would be won in a timely manner, one way or another.
“I can guarantee that we will win the battle before our supplies run out,” Kadrak stated confidently. “You know most of what goes on, but you don’t know everything,” he said, reminding Gilrod of his place. “If a retreat ever was necessary, I could clear a path back out of the pass, just as I did earlier. However, that will not be necessary. I want my troops to think their only way out is through the Kalian Army. I want them to think the only chance to restock supplies is through a quick and decisive victory. I want them to fight ferociously.”
“You are wise and powerful,” Gilrod said. “I will complete the task you assigned and let it be known that there is no path for retreating.”
“You must remember that I am not a fool Gilrod. I am confident, but I am not foolish. I do have a backup plan if necessary, but I hope the troops will have plenty of motivation to end the battle in a timely manner.”
Gilrod bowed deeply and headed back towards the opening of the path that Kadrak had cleared. Kadrak continued forward at the head of the army, riding alone once again. The army marched behind him, unaware that soon they would have no chance to desert or retreat. They would be surprised when they discovered that the pass was blocked but wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
That’s how he wanted it. They would realize that their only hope for survival was through victory. He knew that the Kalian Army would prove to be a tougher foe than any he had yet faced. There were many troops, and they were very disciplined. If the battle was difficult, he didn’t want any of his own troops to have the option to retreat or sneak away. They would have to fight for their very lives, just as he wanted them to.
* * * * *
Gilrod waited next to the opening that led through the snow. He watched as the troops filed through and then formed back up in their ranks. He also counted all of the supply wagons carefully as they passed.
It wouldn’t be too hard to do what Kadrak had asked him to do. However, he was still leery of doing it. He knew of Kadrak’s immense power, but he also knew that his leader had limits. The most recent display of his power had truly been awe inspiring, but he had seen how much it had drained Kadrak. The wielder couldn’t defeat the entire Kalian Army by himself, no matter how powerful he was.
He supposed Kadrak knew what he was doing. He had said that he had something planned in case they weren’t able to win the battle quickly. Gilrod didn’t know what it was but assumed it had something to do with the wielder’s trips back and forth to the mountains near Beking.
He had never been able to discover what exactly his master did on the trips. He knew better than to try and have him followed, but it was obvious that he was meeting with someone. Who that was, Gilrod didn’t know. He had sent spies to search the area but none of them had found anything. A couple had even disappeared.
Kadrak had often returned from his trips with precious stones. Gilrod wondered if he had contact with a secretive smuggling ring. Perhaps he had placed assassins in Kalia. Regardless of what he had done, it was a secret that Gilrod hadn’t discovered as of yet. He didn’t like that. He made it his business to uncover secrets and know everything that was going on. He would discover this secret sooner or later. Perhaps if he continued serving Kadrak faithfully, the wielder might even come right out and tell him.
Gilrod turned his attention back to the task at hand. The last of the supply wagons finished making it into the pass. All appeared exactly as he had recalled earlier. The supplies would last about ten or eleven days. It would take the army five days to traverse the entire pass and leave the mountains behind. The army would be able to fight for six days at the most before the supplies ran out. He hoped that would be enough time for them to win the battle.
He grabbed one of his spies from the ranks of soldiers passing him and explained the situation. He needed someone he trusted on the other side of the avalanche. He also needed someone to take care of the extra supplies from Beking that would be arriving in two days. Once the spy understood what was needed, he waited patiently at Gilrod’s side until the last of the troops had passed. He then slipped into the narrow path and sprinted back towards Beking.
Gilrod gathered about twenty soldiers from the rear of the army and gave them their orders. They retrieved the necessary equipment and began to fulfill Kadrak’s command. Gilrod took a deep breath. He hoped the wielder truly did know what he was doing.
* * * * *
Kadrak smiled at the sudden sound in the distance. He could hear the snow collapsing down on the path, filling it in. A murmur slowly made its way up the ranks of soldiers as word passed of what had happened. He didn’t mind the talk. He wanted all of them aware of what had just happened and what it meant. He was sure Gilrod had helped to start the message that was quickly being shared from soldier to soldier. All of the troops would soon understand the importance of winning the coming battle quickly and decisively.
He turned his attention from the troops to the tall mountains looming on either side of him. He wondered if the galdak warriors were already in place at the far end of the pass. The avalanche wouldn’t have affected them at all. Shaman Azulk had assured him that the warriors would be in place in time. He supposed they had used tunnels. He wondered how many miles of tunnels truly existed through the mountains and how far they extended.
It would be advantageous to know how far the tunnels reached. He’d have to ask Azulk about it the next time he met with him. He would like to know where he could move the galdak warriors to and how fast he could move them there.
He continued riding in silence, taking in the magnificent beauty of the towering mountains. The immense mountains made one feel small, almost insignificant. However, Kadrak knew that he was not insignificant. He, like the mountains, towered over those around him. His power left others in awe. His power no doubt left others feeling insignificant. The Kalian Army would soon learn to fear his power.
25
In the distance, Traven could clearly make out the edge of the forest. They would reach it sometime in the next few hours. He was excited to be back amongst the trees. He hadn’t been within a forest since he left his grandparent’s home the previous fall. There was something comforting to him about being surrounded by trees. He wasn’t sure
if it was just the memory of his childhood, but for some reason he longed to be in the woods again.
He was also excited because Candus lay at the other side of the forest. The forest was huge and would take days to pass through, but it was an important landmark on their path to the princess. He looked back at the guardians and saw that Darian was also looking longingly at the line that marked the edge of the forest. It was close enough now that the human guardians could see it as well.
“We’ll be in the forest soon,” Darian said happily.
“I don’t know why you sound so excited,” Jorb said in reply. “That forest is full of nothing but trees and wolves.”
“That shows how much you know,” Darian said with a wry smile. “The forest holds many secrets. There is much more than just trees and wolves.”
Traven wondered what the elf meant by secrets. He supposed that the thick foliage in the forests could easily hide many things. He also thought he understood the elf’s excitement. All of the stories he had been told of elves as a child always referred to the creatures as coming out of the woods and disappearing back into the woods once they had completed their mischievous deeds. Perhaps Darian had grown up in the woods like he had.
Traven watched eagerly as they rode closer and closer to the edge of the forest. He soon realized that this forest was different than the one he had grown up in. The trees grew closer together and were much larger. The landscape didn’t ease from the open grasslands they had been riding through into a forest. Rather, there was a very distinct line where the grasslands ended and the forest began.
After awhile they finally reached the edge of the forest. The road veered to the north and soon the edge of the forest was to the south of them. He knew from screeing that eventually the path would lead directly into the forest and cut straight through it towards Candus.
Jorb and Ethan kept casting worried glances to their right at the edge of the forest. It was obvious that the dense foliage made them uncomfortable. Riding next to the edge of the forest, Traven could see why. The trees were close enough together that their branches blocked out most light. The interior of the forest seemed unusually dark. For those who were used to being out in the open all of the time, he supposed that the forest would feel oppressive.
They paused at midday just before entering the forest and had lunch. Darian seemed in better spirits than he had been the entire trip, while both Jorb and Ethan seemed about as downcast as he had ever seen them. As soon as they were done eating, Darian eagerly took the lead and led them down the road and straight into the forest. The thick trees soon made a wall on either side of the road. The thick branches that stretched over head blocked out most of the light and bathed the four of them in shadows. Behind him, Jorb and Ethan rode in a depressed silence.
“The forest isn’t that bad,” Traven said to the two human guardians. “Did you guys know I used to be a woodcutter?”
“Maybe you could get your axe out and chop some of these trees down,” Jorb said. “Then maybe we would be able to see the sky again.”
After traveling through the dark forest for much of the afternoon, Traven began to understand the two human guardians’ depression. Shafts of sunlight rarely penetrated through the dense foliage, and the air was still and somewhat stale. He didn’t mind it nearly as much as they did, but could understand what they disliked about it.
Darian, on the other hand, seemed happier than ever. He kept looking around with a smile as he studied the trees and the birds that flitted amongst the branches. He didn’t seem to mind the darkness at all. He supposed that the elf’s enhanced vision allowed him to see much farther in the dark than the other guardians could.
Traven realized it was the same with him. His eyes pierced the darkness, and he could see deep into the forest. However, Jorb and Ethan probably could only see shadows. They continued on until the shadowed path began to get darker. As the darkness deepened, they decided that it would be best to set up camp. They wouldn’t have the benefit of any moonlight or starlight underneath the thick canopy of branches.
Darian set off to gather some dead branches to make a campfire while the others took care of the horses and set up camp. They made their camp just off the side of the rode in a small clearing between numerous tree trunks. Darian returned quickly and started a fire.
“I will gather some more wood,” he said after starting the fire. “We will want the fire blazing all night. This forest really is full of wolves.”
Traven followed the elf into the darkness and helped gather more wood. If the forest was full of wolves, he’d rather not run out of wood in the middle of the night. He and Darian brought back several armfuls of wood before deciding that the pile they had accumulated was large enough to keep the fire burning brightly through the night.
As soon as everything was settled and the fire was blazing, they all sat down to eat. The flickering flames of the fire danced through the shadows creating a very eerie background for their nightly meal. Traven wondered how many wolves there really were in this part of the forest and whether or not any would come close to the camp. He hadn’t seen or heard anything but birds since they had entered the forest. As soon as Ethan was finished with his meal, he stood up and tossed a few more logs onto the fire.
“I don’t know how you two are so calm,” Ethan said as he looked across the fire at Traven and Darian. “Jorb and I don’t like it when we can’t see more than a few feet in any direction. Does it really not bother you?”
Darian began laughing as he leapt to his feet and disappeared amongst the trees. Ethan watched him go and shook his head with disbelief.
“The elf’s lost his mind,” he said as he stared into the dark forest where Darian had disappeared.
The laughs soon vanished and all was silent once again. Traven wondered what Darian was up to. He wasn’t worried for the elf. He knew he could see fine in the darkness and take care of himself, but he didn’t think it was wise for anyone to be roaming the dark forest alone if there were wolves nearby.
He cleared his mind and reached out with his senses. He was soon able to locate the elf, and he tried hard to keep a straight face. Darian was slowly circling the camp and sneaking up near the side where Ethan was standing. Ethan and Jorb were still staring at the spot where Darian had disappeared, straining their ears for any sound of him
“Bwahhhh!” the elf shouted as he leapt out of the dark forest and into the light of the fire directly behind Ethan. Ethan almost fell over as he spun around with his sword whipping out of his scabbard and his eyes wide with fear.
Darian fell to the ground laughing as Ethan worked to slow his breathing and control his anger. Jorb had been as surprised as Ethan and was also working to slow his racing heart. Traven joined Darian in laughing.
“I can’t believe you just. . .” Ethan sputtered. He took several deep breaths and continued on. “You’re lucky I didn’t put my blade through you!”
Darian just kept laughing. Jorb was soon chuckling as well, and eventually Ethan sheathed his sword and shook his head. Traven watched with amusement as Darian finally stopped laughing and apologized to his fellow guardians. Both accepted the apology but told Darian if he ever did something like that again, he would regret it.
They all settled back down around the fire, finished their food, and cleaned up. After sharing a few stories, they were all ready to sleep. As they began discussing whether or not they needed to worry about wolves, Darian got a worried look on his face and stared at the edge of the camp as though he was trying to hear something.
“Stop it Darian,” Jorb said. “Don’t you think your earlier stunt scared us enough?”
“Quiet,” Darian said sharply. “Something isn’t right.”
Ethan was about to say something, but Traven motioned for him to keep silent. Something was suddenly making him feel uneasy as well. He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. All was completely still outside of their camp, but the uneasy feeling didn’t go away. He concentrated
harder and tried to sense further into the surrounding forest.
The only things he could sense were the large trees and several large boulders to the north. He was about to ask Darian what he thought, when one of the boulders suddenly moved. He opened his eyes in surprise. It obviously wasn’t a boulder. It was still a good distance from their camp, but it had moved in their direction. It was motionless once again, and he couldn’t tell what it was.
“There’s something fairly large in that direction,” he said pointing to the north. “I don’t know what it is, but it seems too big to be a wolf.”
“Could it be a bear?” Jorb asked.
“No,” Darian said quietly. “Something’s wrong. It doesn’t feel natural.”
Traven had to agree with the elf. Something definitely didn’t feel right about the situation. He concentrated on the large mound in the distance. Every so often it would move ever so slightly in the direction of their camp. As it slowly got closer, he was able to judge its size and shape more accurately. It had to be at least ten feet tall. It had four legs, pointed ears, and a long tail.
“I’m not sure what it is,” he said. “But it’s carefully making its way towards us, and it’s at least ten feet tall. It reminds me of a cat stalking a mouse. I think we should be ready in case it attacks.”
All four of them drew their swords as they stared northward into the shadows. Whatever the beast was, it was still a safe distance from the camp. He wondered if it was just creeping closer for a look. He doubted an animal would get too close to the fire.
“Do you think it will actually attack?” he asked Darian.
“I’m not sure,” the elf replied. “If it reminds you of a cat stalking its prey, I think it would be unwise to rule out the possibility that it’s stalking us. How far away is it?”
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