By the time that Bruk had taken care of the mounts Red had just completed putting their plates together. She brought the warm meal over to where Bruk was sitting. He was sitting on an insulated wolf fur blanket.
Red handed him the plate and then she sat down on the grey blanket next to him. She got comfortable and then she said, “I put a little extra seasoning on the burlem this time. Tell me if you like it.”
Bruk picked up a thick slab of the tender meat off of his plate and took a bite causing some juice to run down his chin. He chewed for a few seconds and then he swallowed. He looked at Red and said, “It is very good. I like it this way. You should open up a restaurant when we get back. It would always be packed because of the food. You are a great cook!”
Red smiled and said, “Thank you. I can’t leave my village though because my little sister depends upon me, but maybe someday. We should have seen a sign of your lost city by now I would think.”
Bruk was too busy eating to reply but he nodded his head showing her that he had heard her.
Red thought as she ate and when she was done she said, “Hopefully the snow will let up a little and then by the end of the day tomorrow we should see something. Let me look at that map again.”
Bruk reached into his vest and pulled it out and then he handed it to her.
Red scrutinized the map by the firelight and after a few moments she said, “We are right on course as far as I can tell. Maybe tomorrow w should head just a little bit more to the west and then by the end of the day we better see something. It just has to be where I figured it was; there is no other place that it could be.”
Bruk finally finished his meal and with the back of his hand he wiped his mouth and chin. He looked at Red and said, “I trust you and I trust your judgment. You have brought us this far and I know that we are following the path that you said that we should take. We haven’t gone astray; maybe tomorrow will be our lucky day.”
Red said, “It better be!”
They talked for a little while and then they turned in for the night under the cover of the snow covered limbs of the trees.
Early the next morning and after a small cold meal they headed out again but this time just a little bit more towards the west as Red had suggested. It was still snowing but it wasn’t as heavy as the night before.
They rode side by side each one constantly scanning the landscape for any sign of a bear or a wolf. Red said that wolves weren’t this far up north but Bruk wasn’t so sure.
They also were hoping to see something up ahead but as the day wore on they still didn’t see any signs of a lost city yet.
About three or four hours before night would fall the snow finally had stopped and the sun shone brightly in the sky. It had been snowing all day. The snow was light but it still hampered visibility to see very far.
Bruk stopped causing Red to pull up and stop too. She said, “Why did you stop?”
Bruk laughed and said as he pointed, “You were right. Look straight ahead.”
Red looked to where Bruk was pointing and she said, “I don’t see anything.”
“There is a spot miles and miles long and miles high. It looks like a light grey blur from here but whatever it is it is huge.”
Red looked again but she still couldn’t see anything. “I can’t see what you are talking about.”
Bruk took his dagger out and looked at it. The runes were glowing softly with a light bluish hue.
Red was startled and said, “Your dagger is glowing!”
Bruk smiled and said, “You don’t have to be afraid. It is glowing because magic is straight up ahead and I think that the city is being hidden by magic. I can see where it is though because of the blades that I carry. Here, take this and tell me what you see.” He then handed the dagger to her.
Red hesitated just for a moment and then she grabbed the dagger and looked at the glowing runes that were engraved all up and down the length of the deadly sharp dark blue blade. She had never seen metal like that before and she could tell that it wasn’t an ordinary blade. She looked straight ahead and now she could see what Bruk was talking about. She gasped and said, “I can see it now, I can see it!”
Bruk laughed and said, “I want you to hold on to that blade until this adventure is done. I want you to be able to see whatever I see. You will be safer that way. That dagger and my sword were given to me by a very powerful sorcerer named Zardgesha. It will protect you from most magical spells and enchantments. It is the power of the blade that lets you see through a spell enabling you to see the place where I think that the city lies hidden.”
“Thank you and I think that you are right. It is still too far away to get there today but tomorrow we should be able to make it,” Red said.
Bruk looked again and he said, “I agree with you. Let us ride on until night falls before we make camp.”
Red agreed so they rode on. They both were a little bit excited knowing that their destination was directly in front of them now and only about a day’s ride away. She was hoping to find a treasure but she was also excited just to visit a place where no one has gone before.
About an hour later they saw a very large white bear about a hundred yards away. It had just walked out from behind a hill and it didn’t notice them yet.
Bruk stopped and Red briefly wondered why until she looked up ahead and saw the bear.
Bruk said, “It doesn’t see us yet but it will. It is right in our path and the wind is blowing straight at it so any moment he will look our way and charge. We can’t outrun it and we can’t afford to lose our mounts.”
Red said, “So what are we going to do? A man doesn’t stand a chance against a bear as big as that one. Let’s turn around and try and get away.”
Bruk smiled and said, “That is exactly what I want you to do. I will stay here and take care of the bear. I want you to get our mounts away from here. Keep them safe at all costs because our lives depend upon them. If something should happen to me at least you will be safe.”
Red said, “I am not leaving you!”
Bruk dismounted and his sword was already in his hand. He looked up at Red and said, “You have to go now! Think of the mounts. I will be all right.”
Red shook her head negatively and said, “I can’t just ride off and leave you.”
“If you leave then I won’t have to worry about you and our rides, now go!” said Bruk.
The bear smelled fresh meat and looked ahead and saw two two-legs and three four legged creatures. It roared in hunger and charged!
Bruk yelled, “Go now!” He then turned and ran straight at the massive white furred engine of death with grim determination.
Red did as Bruk had requested but she wasn’t happy about it at all. She cursed and cursed as she rode away. She kept looking back as she raced through the snow.
The growling bear kept getting closer and closer and it was a little bit confused to see the two-legged fresh meat running towards him. It kept running through the snow on all four legs at an incredible speed.
Bruk ran as fast as the snow would permit and straight at the advancing bear. He held his sword off to his right and high up above his shoulder.
When the bear got to within about five yards away from Bruk it leaped and roared in fury with its front paws reaching out and claws stretching!
Bruk watched the bear and he jumped to his right just as the bear had leaped. He twisted to his left bringing his sword down with all of his might with his muscles bulging and surging with power. The dark blue blade bit deeply into the white fur and the flesh beneath, deeper than any normal blade could and the bear howled in pain.
The bear fell face first into the snow almost pulling the sword out of Bruk’s hand. It growled and started to rise and turn towards the man that had just given it so much pain.
Bruk jerked his sword free and swung again into the beast’s neck just above its shoulder causing the bear to lean forward.
Bruk then had to jump backwards when the mighty bear r
eached for him and got back up to all fours again. It roared defiantly at Bruk and then it charged once more.
Bruk didn’t move. He raised the sword with both hands high above his head and then he brought it down with all of his might right on top of the bear’s head with a loud crack like thunder.
The sword cleaved through the bear’s skull and cut deeply into its brain killing it instantly. It dropped into the red snow and lay still.
“Are you injured?” Red asked.
Bruk looked at her and smiled. He said, “I thought that I told you to run away and save our mounts.”
Red smiled and said, “I did but you didn’t tell me that I couldn’t come back.”
Bruk laughed and then he wiped his sword clean on the bear’s fur. He said, “We will camp here for the night.”
Chapter 19
Early the next morning Bruk and Red were already riding towards the light grey blur which Bruk thought was hiding the ancient city.
It definitely was something magical because the runes on Bruk’s dagger and sword were glowing. They just hoped that it wouldn’t be dangerous.
As Red was riding she held the reins with her left hand. She had the dagger in her right hand. Every once in a while she would toss the dagger up into the air and look ahead. The light grey blur would disappear until she caught the blade and then she could see it again. She laughed and laughed at her little game.
Bruk watched her and he laughed seeing how happy that she was. He decided that he would let her keep the dagger. He had other ones at home back in Catan anyways.
They finally got close to the magical wall. They were only about one hundred yards away from it and they had stopped. It was miles long and miles high. It was a very light grey in color and at this close range it looked almost like a very thick light grey fog. All the ground before it was short lush light green grass with no snow covering at all. The temperature was warm and quite different to where Bruk and Red had stopped.
They were just before the line of grass and sitting upon their mounts in the snow looking ahead and wondering if it was safe to ride upon the grass. Steam was coming of the grass that was close to the snow line.
Red looked at Bruk and said, “Do you think that it is safe to cross the grass and go through the wall of mist?”
Bruk said, “I’m not sure. I will test it. Do not move forward until I tell you that it is safe.”
Bruk dismounted and drew his sword. The runes were all lit up brightly as he walked towards the grass. He reached forward with his sword crossing the line of snow. The whole dark blue blade of the sword was over the light green grass. Nothing happened.
Bruk took a step and stopped still standing in the snow. He reached out his left arm and held it above the grass. Nothing happened.
Bruk stepped out of the snow and onto the grass. He stood still and the first thing that he noticed was how warm that it was. He walked back onto the snow and then he put his sword away and mounted up.
Red asked, “Well what do you think?”
Bruk said, “The grass at least appears to be safe. Wait here, I want to go back by those trees and get some branches so that I can set up a few markers as we go so that when we return we will know what direction to take to go back.”
“Good idea,” Red said. She then tossed the dagger up in the air and the grey wall of mist and the green grass disappeared. All she could see until she caught the dagger again was snow and snow covered trees. She laughed.
Bruk went and broke off about ten or so small limbs with dark bark from an obliging tree and then he returned. He set up one marker in the snow right before the grass line and about five yards away.
He then remounted and spurred his unicorn forward. It paced forward until it came near to the grass and then it stopped. It wouldn’t go any farther no matter how hard that Bruk tried to get it to move ahead.
Bruk swore and then he said, “We will have to go by foot it seems. Let’s take the mounts back to the trees and we can leave them there until we return.”
Red nodded and followed Bruk back to the small copse of trees that was situated next to a large snow covered hill. They secured the mounts and left plenty of food out for them and then they walked back to the grass line.
Bruk and Red both had supplies tied in cloth bags secured to their backs. They each were also carrying a bundle of small tree limbs.
Bruk walked off of the snow and onto the green grass with Red coming right after him. Once he took a few steps he stopped and pounded a limb into the soft earth making the spot where they had entered the grass land.
Bruk and Red then were soon right before the wall of light grey fog. Bruk set up another marker lined up with the last one. He tied one end of a long rope to it and he held the rest of it all coiled up in his left hand.
Bruk cautiously stretched out his right arm and reached into the grey mist. Nothing happened so he walked forward uncoiling the rope as he moved with Red following.
Once fully inside of the light grey mist it became cool and the air seemed fresh and pure. They walked and cautiously made progress through the mist. They walked slowly because they could hardly see even a couple of feet ahead of them or to either side.
They must have walked for at least a half of an hour or so before the mist slowly disappeared and then abruptly it was gone!
Bruk pounded in another marker and tied the rope to it. It was just about at the end of the hundred foot long piece of braided rope.
Red said. “Time to get rid of some of these clothes.” She then took off her heavy jacket, vest, extra pants, the fur lined heavy snow boots and all of the scarfs. She placed them all neatly next to the marker.
Bruk did the very same thing. It was warm in the land inside of the magical wall. Bruk looked all around him and noticed how much different the land was inside of the magical boundary.
It almost looked like a jungle from the past. The vegetation was thick in spots and made up of all kinds of trees with many different and strange brightly colored leaves, dark and light blue, red, yellow, green, and brown. In between the clusters of thick jungle were open spaces of rocky hills with short thin weird looking trees with upturning smooth limbs full of wicked three foot long needle sharp thorns.
Small bushes of varying sizes and different colors were scattered everywhere. Long thin climbing lush dark green ropelike vines were over every hill and wrapped around most of the trees inside of the areas of the jungle growth.
The whole scene looked almost otherworldly and out of place. Far up ahead in the distance could be seen a high mountain with lofty peaks and a valley about three quarters of the way up in the face of the rugged terrain. Inside of the valley there appeared to be the tops of towers from some hidden structures below and out of sight from the distance.
Bruk pointed and said, “That is where we have to go. You can just barely see some towers peeking out over the valley wall. That is where the lost city is!”
Red looked and she agreed.
Bruk said, “Let us eat something and rest for a little bit before we begin our trek. It looks like the going is going to be rough and we will have to go slow and keep a look out for any signs of danger. The land itself might have hidden traps and who knows what vegetation might be dangerous. There might also be wild and dangerous wildlife hidden that we can’t see yet.”
Red agreed and then she made a simple cold meal and then they both ate and relaxed for a while just marveling at the scene before them. It was like being on another planet.
Red said, “I am so happy that you let me come with you. This is the weirdest place that you could ever even imagine and at the same time it is also so very beautiful and colorful that it is almost beyond words.
Bruk smiled at her enthusiasm but he had to agree. He knew that sometimes beauty could be deceiving and hide great and powerful evil. He was thankful for the star blades.
Red had a thought and then she took out the dagger and looked at it. It was glowing very brightly. She set it down in
the grass right next to her and then the whole land disappeared and was replaced by the snow covered land that they had just left. She touched the dagger and then she could see the alien jungle again. She laughed and laughed causing Bruk to grin.
Bruk and Red ate a small cold lunch of salty meat jerky and slices of spicy cheese. They washed it down with water that they had brought with them in their provisions.
Red said, “It looks like it will take us at least two full days or more to make it to the mountain and then maybe another day to reach the valley depending on how hard the climb is.”
Bruk looked towards the mountain and then he said, “I agree with you but I hope that we can make it there even faster. We will have to go slow though because we don’t know what animals might be found here. Even the plant life could be dangerous. I have never seen such weird plant life before in my whole life.”
Red said, “I can’t wait until we get to the city. Who knows how much treasure might be hidden there?”
Bruk laughed. Red sure did like treasure. Bruk hoped that she would find some.
After they finished eating then they started to walk towards the distant mountain making their way through the colorful landscape. They avoided the thick jungle areas as much as possible and kept close to the hills where the undergrowth wasn’t so thick and tangled. Going was slow but progress was made and by the end of the day they were a little over half way to the mountain.
They didn’t see any animal life at all so far and that was most unusual. The land was quiet and unnerving and not even one bird flew in the sky or perched in the trees. The whole land appeared to be empty of life except for the trees and the abundant weird plant life.
The next day as it neared the time when night would fall they made it to the base of the mountain. They made camp there and planned on climbing the mountain the next day.
Bruk said, “It seems so strange not to see or hear any animals or birds. The whole place is so quiet that it is almost scary. One good thing though is that we weren’t attacked by anything the past two days.”
The Sword of Vengeance (The Chronicles of Bruk the Barbarian Book 4) Page 14