Marzi felt a blow to her chest. The air left her lungs and she doubled over gasping for breath. Stumbling backwards, the man with the one-handed mace swung again and caught her in the shoulder, knocking her over.
Kharla tried to step between the oncoming man and the Azyrean but caught a blow to the head before she could intervene.
Marzi rolled onto her back, sat up, and started scooching backwards away from the man. But she knew it was useless. He covered the distance between them in a couple of bounds and raised his weapon high above his head, a cruel grin on his lips.
Before he could finish the blow, she caught an image of something flying by her, well, two somethings. It took only a second for her to realize that Growl and River had joined the fight. But what was most surprising, she saw a new ogre enter the fray. He came from behind her swinging wildly, bearing down on the man about to end Marzi’s life. Between the two dogs and the ogre, the human went down and remained still.
Suddenly, the air was filled with ogre shouts. It took less than a minute for the fray to end. The humans, all of them, lay still in the dust. Marzi struggled to get to her feet, but her knees wouldn’t hold her up. Her head spun, and darkness came and went. Out of nowhere, the ogre, the one that had argued with her that day, caught her beneath her arms and lowered her gently to the ground.
“Be easy, little one.” He took off his tunic, rolled it up, and placed it on the ground. “Here, lie back. Breathe deep. We will get a healer for you. Be easy.”
Kharla appeared in her field of view. “I am in your debt, Marzi.” She put her hand on Marzi’s forehead. “Lie still. We are getting help for you.”
The Azyrean tried to look around. “Is Klunk okay? Did anyone else get hurt?”
“I am here. And, as you can see, I am still among the living.” Klunk chuckled. “We have all survived. For once, no ogres died in the fight.” Despite the blood dribbling down the side of his face, he smiled.
“They all came and helped.” Marzi forced herself up on an elbow and looked around at the throngs of ogres gathered nearby.
The one that had confronted her and then helped her returned to her side. “You are brave, my little friend. I was wrong about you. I was too worried about words. But I can see that you are not about words. You are about helping and doing. I will be proud to fight by your side.”
Marzi heard a wave of murmuring in the crowed and could see heads nodding. But there was a concern. They would fight by her side. But she was not supposed to be fighting.
Chapter 68: Crystal Sands
Marzi felt the pounding in her head before she tried to open her eyes. Even the dim light inside the tent seemed blinding. Sensing someone nearby, she attempted to rise up, propping herself on an elbow. “Ugh. Who’s there?”
Ellemareth eased in closer. “It is I, Marzi. Lie back and rest.” She smoothed the Azyrean’s hair back from her forehead.
“You’re back. Has everyone returned?”
“No. We have set up our forces at the site of the portal. I, along with a few others, have returned to check in with our leaders. I admit that we were also more than a little concerned about the ogres—whether they would fight when the time comes. I guess we got our answer.”
Marzi’s mind turned to Saige. What had gone on with the ogres was only a small part of what she knew to be a much bigger problem. Of one thing, though, she was sure. Solving the problem was beyond her ability. The leader of the cliff elves held power that Marzi could not challenge. Maybe she should talk to the empress or Elondiel. What about Saryn? Could he help?
Elle’s voice brought Marzi out of her worries. “You know, you are going to have to stop jumping into fights. Every time you join the battle, you get hurt. Sooner or later, it will be serious.”
“I don’t mean to fight. It just seems to happen.”
The elf laughed. “I have heard that before, mostly from young boys who are constantly in trouble.” After a moment of silence, she continued, “But I gather that we have you to thank for the ogre commitment. It was only when you rushed into battle that they all apparently decided to join.”
Klunk sat beside Marzi in dim light inside the tent. “I think that most of our people understand that the fight has been brought to us. They are not happy about it, yet they know that we have no choice but to defend ourselves and our land. There are still questions, I am sure, about the elves and humans and even about Dredwyn. But I think things will be okay.”
“That’s good, then. They will fight with us.”
“Yes… and no. I am worried—afraid that they will fight for the wrong reason.”
The words puzzled Marzi. “What do you mean?”
“They joined the fight only when they saw your actions. Your bravery inspired them. And it is right that it should. But there must be a reason for war, not merely fighting for the sake of bravery. The ogres are a peaceful people. And it may be necessary to fight in order to preserve that peace. But fighting just because you were brave or because they feel brave, that is not sufficient cause. Do you see what I mean?”
The idea seemed overly complicated to Marzi. Dredwyn was doing bad things. He had to be stopped. And it seemed to her that the only way to stop him was for brave people to fight. Most important, her brother was risking his life to help these races. It seemed only right that they should also fight. “When the war is won, you can go back to your peaceful ways. But for now, you must fight.”
“I know that. But my fear is that our people may gain a taste for combat. We have never been heroes, Marzi. And I know, I have seen that, when a battle is won and people are happy, it is easy to feel the glory. But there is no glory in killing. It may sometimes be necessary. But it is never good.”
She couldn’t think of a good response. Nothing she could say to Klunk would change things. They both knew that war would come. Fighting and death were inevitable.
Chapter 69: Ebon Hills
Tovi wasn’t impressed. He noticed that the others drew back, apparently in awe of the image that came forth from the ruby cloud. But he’d seen this kind of thing before. Valyn had appeared in Crystal Sands in an emerald glowing haze. And he’d had a long friendship with Myhrren, who, as it turned out, was a god. So, this Aristan guy was just one more god. No big deal. But maybe this one had more details on how the crystal was to be destroyed with the dagger.
“The time has come for the final push. It has come down to this—the crystal that maintains the power necessary for Dredwyn to remain in this world must be destroyed. It falls to young Tovi Gloam to accomplish that task. I am here to provide the necessary details related to the mission.” The voice sounded tired and resigned.
“Step forward, young man, and withdraw your dagger.” The god nodded toward Tovi.
With his right hand, the Azyrean reached around to his left side and drew the dagger from its sheath. He held it in front of him, blade up. It glowed with a milky lilac hue but the dagger itself seemed a swirling pattern of colors that appeared almost alive.
“Yes, that is the one. As you know, what you must do is simple—drive the point of the dagger into the crystal. The challenge, of course, will be to reach the crystal, which is located far beneath the castle.”
Those in the room remained silent, hanging on the god’s every word. Tovi lowered his arm and, after a moment, re-sheathed the weapon.
Aristan continued, “Breaching that lower chamber will come in two distinct stages. First, you must gain access to the fortress itself.” With a wave of his hand, a three-dimensional image appeared in front of the god. It rotated slowly so that each member could see the structures from all angles.
“These are the two main entrances to the grounds.” Two spots on the image briefly flashed and then dimmed, although they remained more vivid than the other parts. “I show you this only to give perspective. There is little likelihood that you could get in this way. As you might expect, the guards at these points are among the best of Dredwyn’s minions. They are not easily deceived, and y
ou have no hope of gaining entrance by force.”
West queried, “If that is the case, how do we get inside?”
“An excellent question. It is here that we must call upon our other Azyrean friend and his associates.” His image turned toward Jarek. “You will create a portal that will get Tovi within the fortress walls. Provided you can retrieve the proper crystal from the old brotherhood enclave in Ebon Lake, our traveler will be deposited here.” He reached out a feathery arm and touched the floating image creating a brilliant purple spot inside the walls.
Tovi stared at the small pulsing circle. “Is that where I have to stick the dagger in the crystal?”
Aristan burst out laughing. “We could only wish, my young boy.” He grew more serious. “This simply gets you by the first set of guards.”
Jarek shifted his weight from foot to foot as he studied the three-dimensional figure. “What color crystal do we need to create the portal?” He wasn’t keen on the idea of going back to the enclave, since it had likely been overrun by the king’s men.
“I shall get to that in a moment. But first things first.” Aristan returned his attention to Tovi. “This spot where you will emerge from the portal is hidden from sight between two small storage structures, as you can see.” He waved his arm again, and the image rose and tilted slightly. With the new orientation, the god again touched it and a bright sapphire circle appeared on the side of the grounds opposite and below the portal exit. “This is the access to the lower containment cavern, where your destination lies. The entrance is a small door in the back edge of the main castle structure. To the eye, it seems ordinary and unused. Apparently though, it is the only opening in the area. That doorway is where you must go.”
“How do I get there?” The image seemed simple enough. Tovi knew that it likely wasn’t as simple as just walking across the courtyard.
“Very carefully.” Aristan continued, with a smirk, “The most direct route would be to traverse the courtyard. But that would put you in view of the guards and anyone else inside the walls. There is another way, but I am afraid that it will be more complicated. An underground passage can take you beneath and across the courtyard. From there, you should be able to easily find the access door to the lower area without being seen.”
Tovi stared at the image. He didn’t see anything there that looked like a passage, underground or otherwise. He was about to ask when the young human boy broke in. “Hey, I know that tunnel. It’s inside one of those buildings, on the floor. I had to go through there once when I was delivering something for Bart. I got to the gate, and one of the soldiers led me through to give some important man a note.”
Aristan turned to consider the source of the new voice. “Of course, you do, young man. That is why you are here.”
Ben’s eyes grew wide, and he shrunk back away from the god.
“And the lad can indeed help you to reach the access door. But I give you this caution, Tovi Gloam. Enter the doorway alone. No one is to accompany you. Inside you will face challenges. But as you already know, they are of the mind and spirit, not of the physical world. Alone, you can resist the efforts of Dredwyn. Having another person there would merely give the demon another soul to manipulate.”
Tovi’s heart fell. Going in alone seemed worse than anything he’d imagined. Even down in the tunnels when he, Klunk, and Kharla had encountered Mugrok, he’d never been alone.
Aristan continued, “I will leave the rest of these details to your party. Now we will turn our attention to the question of the portal that you must create.”
Chapter 70: Ebon Hills
“Do you have a crystal that color?” Jarek regretted not having paid more attention when he was down in the room where the crystals had been stored.
Brother Andrew, the brotherhood archivist, would be accompanying the party back to the old enclave. “I know there is a purple one, but I believe it’s a deeper hue than what Aristan told us. From what he said, the one we’re looking for should look more like an amethyst.
Jarek had no idea what that was. “I assume that you’ll know it if you see it.”
“That is not the problem. What worries me is getting it up to the area where we can focus the moonbeams through it. With everything that’s happened, I’d be surprised if we can pull it off without the king’s people noticing us.”
“You have a better idea, perhaps?”
The group was larger than Jarek would have preferred, given that they were attempting to travel unnoticed. Brothers Andrew and Ratio would represent the brotherhood. Mathias and Burns would be going for the rebels. Tovi and Ben would be along, since they were the ones who would be using the portal. Finally, Jarek and the elf, Ran, would accompany them as well. He studied the group as they prepared to depart. They would travel at night and that would help. Still, if there were anyone in the vicinity, this large group would be hard to miss. Fortunately, their party would include a couple seasoned fighters.
Commander West stood with them among the ruins of the old monastery. “Are we clear on everything? Mathias is in charge. Get there but don’t attempt to enter the old enclave until night.” She turned to the group leader. “Make sure you have guards posted at the entrance but out of sight.”
“Aye, Commander.”
“And Jarek, you, Burns, and Ratio will be setting up the crystal. Don’t start that process until about fifteen minutes before sunset. We have a waxing quarter moon right now, so it will be above the horizon when the sun sets. Create the portal and then stow the crystal away from the site as soon as Tovi and Ben go through. Got it?”
“Yes, Commander. I understand.” Jarek had heard the orders several times. “How long do you want us to wait at the site after they go through?”
West rubbed her chin as she considered the question. “Give it about an hour. After that, take refuge in the forest. I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen after that. We should have asked Aristan how we will know if Tovi is successful.”
The question had occurred to Jarek as well. They were taking a lot on faith. The two would step into the portal and, if past experience was any indicator, they would disappear. Based on everything the god had told them, young Tovi should complete his task within one or two hours at the most. But what if something went wrong? How would they even know?
◆◆◆
“Ebon Lake and the town are just over that rise.” Mathias signaled the group to a stop with his upraised arm. “Brother Andrew.” He strained as he looked through the half-light at the old white-haired man.”
“Yes, sir.”
“As I recall, there are several entrances to the old enclave. Which do you favor?”
Andrew ran his fingers through his beard. “Well, the one in the woods, you know, where we made the portal the first time, would be the most secluded. We’d not likely be seen, provided the king’s men aren’t watching it. The easiest to find would be the entrance in the Birch Flagon. That’s the tavern where Captain Virgil entered the last time. There would be more people to see us there, but it would be easier to explain our presence in a tavern than out in the middle of the woods at night.”
Mathias shrugged. “I think Commander West intended for us to go in by the wooded entrance. Also, whatever route we take in, we’re going to have to bring the crystal up into the woods. That’s where we found the open area that we’ll need to make the portal.”
“Very well. That entrance is south of here. We just need to skirt the town until we get there. Might I make a suggestion, though? Why don’t we send a scout in to see if the king’s men are watching the tavern? If they are, then there’s a good chance they’ll be watching the wooded entrance as well.”
The leader motioned the others to sit. “Let’s stop here for the day.” He dropped his own pack and looked up at the rise for a moment before turning to face the group. “Burns, I’d like you to make your way into town later this morning.” He tossed a bag that jingled when she caught it. “Should be enough in there to buy some b
read and cheese at one of the shops. Make sure you pass by the tavern and look for any signs that it’s under surveillance.”
“You got it.”
The notion alarmed Jarek. “Whoa, wait a minute. I thought we were supposed to remain out of sight during the day. That could be dangerous. Maybe I should go with her.”
Mathias chuckled. “I hate to say it but sending you along would make it even more dangerous. A woman going to the market is not a remarkable sight. But a short man with long pointed ears is bound to draw attention. And I think we’ve already used the hood too many times. Someone would probably notice. No, I think it’s safer if she goes alone.”
Ben spoke up, “I could go with her. I’ve been in town lots.”
“Yeah, but the king’s men are looking specifically for you right now. No, Burns goes alone.”
Jarek studied the young woman. Her look seemed conflicted. She smiled, but it looked forced and was overpowered by the uncertainty in her eyes. “Don’t worry. I can handle myself.”
Everyone settled into their own thoughts. Some lay back and tried to sleep. Others munched on dried meat and fruit. Jarek tentatively moved over to sit beside Burns, who was re-checking her pack. “I don’t like this, Burns.”
“I’ll be fine.” She offered the same uncertain smile.
“People in town might know you. They’ve probably seen you around with the rebels. This is too dangerous.”
She put her hand on his arm. “Jarek, it’s my job. You’ve got yours and we’re going to depend on you when the time comes to make the portal. But right now, we need to know whether there’s anyone watching the tavern. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything to bring attention to myself. I’m just going in to buy some bread and cheese.”
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