"Got it," Alrion said. He walked the horses over a bit further and called out to Falric.
"What do we do? We need a way to fight them smarter, their numbers are too great!"
"Use your head," Falric said, focusing on his fire waves. Alrion looked at the environment trying to come up with a plan. He noticed a support beam for the checkpoint building that looked unsteady. Maybe if he could dislodge it, that would cause a diversion or at least reduce the space in which the Blighters had to attack. He had no other options, so decided to go for it.
He kept his eye on it and started to focus. All he had to do was push the beam enough to move or break it, and the weight of the structure would do the rest. He focused his will, as before, but trying to ignore the chaos around him. He got annoyed at his slowness when urgency was required and found a way to draw upon his inner power. As he was about to release it, something jumped into his peripheral vision.
"Incoming!" Falric called out. A burned but not beaten Blighter was heading right for Alrion. He froze. What was he supposed to do?
"PUSH!" Falric yelled out. Alrion didn't even think, he just acted. He pushed the Blighter with all the force he had been accumulating. Unlike before, it happened immediately. The blighter flew back with incredible speed, a stunned look on its face but there was a problem. It was heading right for Falric.
"Look out!" Alrion yelled. Falric turned in time to see what was happening and managed to push the Blighter enough to alter its trajectory. It slammed into the building next to the checkpoint. Alrion had succeeded in protecting himself, but not in his objective. At least that's what he thought.
By pushing away the Blighter thrown at him, Falric had exposed himself. Another blighter got in close and tried to bite him. Falric had almost no options to defend himself. He managed to throw a fireball at close range, charring the Blighter instantly and sending the body flying but the power with which he unleashed the fireball did not stop at one Blighter. It blossomed out, killing the rest within range and consuming the checkpoint and nearby building. It could not withstand the resultant force and heat and started to collapse.
"Get back!" Falric cried out and he turned to run. Alrion could say nothing, but turned and tried to get the horses moving once more. Vincent increased the intensity of his attacks, trying to push the blighters back. The checkpoint building slammed to the ground with a great crash, blocking the path and any blighters behind.
"That's one problem solved," Falric said. As he finished speaking a rumbling sound echoed above them.
"That could be another one," Alrion said. Falric stepped past the young wizard and stood next to Vincent, shooting rays of fiery death at the blighters in the rows behind. With the two of them working tirelessly, they pushed their way forward, the Blighters unable to stand up to the combined onslaught.
Alrion followed close behind, fearful that the tunnel may collapse. He watched on in awe, seeing a side of his father that he never expected. Vincent had always been a peaceful man, working hard at the forge and supporting his family. Alrion had no idea that he was so proficient with a sword and so fearless.
Falric, too, was impressive. The Blighters pushed on and on, but the two men slashed and blasted them down as soon as they emerged.
"Where are they all coming from?" Vincent said. Alrion had no idea. They had entered from outside and passed no other tunnels or structures that could hold anything. He concentrated on keeping the horses under control and looked forward and back to gauge the potential dangers from the blighters and the stability of the tunnel.
Suddenly, the stream of Blighters ended. Vincent and Falric stopped and waited. There was quiet. No more snarling or yelling but they couldn't escape the smell of burned flesh and bodies everywhere.
"I think the path is clear, let's leave," Vincent said. Alrion was not one to disagree. He followed along as best he could, assisting the horses through.
They trudged back, away from the battle scene and through the path back to the entrance. Alrion could smell the fresh air and knew they were close. With each step, he relaxed a bit more and could feel the horses relax. He strove closer and closer to the exit, feeling so enclosed by the tunnel and what they had just experienced.
"And here we are," Vincent said as he spotted the entrance. The giant doors were wide open.
"Wait," Vincent said before Alrion could leave. Alrion stopped, holding the horses still. Vincent knelt to the ground and looked carefully.
"I think there are tracks. Can you do something with those Falric?" Vincent said.
"With magic? Not really. I'm afraid old fashioned tracking is the way to go here."
"Fair enough. Hold up and let me see if I can follow them," Vincent said. Alrion kept the horses inside the tunnel and Falric stood to the side, watching Vincent work. He walked with care, keeping a close eye on the ground and kneeling down to have a closer look. Soon he had disappeared around a corner.
"Sorry about back there," Alrion said.
"For what?" Falric said.
"I almost hit you."
"Never mind that, the important thing is that we are all safe."
"But still..."
"Listen carefully. You are still new at this but you reacted well and protected yourself. That is the most important thing. You must never let yourself be infected by the Blight," Falric said. Alrion was about to respond but saw his father returning.
"So, do you want the good news or the bad news?" Vincent said.
"Let's have some good news," Falric said.
"I was able to follow the tracks well enough to see where they came from. The sheer volume of blighters made it relatively easy, even for a novice such as me."
"Great, so what's the bad news?"
"The tracks lead into the forest."
"Oh, I see," Falric said.
"What's so bad about that?" Alrion said.
"Now that the tunnel is closed, the forest is our only option. Even without the threat of Blighters, your father wanted to avoid it. And if the Blighters came from there, we could be in for far more trouble," Falric said.
"Which forest?" Alrion said
"The Whispering Forest," Falric said, the concern on his face quite clear. They left the tunnel and Alrion looked back. He felt disappointment that he had failed them and caused such problems. He looked at Vincent and Falric and could feel the tension. They were also a bit shaken by the events, and Alrion knew that something was wrong about the forest they were about to enter. There had to be a reason that his father was so adamant that they try the tunnel first.
"You'll have to tell me about this forest," Alrion said, as they mounted up and prepared to ride.
15
A New Path
"The Whispering Forest is called that, because of what you hear within," Falric said as they rode.
"Whispering?" Alrion said.
"Exactly. It's probably something to do with the trees and the wind patterns, but the whispering sound is unmistakable. Of course, many believe that the forest is haunted and steer clear. The fact that there are many recorded cases of people disappearing within the forest keeps these beliefs going around."
"Haunted? By ghosts?"
"That's what the stories say. Visibility is also very poor, there seems to be a mist that hangs over the place. It would be a place ripe for theft or kidnapping, but most people avoid it."
"Maybe not as many avoid it now since the tunnel under the mountain was abandoned," Alrion said.
"You're probably right about that. I guess we shall see who we encounter," Vincent said, joining the conversation.
"Speaking of who we have encountered, maybe you can tell me more about those creatures we fought. Blighters?" Alrion said.
"A Blighter is a person or was a person that has been tainted by the Blight but more than tainted, transformed. Your grandfather studied them closely, and could not ascertain if the person still existed within. Their skin is darker, a greyish hue and they stoop and often travel on hands and feet. As you s
aw," Falric said.
"Why do they act like that?" Alrion said.
"It's a good question. The best theory is that the Blight changes them somehow, to a more animalistic state. They don't appear to have any leaders among them but do travel in packs. We believe there's some sort of shared consciousness or communication going on."
"What do they do? What's their goal?"
"I'm not sure they have one. If they do, it's to attack people. They can infect you with the Blight, which as I mentioned is something you absolutely must avoid as a wizard."
"Why is it different?"
"The Blight reacts differently to a wizard. It corrupts their spark. As you know, the Spark is the inner power of a wizard that makes them unique. Imagine instead of that fire you have within you, it was instead a lump of tar, which pulsed with a power that sickened you," Falric said.
"Wow that seems horrible," Alrion said.
"Yes. It would affect you in many different ways, the most obvious being that you would be unable to use your spark in the normal way. The wizards that tried, well each spell they cast became corrupted. Usually, in ways they did not anticipate."
"You sold me on not getting infected," Alrion said.
"Good. You must avoid that at all costs. The fact that we were attacked by such a large contingent of them is concerning. Was it pure chance that they were here, or are we being targeted?" Falric said.
"A good question. We need to know," Vincent said.
"I'll think about it. However, I fear there's too little information right now to know for sure. There's a chance that it was a coincidence as the horde was already here and the reason for the evacuation of Hopetarn," Falric said. Alrion looked up and could see the edge of the forest.
A milky haze hung over and pervaded the entire place. The trees were impossibly tall and quite narrow but extremely numerous. Their only way in was a dirt path through the middle, wide enough for single file.
"How did they even make a path through there?" Alrion asked.
"Not sure. Maybe nobody ever did?" Falric said.
"The forest is not enchanted, it didn't make the path itself," Vincent said.
"You never know," Falric said.
"You of all people should know," Vincent said to Falric.
"I think you'll find, that the more you learn about the world we live in, the more you realise that there's so much we don't know or understand," Falric said.
"That is a typical wizard answer," Vincent said, pointing at Falric with his thumb.
"He's right about that. But for the wrong reason," Falric said. Alrion left it at that.
"We'll be in the forest soon, you can draw your own conclusions as to if it is haunted or otherwise," Vincent said.
The entrance to the forest snuck up on them, the mist making the distances harder to judge. Before they knew it, they were surrounded by giant trees. Vincent brought his horse to a halt and the other two followed. They sat in silence for a minute.
"This must be for my benefit," Alrion thought. He listened out and concentrated on the sounds of the forest. He could hear the wind swirling through the trees and the sounds of wood moving. He couldn't hear much in the way of animals, though it was quiet.
"Alllllllllllllrionnnnnnnnnn," the faintest of whispers said. Alrion jumped with surprise, almost falling out of the saddle.
"Did you hear that?" he said.
"Hear what? The trees?" Vincent said.
"They whispered my name."
"Don't be silly, you're imagining that," Vincent said. Falric looked at Alrion with interest.
"I think the jury is out. Let's get a move on and see if you continue to hear it," Falric said.
"Sure," Alrion said. He didn't trust his voice enough to say more. He was spooked. It was one thing to hear the strange whispers; it was another to hear his name. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, but it was too bizarre. They set off once more, slowly progressing through the forest. Due to the heavy mist, visibility was poor, so they took their time navigating the slim path. Vincent was in front, Alrion in the middle and Falric to the rear.
"I feel like I shouldn't be talking here like we are interrupting something," Alrion said.
"Everyone reports feeling uneasy in here. Like they are trespassing. There's a reason I don't slam the door shut on all those theories of haunting. Too much is unexplainable," Falric said.
"Is this feeling the mist? My clothes are sticking to me, but it's so cold," Alrion said.
"That's the mist. It keeps the moisture level very high here. Not good for campfires," Vincent said.
"Good point," Alrion said.
"There's a whole host of reasons why people avoid this place. However, we don't have many options. The underground path is blocked now, and if we went around the forest, it would take days and days. It's not worth it," Vincent said.
"How long will this take?" Alrion said
"We will have to camp overnight, but we can make it out tomorrow easily."
"That doesn't sound too bad."
"It shouldn't be. Hang on," Vincent said. He slowed his horse and peered into the distance.
"Do you see something up ahead?" Falric said.
"I think so; I can make out a few shapes. Do you think there are people here?"
"There might be. Why don't you investigate and we will stay further behind?" Falric said.
Vincent set off again, and Alrion waited before continuing. He hoped it was fellow travellers and not more Blighters. He had seen enough for one day. Vincent waved at them to stop, and he dismounted. He slapped his horse and sent it back towards Alrion. Then Vincent proceeded alone and on foot into the mist.
Vincent walked with care, each step placed as softly as possible. He was not a hunter or a woodsman, but he could be quiet when he needed to be. It was hard to make out the shapes ahead, but it looked like two people. Two would be manageable if it turned out they were hostile. As he crept closer, he could start to hear voices.
"This mist is terrible, I can't see anything," a man said.
"Well I told you this would happen, you shouldn't complain," an older man said.
"We had no choice."
"Stop grumbling about it then."
"I'll complain as much as I want," the first voice responded, but was quiet after.
"They don't sound particularly dangerous," Vincent thought and continued his approach. As he closed in, he was still at a loss as to who they were. The outlines of the shapes improved, and he could see they were on foot without horses, but no details were clear. He had to make a decision, to slow down progress and try to avoid them, or confront them and travel together.
"I'll confront them, and decide based on their reaction. I won't be able to determine much of anything without being right next to them," he thought. Their pace was slow so he increased his speed and called out once he was almost upon them.
"Hello, friends!" Vincent said. They stopped immediately and turned around.
"Is someone there?" one of the men said.
"Yes, hold still and I'll come closer. Damn this mist," Vincent said.
"You can say that again," the voice said. Vincent walked closer and finally got a good look at the pair. They were two men, one older and one much younger. They wore simple travelling clothes with no jewellery and sturdy boots.
"I'm Vincent, nice to meet you," he said, holding his hand out to the older man first.
"Fitzgerald, nice to meet you," the older man said.
"Grant, also nice to meet you," the younger man said.
"What brings you to this awful place?" Vincent said.
"We are merchants. We'll sell anything really. But profits aren't as good, so we're looking to see if we can get new lines from further abroad."
"Heading to Altarbright then?"
"You know it, that's the place to be. You heading there also?"
"Yes. So close, yet so far."
"Tell me about it. I've had it up to here with this mist and the strange whispers," Grant
said.
"Yeah, I'll be happy to be out of here. You two travel safe," Vincent said.
"Where are you going? Why don't you join us? At least we could camp together," Fitzgerald said.
"That sounds reasonable. I came ahead to investigate who was here. Since you two seem like stand-up fellows I'll report back to the others."
"How many others?"
"Just two more. My son and father. Don't go anywhere."
"I feel like we've been doing that all day," Grant said. Vincent waved and turned to walk back the way he had come. He felt like something was off, but couldn't put his finger on it.
16
Companions
Vincent stepped out of the mist and saw Falric and Alrion staring out at him.
"That took a while," Alrion said.
"I was careful, and spoke to them," he said.
"Who are they?" Falric said.
"They said they are travellers, going to Altarbright to find new goods."
"It seems plausible, but why come through here?" Falric said
"Exactly. However, like us, they could be trying to save time. There are not a lot of options."
"What's your gut feeling?" Falric said.
"There's something not quite right but I can't place it. I'm not worried about them, though, they don't seem dangerous," Vincent said.
"That's probably a fair assessment. So, what's the plan?"
"They suggested we camp together. It's not a bad idea, and it would raise suspicion if we said no."
"Why do we care if they are suspicious?" Alrion said.
"If they are a danger, it's better we play along and assess. Disappearing on them may cause them to behave differently and come after us," Falric said.
"Isn't that better than us being right with them?" Alrion said.
"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer," Falric said.
"Is that a saying?"
"An old one. Useful in many different situations. If we're unsure, it's safer to keep close so we can watch them too."
Pool of Knowledge (The Hidden Wizard Book 1) Page 10