“Well, I’ll be,” the captain shook his head. “I would wager that there are quite a few skippers who would be embarrassed to know that the dragons understand speech.”
“I can imagine,” chuckled the king.
“Bottom coming up quick,” shouted one of the crewmen.
“Stern anchor away now,” ordered the captain. “Drop all sails, save the jib. Trim it tight. Be quick about it, lads.”
The crew moved quickly and efficiently, as if they had been expecting those very orders. Arik realized that they probably had been.
“Sorry for the shouting,” apologized the captain, “but like I said earlier, the rocks are more of a threat than the dragons. Of course, I will be singing a different tune when we lower you into a dingy for the ride to shore. There’ll be no rigging above you then.”
Arik gulped at the thought of a dragon swooping down on him and his friends in an open dingy.
“There’s land afore you, lad,” pointed Captain Hill. “It’s a land long ago abandoned. Nobody lives here anymore. Not since a little after the Collapse anyways.”
King Arik looked forward and saw the hazy outline of small hills in front of the ship. He scanned the coast looking for any hint of life. He saw a small run-down fishing shack and nothing more.
“Do you think your men can get us into that shack?” inquired Arik. “It might be a safe place to avoid the dragons while I figure out what to do next.”
“If that is where you want to go,” nodded the captain, “then that is where we will get you. It does make a good landmark for when you want to return to the ship. I am going to try to inch the ship as close to shore as possible so we can get the horses off in a sane manner. With any luck at all, we won’t need to use a dingy.”
“I hadn’t even thought about that,” admitted King Arik. “I expected to unload onto a dock. How will we get the horses off?”
“A sling and a windlass,” answered the captain. “Not much different than lowering cargo into the hold, except the animals might spook.”
Arik watch the crewman paying out the stern anchor line as the Barnacle inched towards shore. The man stood ready to tie the line off as soon as the captain gave the order. Another man stood in the bow ready to drop one of the forward anchors. Arik admired the efficiency that could only be obtained by a crew that was used to sailing with one another. The Barnacle shuddered and came to a halt.
“We’ve run aground?” asked the king.
“Nope,” smiled the captain. “We’re beached. These lads are good. Anything visible other than sand and they would have sounded off without hesitation. In these parts, the water is clearer than the sky. Let’s get you and your men ashore before the fog lifts. We don’t want the dragons to see us unloading.”
King Arik nodded and hurried to Chaco. He informed the rest of the group about the shack, and they got their horses ready for the unloading. The whole procedure was performed as efficiently as the beaching, and the group was ashore quickly.
“We will move the Barnacle off the beach and anchor out a ways,” a crewman informed the king. “One of us will always be watching the shack. If you need to be picked up at night, light a small fire. It doesn’t have to be big. We will spot even a small one.”
“Thank you,” responded King Arik. “I am proud to have such a crew associated with Alcea.”
The crewman beamed with pride as he bowed and returned to the ship. The Knights moved swiftly into the shack. King Arik removed the Sword of Heavens and tested for the direction. He peeked his head out of the door and looked across the road that ran along the coast. He saw large trees, barely visible in the fog, on the other side of a large field. He closed the door and turned to his fellow travelers.
“There is a forest not too far from here,” he announced. “We could stay here until nightfall and then enter the forest, or we can try it under the cover of this fog. I have been in a forest under a dragon before. It is not a pleasant feeling, but if we avoid clearings, we should be all right. I have no idea what is going to happen from here on out, but let me set your expectations. We are not here to kill dragons. We are here to retrieve the Dragons’ Onyx. These creatures are intelligent and can talk. If I have a choice, that is the weapon that I will choose to use.”
“Are the dragons likely to be friendly?” asked Pioti.
“I really don’t know,” admitted King Arik. “The only dragon that I have seen so far is the one that was trying to eat me in the forest. We should assume that they are friendly, but be prepared for them to be hostile. I also don’t know anything about the land that we are in. Prince Oscar told me some pretty horrifying stories about all sorts of creatures down here, but he did not know if there was any truth to the rumors.”
“Do you want me to go up and check for dragons,” chirped Prince Midge as he stuck his head out of Arik’s pocket.
“No,” replied the Bringer. “I do not want to alert the dragons to your presence. Who knows when that secrecy might come in handy.”
“In Aquina, the dragons would hunt at night as well as in daytime,” offered Prince Garong. “I assume that these are probably the same dragons. If that is so, we are better off using the fog for cover.”
“That suits me,” nodded Prince Darok. “At least in a forest you have a choice of which way to go. This shack has only one door.”
Eltar and Pioti were silent on the matter, so King Arik decided to use the fog to cover their entry into the forest. He led the group out of the door and across the road. A large abandoned field separated them from the forest. King Arik let Chaco lead the way as he kept an eye skyward. He could hear a dragon passing overhead, but it never penetrated the fog to search for them. He gave a sigh of relief when they were safely under the cover of the trees.
“How far do you think it is to the Dragons’ Onyx?” asked Prince Garong as he rode up next to King Arik.
“It is hard to say exactly,” the king answered distractedly. “The Sword of Heavens vibrates, and the strength of that vibration is an indication of how far away you are, but when you get this close, the vibrations are so strong that it is hard to tell the distance. I would suspect that we are about a day’s ride away. It could be more or less. One thing that becomes easier to tell is the direction. We are heading that way,” he pointed.
Prince Garong raised his hand over his head and signaled to his fellow elves. Eltar and Pioti immediately responded and rode past King Arik. Eltar veered off to the right and Pioti to the left.
“Where are they going?” questioned Prince Darok.
“They are going to do what elves do best,” grinned the elven prince. “Valon has brought us to a strange place and an unknown forest. We have no idea what dangers may await us. Eltar and Pioti will discover anyone who might be lurking ahead of us. There is no better escort for Valon to have in a forest.”
Prince Darok grumbled something incoherently.
King Arik shook his head in amusement and asked, “How will they know where we are going? I am not even sure of that yet.”
“One of their duties will be to check on us often,” informed the elven prince. “Have no fear. If you were to turn completely around, Eltar and Pioti would still be out in front of us searching the woods for any enemies.”
King Arik smiled thinly and continued on in silence. Several hours later Eltar appeared waiting on the trail ahead.
“They have found something,” warned Prince Garong. “We should proceed cautiously.”
King Arik nodded and scanned the forest around him. Pioti was nowhere in sight. Eltar sat silently and unmoving as the group approached.
“Report,” ordered Prince Garong when the group reached the elf scout.
“There is a building just ahead,” explained Eltar. “It appears to be a human home. We searched the nearby forest, but have not found anyone yet. Pioti is keeping watch on the hut in case someone is inside.”
“Strange to find someone living out here in the middle of the forest,” commented the dwarf
prince.
“Not that strange,” responded the king. “There are people who like to live isolated existences. We had a trapper around Lorgo that didn’t care much for anyone, although he was friendly enough whenever we met him. He just liked the silence that could only be found in isolation. Let’s check the hut. Maybe whoever lives there can tell us a bit about this forest and what lies ahead.”
“Are you sure that is wise?” cautioned the elf prince. “Perhaps we should swing far around the hut and not announce our presence in the forest?”
“To be cautious is a fine trait,” countered Arik, “but I cannot go through life being overly suspicious of everyone that crosses my path. The knowledge that we might gain from a local is worth the risk involved. Eltar and Pioti can keep watch outside to make sure that we are not surprised while we are inside.”
“If the elves are afraid to go into a human hut,” grinned Prince Darok as the building came into view, “I will go in with you. It is far too small a home to contain anything that would scare a dwarf. The king will be safe with me.”
Prince Garong glared at the dwarf and was about to clarify himself when Arik stopped.
“Notify Pioti of our intentions to enter the hut,” King Arik said to Eltar as he dismounted.
“He already knows,” grinned Eltar as he pointed upward.
King Arik looked up and saw the elf scout in the tree above his head. The king shook his head mirthfully as he strode towards the hut with the two princes right behind him.
“Hello in the cabin,” King Arik called out. “Is anyone home?”
The only sound of reply was King Arik’s words echoing in the distance. Prince Garong suddenly reached out and grabbed the king’s arm. King Arik turned and looked questioningly at the elf prince.
“I saw movement through the cracks in the cabin,” warned the elf prince. “We should leave.”
“We have already announced our presence,” Arik shook his head as he marched to the door of the cabin.
Prince Garong and Prince Darok followed closely. While he was walking, King Arik eased his breast pocket open. Prince Midge stuck his head out.
“I have been listening,” whispered the fairy prince. “Shall I check it out?”
King Arik smiled and nodded. Prince Midge darted into the air and Arik slowed his approach to the cabin as he watched it closely. The fairy prince moved so swiftly that Arik could not keep track of his movements. Before the king reached the door to the small hut, the fairy prince had returned and settled on Arik’s shoulder.
“There is one man inside,” Prince Midge reported. “He does not appear well. He is hobbling around, a grimace of pain on his face. He is armed with a knife and is staring at the door.”
A frown fell over King Arik’s face as he digested the fairy’s report. He stopped and the small group stopped with him.
“I will go in alone,” decided the king. “An elf and a dwarf might unduly frighten the occupant.”
Prince Garong started to protest, but King Arik promptly turned and walked towards the cabin. He walked up to the door and knocked as Prince Midge slid back into his pocket.
“Hello in the cabin,” repeated the king as he surveyed the stoop and saw blood on the wood. “I am a traveler from afar. I do not mean to invade your solitude, but I am unfamiliar with this forest and would like some guidance. Perhaps I could share some rations with you for your trouble?”
There was no answer to his plea, and King Arik began to wonder if he should have paid heed to Prince Garong’s request to avoid the cabin. Slowly, the door cracked open and one eye peered out.
“What kind of rations?” asked a panting voice.
“Your choice,” King Arik replied eagerly. “I have rations of smoked game, and smoked fish. The fish is saltwater.”
“Saltwater?” asked the inhabitant of the cabin as the door eased open slightly more.
“Yes,” nodded Arik. “It is recent as well. I got off a ship from Tagaret today.”
The door opened all the way and a head popped out. The old man’s eyes darted left and right to see if anyone else was visible. Finally, his eyes rested on King Arik.
“Come in,” the old man said with a sigh as he turned and hobbled over to a small bed and sat down.
King Arik entered the hut and looked around. It was a small one-room cabin. Besides the bed the only furniture was a small homemade table and one chair. The table was merely a crude wooden square set atop an old barrel. The old man nodded to the chair.
“You mentioned rations,” reminded the old man. “What is a young lad from far away doing in this forest?”
King Arik nodded as he handed his pack to the stranger. “I am on a quest,” he declared. “Take whatever food meets your fancy. I see that your leg has been wounded. Can I do something for you? I imagine it is rather hard for you to reach it easily.”
“Why are you being so nice?” the old man asked skeptically. “Experience tells me that you want something that I have, except I don’t have anything that the likes of you would be interested in.”
“It is a sad testament to the times we live in,” frowned King Arik, “when one has to be concerned with the motives of strangers. I want nothing from you for the food. I only stopped here because I thought you would have information on the forest that I am traveling through. I have never been here before.”
“You’re a young lad yet,” scoffed the old man. “In time you will learn not to trust anyone. People are the worst kind of animals.”
“Some are,” nodded King Arik, “but not all. In fact, I have met many a wonderful person since my travels began. Many of them have helped me without my asking. Perhaps I have learned to do the same for others. May I look at your leg?”
“How many days do you plan to spend on this quest?” questioned the old man as he cataloged Arik’s food supply.
“I really don’t know,” admitted King Arik. “I am not even really sure where I am going. I am in search of an ancient artifact. I know only that it lies east of here somewhere. When I find it, I will return to Tagaret.”
“It must be valuable,” sighed the old man as he extracted one package of smoked fish from Arik’s pack and handed it back to him. “Be gentle with the leg. It might be infected, and I can’t really see the wound.”
Arik nodded as he took his pack from the old man and placed it on the floor. He knelt while the old man reclined on the bed and turned over to expose the back of his leg. King Arik cringed as he looked at the dirty, bloody rag that was wrapped around the man’s leg.
“I am going to unwrap this,” King Arik said with concern evident in his voice. “What are you called?”
“Go ahead,” braced the old man. “Not many people come out this way, but I am called Jorgel to anyone who does come here. Who are you?”
“My name is Arik,” the king responded as he unwound the rag from the old man’s leg.
Arik inhaled sharply when he saw the wound. The man’s calf was ripped open, and the wound did appear to be infected. He felt Jorgel tense as the bandage came off.
“I will try to cause you as little discomfort as I can,” announced Arik. “It is a pretty nasty wound. What happened?”
“I got careless,” Jorgel replied through his clenched teeth. “And slow. I guess my days are coming to a close. Just a couple of years ago, they never would have caught me.”
“Who?” King Arik asked absently as he looked around the small room for some water. “Where can I find the water and a place for a fire?”
“There is a stream several hundred paces east,” answered Jorgel. “I usually keep a bucket in here, but I have not been to the stream in days. I am afraid I used it all up. I would advise against any fires, or they will come for you like they came for me.”
Chapter 6
Forest Dweller
“Who will come for me?” questioned King Arik as he examined Jorgel’s wound. “Who was it that did this to you?”
“Dragons, lad,” Jorgel replied with a quaki
ng voice. “They are nasty, vile creatures. They’re what chased all of the people north. I don’t mean here in the woods, neither. The dragons attacked people in the towns and villages. They swooped down on them when they went to sea. People weren’t safe anymore, so they left.”
“But you didn’t leave,” stated King Arik. “Why did you stay?”
“Stubbornness,” Jorgel shook his head. “I have always been set in my ways. I wasn’t about to let any flying lizards make me leave my home. Besides, I was too smart for them. Oh, they tried to get me many times, but I always outsmarted them. Until a few days ago, that is. I guess I got cocky.”
“So the dragons eat people?” asked Arik. “I knew they attacked ships, but I thought that was more for sport than food.”
“You are probably right,” shrugged Jorgel. “I think they like deer more than people. In fact, one of the ways I escaped from them before was by calling attention to nearby deer. They always immediately snagged the deer and let me be. Problem is, there are less deer every year. Maybe they are getting desperate.”
“Well,” sighed King Arik, “I need to boil some water to clean your leg. I will build a fire outside. Surely, the dragons will not bother you in here?”
“No,” pleaded the old man. “Don’t do it. My leg will be fine. You’re best to take your pack and leave this land. There is nothing here that is worth your life.”
“I am after something more important than my life,” declared Arik. “Many people depend upon me to retrieve it.”
“You have not been listening,” scowled Jorgel. “You are just like I was until a week ago. I thought I was invincible, too. For close to twenty years I laughed at the dragons, and at the people who fled this area. I thought them cowards. Now, look at me,” the old man continued as his eyes moistened. “I shake at the thought that a noise might be the dragons coming to get me. If you won’t listen to me, at least listen to yourself. Hear the way you sound when you talk bravely and ignore the dangers above you. I would wager that you would end up an old fool like myself, except you won’t live that long.”
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