“Yes,” replies James. He remembers that other place he was in long ago, the one with the burnt trees and shadows that Igor had rescued him from. “Oh yes, I believe it can happen. That it probably has happened to other worlds, other places.”
Miko turns to face James. “Is this why I was made High Priest?” he asks.
“More than likely,” he replies with a nod. “As High Priest, you would bring more to the table than just being plain old Miko.”
“How far away is this temple?” asks Scar.
They turn to Perrilin who says, “The Mists of Sorrow lay a little over a day to the southwest, but their position fluctuates at times. Once within them, I’m not sure how much further the temple will be.”
“Then I suggest we ride for another couple hours and then rest until dawn,” Jiron says. “In the morning ride until we reach the Mists then rest until the following morning. It would be best if we were at our peak when entering the Mists.”
James nods. “I agree,” he says.
Moving on, they ride to the southwest as planned and stop after putting many miles behind them. They post a watch throughout the night while they sleep. Once the sun begins to rise once more, they’re back in the saddle and again moving southwest.
The terrain grows steadily more unforgiving the further they go. Cracked land and stunted trees for as far as the eye can see. After leaving their campsite, Brother Willim is the first to notice the lack of living things in the area. “I can’t sense any birds or beasts nearby,” he announces at one point. “I’ve never before been to an area such as this.”
“What could it mean?” asks Reilin.
“Nothing good I assure you,” the priest replies.
The day progresses hot and dry. Worries rise as they push deeper into what Scar has begun to call the land of the dead, a not too far off description considering the lack of life they’ve encountered.
Three hours before sundown, the Mists of Sorrow appears on the horizon. Just as he remembers it, a wall of fog in an area where no fog should be able to exist. As they ride forward, the wall of fog steadily grows until they come to within a mile of it. There they stop and make camp for the night.
“We’ll stay here through the night,” James tells the others as they set about making camp. “We should be safe enough here.”
Jiron looks at the wall of fog with Aleya standing next to him. “I hope so,” he mutters. He turns to her and says, “I wish you weren’t here.”
“I know you do,” she says. “But there’s no other place I would rather be.”
Putting his arm around her, he gives her an affectionate squeeze. Then they return to the others and help with preparations for the meal. A filling meal of the last of their dried beef and a few old tubers Brother Willim dug from the ground satisfies their hunger if not their taste buds. How the tubers came to be here is anyone’s guess, could be they manage to grow in the wintertime.
Once the meal is over and they are sitting around a campfire, they decided to risk one seeing as how nothing is out here, they settle in for the night. As hard as it may be, they try to put what may happen on the morrow out of their minds as they spend one last time together like they use to back at The Ranch. Stories and songs, most of which are by Perrilin, go a long way in taking away their worries and fears. But when the time comes to sleep, once again each one begins to dwell on what will happen. For some, sleep takes a long time to come.
“Where is it?” asks Stig.
The lightning of the sky with the coming of dawn revealed that the fog was nowhere in sight. “I told you it moves,” Brother Willim says. “The edge has simply moved further away from us.”
“It must be scared,” jokes Shorty. “It knows we are on the way.” A couple snickers are all he gets for his levity, not nearly what he was hoping for.
“Guess we’ll have a little more of a ride this morning than we anticipated,” James says. Climbing into the saddle, he waits for the others to mount. Then he nods to Jiron to lead the way. With Aleya riding beside him, he heads out.
The fog doesn’t take too long to makes its appearance. Less than an hour after they get underway it appears on the horizon. The sight of the fog before them affects each in their own way. Most however feel a sense of dread at the sight, one of impending doom.
Steeling their nerve, they continue on toward the wall of fog. It rises to a point high above the ground and when they at last reach its boundary, it towers far above them. “Never seen fog or mist behave this way before,” Perrilin states. “A sheer wall rising to the sky like this.”
“This is no ordinary mist,” Brother Willim states. “It differs slightly from that you would normally find in the world.”
“How so?” asks James.
“Hard to explain,” he replies. Gesturing to the mist before them he says, “This goes against the natural order of the world.”
They pause momentarily at the mist’s boundary. James gazes intently at the mist before them and tries to penetrate its murky depths. “Everyone keep a constant lookout for hell hounds,” he says to the others. “With any luck, they may not be in this area.”
“I wouldn’t trust to that if I were you,” comments Potbelly.
“I’m not,” he responds. Then with a glance to Jiron, he nods that they should enter.
“Here we go,” breathes Jiron as he nudges his horse to move forward.
As they enter the mist and it envelops them, it almost feels as if the mist is sucking the warmth right out of their bodies. The world turns hazy as the light from the sun above becomes diffused as it works its way down to where they are. Sound too, seems to be muffled in some way, the clip-clop of the horses’ hooves no longer resonates as it had when they were not in the mist.
Onward Jiron leads them. Everyone stays in a compact group, all unconsciously remain together for safety. When after a few minutes’ time nothing happens, Jiron picks up the pace.
James wants desperately to use magic to see if there is anything nearby, but realizes that if he does, those within the temple will undoubtedly pick up on it. So he resists the temptation and uses what senses are available to him; sight, smell and sound. Unfortunately, the mist allows neither one to be very effective.
Time becomes meaningless within the constant grayness of the mist. They begin jumping at imagined shadows as the monotonousness of the mist starts playing tricks on their senses. “Is there anything you can do about this?” Shorty asks Brother Willim after they’ve been in the mist for what must be over an hour.
“No,” he replies. “It’s not natural.”
“Too bad,” states Reilin.
Another few minutes pass by and Jiron suddenly comes to a stop and peers intently into the mists ahead of them.
James stops next to him and asks, “What is it?” Looking forward into the mist, he tries to see what Jiron had.
“I’m not sure,” he replies. Not taking his eyes off the mist he adds, “Thought I saw something.”
From behind them Scar pipes up and says, “Could have been your imagination. This sort of stuff can do that to a man.”
“Maybe,” he says in a tone which tells the others he doesn’t think that’s what it was.
James continues staring into the fog but fails to see anything. “I don’t think there’s anything out there,” he says. Rarely though is Jiron wrong about something like this.
Aaaah!!!
Then suddenly Stig cries out as one of the hell hounds leaps from out of the mist and slams into his horse. The creature’s claws rake the side of the horse, ripping and tearing as it bowls them both over. Stig leaps from the saddle and hits the ground hard. Rolling, he comes up and faces the creature with mace and shield ready.
The creature looks up at him and charges just as Brother Willim throws something in the air. A tangle of vines bursts into being and ensnares the creature.
Light blazes forth as Miko holds aloft the Star and speaks in a language none can understand. The mist rolls backward unt
il a wide clearing devoid of mist surrounds them. Another of the creatures is revealed when the mist rolls back. A beam of light surges from the Star and strikes the second creature. Rearing back, the creature lets out a primal scream of pain as the light from the Star lances through it.
The first creature struggles against the vines holding it. Smoke rises as the heat of the creature chars the constricting vines. In little time, the creature breaks free and leaps. James spies the creature leaping for Stig and lets the magic flow. A barrier forms around the creature in mid leap. Stig dodges to the side as the barrier encased creature hits the ground right where he had been standing.
Increasing the magic to the barrier, James changes its nature and turns it quickly colder. Inside, the creature struggles against the barrier but is unable to break free. Then, just as he had many times before, James begins shrinking the barrier in on the creature until its life force goes out and the barrier implodes.
By this time, Miko has the second creature all but destroyed. The light from the Star is still searing into it, extinguishing its life. Soon, the creature collapses completely and erupts in a cloud of noxious black smoke, leaving a charred area upon the ground where it was destroyed.
Jiron scans the area for more of the creatures then hollers, “Everyone okay?”
“I’m fine,” replies Stig. He walks over to his horse only to find what he already knew. It’s dead. The side where the creature attacked it has been ripped to shreds.
To Miko, Jiron asks, “Can you continue to keep the mist at bay?”
“Not a problem,” he replies.
Jiron then glances to James and says, “Seeing as how they know we’re here already and all.”
Nodding, James says, “Good thinking. Better pick up the pace a bit from here on out.”
“Are we sure we’re still going in the right direction?” asks Aleya. “I can no longer tell which way is which.”
Miko points off into the mists and says, “It’s that way.”
“How can you tell?” asks Potbelly.
“Ever since we entered the mist, I have felt something,” he explains. “I wasn’t sure what it was until just now. It’s the temple. It feels like a disease.”
“Then you take the lead from here,” Jiron says. “I haven’t been sure for awhile if we were even going in the right direction.”
With a nod, Miko takes the lead and they continue on.
Stig mounts behind Shorty, he being the lightest of the group. Thus their combined weight will tire his horse less than if Stig rode with another.
Aleya stares at the charred spot on the ground where the creature Miko killed fell. She swallows hard and steels her nerves as she follows along with the others. If she still had her bow and arrows, she would definitely feel better.
Miko continues to maintain their island within the mist through the magic of the Star. Able to see more than a couple feet in front of them takes the edge off the dread that had filled them since entering the Mists. It’s still absolute quiet other than the noise that they and their horses make which lends an eerie feel to the whole thing.
“If that’s all we are going to have to face,” begins Potbelly, “we should be able to make it to the temple.”
“What are the odds on that though?” counters Scar as he gazes to the wall of mist, first to one side then the other. “There’s bound to be more of them out there.”
“Not to mention warrior priests,” adds Potbelly. “If there’s any place that would have them, it would be here.”
“Quiet!” insists Jiron. “Keep your eyes open and your mouths shut.”
Staying quiet, the riders continue to forge their way through the mist and closer to the temple. After riding for a ways, James whispers to Miko, “How much further is it?”
“I’m not sure,” he replies. “The feeling continues to grow as we draw nearer, but I’m unable to determine how close it may be.”
Then the tingling of magic being worked comes to him. “Magic!” James exclaims as he comes to a stop and throws a barrier around them.
“Where?” asks Jiron as he and the others come to a stop.
“I feel it too,” says Brother Willim and a green glow suddenly surrounds him.
“Is it strong?” asks Shorty.
“Very,” replies James.
Coming to a stop, they remain there for a short time within James’ protective barrier and still nothing materializes. Then out of the mist before them appear two forms, both heavily armored.
“Warrior priests!” cries out Brother Willim.
They raise their hands in unison and a wave of dark magic rolls toward the barrier. More felt than seen, James braces for the impact. When the dark magic strikes the barrier, James cries out as a shockwave travels back along the magic stream to him. It hits him like a lightning bolt and knocks him off his horse. The barrier winks out.
“James!” cries Stig as he vaults off his horse and comes to his aid.
The light from the Star increases tenfold as a beam lances outwards from it toward the two warrior priests. It strikes one of them, causing him to stagger. Where the beam struck the warrior priest, a sizzling hole gapes in the man’s armor, but the man himself appears unaffected. Leaping from his horse, Miko holds aloft the Star as he draws his sword and moves to engage the two warrior priests.
“Miko no!” cries out Jiron. There’s no way he’ll be able to handle two. The last time he faced off against only one he barely survived.
Just then, another of the hell hounds darts from the mist straight toward where James is lying on the ground. Stig hears him coming. Getting up from where he had knelt at James’ side, he turns and braces for the attack. Even before the hell hound closes with him he feels the heat radiating off of it. Striking out with his mace, Stig connects with the creature’s shoulder and excruciating pain burns his hand as the creature’s heat is absorbed by the metal of the mace. Then a split second later one of its forepaws strikes his shield and throws him a dozen yards away.
James regains his senses just as Stig is being swiped aside and sees the creature turn its attention back to him. Leaping for him, the creature opens its maw to rip out his throat and is suddenly entrapped by another of James’ shields. Rolling aside, James gets out of the way before the entrapped creature hits the ground right where he had lain.
As he begins shrinking the shield onto the creature, a flash of white light draws his attention over to where Miko is battling one of the warrior priests. The other one is currently entangled in a mass of vines as Brother Willim lays into it with his staff. Jiron is there giving Miko and Brother Willim what help he can. A stab here, a slash there, he’s connecting but his attacks are not being nearly effective enough.
Bam!
An explosion knocks the vines away from the warrior priest that was entrapped. Now free, he begins laying into Brother Willim with incredible ferocity and skill. Jiron, when he tries to get in a blow is knocked backward just like someone swatting a fly.
With the green glow surrounding him, Brother Willim’s staff is a blur as he counters and blocks the warrior priest’s attacks. But that is the limit he’s able to do as he faces the full force of a warrior priest’s skill. His mind is so set on blocking the blindingly fast attacks that he’s unable to do aught else.
Scar and Potbelly have reached Stig’s side and are helping him. Aleya and Shorty along with Reilin and Perrilin stand by the horses, feeling helpless in this battle.
James works to implode the shield encasing the hell hound when he sees another emerge from the mist and turn its gaze on those standing with the horses. He casts another shield around that one which causes such a drain that he’s no longer able to quickly shrink the shield around the first one. Its progress is now down to about a tenth of the rate that it was before.
Miko fortunately is holding his own against his opponent and if anything is getting the upper hand. Along with attacks with his sword, the Star in his hand lashes out with bursts of light that strike
the warrior priest with devastating results. The man’s armor now shows holes in several places and a few are even beginning to ooze blood.
Then out from the mist another hell hound emerges near Miko. James sees it and before it has a chance to attack, he creates a third shield to trap it. Now the drain of magic is such that he’s totally unable to shrink the barriers even a minute amount. In fact, the magic is being drained from his so quickly that he’s not even sure how much longer he’ll be able to maintain the three shields he’s currently holding.
As if that wasn’t enough, he feels a spike in the tingling sensation. The ground starts to shake and groan as cracks appear across its surface. Then with a mighty shake which almost topples everyone, the ground splits open in a dozen places. Man shaped creatures crawl from the earth. Four feet tall and the color of fresh turned earth, they immediately move to attack whoever is closest once they are free of the ground.
We can’t win this! James suddenly realizes.
As Scar and Potbelly face off against five of the creatures, they hold them off of the unconscious Stig lying between them. Shorty, Reilin and Aleya are facing off with another two.
James sees one approaching him. They aren’t moving very fast, sort of like the loping gait of the undead in the first Night of the Living Dead movie. Taking a slug from out of his belt, he uses as much magic as he can spare and launches it at the thing.
Striking the creature in the center of the chest, he’s surprised to see a large part of its midsection dislodge and be thrust out its back. When the midsection hits the ground, it breaks apart like dirt. Taking another slug, he launches it, this time at the creature’s leg. It smashes into its upper thigh and the section from its hip to its knee comes loose. Now only on one leg, it topples to the side where it hits the ground and breaks apart.
He glances over to where Scar and Potbelly are using their swords against the creatures with little affect. Their blades cut into them but do little damage. “Scar!” he yells. “Use Stig’s mace! You have to bash them, not cut them.”
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