“I thought they had you exiled from this land, you old fool, what in Fawlsbane’s name are you doing back here?” the old man said to Asterial.
Asterial disembarked. “Aye, I was exiled, but then again, as I recall, so were you. Who let you back on sacred soil?” Asterial stopped and looked around. “And where are those bothersome Defenders?”
“The Defenders are on patrol. I suspect your ship will have them scrambling for the docks soon enough. They will be disappointed your ship is not the supply ship. It’s overdue.”
“What, Dicarion, you didn’t tell them I was coming? I thought you would have predicted my exact return.”
The old man grinned. “I am good, alas, but not that good, old friend.”
The rest of the party joined Asterial in disembarking and stood behind him.
“I did not know you were coming, ‘tis true, but I welcome you just the same. It’s the Defenders that are likely to get all block-headed crazy when they discover you have come to the dock unannounced.” Dicarion said.
“They will never change.”
“Nor would I expect them to; it’s their job,” Dicarion said, holding his arms in invitation. Asterial embraced him warmly, and the black and white dog began to bark uncontrollably.
“Quiet, Palanon, Asterial is a friend,” Dicarion scolded, and the dog stopped barking.
“Palanon! You named the dog Palanon?” Asterial said amused. “What does our good man Palanon think of that?”
“Ask him yourself, the Defenders have arrived.” Dicarion pointed his twisted cane to several riders dressed in blue cloaks pulled over black armor approaching from the edge of the ruined city.
The men on horseback reined in their horses directly in front of Asterial and Dicarion. There were five of them, with the lead man being about the age of Kaxen’s father, Lourn. His tabard bore the crest of the captain of the Defenders. His hair was black and curly with grey temples, and his facial features were rough and slightly pockmarked.
“You!” He glared at Asterial. “I might have known it would be you who would sail so brazenly to the Sacred Land.”
“Well met and salutations, Palanon,” Asterial said, ignoring Palanon’s tone. The dog, Palanon, looked up at Asterial sharply when it heard its name.
“Dicarion, I told you the last time this man appeared on these docks not to allow him access to the Sacred Land. Why do you allow him passage now against my orders?”
Dicarion examined his dirty fingernails indifferently. “He slipped past me. I must be losing my edge.”
“Indeed.” Palanon was still glowering at Asterial. “What brings the great defender of the isle to these lands? Another ancient scroll in the hall of records, perchance, or is it simply to make more mischief, perhaps?”
Asterial lifted his staff and pointed it at Palanon. “I dare not tell anyone of my true reasons to grace these lands again, least of all, you.”
Palanon was stunned but recovered quickly. “Well, you being a great and powerful wielder in a land where you cannot draw upon your power disturbs me, for it means you are here for an urgent reason. You are like a fish out of water here; I will have your reasons for landing on these shores.”
“No, you will not,” Asterial said in a matter-of-fact tone. Palanon’s men shifted uncomfortably in their saddles, and Palanon’s contempt increased.
“You will not tell me then? I thought not. You will toy with me?” Palanon drew his sword from his scabbard, and his men followed suit.
Kaxen realized he was holding his breath.
Asterial lowered his staff. “Very well, I shall give you a reason, Palanon. I need to know if the Enforcers are holding a young woman prisoner in the Sacred Land.”
Palanon sheathed his sword and motioned to his men to sheath theirs. “I know not why you insist on trying my patience, wielder,” he said. “The one you seek was at the Enforcers’ keep of Brightonhold. They brought her there a few weeks ago. It is now rumored they have moved her elsewhere. They say she killed a whole regiment of Enforcers near the Vale of Morgoran.”
Asterial scoffed. “It was only a few men, three at the most, and she did not have any part in their death. They managed that out of their own stupidity. These rumors you speak of, do they tell where she is now?” Palanon said nothing, but Asterial could read the answer on his face. “Are they keeping her in the dungeons below Vetell Fex?”
“Naturally, and under constant guard too. She has escaped them more than once, saying she needed to find Gondrial and warn him she was not herself. That talk almost got her flogged for madness, or so the rumors say. I have not any evidence to give you.”
Asterial stomped the ground with the butt of his staff irritably. “Rumor or not, we need an escort across the Sacred Land and then on to the monastery of Vetell Fex.”
“Impossible, I am to admit no one, you know that Asterial,” Palanon said emphatically.
“Nevertheless, Palanon, I am going to cross the Sacred Land. You can choose to help me or you can be unfortunate enough to get in my way. I leave the matter up to you.”
Palanon shook his head. “The days and nights in the Sacred Land have grown increasingly darker, and I have heard reports of vegetation growing in remote areas, along with strange occurrences, and attacks upon my men. I sense change is on the horizon. I may not trust you, Asterial, but my men and I will help you no matter how reluctantly. I have always been loyal to the Defenders’ cause, and I suspect whatever you may be up to shall not sway me from my course.”
Asterial nodded. “The day is not getting any longer, Palanon, we need to get as far into the Sacred Land as the light of day allows.”
“I will guide you across the Sacred Land, but I cannot go with you to Vetell Fex. I can, however, tell you how to get yourself in when you arrive,” Palanon said. “You will have to enter alone, Asterial. The keep guards will let you pass but not your party.”
“Let me worry about who goes in and whatnot. Just lead me to the western border of the Sacred Land and I will find my way to Vetell Fex after I set foot on Symborian soil.”
“No need for you to lead them across, Palanon, I will take them,” Dicarion said. “There would be no use in you losing your post here at the docks, and you know as well as I that Commandant Trayore would have your head if your patrols came up missing.”
“Dicarion, I—”
“No, you don’t get to argue with me, Palanon,” Dicarion scolded. “I will be taking Asterial and his party to the keep and you will patrol here.”
Palanon bowed his head and nodded in reluctant agreement. “As you wish, honored Dicarion. I will allow this out of respect for your office.”
Dicarion turned his attention to Asterial. “The first bit of advice I have to give you is to send that huge ship you have there out to sea. If she stays moored to the docks, she will attract attention, and the sort of attention she would bring would not be the kind you would want on your back. We will need a few horses, and since they are scarce, I would suggest a small delegation of men.”
“I already have all the men I need right here on the dock, Dicarion,” Asterial said as he waved his hand toward Kaxen and the others.
Palanon pointed at one of his soldiers. “Take two men and go to the stable. Prepare fresh horses for their journey.”
“Aye, sir,” the soldier said.
Gondrial was standing behind Asterial with apprehension. Kaxen had noticed Asterial occasionally glancing at Gondrial with irritation.
“All right, Gondrial, what is on your mind?” Asterial asked.
Gondrial looked back at the ship. “We are stranded here once the ship sails. We have no way back?”
Asterial scratched his head. “Aye, what are you getting at?”
“We will be close enough to Symbor when we leave Vetell Fex, but we will have to hire a new ship. I have to be careful in Symbor. I er…well, I have had some trouble there. I would prefer the ship to swing around to port in Symbor.”
“What sort of troub
le, may I ask?”
“No, you may not ask,” Gondrial said.
Asterial absently rubbed his left temple. “The new captain is not too keen on being in our service.” He sighed heavily. “It will cost me a small fortune, but I think I may be able to fix a price. I will have The Sea Goddess sail to Symbor.”
Gondrial still had a look of irritation, and Asterial noticed it.
“What now?” Asterial asked.
“If you pay Captain Edifor, what assurances do we have that he will honor your agreement?”
Aurelie stepped forward. “I will stay with the ship.”
Kaxen immediately objected, but Aurelie stood her ground.
“I fear you may not be enough,” Asterial said.
Bren took a step toward Asterial. “Then I will see it done. I will remain on board.”
Asterial glanced at Enowene who eyed Bren and Aurelie suspiciously.
“And I shall remain as well,” Enowene said.
Asterial nodded. “So be it; come with me now and we will talk to the captain. Gondrial, you and the boys help prepare those horses Palanon sent for. As soon as we see the ship off, we will ride into the Sacred Land.”
Chapter 16
Two days passed without incident as Dicarion led the small band of rescuers across the barren Sacred Land. The dog Palanon raced back and forth ahead of the party, sniffing anything he could get his nose into and barking at any rabbit or rodent that scurried by. More than once Dicarion had to call the dog back when he started chasing after one furry animal or another.
Kaxen had begun to doubt the teachings that magic was evil. Those childhood stories, which frightened him into bed at night, may have had little to no basis in fact. Kaxen had also begun to think about letting Asterial teach him the ways of wielding, but he knew Rennon would get in the way. Still, he was fascinated with the prospect of using magic. Who wouldn’t want to learn how to wield? He made a point to remember to talk to Rennon about it when they stopped for the night. Maybe he could convince him it was a good thing.
As they traveled deeper into the Sacred Land, Kaxen could not feel the sensation of the land around him, as if all of his senses had suddenly ceased to function. He took the three smooth, round stones from the black pouch in his vest pocket and turned them over in his hand. He could feel the power they each held, and he felt comforted by it.
As the sun began its final descent, Dicarion signaled it was time to make camp. Kaxen felt uneasy of Dicarion’s choice of campsite; he had led them to a cluster of ruins very similar to the ruins of Signal Hill. The architecture was almost identical, but Dicarion assured him there were no cursed townsfolk. As the party passed through the old gate entrance of the ruins, Kaxen noted the abandoned buildings were largely intact and appeared more in disrepair than in ruins. At the center of the village was a town square, and at the rear of the square was a large structure with crumbling statuary. Its base appeared worn and part of the roof was missing, but it was still a remarkable sight.
“We will stay in the temple of Loracia. It is a defendable central structure,” Dicarion announced.
Asrion was very excited at the prospect of staying at the temple, and he nodded his approval to Kaxen, who returned the nod. Asrion made his way to the temple by working his way behind Dicarion.
Once inside the structure, Kaxen marveled at its magnificence. High ceilings with layered, vaulted walls and statuary of the goddess Loracia as a centerpiece near the pulpit gave the interior a majestic flair. A large part of the ceiling toward the rear of the temple was missing and the furnishings were all askew, but Kaxen had no trouble seeing its former glory. Dicarion took it upon himself to stable the horses, and Rennon joined Kaxen in gathering firewood. Asterial and Gondrial set up a table and began pouring over old maps while Asrion prayed at the altar of Loracia.
The overgrown cobblestone streets twisted and turned around small round houses crumbling from neglect. Trees and brush had once grown throughout the village, so Kaxen and Rennon had no trouble finding dead branches to hack into firewood.
“This place is incredible,” Rennon said as he gathered a few stray pieces of wood. “It’s hard to believe it was abandoned.”
“As I understand it, there was no crops or livestock that could flourish after the war stripped the land,” Kaxen said.
“Magic corrupted it. Its evil took this city.”
Kaxen grimaced. “It wasn’t magic that corrupted the land, it was its misuse.”
“What is wrong with you, Kaxen? Ever since we left the Vale of Morgoran you have been magic’s advocate. Are you sympathizing with the wielders now?” Rennon laughed uneasily when Kaxen did not reply.
Kaxen sighed and picked up another piece of wood. “Would that be so wrong?”
Rennon dropped his wood. “Have you lost your mind? Of course, it is wrong. Look around you. The drawing of essence destroyed this village and the very land around it. If you have any doubts of its evil, destructive power just remember Rodraq.”
“Rodraq died by Dramyds as I remember, not essence wielding. In fact, I believe it was the use of essence that saved us all.” Kaxen paused to think of a way to word his next question. “Rennon, the tea leaves Sanmir gave you, surely you have run out by now.”
Rennon began picking up the wood he had dropped. “It has been four days.”
“Four days! How long can you go without?” Kaxen asked alarmed.
“I don’t know. I have never been without this long.”
“Do you know what the mixture is? Can we find the plants in the wild?”
“That is all I…” He paused and held his finger up to his mouth for Kaxen to remain quiet. “Did you hear that?”
“What? I don’t hear anything.”
Rennon dropped the wood again and drew his daggers. He moved slowly toward one of the abandoned houses, and Kaxen followed after he slowly put his firewood on the ground. From inside the house came low mutterings Kaxen could not understand. Rennon looked back to the square and realized it would be quite a run back to the temple. As the two got closer, they could hear the dark speech more clearly.
“Shadow Lurkers?” Kaxen whispered to Rennon, and Rennon shook his head.
”I don’t think so. They look like small Dramyds, maybe half the size.”
The creatures stood inside the house talking in dark, guttural speech intermixed with hissing noises. They were short, black, and covered with thorny scales. They wore as much dirt and grime as they did clothing, and they carried black curved swords.
A snapping noise from behind him sent Rennon’s wrist in motion, and a dagger whizzed by Kaxen’s face, striking a sneaking creature between the eyes. Rennon looked down at his hand and the dagger he had just thrown was still in his possession.
Kaxen drew Dranmalin slowly as not to make a sound. “We have to warn the others,” he whispered to Rennon.
“What are they and what are they doing here? I thought the Defenders kept such creatures out of the Sacred Land,” Rennon whispered.
Kaxen shook his head. “I don’t know, it isn’t important. Back away slowly. If we can make it back to the temple undetected, we can warn the others and find out.”
As the two were backing away from the house, Kaxen saw a hearth fire burning in the temple, and the whole place was lit up with soft glowing light. Dicarion had already begun preparing for the night, apparently not at all worried about an attack in the Sacred Land. Kaxen realized the small Dramyds must know of their presence and were preparing to attack. Frantically he searched the dark edges of the temple with his sharp eyes for movement. Concentrating on the darkness, he let his consciousness search out the areas around the temple, and when he opened his eyes, he could see in the dark as if it were day. The temple was surrounded. Kaxen grabbed Rennon’s arm and stopped him from moving. “The creatures are all around the temple. I see them crouched there.”
“In the darkness you see them?” Rennon asked skeptically.
“Aye, trust me, they are there.�
�
“What do we do now?” Rennon asked.
Kaxen felt the pouch with the three stones and closed his eyes for a moment.
“Kaxen, what now?”
Kaxen slowly opened his eyes. “Rennon, forgive me, but I—”
“No, Kaxen, please don’t do it.”
“I have no choice, my friend. I must.”
“If you go running out there, they will swarm you like a colony of honey bees.”
Kaxen put his hand on Rennon’s shoulder. “We need a diversion. I know what decision the three stones I bought in Cedar Falls will help me make. It is the decision to draw essence.” He touched the pouch containing the stones in his vest. “We both have made our decision already, but we just have not wanted to admit it.”
Rennon looked down, his daggers drawn. He took a deep breath and removed Kaxen’s hand from his shoulder. “I cannot be friends with a wielder.”
Kaxen nodded. “I shall always call you friend.” He took out the stones and turned them in his free hand. A moment of concentration and the stones were gone, their purpose was now clear. A surge of energy took his body and his mind cleared. It was all so simple now. He felt the trees, the grass, the buildings, and he sensed the dead of the land and the life of the creatures all around him. Even without the ability to draw essence from the land, he felt himself draw in the very essence of all else that would allow him to do so. He even drew essence from the air. Rennon backed away from him, and the pang of Kaxen’s own sacrifice surged the energy to his fingertips. “Shield your eyes, Rennon,” Kaxen said as he let loose the energy on the diminutive Dramyds in a devastating bolt of pure lightning. High-pitched screams came from the surprised creatures as they burned in intense light.
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