"He is around the bend gazing up at the bridge," chirped Prince Midge as if he were able to read the king's mind. "The bridge is very old. I am not sure that it will hold anyone trying to cross it."
"Did you see any people on the island?" asked the king.
"Not a single person as far as I could tell," reported the fairy prince. "There is an old trail not too far above us. It will require one more climb of the nature you just did. It does not go directly to the bridge, but it will get you there eventually without a lot of rope climbing."
"It is not much of a trail," added Bantam, "and it will take you a long time to get to the bridge, but it will be less risky to certain members of your party."
"That sounds agreeable to me," responded King Arik as Alex appeared from around the bend. "Show it to me."
Prince Midge created a vision of the trail from a viewpoint somewhere above it. Alex and the king studied the vision closely.
"I think it is worth the extra distance," Alex finally said. "I will carry Niki up the next climb. I do not want you to be separated from the Sword of Heavens."
"We could levitate her," offered Bantam.
"No," Alex shook his head. "If she fidgets, you may lose your grip on her. We will come up last, and I will tie the free end of the rope around both of us before climbing. Niki will be fine."
"Then we shall proceed immediately," decided King Arik. "I saw a spot in Prince Midge's vision that appeared to be a decent campsite for tonight."
"Perhaps," frowned Alex, "but we best be cautious. We are being watched."
"But there are no people on the island," objected Bantam. "Both Prince Midge and I have looked already."
King Arik frowned as he stared at Alex. He had spent enough time with the former Ranger to respect his wariness, especially when it came to Alex's capability to sense an enemy.
"Any idea who is watching us?" asked the king.
"None whatsoever," Alex shook his head. "I have not even found any signs of life so far, but we are being watched."
"I do not doubt you," responded the king. "Let's get this next climb out of the way quickly. I do not want to face an adversary on this ledge."
"Agreed," nodded Alex as he strode away from the king and towards Tanya who was leaning against the cliff, gazing out at the sea and the Song of Alcea.
Tanya heard Alex approaching. She shook her head as if to clear it and turned to face her approaching father. "What did you find?" she asked.
"We are going to do one more climb and then use an old trail," answered Alex. "I want you to stick close to King Arik. He may need your protection."
"I am no longer his bodyguard," snapped Tanya. "Let someone else handle the king."
"Look," Alex said sternly, "I do not know what is going on between the two of you, and right now I do not care. King Arik must be protected at all costs, and there is not another person alive that I would choose over you to do it. You have the skills, both warrior and magical, to keep him safe. Deal with your emotions later."
"He is a big boy now," retorted Tanya. "He does not need protection from anyone. Why all of this sudden concern for Arik when he can run off by himself and slay mighty dragons?"
"We are being watched, Tanya," Alex replied sternly. "I do not know who or what is watching us, but it is not friendly. The two of you have been distracted this whole journey, and that is extremely dangerous right now. I will not see you both endangered over some misunderstanding. Watch him; guard him. When this is done, I will talk to both of you and get to the bottom of your dissatisfaction with each other, but for now you will obey me."
Tanya looked startled as she glared at her father. "Obey you?" she questioned. "As a father or as a member of the Knights of Alcea?"
"Both," sighed Alex, "and as a friend and fellow fighter. He is in mortal danger."
"I am sorry, Father," Tanya swallowed hard as she hugged Alex. "I do not know what to do about Arik, but you are right, as you always are. I will not leave his side until we are safely back on the ship. I promise you."
"Your word is all the contract I need," Alex smiled as he hugged Tanya back. "Knowing that you will be close to Arik will free me to guard Fredrik. Whoever is waiting for us out there, will not have an easy time of it."
Chapter 23
Mountain of Death
Alex moved silently across the area of bare rock on the Mountain of Death that the Knights of Alcea had called a campsite. He saw Tedi turn and observe his approach as he stole across the ground.
"I see your hearing is still rather sensitive," Alex stated.
"It is," nodded Tedi. "It is not that you are losing your stealthy approach. I didn't hear you until you were almost here. I doubt anyone else would have heard you at all."
"If anyone must hear me," smiled Alex, "I am glad that it is you."
"Trouble sleeping?" asked Tedi. "You had your turn at watch already."
"There is something out there," nodded Alex. "It is watching us all the time. I cannot sleep while my mind senses a danger."
"I haven't seen or heard anything," Tedi replied, "and it will soon be time to awaken the camp. The first lightening of the day will soon be upon us."
"It can't come too soon for my taste," Alex responded grimly. "I am anxious to put this land behind us."
"You are not alone in that feeling," Tedi nodded towards the camp. "Tanya is coming."
Alex turned and watched Tanya approach. She looked warily around as she silently padded across the rock.
"Have you heard anything?" she asked Tedi softly.
"Nothing," Tedi shook his head, "but Alex still has a feeling that something is out there."
"I feel it, too," nodded Tanya. "Still, I cannot imagine what it could be. We have seen no signs of life on this island."
"Do you really feel it?" Alex asked in surprise. "Or am I just giving you my nervousness?"
"No," Tanya shook her head, "I feel it. I did not notice it yesterday when we were always moving, but ever since we bedded down I have been feeling it. I can't describe it any better than to say that it feels like I am constantly being observed."
"Maybe it is the gods," shrugged Tedi. "It is their amethyst that we are seeking, and this island is where the Sword of Heavens has brought us to find it."
"If the gods do exist," interjected Alex, "one would expect them to be always observing us. This is a feeling that I seldom get. It is not the gods."
"More likely demons," frowned Tanya. "Jenneva told me that they inhabited the same Universe as the gods, and there are those two statues alongside the black door which is our goal. Perhaps the demons are the ones who are observing us."
"I think I would prefer goblins," Tedi swallowed hard. "How do we fight demons?"
"I have no idea," shrugged Tanya. "If they are anything like Alutar, we probably can't fight them. At least not successfully."
"Why don't you wake everyone, Tedi?" suggested Alex. "It is almost light enough to travel, and the climb has been rough on Niki. I don't want to have to camp any extra nights on this trail if we don't have to."
Tedi nodded and walked towards the campsite. Alex gazed around at the barren landscape trying to locate anything that was not rock. He could not see anything moving.
"The feeling must be a lot stronger for you," sympathized Tanya. "I can't imagine what you are feeling."
"You will learn to become more attuned to it as you age more," Alex smiled grimly. "That you already have the sense at your age is a testament to your ability. Remember to stay close to King Arik today. We cannot afford to let down our guard so close to completion of the Ancient Prophecy."
"I will protect him with my life," vowed Tanya.
"Then the two of you have reconciled your differences?" Alex smiled slightly.
"We have not talked at all," Tanya shook her head. "I don't think there is anything to say. We have each made our choices, and we must live with our decisions."
"But you still care for him," frowned Alex. "I can see it in the wa
y you discuss him."
"I love him," sniffed Tanya, "but I will not force myself upon him. He has made other arrangements, and I must accept that. It will not affect my ability to protect him. I promise you that."
"I can ask no more of you," sighed Alex. "I do think that you judge him too harshly, though. Sometimes a young man's head does not understand what his heart knows to be fact. Whatever causes you to think that he loves another over you, I am willing to wager that you are wrong. Still, the time for those things is not now. Today we must worry about survival."
"I would so much like to believe in your words," Tanya smiled weakly, "but I can only accept your advice on the timing of things. I will make sure that the king survives this day."
"And the next," nodded Alex as he watched the camp come to life. "Let's get these Knights of Alcea on the trail. Perhaps whatever is watching us will remain behind."
Alex moved swiftly towards the campsite and began to organize the Knights of Alcea before the king was fully awake. He made sure that the king and Tanya were neither leading nor trailing in the column, but rather wrapped in the center for protection. He chose Prince Garong to lead and Tedi to come last. Within minutes, the Knights of Alcea started the arduous climb up the old rock trail.
The trail wound around the mountain. At times the Song of Alcea came into view. At other times the Knights of Alcea had to squeeze single file through narrow crevices. All of the time, Alex felt the presence of something watching them. As the group came to an area of the trail that bordered on the great abyss, which separated their portion of the mountain from the black door, Alex noticed that Tedi was constantly turning to look behind him. He noticed the sweat pouring off of Tedi's face and signaled for a halt.
Niki promptly dropped to the ground and sat breathing heavily. Most of the Knights stared upward and across the abyss at the black door and the two flanking statues of demons beside it. Alex strode briskly towards the rear of the column.
"What is it?" he asked Tedi softly.
"I am not sure," Tedi trembled slightly. "I keep hearing something behind us, but whenever I turn to look, there is nothing there. It is spooky."
"What does it sound like?" quizzed Alex.
"It sounds like heavy footsteps," explained Tedi. "I can hear no talking, no breathing, nothing that would allow me to identify what it is, but something is definitely following us."
"Is it possible that something else is using the trail?" inquired Alex.
"No," Tedi shook his head. "It stopped when we stopped. It also stopped when we had to squeeze through the last crevice. Whatever it is, it is following us and does not want to be noticed."
"This is a poor place for us to stop," Alex mused as he turned and gazed at the abyss. "There is no place for us to run to. I am going to start the Knights moving again. Have Button hide among the rocks so that she can see what follows us."
Tedi nodded and opened his breast pocket as Alex strode back towards Niki. Alex reached down and lifted Niki to her feet.
"We must keep moving," Alex announced. "This is not the place to rest. Lead us onward, Prince Garong."
Niki started to complain, but Alex stared at her and shook his head silently. She frowned and grumbled under her breath, but she started walking when Fredrik took her hand and led her onward.
An hour later, Tedi called a halt when Button flew in and landed on his shoulder. Alex immediately walked to the rear of the column.
"What did she see?" Alex asked Tedi.
"Nothing," frowned Tedi, "and I have not heard any sounds of pursuit. Maybe I was just going crazy."
"I watched for a long time," chirped Button. "There was nothing to see. Afterwards, I flew a little ways behind the group just to be sure. There is nothing following us."
"All right," sighed Alex. "We will take a small meal break and then continue our journey."
"Do you still have that feeling of being watched?" Tedi asked.
"It has never left me," nodded Alex. "If you are going crazy, then so am I."
Alex announced the meal break, and the group needed no prompting to attack their rations. An eerie chilling wind blew through the site as the Knights of Alcea ate silently. Bantam immediately leapt into the sky and disappeared. Prince Midge looked curiously towards the abyss and also took flight.
"What do they sense?" Bin-lu asked Shrimp.
"Something not natural," frowned the tiny green fairy. "It is life, and yet it is not. I do not wish to be on the ground when it comes. I, too, will fly overhead and see what I can see."
Button also took to the air as Shrimp leaped off of Bin-lu's shoulder. The Knights of Alcea became tense, and food rations were exchanged for hands on their weapons as they rose warily.
"Behind us," Tedi said softly as he turned to face back along the trail they had just passed over. "It is that sound I heard before. Whatever it is, it is coming closer."
Prince Darok grabbed a throwing axe and stepped alongside Tedi to block the trail. King Arik, Tanya, and Prince Garong reached for their bows and nocked arrows. Lanoirian Stars slid into Alex's hands as he stepped close to Fredrik. Bin-lu scrambled up a rock ledge alongside the trail for a better view, while Wylan held his staff defensively in front of Sheri and Natia. Jenneva placed her hand protectively on Niki's shoulder and smiled comfortingly to the red-haired girl.
Suddenly, the rock ledge running alongside the trail, where the Knights of Alcea had already passed by, shimmered slightly and moved. Tedi shook his head and rubbed his eyes to clear his vision.
"The rock is alive," Jenneva announced softly. "I saw it move."
With a menacingly low rumble, a portion of the rock ledge separated from the rest and stepped into the center of the trail. The creature stood over ten feet tall, its head swaying back and forth, and its mouth opening widely. Large stone hands rose on the ends of its long rock arms as it slowly advanced towards the Knights of Alcea.
"What is it?" shrieked Niki.
"I suspect it is a rock troll," murmured Tanya. "Remember the stories from the Castle of Man? I can imagine that this creature is what the ancestors of Tor saw."
"Then our weapons will do it little harm," frowned Alex. "Back away slowly, Tedi. Let's find out if it means to harm us."
"Maybe it is just curious," gulped Tedi as he and Prince Darok stepped backwards slowly. "I am sure now that this is what has been following us. It is the source of those heavy footsteps that I heard earlier."
"I don't think it is coming to welcome us to the island," scowled the dwarf prince as he stuck the throwing axe into his belt and hefted his battle axe. "I've split a few boulders in my time with this axe. I stand ready to do so again."
The rock troll stopped and cocked its head as it stared at the Knights of Alcea. It turned and glared at Niki as it growled in a low rumbling voice.
"What are you doing, Niki?" asked Alex. "Why is it interested in you?"
"I am telling it to go away," quivered Niki, "but it does not seem to understand me."
"Or it understands you and does not care for your command," commented Prince Garong. "This is its home, and I suspect it will defend it as we would defend our own."
"It wants to kill us," screamed Niki as her hand rose swiftly.
A ball of fire streaked from Niki's hand and impacted on the massive chest of the rock troll. The troll erupted in rage as its deep voice echoed through the abyss. The ground shook as the rock troll pounded menacingly towards the Knights of Alcea.
"It is attacking," shouted Prince Darok as he stepped to intercept the creature. "Run for it."
Several arrows flew from the Knights and bounced harmlessly off the creature's body. The dwarf prince swung his large battle axe into the creature's leg. Chips of rock flew from the impact, and the troll screamed in rage as his hand reached for Prince Darok. The dwarf stumbled as he tried to retreat from the monster. Just as the troll was about to grasp Prince Darok, a powerful force of wind slammed into the creature. The rock troll was not thrown backwards as Tanya
would have expected, but it was not able to reach the dwarf before Prince Darok gathered himself and raced away.
"That force should have sent it sailing down the trail," frowned Tanya. "It barely halted its advance. That same wind sent Sarac's Ravens over the cliff."
"Wind does not blow rock around that well," commented Jenneva. "Let's flee. It appears to move slowly."
Prince Midge darted down to land on King Arik's shoulder. "There are others heeding its call," the fairy prince announced. "We must move, or we will be surrounded."
"Move quickly," ordered King Arik. "I want some distance between us and these rock creatures."
Tedi and Prince Darok hesitated while the other Knights of Alcea hurried along the trail. When the area was clear, they turned and ran. Tedi could hear the sound of the rock troll chasing them, but he knew that the creature could not keep up the speed needed to catch them. He sighed with relief before he heard the sounds of rock trolls coming from other directions.
"They are closing in on us," Tedi shouted. "Two from our left and one from our right."
"There is nothing to our right except the abyss," argued Wylan. "Are you sure?"
"I know what I hear," retorted Tedi. "Move faster."
The Knights of Alcea ran along the trail. Alex picked up Niki and carried her over his shoulder as he kept pace with Fredrik. Niki did not complain. An hour later, Prince Garong called a halt.
"Do you still hear them?" Alex asked Tedi as he placed Niki on her feet.
The Knights of Alcea fell silent as Tedi listened for any sounds of pursuit.
"No," Tedi shook his head. "I cannot hear them now. I think we outran them."
"Then let us rest for a bit," decided King Arik. "Prince Midge, have your people keep watch for us."
"As you command, Bringer," saluted the fairy prince as he signaled to the other fairies.
The four fairies rose into the sky and dispersed, while the Knights of Alcea rested from their hasty retreat. The place where they had stopped was in view of the bridge that was their destination. Alex took his scope and viewed the black door and the two statues alongside it. He played the scope over the long narrow bridge and frowned.
Amethyst of the Gods Page 28