"A terrible dream," shuddered Niki. "I have not had it since we stopped traveling with Master Khatama. It was terrible, Fredrik. I was so proud of you as you were fighting the evil, but I let you down. I should have paid more attention to what I was doing."
"Tell me about it," suggested Fredrik. "It will help calm you down."
"You were fighting a great evil, Fredrik," sobbed Niki. "You were doing real well, too. Somehow I was supposed to be protecting you, but I got distracted by something. That is when you were struck down, and it was all my fault."
"You have had this dream before?" asked Fredrik.
"I used to have it every night," nodded Niki. "It was when I was traveling with Master Khatama, and I had the Diamond of Edona with me. It is a horrible dream. Do you think it means anything?"
"Was I carrying the Sword of Heavens?" asked Fredrik.
"I don't know," puzzled Niki. "Does it matter?"
"Probably not," frowned Fredrik. "Just put it out of your mind."
"I'll try," Niki smiled weakly. "Is it morning already?"
"Not yet," Fredrik answered distractedly. "Perhaps another hour to go yet."
"Then what were you doing outside?" asked Niki. "I thought someone was trying to break in."
"I wanted to think a bit," Fredrik replied after a moment's hesitation. "I did not want to disturb you, so I went outside."
"Well, we should get back to bed," smiled Niki as she hugged Fredrik. "You are soaked," she frowned. "Is it raining out?"
"No," Fredrik answered as he broke the embrace. "I guess I was sweating a lot."
"Sweating?" countered Niki. "It is more chilly up here in the mountains than we are used to. Why would you be sweating?"
"I also had a dream," Fredrik admitted with a sigh. "I also used to have a recurring dream when I traveled with Master Khatama. It is nothing more than that."
"Tell me about it," suggested Niki.
"I would rather not," Fredrik shook his head. "Let's go back to sleep."
"No," Niki said sternly. "I told you my dream. Now I want to hear yours. Tell it to me."
Fredrik stared at Niki and finally nodded. "I am carrying the Sword of Heavens in my dream," he began. "I am going to slay the Dark One, but I never reach him. I am magically struck down before I can get to him. That is all that it is. I am sure that it means nothing."
"Then why do you keep having it?" questioned Niki.
"I haven't had it in a long time," shrugged Fredrik. "It is just a dream."
"Is it?" frowned Niki. "Maybe we should not go with the others to Mount Kalas. We don't have to, you know."
"We must," retorted Fredrik, "or at least I have to. Only I can slay the Dark One. I must go."
"You cannot slay him if you are dead," argued Niki. "Maybe we can wait until the others kill everyone except Sarac?"
"We cannot take that chance," Fredrik shook his head. "There is a question as to whether the spell of binding on Sarac is still functional. We must attack as soon as we can."
"Why wouldn't the spell of binding still make Sarac a captive in his castle?" asked Niki. "I thought it was permanent."
"It may be," shrugged Fredrik, "but Jenneva is concerned that the spell may have been broken by restoring the Sword of Heavens. If that is the case, we must attack before Sarac realizes that he is free. If he manages to leave Mount Kalas, we may never find him again."
* * *
Tanya walked to the knoll in Lavinda where her great-grandfather Gandy was buried. There was a simple marker at the top of the knoll, and Tanya knelt before it. The predawn air was crisp, and Tanya could hear the distant sounds of the villagers beginning to move about. She ignored the sounds and thought about her dream as she stared at the marker. She was so absorbed in thought that she never heard the villager approaching.
"You are up early," greeted Jo. "Alex used to come here before the dawn sometimes, too. He usually came here when something was weighing heavily on his mind. Is something bothering you?"
"It was just a dream," Tanya tried to smile. "Thank you for asking."
"Some say that dreams can be visions of things yet to come," stated Jo. "What is your dream about?"
Tanya turned and gazed up at the villager. It was obvious to Jo that Tanya had been crying. Jo knelt alongside Tanya and put her arm around her.
"A bad dream, I take it," Jo said soothingly. "Tell me about it."
Tanya shook her head slightly and focused on the marker. "It was just a dream," she repeated.
"Share it with me," suggested Jo. "It often helps to talk about it. I do want to hear it."
"It is an old dream," sighed Tanya as she turned to look at the villager beside her. "It is always the same, yet always different. It is the foretelling of my death. I am struck down magically. Jenneva is by my side. There is little else to it. My surrounding are always different, so I guess I will never know where it happens."
"And you have had this dream before?" questioned Jo.
"Many times," nodded Tanya, "but I haven't had it in a long time. I used to get it nightly when I traveled with Master Khatama, but this is the first time that I can remember having it since I left him."
"It is probably that you are thinking about Mount Kalas," shrugged Jo. "I would not give it another thought. We are putting the bridge in place now. Would you care to watch?"
After a moment's hesitation, Tanya nodded. "Maybe it will get my mind off the dream," she said. "Why are you putting the bridge in place?"
"The fairies say that the we will have visitors from Tagaret this morning," Jo answered as she led Tanya towards the bridge. "I suspect that the Rangers have arrived."
"Then we will be leaving Lavinda soon," Tanya said.
"You will come back," smiled Jo. "Torks always do from time to time. We will always be here for you. Never forget that."
"I will always remember your welcome," replied Tanya. "Lavinda feels very much like a home to me that I have never had. I am sure that I would prefer living here to Tagaret."
"But Tagaret is where the queen belongs," Jo added sympathetically. "Don't worry about it. You will find a way to get out of the city when you need to."
"You do understand," giggled Tanya as they stopped on the bank of the river to watch the bridge being put in place. "They make putting that bridge up look easy."
"We practice it monthly," nodded Jo. "Alex taught us to always be prepared, and the people of Lavinda have never forgotten his words."
"He means a lot to you, doesn't he?" Tanya asked as she turned to look at the woman.
"I am not sure whether you mean the village or me personally," answered Jo, "but the answer is yes in either case. I was eight years old when the yaki struck our village. I was just a terrified little girl. We all were. Alex was our pillar of strength. We still look to him as if we are his children, even the older ones."
"But he has been gone for so long," frowned Tanya. "Surely he must become a distant memory at some point?"
"Not in Lavinda," Jo shook her head. "The first five years in Lavinda were rough years. We had no homes, no food, and precious few animals. Alex led us every step of the way. He designed the village, our defenses, and even our customs."
"Your customs?' echoed Tanya. "What do you mean?"
"Lavinda is different from any other village," smiled Jo. "When a newcomer arrives in Lavinda, he is put up in a home that we had already built, then the villagers join together to build another new home for the next newcomer. Every villager over the age of seven must serve in the defense of the village. There are no exceptions. Those children that you saw in the honor guard, are part of our defense. They were not just for show."
"I heard the story of King Eugene's visit," giggled Tanya, "still I was not prepared for the honor guard when I saw it. Do the children mind?"
"Not at all," answered Jo. "It is a matter of pride here in Lavinda. We know that we could hold off an army if we had to. In fact, we have. Five years after we settled Lavinda, yaki and goblins attacked. Lavinda
suffered not a single casualty."
The final segment of the bridge snapped into place, and an elf stepped out of the trees on the far side of the river. Tanya turned and saw Alex and King Arik hurrying towards the bridge. Alex waved to the elf in a friendly manner, and the elf waved back. The elf disappeared into the forest and reappeared on the back of a horse leading two other elves, a dwarf, and two Rangers. Alex and King Arik moved to the near end of the bridge to greet them. Tanya and Jo joined the group to hear what was said.
"You made good time," greeted Alex. "Are all of your forces prepared to fight?"
"They are," answered Mitar Vidson, the head of the Rangers. "David Jaynes and myself are heading up the Rangers. Prince Elgorn and Prince Rigal lead the elves, and Prince Tergota speaks for the dwarves."
"Excellent," smiled Alex. "And Zalaharic? Surely, you are not coming to fight?"
"I am here to set up a healers' station," replied Zalaharic. "Undoubtedly our people will suffer casualties. I want to organize Lavinda to serve as a place of healing. Is that acceptable?"
"More than acceptable," smiled Alex. "It is an excellent idea. Come and let me introduce you to the village leader."
Alex led the group towards the village square where Laman and Marga were just passing through on their way to the bridge. Other villagers noticed the new faces and began to gather around to hear what would be said.
"Laman is the village leader of Lavinda," introduced Alex.
"Welcome to Lavinda," greeted Laman.
"Our dwarf friend here is Prince Tergota of Talman," continued Alex, "and the pair of elves flanking him are Prince Elgorn and Prince Rigal of Glendor. They are very old friends of mine. You might say they accompanied me on my honeymoon."
"The trip to another Universe," nodded Prince Elgorn. "Actually, I had to stay home for that one. Rigal gets all the fun."
Alex grinned at the fair-skinned elf and nodded. "You have had your share of fun since I've known you, Elgorn. The two humans are David Jaynes, head of the Red Swords, and Mitar Vidson, leader of the Rangers. Those five will be leading the attack on Mount Kalas."
"You are most welcome in Lavinda," declared Laman as his eyes scanned the small group and came to rest on the unnamed elf. "Ask for whatever you need, and it shall made available to you."
"Zalaharic is a healer," Alex stated in answer to Laman's unasked question. "He will be using Lavinda as a place to heal the wounded. I hope that you can work with him and get him set up here."
"I can work with Zalaharic," volunteered Marga. "We use the old barn for training on days when the weather is foul. It would make a perfect place for a healing station."
"Excellent," Zalaharic replied with the slightest of smiles on his face. "There will be some other elves arriving to help me. I hope that is acceptable?"
"They will all be welcomed," smiled Marga. "We can even form groups of villagers to help with transporting the wounded from the battlefield to Lavinda. Come with me and I will show you the barn."
Marga led Zalaharic away from the square as Jenneva, Tanya, and Jo entered. Jenneva hugged the two elven princes and the dwarf prince when she saw them.
"I know the three of you were in Tagaret for the battle," smiled Jenneva, "but I did not get a chance to welcome you there. It has been too long since we last met. How have you been?"
"We have been fine," answered Prince Elgorn with a smile. "Galdan sends his regards."
"Then he survived the Ocean's Sewer?" replied Jenneva. "I am pleased. You should have brought him with you."
"He is coming," Prince Rigal said with a frown. "I do not know about the Ocean's Sewer, but he and Doryelgar are coming to join in the battle."
"Excellent," interjected Alex. "Your forces will need some mages. Come and let me show you the model we have. We can discuss the strategy that I wish to use."
Alex led the group to the model that Prince Darok had created. He knelt before the start of the path that led up the southern face of the mountain.
"This is the trail that leads to Sarac's castle," explained Alex. "As you can see, it is long and winding. It will be a difficult approach to the summit."
"What forces will we be up against?" asked David Jaynes.
"Much the same as in Tagaret," frowned Alex. "In fact, it will be what managed to escape from that battle. You can expect primarily goblins and ogres, with the goblins providing the archery support, and remember that they will be above you. This battle will be to their advantage."
"Unless we can get well up the path before they attack us," posed Mitar Vidson as he pointed to a wide area of the trail fairly far up the slope.
"True," frowned Alex, "but I do not think that will happen. If I were in Sarac's position, I would make you fight for every foot of that trail. Expect his forces to come down the trail to attack you at the lowest levels."
"If we started the attack in the dark of night," David wondered aloud, "I am sure we could make some altitude before morning."
"I want you to start the attack at dawn," retorted Alex.
Mitar cocked his head and stared at Alex. "Just where will your people be?" he asked.
Alex stood and walked around the model. He pointed to the small ledge on the north side of the castle. "We will be here," he declared.
"So we are the magnet?" asked Prince Elgorn. "You want us to draw Sarac's army away from the castle?"
"Precisely," nodded Alex. "I want his creatures as far away from the castle as possible, and that means near the bottom of the mountain. If you can engage Sarac's creatures low enough on the mount, we will only have to deal with his magicians. I do not think he will send more than a handful of mages against you until you get further up the slope."
"Sarac used a rather effective magical defense the last time we fought him," interjected Jenneva. "He will have a ring of a dozen Black Devils shielding him, and another ring of a hundred shielding the twelve. It saved his life the last time we fought. I have no doubt that he will try it again."
"Then it might be better for Galdan and Doryelgar to be with you," suggested Prince Rigal. "You know that they are powerful."
"Very powerful," nodded Jenneva with respect, "but they should be with you. If your army does not have powerful magicians, Sarac will know that it is a feint. He must not suspect anything until his forces are committed."
"We can do this," Prince Tergota murmured as he stared at the model. "If I get my dwarves into position during the dark of night, we can bring havoc to Sarac's creatures. My dwarves have little need for trails when it comes to mountain fighting. I can split my force into two groups and hide them here, and here," he continued as he pointed to areas on both sides of the winding trail. "When dawn comes, the rest of you can make a big show about arriving at the foot of Mount Kalas. Dally a bit at the base and give them time to descend to meet you."
"And then the dwarves can attack from their hiding places," nodded David Jaynes. "I like it. We must be careful not to scare them back up the mountain, though. That would defeat our own purpose."
"Rather than attack them directly," suggested Prince Rigal, "why not have the dwarves get behind them and steal the high ground? There is nothing worse in a mountainous battle than to have dwarves above you."
Prince Tergota grinned at his old nemesis and nodded vigorously. "And elven archers can best the range of goblins on any given day," he added, "even if they are lower on the slope. I think we have a plan."
"I agree," Alex nodded with satisfaction. "Let's pray that it is not too bloody for us. Even though the plan is excellent, we stand to lose a good many men. Keep in mind that Sarac may not distribute his forces as I would. He may only send half of his creatures down at first and then the dwarves will be trapped."
"We can merge back into the rocks," shrugged the dwarf prince. "We will not get trapped."
"The idea is stay flexible," interjected King Arik. "It is not my desire to lose any more men than is absolutely necessary to defeat Sarac."
"Understood," nodded Mitar
Vidson. "Prince Tergota, how long will it take your dwarves to get into position?"
The dwarf prince tugged at his beard as he stared at the model. "About four hours ought to be sufficient," he answered.
"Perfect," responded Mitar. "The moon sets early this night. My plan is to have our forces gather near Mount Kalas tonight. Your dwarves can start the ascent as soon as it gets dark. When the moon sets, I will order the rest of our troops to light their campfires. That will make sure that Sarac knows we are coming. He will start sending his creatures down the mountain well before sunrise. I want to make sure that he has plenty of time to get them all down before we start the attack."
"Just the opposite of what he would expect of us," nodded David. "He will think he has the upper hand by detecting us early. I like it."
"How is your small band going to attack the castle?" Prince Elgorn asked as he looked at Jenneva. "Over a hundred Black Devils is not going to be an easy task, and our troops will be too far away to help you."
"We don't have that completely worked out yet," admitted Jenneva. "The last time I fought Sarac, his rings of shields were only magical in nature. He did not utilize physical shields. I am hoping that he makes that mistake this time as well. If he does, we will be using a physical attack to destroy his Black Devils."
"And if he doesn't?" questioned Prince Rigal.
"Then we must overpower his magic," frowned Jenneva. "That could end up being a rather long battle."
"Or a short one," sighed David Jaynes. "He may have a lot more than a hundred Black Devils up there with him. Is there any other way?"
"We could bring down the castle and half of the mountain with it," suggested Tanya. "Few of the Black Devils would survive such an attack."
"But one of the survivors might be Sarac," Jenneva shook her head. "No, we must be sure that he is dead this time. If our battle is long atop the mountain, our people at the bottom will have time to come to our aid."
"If we survive that long," shrugged Tanya. "There are many things that could go wrong. We should have a backup plan."
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