“He’s going into aura shock,” Nyx says, her eyes a shimmering gold. She tries to inject some of her power into Luke, but is knocked back by a burst of force. “The Dark Wind and the Ring of Uli are at war. I don’t think we can do anything this time.”
“Let me try something,” Sari whispers, leaning over to kiss Luke and deliver a restful sleep spell. The gypsy feels a foul ooze slip into her mouth and try to crawl into her throat. A rush of ice from her stomach nearly chokes her, but it pushes the slimy gunk out of her body. “That was a bad idea. Why didn’t you stop me this time, Nyxie?”
“I was hoping it would work.”
Delvin draws his sword and readies his shield, his eyes scanning the area. “We’re in a really bad spot. The titans might think he’s a danger and attack once they recover their senses. I don’t think we can hold them off. If there’s even a chance that your bond with Luke can help then please do something, Fizzle.”
With a determined growl, the drite crawls onto Luke’s chest and curls up as if he is going to sleep. His scales shimmer with a purple aura that steadily intensifies to envelope him and the forest tracker. Nyx and Sari move away, helplessly watching the display of Draconic magic. The light gets smoother and becomes a pulsing cocoon of energy. With the show of power over and the drite apparently contained, the titans regain their courage and surround the adventurers.
*****
With an electric jolt to his heart, Luke’s eyes open and he leaps to his feet. The snowy forest is below him, which makes him think he is flying. The delusion fades when he notices that he is standing on a flawless, glass-like stone. A large wall of the smooth, reflective blocks runs in both directions, disappearing into the thick clouds. Glancing over one side, Luke sees the Widowhorn and its surrounding land sitting miles below him. The other side is a vast forest and the treetops are no more than a few yards shorter than the wall. Squinting into the distance, he sees that the trees still have their green leaves beneath the thick layer of snow. He has a strong desire to leap into the beautiful landscape, but the forest tracker can sense the griffin spirit trying to hold him back.
“This is the Garden of Uli,” Luke whispers as he crouches on the wall. The crisp air is invigorating and he greedily takes several deep breaths. “I guess I’m unconscious and this is another vision. Wonder who plans on talking to me this time.”
“I am too weak,” a voice whispers from the clouds. They try to take a long, curving form, but shudder and spread out again. “The invaders have drained my power. You need to return my heart to restore me. I lack the strength to continue.”
“Then who’s going to explain what’s going on?” the half-elf asks while he walks along the wall. He stops at a corner and stares out at the swirling clouds. “I wouldn’t be here unless someone had a message for me. If you can’t talk then let me get back to my friends.”
“Good to see you’re still impatient and mouthing off, kid,” a familiar voice says from behind Luke. “I hope you haven’t forgotten this old gnome. If so then the gods really wasted their time sending me as a stand in.”
The young warrior slowly turns around with a look of disbelief on his face. A few tears roll down his face when he sees the greasy-haired gnome standing on the wall. Fritz Warrenberg is dressed in simple clothes that are covered in burn marks and splotches of oil. Using an ivory comb, the grinning inventor fixes his black hair and shakes the blobs of grease off. The ghostly ooze passes through the solid rock, causing the red-eyed gnome to chuckle. Tucking his hands into his pockets, the friendly ghost grins at the half-elf.
“Fritz . . . is that really you?” Luke whispers, groaning at the ridiculous question. “I’m sorry. That came out before I could stop myself.”
“If it makes you feel better, I said the same thing to the Gnome God when he showed me to my factory,” Fritz replies as he slips on his glasses and pulls a thin scroll out of his sleeve. He sees the confused look on the warrior’s face and sighs at the fond memories. “You have no idea how much I missed that clueless expression. You see, my young friend, when gnome inventors die, they are given a workspace that is proportional to their ambition and success. I was given a factory with many, less ambitious inventors under my care. I can’t say I’m bored or depressed, but I do miss everyone I left behind. How’s the old gang doing? I know I’m here on business, but I don’t get to spy on the living like those lazy halfling spirits.”
Luke reaches out to pass a hand through his spectral friend, blushing and stepping back when the gnome glares at him. “I’m not even sure where to start. Kellia made it to Gods’ Voice safely. Fizzle’s Tradespeak has improved and he’s still traveling with us. Aedyn retired from the road to work toward becoming a member of Kellia’s advisory council. He lost his legs saving my hometown from a Sword Dragon and I heard your daughter made him some mechanical replacements. I haven’t seen him in months because this whole champion business has kept me busy. You’ll be happy to hear that Nyx’s edges have smoothed, she wears her hair very short, and she found her birth parents. In fact she’s the daughter of Kevin Masterson.”
“I can believe that relation now that I think about it. I notice you left someone out.”
Luke clears his throat and takes a deep, nervous breath. “Remember Delvin Cunningham, the mercenary we met in Freedom? He’s a champion and so is that red-headed barbarian from Hero’s Gate. His name is Timoran Wrath. There’s also Sari who’s a gypsy that I’m involved with and is a childhood friend of Nyx. She’d give you a run for your money when it comes to flirting. Maybe we can talk to Aedyn about summoning you to meet everyone and share stories for a night.”
“You know who I’m talking about, kid.”
With a pained expression, Luke turns away and looks out over the snowy forest. He watches a flock of birds appear on the horizon and soar beneath the flying garden. Taking a seat on the edge of the wall, the forest tracker considers dropping to the trees and running. He forgets the idea when he realizes that the god who sent Fritz would probably get mad and make this peaceful vision a nightmare.
“I have no idea where Nimby went after he tried to kill me,” Luke whispers, glancing at his old friend. The gnome drifts off the wall and hovers in front of the half-elf, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Now you’re just showing off.”
“You’d do the same if you were me, kid,” Fritz claims with a yellow-toothed smile. The clouds part and sunlight engulfs the ghost, making his transparent body difficult to see. “I would have liked to know what happened to Nimby. I know he’s still alive and always on the move. He tries to talk to me every night. Take that for what it’s worth since I haven’t been given permission to respond.”
“Not that I don’t want to keep talking about old times, but why are you here?” the half-elf politely asks. He walks to the other side of the wall and looks down to see dark mist swirling far below. “I don’t want you in my head if that stuff goes berserk.”
“Long ago, the guardian of your temple was put into a slumber. It was left with enough strength to talk to the champion when they came within range,” Fritz explains as he joins Luke on the wall. The gnome watches the living curse try to stretch toward the Garden and get thrown back by an invisible barrier. “Your enemies unleashed the Dark Wind and used the weakness of the region to slip something into the temple. The gods don’t know what it is because it transformed and hid as soon as it crossed the defensive shields. So you and the other champions will have to be careful when you get here.”
“That’s all? That seems a little too tame for you to be the messenger.”
“I’m here because I’m the only friend that the gods could send to you in your time of need,” the old gnome says, tucking his glasses into his shirt pocket. He rubs his bulbous nose and walks through the half-elf to reach the corner of the wall. “Gabriel sent me because he’s worried that you’re succumbing to the living curse. He senses your pain and frustration as well as the occasional thought about giving up. Every time your courage fa
lters, the Dark Wind weakens you for whatever is waiting in the Garden of Uli.”
A wild howl erupts from the forest and a chill runs through Luke’s body. A tree falls to the ground with a crash, but it is too far away for the forest tracker to see the creature that knocked it over. Using his sound sight, all he can pick out are shadows flitting among the trunks. Another scream forces him to turn his unique sense off, but he catches the final image of hundreds of jagged forms thrashing within the forest.
“I thought this was about Stephen wanting Nyx,” Luke says, surprised that his blood can feel cold in a vision. “This feels like it was really about me all along.”
Fritz shrugs and shivers at the sensation of other spirits trying to pierce the vision. “I’m not aware of what this Stephen is up to, but he could have a backup plan to kill you if he can’t control Nyx. My time is running out here, kid, so I can’t waste time helping you figure out the plans of a psychopath. All I can tell you is to hold onto your courage. That is where your power comes from. It isn’t your skills, your swords, or your gifted powers. You can’t be defeated as long as you fight your hardest. It’s the reason all of us followed you out of Hamilton Military Academy and sought to do our best.”
“All I need to do is be brave?”
“You’d be surprised how many heroes lose their nerve when it counts.”
“Will I see you again?”
“I’m sure we’ll run into each other when you’re dead, but that better not be for a very long time,” Fritz answers, chuckling in an echoing voice. “I have a favor to ask.”
“Sure,” Luke says as he hears the barrier cracking against the Dark Wind’s barrage. “You want me to give a message to Nyx, Aedyn, and Fizzle?”
The gnome runs his hands through his greasy hair as his body fades away. “When you see him again, tell Nimby I forgive him.”
“You mean if I see him again.”
“I know what I mean, kid,” Fritz states with a knowing smile. His body fades away, his teeth and eyes being the last to disappear. “It was nice to get some closure with you. I know your blaming yourself for my death, so I’ve been feeling guilty about adding to your hardship. Always remember that I have faith in you and would lay down my life to keep you safe a second time if I could. Good-bye and good luck, Callindor.”
A cold wind cuts through the air, sending a violent shudder through Luke’s body. With the shattering of the barrier, the Dark Wind drives away the clouds and blots out the sun. Tendrils lance down at the half-elf, who braces himself for another round of piercing agony. Instead, a beam of purple magic engulfs his body and propels him through the sea of darkness. He sails into the sky with the living curse trying to catch up, but he is swallowed by a silver portal before the Dark Wind can reach him.
*****
“Luke okay?” Fizzle asks, his snout pressed against the half-elf’s nose. The drite takes a deep sniff and hovers upside down. “Fizzle smell . . . Fritz?”
“You saw Fritz?” Nyx blurts out in surprise. She kneels next to her friend and touches his face, which feels like ice. “Is he happy?”
“The old gnome says hi and Voran gave him a factory to run,” Luke answers, gently moving the caster’s sweaty hands away. He uses her to get to his feet, but has to be caught when his legs buckle. “Fritz had a message from Gabriel because my temple’s guardian is too weak to talk to me. I need to hold onto my courage and push forward. There’s something dangerous waiting for me in the Garden of Uli and I can’t back down.”
“We have to get there first,” Timoran mentions from where he is resting against a tree stump. “Looks like they’re going to fight again.”
The ground shakes as the titans stomp their feet and yell at the shrieking geyser giant. A few trees are thrown, but they pass harmlessly through their target. Struggling to avoid getting smashed, Sari gracefully swims through the steamy body of the giant. Manipulating the large form of hot vapor, the gypsy urges the creature to move further away from the titans. She pops out of the shoulder before the geyser giant becomes solid again. With a look of rage on her face, the towering figure glares at Sari and rapidly gurgles in her strange language.
“She’s mad at Sari for controlling her body,” Luke says, rubbing his neck and stretching his legs. “What’s going on here?”
“The geyser giant was chosen by the original guardian to watch over an emerald, but failed when the titans took the gem,” Timoran explains in a tired voice. Wiping snow from his pants, he lumbers over to his friends. “The titans felt she was an unworthy protector and stole the emerald to prove it. Now it seems the gem has been taken by a . . . tiny woman with the power of a dragon and the skin of the evening sky. We assume Trinity is behind this because of the description.”
“If the emerald isn’t here then we should move on,” Luke impatiently states as Fizzle lands on his shoulder. The pair yawn and scratch their heads at the same time. “That was a little strange.”
“Fizzle and Luke more bond. Fizzle improve spell. Now we in same boat. Why in boat when on land? Should not be on same horse or same ca . . . carr . . . wagon?”
“It’s a figure of speech,” Nyx answers with an edge to her voice. Flames roll through her hair and the heat from her body creates a patch of melted snow at her feet. “The reason we’re still here is because Delvin is trying to play diplomat. It’s admirable, but I’m not happy that he’s putting you at risk.”
“Actually he is doing it to save you, Luke,” Timoran says, stepping in front of the forest tracker. “Both giant species believe you must be destroyed. Delvin is attempting to convince them otherwise and negotiate peace at the same time. So far he has not had much success with the titans, but Sari has stopped the geyser giant from attacking.”
Luke looks around for the brown-haired warrior and eventually notices him standing in the branches of the only remaining tree in the clearing. Delvin waves his longsword and shouts at the titans, occasionally banging his shield for attention. He yells for Sari to get the geyser giant under control, receiving a roll of the eyes from the gypsy. When one of the titans gets angry and swings a fist at the warrior, Delvin drops low enough to avoid the attack. He stays within reach of the giant’s arm and makes a quick stab to prove he is not afraid. From the multiple broken branches of the towering pine, this is not the first time one of the creatures has thrown a punch at him.
“I’m going to help him,” Luke announces while handing Fizzle to Timoran.
With a deep breath, he walks toward the tree and ignores Nyx calling for him to come back. The titans are the first to notice him and grab nearby stones to hurl in his direction. Luke dodges the projectiles with confident leaps and flips, which puts a strain on his aching muscles. The geyser giant screams and spits a lance of scalding water that the half-elf casually ducks under. Cracking his knuckles, Luke jumps into the tree and climbs to the broken branches above his friend. Relaxing against the battered trunk, the forest tracker pulls out a red ocarina and plays a simple tune.
“What are you doing?” Delvin whispers, cautiously watching the confused giants. “They want to kill you.”
“That’s why I’m in the open,” Luke replies, his lips still on the instrument. He sighs and clears his throat, tucking the ocarina into his pouch. “Our enemies have infected me with the living curse that has been attacking the area. They did this to prevent me from reviving the Garden of Uli and in the hopes that all of you would kill me. After all, I would have had to come here to get the emerald, which means we were bound to meet. This was all an elaborate trap to turn all of you gentle people into our enemies’ weapons.”
Delvin covers his mouth as he hisses, “That’s not what Stephen is up to.”
“They don’t know that, so work with the lie,” the half-elf whispers to his friend. He yawns and returns to the trunk where he sits in the crook of the branch. “Now I need to recover my strength in order to complete my destiny. If you want to continue fighting over the emerald that I have the rights to then I c
an’t stop you. Though I recommend listening to my friend.”
“I’ve no idea if you made this better or worse, Luke.”
“I went with my gut.”
“You mean the one you were emptying a few hours ago?”
“That’s a cheap shot.”
Both warriors jump when the titans slap their backs and turn to speak amongst themselves. Instead of whispering, they sign to each other through intricate finger and arm movements. The largest titan glances at the geyser giant, who is back to whimpering in a feeble crouch. Sari is patting her on the head and saying comforting words to stop her from crying a flood of scalding tears. Luke plays a jaunty tune on his ocarina, the sudden noise startling Delvin bad enough that he nearly falls out of the tree.
“We are willing to listen to the one who stabs our hands,” the largest titan announces as they face everyone. “If the infected one is cured and frees the guardian then we demand a reward. The titans should get whatever the traitor was promised.”
“She isn’t a traitor!” Sari yells from atop the geyser giant. She crosses her arms and scowls at the other creatures. “They stole the emerald from her, so she’s the victim. That’s why Trinity was able to get the gem.”
“We are strong and powerful!” the titan shouts, pointing his fist at the gypsy. “We watched weakling carry the emerald and nearly lose it many times. Once we found the gem buried under stump. She refuses gift, so titans will claim the prize.”
“And you lost it to our enemies after you took it,” the gypsy argues. She steadies herself when the geyser giant takes a few long strides toward the titans. “She was asleep by the river with the emerald safely tucked in her ear. When she woke up, the emerald was gone and she approached the titans. They chased her away and claimed they were the new guardians, which is why she was crying so hard that the river became a mess.”
With an ear-twisting screech, the geyser giant unleashes a torrent of hot water at the other creatures. Steam fills the air when the attack hits the first line of titans and scalds their cold, bare skin. Bellowing curses ring out and the one-armed giants grab their crude weapons to retaliate. All of the creatures freeze when an explosion of fire and lightning erupts near the forest. The churning magic takes the form of a gigantic six-armed, axe-wielding warrior with an echoing battle cry courtesy of Timoran. The geyser giant runs behind the pine tree while the titans bow to the display of magic, all of them watching the enraged half-Elven caster who is standing on a tree stump.
Curse Of The Dark Wind (Book 6) Page 26