Even as she spoke those words, Gray felt an irritating prick on the palm of his hand. As each second passed, the burning increased until it was naught but a torrent of fire. The inferno grew and grew until Gray did not think he could restrain himself any longer. It felt like his hand was completely aflame but since the old lady hadn’t given him permission to move, he just clenched his teeth and growled away the pain.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity she said, “Enough!”
Instantly, the burning stopped.
“Remove your hand and show everyone your Signüm.”
Gray really did not know what a signüm was but followed her instructions anyway. He expected his hand to be charred or at least red but instead it seemed normal, although his palm felt tender. He was about to look at his palm when Kralm grabbed his wrist and held it aloft for all to see.
There was a quick intake of breath as everyone saw his signüm and Gray noticed that the dark elf blademaster grinned at the sight.
Gray had instinctively wanted to resist the half-orc’s grip but he was much stronger than he looked. Not to mention that he had long ago realized the truth of the whole situation, he was in fact a slave and Kralm was his owner.
Once the half-orc released him and the old woman signaled out another child, Gray looked at his palm. Seared into his flesh was the image of a black snarling wolf’s head. Other than being slightly tender at the moment and the memory of the burning, it did not seem seared into his flesh but placed there by magic.
Hearing one of the kids scream, Gray turned his attention back to the selection process. The whole method seemed to be testing each individual in some unknown way. Most only had their hand inside the skull for seconds while some lasted barely a minute.
Jardan leaned over and whispered. “No one has lasted nearly as long as you did.”
“Really? I just thought it seemed long.”
Jardan shook his head. “Hell, I bet you had your hand inside that blasted thing for nearly five minutes.” He was about to say something else when the old hag called him by name.
As Jardan moved forward, Tamina slid up next to him and held out her palm. She bore the symbol of the raven. “Have you noticed that every partnership has been severed?”
Gray had noticed. Additionally, every female had been placed in the Raven clan. Silently they watched their friend as he was tested. After about forty seconds, Jardan screamed and Kâlikâ signaled that he could remove his hand. Sure enough, Tamina was right. He bore a rival Cöterie’s symbol, the Cobra.
As Jardan moved back to stand with the rest of the kids, the old hag stood up slowly and gathered her things. Even though Gray got the impression that she was watching him, he could not prove it since her face was completely hidden by the heavy cowl.
Kralm moved back to the shadows. “I will leave you with your Döcent but remember two things; one…I will be watching and two…your lives depend on what you learn from your teachers.”
Then he was gone, swallowed up by the darkness of the Scar.
The beautiful dark elf pirate stepped forward and flashed her dazzling smile to her colleagues. “Ravens come with me and for the present time no talking the other groups.” However, she did seem to add an extra bit of sway in her hips as she walked away that invited looks from every guy.
Tamina just squeezed Gray’s hand and followed her new teacher into the depths of the Scar.
Espen the tattooed gnome snarled but when he spoke, it was in a nasally whiny voice that immediately grated on everyone’s nerves. “Listen here you weak-kneed little pissants, if you’re wearing my symbol keep your mouths shut and follow me.”
Not wanting to anger his new master, Jardan just nodded his head toward his friend and fell in line.
Which left Darnac and Mortharona. They just stared at each other for a moment until the fair-skinned elf nodded his head to his colleague and took a slight step toward the Scar. “Come.”
Darnac watched all this silently and without a word to anyone, walked through the gathering of his followers and into the desert. He did not look back or pause but continued to walk deeper into the sands.
Gray shrugged and followed. After a few moments, so did the rest. An hour later, Darnac stopped at the bottom of a bowl shaped sand dune and sat down. Gray followed suit. Many of the others milled about before sitting down.
Minutes passed. Darnac did not speak, so neither did Gray.
Darnac pushed a silver bladed dagger deep into the sand but still did not say a word. On the hilt of the dagger was a black gem that seemed to blink with an unhealthy light. A slight breeze began to blow which was unusual for night time in the desert. Some of the other children had given up sitting quietly and began playing in the sand but not Gray. Even if no one else realized that this was a test, he did.
Sometime in the third hour, the sand moved.
Subtly at first but before long the children realized that they were surrounded by thousands of black scorpions. Only Darnac and Gray remained still. The rest panicked and in their haste angered the deadly insects and felt the bite of their poisonous stingers. One by one, the children succumbed to the poisonous arachnids. Until only Gray was left but still he did not move even when the scorpions began to crawl all over his body.
One part of Gray’s mind heard the clicking of pincers and felt their spiny feet all over his body but he forced himself to remain calm. There were many times Anasazi had placed him in similar situation to teach him how to control his emotions and reactions. One particular incident came to mind. The old shaman had made him sit on top of a fire ant hill and remain that way for hours, only by learning to relax his mind and body, had he escaped the incident without being stung. Now he used those same skills, to survive this. He forced his thoughts to be like a snow fed mountain lake, cold and still.
Finally, Darnac snapped his fingers and the scorpions retreated. The dark elf cocked his head to the side and studied his newest apprentice. After a moment he asked, “What is your name slave?”
In the back of his mind, he heard Anasazi’s warning about using his given name. Not that he had been using his given name over the last year. “Isengrim, döcent.”
“Why did you not panic and flee like the rest?”
“You said it yourself, I am a slave. They might not have come to terms with that fact but I have.”
“Go on.”
“We are in the middle of the desert. I am unarmed, with no clothes and no water. Nor do I have any idea of where to run. Besides, I could not outrun the scorpions once they had us surrounded. Therefore, the best action was inaction.”
Darnac nodded. “That was very wise of you. And what of the others?”
“Döcent?”
“What should be done with them?”
Gray shrugged. “Whatever you wish.”
“Are they not friends of yours?”
“Yes, most of them but that is not relevant.”
“How so?”
“As a slave, we are property and our existence is only secured by our usefulness.”
Darnac smiled. “How did you come to this realization?”
“I have thought long and hard over the last year about our situation. It was not cost effective or a very logical way to leave a bunch of young slaves. There had to be a plan.”
“Continue.”
“There are only one or two reasons I could come up with for a bunch of kids to toil day after day with those three challenges.”
“And they are?”
“Gladiators or assassins.”
“Very good. I think I’m going to like you Isengrim.” Darnac’s grin was huge and genuine as he stood up. “Come, let us wake the others. We have much to do before the first full moon.” The Blademaster handed him a brown crystal. “Place this on each of their foreheads until it blinks red three times.”
Gray held it up and looked at it.
Darnac explained as he demonstrated the techniques used to activate the device. “It is a murena l
apis…a lamprey stone and it will absorb any and all poisons.”
Once Gray understood the process, he helped his Döcent revive the others.
* * * * *
Just before dawn, Darnac lead his Cöterie back to the fortress and down into the Scar. They traveled miles and miles along ledges and through tunnels, always in the dark with only the occasional torch to light the way. It was times like this when Gray realized how much he took his half-elven nightvision for granted. He could tell that they had doubled back several times but kept that knowledge to himself. He might be friends with the rest of the kids but if his suspicions were correct about Kralm’s ultimate goal, and judging from Darnac’s reactions they were, he needed to start separating himself from them. It would be easier in the long run.
Darnac paused when he reached a bas-relief sculpture of a scorpion. Turning back to his Cöterie, the Blademaster lifted up his medallion. “This is the only entrance into our lair. From this moment forward this is your only safe ground.” He pointed at a dark skinned young man to Gray’s left. “Slave, what is your name?”
The young man looked around for a second before replying, “Nergüi…Döcent.”
“Place your hand on the sculpture.”
Nergüi did as he was ordered and nothing happened.
Darnac shook his head. “The other hand. The one with your signüm on it.”
Bowing his head sheepishly, Nergüi switched hands and watched in amazement as the sculpture slid into the floor revealing a dark portal behind it.
Darnac did not look back as he stepped through. Seconds later, everyone followed him into the common room of the Wolf’s Den where a young dark-elf was waiting. He seemed to be about Gray’s age and size with ebony skin and raven hair. He was wearing black leather armor and had a strange black stick strapped across his back. The Blademaster gestured to the young man. “This is Galvorn, my onus. He’ll be training with you. By his mother’s decree, he will become a Sicárii or die in the attempt.”
Gray could not stop himself from asking, “Sicárii?”
Darnac rewarded his curiosity with a little smile. “It’s plural for Sicárius or dagger-men. Think of them as part gladiators and part assassins. You will train from sun down to sun up every day. Although you will actually train with each of the Döcent, that will not start until after the full moon. Between now and then, you will begin to walk my path.”
Darnac reached over to the side, pulled out an iron bound chest and set it on the table. When opened it revealed dozens of straight bladed daggers with ebony handles in black sheaths. As the blademaster passed them out, he kept talking. “This is a sicáe, the ritual dagger of the Sicárii. From this moment forward you are to never be without it, on pain of death.”
Gray pulled clear the blade and noticed that there was black etching on the silver blade. “Saguinem et Mortem?”
Judging from the looks that the other kids were giving him, none of the others could tell what it said. It was then that he realized how rare it was that he could read but then, Rjurik and Anasazi had been adamant about giving him a well-rounded education.
Once again, Darnac graced him with a smile. “Blood and Death, the code of the Sicárii, the promise of what your future holds.”
The Blademaster began the process of pairing off children and pointing them to their sleeping areas. It was obvious that he purposely paired Galvorn and Gray together.
“Tomorrow, everyone will be down in this common room one hour before dusk and I shouldn’t have to mention it but I will…do not wander outside the den. You are the Shadow Wolves…the night hunters. Now, off you go. Get cleaned up and plenty of rest. You will find bathing areas near your rooms and clothing on your bunks. Do not return to this common room naked again.”
As everyone departed, the Blademaster held back Galvorn and Graytael. Once they were alone, Darnac turned on his onus and his face became filled with rage. “What in the name of Hecate are you doing carrying your falinnsverõ? Was I not clear earlier in the day that the only weapon you are allowed until you graduate is the sicáe?”
Galvorn lowered his head. “Yes Kënnári, you were. It’s just…”
The Blademaster held up his hand to forestall anything else the young dark elf had to say. “You know that I don’t like excuses.” He held out his hand. “Give it here.”
Galvorn did as he was told and pulled off his harness and swords.
Darnac pointed at nearby door. “Ten laps around the Lüdüs, including the stairs.” As the young dark elf moved toward the door, the Blademaster pointed at Gray. “You too Isengrim. You and Galvorn are now an Aciês, a battle-edge unit. Where one goes, the other must. You two will share glories and failures together from now until you graduate or one of you dies.” Darnac reached over to the side and threw a leather harness his way. “Get dressed and catch up to him.”
Gray nodded his head and slipped on the outfit.
It did not cover much, just his privates but it did have a wide leather belt that covered his midsection, studded leather shoulder pads and a harness that crossed over his chest in an ‘X’ pattern. He had to admit that it felt good to have clothes again but after a year of constantly being naked, it also felt strange.
He tucked his dagger into the harness and silently followed the young dark elf. It seemed that he and Galvorn would be spending a lot of time together. The dark elf was grumbling under his breath as he stomped through the doorway. Gray did not understand a single word since he was speaking in his native tongue.
“Wait up!” he called and the dark elf paused.
Galvorn looked back over his shoulder. “Sorry about this Grim, I’m used to carrying all my weapons. It was how I was raised, to be ready for an attack at any time.”
Gray nodded. “I understand. I too have found it strange over the last year to be weaponless.”
The dark elf just nodded as they stepped onto the sand. “This is the Lüdüs Lupus, the training arena of the wolf.”
Gray paused and looked around. The Lüdüs was basically a large round room filled with many devices and instruments that he didn’t recognize. Although he did notice that there were racks upon racks of weapons ranging from swords of all sizes to staves and polearms.
Galvorn tapped him on the shoulder. “Come on…let’s get started.”
“Lead on.”
The two young warriors began running laps. The deep sand made the run more challenging than Gray would have thought but still they ran. At one point in each lap, they ducked through a doorway and dashed up the stairs. Reaching the top, Galvorn touched the brass gong hanging there and ran back down. Gray was only a few steps behind him and copied his actions.
* * * * *
Hecate, the ebony skinned goddess of the night, looked down at the two young warriors and smiled. “It is good that these two should meet this way.”
Luna the moon goddess nodded. “So true, I must admit that I feared they would first meet on the field of battle.”
Her remark caught the attention of Minos the horned god of war. His oxen hooves clicked on the marble stones as he crossed over to the enchanted pool of scrying. “And what’s wrong with the field of battle?”
Luna placed a gentle hand on the huge and volatile minotaur. “Nothing dear brother and I didn’t mean it that way. I had just feared that given who Galvorn’s mother is that he would be cruel and malicious.”
Hecate grinned. “And if she had actually raised him that would be how he was but since she shunted that burden over to the Blademaster, he is more of a free-thinker. Not that I’m complaining, at least Darnac is a follower. Not as devoted as I would like but at least he still pays me lip service.”
Minos gazed down on the puny mortals. It truly galled him to think that their fate lie in their hands. But it did and the problem was how to best help them.
It was a problem the Dhyana discussed daily.
Chapter 20
Gray and Galvorn finished their run in silence each lost in their own thou
ghts. They were sweaty and tired but not exhausted. Returning to the Wolf’s Den, Galvorn gestured to the east doorway and ducked into the first room.
Gray paused at the door and took in the layout of the room.
It was small, just barely big enough for two bunks, and on the walls were pegs to hang their weapons and clothing. Before he stepped in, Gray glanced down the hallway. There were five doors on each side and one at the end of the hall.
Galvorn nodded to the distant door. “That’s our bath house.”
“Are all the rooms the same?”
“Aye, the same down the west corridor also.”
Gray quickly did the math. They had bunks enough for forty but only twenty-three had been chosen to be part of the Shadow Wolves. Well, twenty-four counting his bunk mate.
“We full on this side or the other?”
“West side. I’m not sure why we got the least number of members.”
Gray shrugged. “Does it really matter?”
“It will during the Cërtatüs.”
“The what?”
“The Cërtatüs, it means contest. Once a year each Lüdüs will be pitted against another school. From what Darnac has let slip, it could be a straight up fight between prize Aciês or the entire Lüdüs against a rival school.” Galvorn shrugged, “All I know is that I do not want to let my Kënnári down…not now, not ever.”
Gray cocked his head to the side. “That’s the second time you’ve used the elvish term for Master when referring to the Blademaster. Have you served him long?
“I thought I’d been careful about using that term. It just comes so natural.” Galvorn shrugged. “It seems like he’s been by my side as long as I can remember. My parents really didn’t have time for me, so Darnac both raised and trained me.”
“I can see why you wouldn’t want to let him down.” Gray tried to suppress a yawn but failed “We’ll make him proud. After all, we are the Shadow Wolves.”
That remark brought a smile to his partner’s face and the two new friends lay down to get some much-needed sleep.
* * * * *
Darkness Falls (Tales of the Wolf) Page 17