by J Silverado
By midmorning the next day, Pelokir, responsible to the groceries, approaches Galaniel saying: – Gala, we're almost out of water, will we risk fill the canteens with this pool water? – It would give dysentery in the right – So what do we do? – Hrothgar, Relfer, you go ahead and make an acknowledgment, see for some cacti. – The brothers split up the group, urging their horses and fading into the dust. – If everything continues as it is, I think, tomorrow night, we got there – Rion said. – Yes... According to our map, made from reports, now are missing a few miles. Let's hope you're right – Galaniel answers to Rion.
The scouts returned with a bundle of cactus, removed from the bud. – We only find these five – Hrothgar speaks jumping horse and opening the beam. – They are big, it should be enough to our revictualling.
Pelokir stays up from his horse and with the aid of Hrothgar, which holds the top part of the root Relfer positions the flask and Pelokir cuts just below the tip of the diagonal cacti, making a nozzle and a green liquid starts to leave. – Let some of the juice out first, Relfer, the taste is bitter with it – Codaino remember to the mate. Shortly after the cut, green gives way to a transparent water and Relfer begins to fill the flask. The process is done with other cacti and, therefore, all the canteens are supplied in addition to half of the big canteen led by one of the pack horses, used for the preparation of meals. - Keep the best pieces for the stew tonight. We're out of vegetables and it will serve well as thickener, because we can not do miracles just with dried meat and wheat flour - Pelokir calls.
The group continues to ride until just after sunset and finding what was once a bridge, damaged by time and humidity, it was now reduced to the ropes on the right, with wooden slats prey flying in the wind. That was the only way that allowed implement a long canyon, which extends from the base of the ridge as far as the eye can see. – We will camp here and tomorrow morning we will fix the bridge, or lose another couple of days to get around the canyon – Galaniel determines.
A few hours later, with the camp armed and food on the fire, the conversation around the campfire was how it would be to get to the slot. – I think it is best we attack during the day, it is easier to see them with the morning sun – Codaino defended. – Yeah, but they also see us better – Hrothgar replies. – They see at night as well as at day – Rion corrects. – And besides, they know the terrain better than us – Pelokir participates. – I prefer the evening, those shiny green eyes are very helpful to my arrows, just aim between the two – Relfer advocates. – It's no helpful we debating the stay, everything will depend on the time when we get there. We can not wait much or we will be discovered – Galaniel seeks to be practical. – It is... Thinking that way, I'd better eat and we sleep, so arrive soon. I will draw water from the knee, see if you do not eat everything – Rion says, getting up, walking near the gorge, while opening his fly. Next the edge begins to ease while looking landscape around and the gorge itself. - What will be the depth of this? – While get dressed, he kicks a stone waiting for the sound when it hit the bottom. However, no sound is heard. – Fund same ... – he thinks, putting his hand on his hips, forcing them forward, umbending a little column. – This bridge has soon seen better days. Interestingly, the strings that are attached to the other side looks fine resistant yet, does the other one is still stuck on the edge
Rion approaches the ties of the bridge and pulls the piece that is loose feel a characteristic smell and immediately begins to probe the darkness, holding the hilt of his sword. – No pass at forward, rock at right, trees at left... A good place for an ambush – Rion analyzes the surroundings. So, he grabs his sword and raises it high while he gives old words – Ylur ylhur drey in – and when he finishes his sword begins to emit an extremely bright white light that illuminates much of the gorge, reaching up to where the camp and beyond.
Then they see forms that before were hiding in the darkness – Attack! Spectra! – Rion screams, while looking at the gorge and also he sees more devils. The group immediately wide it plates and forms a circle around the camp. Rion runs back, when the attack begins. Winged waves attack throwing rocks and demonic discharges, while infantry spectra surrounding the group. - Pelokir, raise a shield. Cod and Hroth, hedgehogs. Rion and Relfer, alternate attack - Galaniel coordinates.
Pelokir’s protection field defended the horses and the camp, but it was not able to block all attacks. The light urchins were quite effective against the winged and with each shot, several green smoke clouds were forming. Galaniel took turns with the forwards in attack.
Each of them brokes into a charge, while the other two protected the flanks. Although there were still many opponents, the waves were a little weaker after every attack until, at a certain time, they ceased.
The group, already tired, found that the confrontation was over, however, a winged spectrum of large size appears in front of the group: – then our little done, days ago, was not enough to get your race away, right? I think we have to do something better here – the infernal of the group kids, with its raspy voice. – So was it your gang that destroyed the door of hell, demon? – Rion asks. – I thought I had been clear, but I see that muscles and brain do not go together. – And what's your name, demon? Or should we say that we kill nobody – Codaino returns. – My name is Xojut, the hell knight, and, soon, I will taste your flesh. – It's good to have strong teeth, devil, our flesh is hard and the worst taste yet – Galaniel cries, beating his sword against the shield, in defiance of the horde, while the group of warriors answered with one voice: – Eight! Eight! Eight!
The confident face of the the demon falls apart when it hear the battle cry. There was no demon which did not know that name, because the Eight had hundreds disembodied spectra thousands to tell the troops under its command. – Attack! – Xojut screams for its horde, retracing the surprise and then the attacks return with redoubled force. The group maintains training and continues to repel the attacks. So, the infernal knight lands and comes towards the group, holding a large mangrove three spiked ball at the extremities attached by chains in the end of the cable. – Go you two, I continue to repel infantry - Galaniel speaks to the forwards.
Relfer and Rion look at each other and waving affirmatively their head, they run towards the leader of the enemy group. The winged attack had ceased, as the few remaining had fled, there was only the infantry. Therefore, mentales were auxiliary Galaniel. – What you need, sir? – Codaino questions. – Prepare the morning light, we need to get this over with, before I call more demons here. – Right.
Hrothgar and Codaino begin to prepare the spell, while Galaniel defends the camp line. – Then your leader did not dare come to me face? – Xojut exclaims while it turns its mangrove above the horns. – He thought he needed to train, after all, apparently you only know how to speak, demon – Rion responds in kind. The demon howls of anger and attacks making the ball cross the air in a half moon to hit the ground where the warriors were, who can dodge. Xojut turns his body, attacking again. Relfer can dodge, but one of the spheres slips in Rion, opening a gash on his left arm. – It seems that you do more than talk, warrior. – This time Rion is silent, trying to contain the pain. Seizing the moment, Relfer attacks – Erium Pruen Sulak – and to shoot their arrows, they become rays reaching the enemy's chest.
While the demon loose a scream of pain, Rion runs towards the enemy and jumping with his hatchet in hand, he strikes a blow arc, hitting the demon's head, stopping just at the waist. The demon disappears while their halves will separating. Rion falls after the coup, holding his injured arm, Relfer comes to help him and extend his left hand. Rion safes with his good arm and gets up with some difficulty. – This one was hard – Relfer vents. – I'm getting old ... This green dust managed to hit me – Rion answered, looking at his injured arm. – Let's go back, Pelokir going to fix this, we will. – Parallel to the struggle of forwards, Codaino and Hrothgar are awaiting the command to release the spell. – It's just talk, boss. – Codaino awaits Galaniel. – Wait com
e the next wave. Thus, they will be closer and took more – the guardian answered, while he cut off the head of another spectrum. – Attention ... Now! Cover your eyes, guys!
The mentales release the morning light, a power which briefly releases the sunlight concentrated in all directions, and once in contact with the eyes of demons it makes them burn inside immediately.
The attack ends. Only a few spectra manage to escape and the group managed to resist with few injuries and abrasions. Who was worse was Rion, because his arm was getting dark around the wound. – There was poison in that mangrove – Pelokir speaks by seeing the cut. – Can you heal it? – Relfer asked. – Maybe, but he will need complete rest and can no ride. First, I need to stop the poison does not spread throughout the body – Pelokir answers, adjusting Rion upon a large blanket and starting the healing spells. – Only left stew dregs - Hrothgar scours what was the fire, surveying the small cauldron. – Who will eat will be Rion, you can bring – Pelokir determines under protests of the mentale. – Stop complaints, Hroth, we still have cheese, bread and wine, more than enough – Codaino speaks throwing a piece of cheese to Hrothgar. – Let's rest because tomorrow we have a lot to do and the enemy knows our location – Galaniel speaks to the group prepares to rest. – I take the turn of Rion with Codaino and then Relfer finally assumes Hroth and Pelokir’s. – The rest of the night passes quickly and without any problems.
In the morning, the group seeks to leave Galaniel sleep more and while Pelokir continues healing on Rion, Hrothgar makes a stretcher to take along. Codaino and Relfer will repair the bridge. – Then who will take the rope to the other side? – Relfer questions Codaino. – You are the light, we do not know how this rope is. – Okay, I'll prepare myself.
Relfer goes to the camp, removes his armor, leaving only his belt sword and two hooks for repair. Tying the tip of two ropes around his waist with double nodes and, returning to the edge of the gorge, tells to Codaino, reaching out in compliance with: – We'll see you on the other side. – Certainly – his companion answers.
Relfer starts crossing, putting tiptoed on the rope that holds the slats and holding up in that is interlaced with the railing underneath. Codaino will loosening the strings attached to Relfer’s waist, as he will moving away, he keeps an eye on the companion and the landscape, looking for new attacks. The forward is already almost halfway through the gorge when the wind starts to be stronger, making the rope swing more and more. – So far so good – Relfer speaks to himself as he continues his walk slowly.
- How is Rion, Pelokir? – Galaniel asks. - The poison was neutralized, but the wound still take a while to heal. – You can heal it while traveling? – If the ground is not too bad, yes, but we have to stand still somewhere until the potions do their effect. – Well, let's hope this does not happen. Prepare to move it right after lunch, if nothing else goes wrong. – Okay, you can leave. – Moving away from the bionte, the guardian approaches Hrothgar. – How is the litter, managed to finish it? – I think that by the end of lunch. The greatest problem is to find materials to make it without going any further – Best not. We do not know who or what may be lurking. – Yes, let me just look a few more things and I will soon end. – Sure, the forecast is leave right after lunch.
The mentale nods and then Galaniel looks far to the bridge and sees Relfer shortly after half of the gorge. - Yes, there will also take some more – he talks to himself and get to watch the camp, making round and looking at the sky and the landscape. - I'm almost over - Relfer thinks. - A few more steps and done. – He looks to Codaino and then he rises the arm waving. The mentale waves back and gestures for him to continue. When Relfer will hold the handrail rope again, a breath does unbalance, dropping the arm holding the rope. Relfer falls, to the despair of Codaino screaming his name.
At the last moment, Relfer can, with the hand waving, hold one of the slats attached to the lower rope.
The wind was still strong, causing that the mentale was shaken like a rag doll, but even so, he manages to hold and when the wind decreases a little, he secures another slat with the other arm and gradually he get climb the woods and holds on the bottom rope. Then he goes with the right leg over the rope and, while holding the lower chord with his left hand, reaches the top rope with his right hand and, very carefully, can for standing again. – That was very little. I saw my grandmother for the crack! – Relfer thinks with his heart in mouth, just listening to the rumble of what looked like war drums inside his head. – I need to calm down and get this over with. – He starts to breathe deeply and slowly, releases the air while thinking about the young man who flirted in the stable a few days ago, just before the confusion of pay and Galaniel and others entered the bar.
With that thought, the mentale can finish crossing the gorge, tying the ropes that were on his waist around a tree and then he takes a breath, hands on his knees and legs slightly open. Codaino waved in celebration across.
After a few minutes, the bridge began to be repaired. Each of his side wrapped up the top and bottom ropes and they began to hold the slats again. As the slat was fixed, they stepped over it and began to repair the next. Of course they held ropes on hooks tied to the waist and signed in the upper strings, but the bridge was repaired without further problems and just in time for lunch.
They had lunch quickly because there was no time for rest and breaking camp, they began to cross the bridge. First came the horses one by one, with the last being that carried Rion’s litter and then went the rest of the group.
The march was now slower, because the litter could not shake too. So Galaniel decided to change the training: – Codaino, you and Hrothgar who are less tired go ahead and check the ground, return to the group every half hour. – The two warriors nod and run. – Pelokir, stay behind Rion’s litter and continue with the healing, while Relfer and I stayed alert looking for suspicious movements.
The rest of the day passes without changes, with the scouts performing and returning, until, in the late afternoon Codaino reports: – we found a small cave about two kilometers, and uninhabited enough to we all fit, though a bit tight. – All right, then take the groceries and start the camp. Relfer will go with you, I will give support to Pelokir until we get there. – Okay, we're on the way.
Half of the group parts, while the others continue more slowly. When they finally arrive, the camp is practically assembled and Hrothgar is preparing a sauce with bits of dried meat, cheese and olives to eat with bread. After an inventory, they found that the supplies were below what is needed for return. So they began to ration. – Today you will be blessed with my famous meat sauce and enjoy thrashed with bread, washed down with water cacti. – Certainly one worthy of king delicacy, my friend – Pelokir responds, placing his hand on the right shoulder of the cook.
After resting a little from travel, all them feed and little talk is exchanged between the group because the long days of travel and the battle begins to take its toll. As there is only one opening and the cave is not as visible from afar, they reduce vigil to only one at a time.
Thus, all sleep a little more. Those who worked more take the first shift, so they can sleep more until morning. Again, Galaniel is the last so that Pelokir can rest more, because he had spent the day healing Rion, which already practically closed the wound.
The moon was still huge in the sky, when the bionte wakes the guardian agreed to rent him. – Proper rest, friend – Galaniel wishes to Pelokir, who nods, already lying down.
The guardian walks to the cave entrance, looks in all directions, takes advantage of the light which is beginning to unravel the veil of night, leaving a lighter blue. Finding nothing as far as the eye can see, Galaniel turns inwards and begins to examine the cave where they are. Small, with just over two meters high and about four feet wide by six long, barely he fit the camp and horses, placed at the bottom. Looking at the walls, he noted that with the flickering flames, something was shining. He took a burning stick from the fire and took it close to the walls. He note
d that there were signs designed in an unknown language for him.
Galaniel accompanied the writing that ended in a square hole on the wall, like an altar adorned with several small holes around that, after further inspection were encrusted gems. Now, there were only little pieces, probably when parties withdrew the stones. – Hmm... Maybe Pelokir decipher. I know he studies ancient languages – he thought.
Soon after, he looks to the other wall and sees no visible symbol until he approaches the cave. Almost devising the wall, as if hidden, he sees some symbols that seem to follow into the wall - Strange... Was there a cave here? – He begins to move the stones by hand, making them roll to the floor and a small hole appears. – There's something here... – He begins carefully to remove the debris and, from time to time, he goes to the entry to look if he sees any suspicious movement.
When the group begins to wake up, Galaniel managed to clean part of the passage, allowing enter another part of the cave. It was not long, because it extended by only two meters, but on the background, it had a white monolith, with a wide front face, well polished and smooth, with some signs written in black, in low relief.
"Go zum wei mak Zof it
Qal fuor it gey Dhum feo
Etr shur wei melk har
Throj zeics zum tarr
Hu ghus kum driak ynju ol aswiv "
Just below there was a drawing approaching much of the hole in the wall on the side of the cave, but with something drawn at the center which, judging by the prominence, had great value. – Gala? What makes this hole? It's okay? – Codaino through the passage. – All right, Cod, I just found these writings and want to know the meaning. Pelokir already agreed? – Yes, he is preparing breakfast. Do you want that call him? – Yes, maybe he can translate.