For an interminable moment, the creature stared through the gaping hole at them.
It’s trying to show gratitude for its release, Saxthor thought.
The creature turned and went up the cellblock. The crashing gate and crunching bones told the prisoners the thing was dealing with the guard. They waited for the noise to stop, then rushed out into the corridor. The way was clear. All hurried up the hall and through the gate past the guard’s remains.
Tonelia turned, grabbing the guard’s bloody tunic, and ran back down the cellblock to splash the blood around in the cell. She then brought it back, tossed it on the guard’s unrecognizable remains, and looked at the incredulous Bodrin.
“What are you doing?”
“The guards will think the creature ate you, too, and not bother searching for you,” Tonelia said.
She has steel nerves, Saxthor thought.
“Clever girl,” Bodrin said, beaming at Saxthor.
“Ha! Wish I’d thought of that,” Saxthor said.
The four went down another hallway when they started hearing screams and terrible noises on the floor above.
“The pandemonium should last the night,” Tournak said.
Saxthor bowed, sweeping his arm to point. “Lead on, Tonelia.”
The fugitives hurried, crossing in shadows to the outer bailey walls. They entered a tunnel and rushed to the next tower, undiscovered. Chaos raised the alarm. Guards dashed to the keep to combat the rampaging monster.
“There’s a hidden gate that few know about,” Tonelia said. “It was built into the wall to escape into the Talok Mountains should an enemy overrun the castilyernov. Prince Henri and a few senior guards knew of it, but the new guards don’t.”
“You’re so resourceful, Tonelia.” Bodrin patted her shoulder but snatched back his hand at her glance.
“We’ll make good our escape without notice. Father won’t want the other guards to know that his daughter ran away. It would be humiliating and bring more harassment. He’ll tell the guards I eloped with a secret boyfriend. I left a note to that effect, and no one will ever know the difference. It’ll be as if you men never came to Castilyernov Hoyahof, except now you have a girl traveling with you.”
“A girl, yes.” Tournak glanced at Saxthor.
“Thank you for all you’ve done, Tonelia,” Saxthor said. “Are you sure you want to go with us?
“You promised to take me with you.”
Saxthor shrugged. “So I did.”
“Then let’s be on our way.”
From behind, Bodrin wrapped his arms around Tonelia, grinning at Saxthor.
“Yes, and I’ve learned a valuable lesson about priorities in this experience,” Saxthor said.
Tournak nodded. “I hope so.”
Tonelia and the men followed a goat trail along the mountain edge behind the castilyernov, then back into the dark city streets. Rushing along, Saxthor almost ran into Hendrel on his way to find them.
“Hendrel!”
“What took you so long?”
“Long story, no time now.”
Hendrel saw the beautiful girl clinging to Bodrin, who was clinging to her.
“Who’s this?”
“Not now,” Saxthor said. He grabbed Hendrel, spun him around, and rushed them all back to the inn. “We must escape the city before dawn exposes us. If the guards assume the creature ate us when they restore order, they mustn’t see us again.”
They thanked the proprietor for holding their goods, paid their bill, and left, avoiding attention. When away from the city, they stopped to devise the next steps in their plan. Saxthor explained to Hendrel what had happened.
“Someone needs to go to Konnotan to alert Memlatec to what’s happening in Hoya and take Tonelia there for safety,” Saxthor said. “Hendrel, I think you should go on that mission, then return home to Hador. We’ll meet you there, and you can assist us in finding the remaining jewels and getting back to Konnotan.”
Hendrel stood up. “Memlatec told me to protect you.”
Saxthor’s new authority and leadership swayed the others. In the end, Hendrel agreed to accept the mission and to rejoin the troupe in Hador as soon as possible.
Tonelia had other ideas. “Thank you, Saxthor, for your concern for my welfare, but I just escaped ‘protection,’ and I’m not about to fall for that again so soon. I’m a team member. I got you out of Castilyernov Hoyahof. I’ll be going wherever Bodrin goes.”
Everyone looked at Bodrin, whose smug smile said it all. Blushing, he took Tonelia’s hand in his, glaring back at any sign of objections. That settled the matter.
“We’ll be scrambling along rocky trails, chased by minions of a very evil wizard, have next to no food, and be sleeping on the ground,” Saxthor said.
Tonelia smiled and nodded. “Uh-huh.”
Bodrin nestled closer behind her. She put her hand back on his cheek.
Frustrated, Saxthor could think of no reply. I’m indebted to this girl, strong-willed as I am, he thought. He gave in. “There’s no time to argue.”
Hendrel went south to Konnotan; the others turned east-northeast into the Talok Mountains toward Lake Lemnos.
7: Talok-Lemnos
The Talok-Tak Elves and the Peldentak Wand
“We’ll have to go along the mountains,” Saxthor said.
“The Talok Mountains thrust up across the peninsula’s eastern half,” Tournak said. “These are newer mountains, less weathered. Their peaks and crags are still jagged.”
“Jagged, yes.” Tonelia’s head bobbed.
“I’d rather slip along the south plain to our destination beyond the lakes, but with the chatra’s soldiers possibly still behind us, we don’t dare take the open road,” Saxthor said.
“There are likely watchers along that road, too,” Bodrin said.
Tournak looked down the range. “Don’t expect roads, just rocky ledges, and animal trails.”
“That’s what they say at Hoya,” Tonelia said.
“The mountains look so forbidding. I can understand why they formed the border between the old Kingdom of Talok-Lemnos in the south and Graushdem to the north,” Saxthor said. “Tonelia, you and the others should change into the sturdy clothes Hendrel bought while waiting for us to return. You’ll have to wear men’s clothes; he didn’t anticipate your coming.”
Bodrin stepped forward. “Tonelia gets first choice.”
“Done,” Saxthor said.
Tonelia went to inspect the selection.
Saxthor looked out over the formidable peaks to the east. Clouds wrapped the taller mountain summits. The sun glistened off the slick rock slopes below, making the mountains look like turbaned old men facing south to Neuyokkasin.
I’m content now that I have Sorblade again, Saxthor thought. Luckily, we didn’t take weapons when we went to the castilyernov, thinking they might appear threatening to the court. He took Sorblade’s hilt and felt its familiar warmth. After dressing for rough conditions, they forged ahead into the mountains.
“Follow the animal paths along the mountains to avoid the plains people spotting us,” Tournak said. “The higher peaks will block the sun. It’ll get cold in these mountains at night.”
They hiked with caution along the rocky ledges during the day and huddled in caves or under ledges at night, reducing exposure and only lighting fires when they found caves. One such cave on the fifth night was a welcomed relief. The pilgrims rushed to it late in the afternoon.
“Bodrin, check the cave to be sure it’s okay,” Saxthor said.
“We’ll need to search for anything that will burn,” Tournak said. “Wood is scarce this high up on the mountain. Sticks and twigs, dried dung if you find it, even dead grass will do.” Tournak left and returned with a hyrax he’d shot with his bow and arrow.
“After three days in the mountains, this cave is like an inn,” Bodrin said.
Saxthor nodded. “We need a fire, Tournak.”
The wizard used his elementary magic to ligh
t the fire, staking the hyrax to roast above the coals.
“I’m content for the first time since entering the mountains,” Saxthor said.
Tonelia chuckled. “Oh yeah, just like home.”
Fat from the roasting hyrax dripped into the coals, giving off a delicious, sweet smoke. The aroma of roasting meat just started to whet Saxthor’s appetite when he heard a noise from the cave’s deep recesses.
“What was that?” Tonelia asked. The noises grew louder and closer, guttural, rumbling.
Bodrin jumped up. “Whatever’s back there’s coming out.”
The others popped up when deep snorts and shuffling came from just beyond the firelight. Sand flicked into the fire. A great cave bear lumbered into the light, tossing his head from side to side, tracking the meat’s aroma. Seeing the people, the beast reared up on his hind legs and roared, bobbing his head in a challenge.
Tonelia stumbled backward. “What’s that?”
“A giant cave bear,” Tournak said. “He smells the hyrax.”
“That’s a morsel,” Bodrin said over the cave bear’s slobbered roars.
“The bear sees four standing meals in front of him now. Cripes, he must be twelve feet tall,” Tournak said.
Bodrin turned to Tonelia, standing motionless, her eyes fixed on the beast, her jaw hanging.
“Run, Tonelia! Get out of here.”
Closest to the exit, Tournak poked Tonelia. They grabbed things close by and rushed out of the cave.
Bodrin stepped back and tripped. His frantic attempt to recover his footing attracted Saxthor’s glance. He looked down to see the top of a skull half-buried in the sandy floor and couldn’t miss the two pairs of teeth holes in it. He looked up at Bodrin.
“Cripes!”
The bear’s eyes blinked, his thick brown fur shook. He dropped down and charged Saxthor and Bodrin, still at the fire.
Saxthor snatched a burning branch and waved it in front of the bear.
“Get out, Bodrin.”
The branch only stalled the bear a moment. Without the campfire’s heat to sustain it, the flame went out, leaving Saxthor waving a smoking stick. He dropped the branch and snatched out Sorblade, then realized the great cave bear’s reach extended beyond the sword to his forearm. Saxthor bolted toward the cave exit, following his friends. A sting across his calf suggested the bear’s claw swiped it.
I can’t outrun that thing, he thought
Barking since the bear’s appearance, Delia charged it with heightened ferocity. When Saxthor passed her, she too turned and fled, taking the lead.
The bear stopped long enough to snatch the hyrax. Burned by the sizzling meat, he dropped it. The beast started for the cave’s opening and its fleeing dinner.
Tournak had loaded an arrow in his bow when the bear rushed out on the ledge. The arrow shot deep into the bear’s chest. Hesitating for but an instant, the enraged bear roared and charged. Before Tournak could load another arrow, the bear was on him. He fell back on the ground.
The bear reared up poised to disembowel Tournak with its six-inch claws.
Saxthor lunged forward from behind it. He feared the sword was too blunt for stabbing through heavy fur, but he had to do something. With both hands locked on Sorblade, Saxthor swung overhead and down on the bear’s outstretched arm as it arced to swipe across Tournak’s stomach. The sword struck at the wrist, lopping off the bear’s paw.
The beast roared. Stunned at first, it recovered and turned on Saxthor. Blood spurted from the arm’s stump. The beast focused on Saxthor, who was backing up along the narrow ledge. The hideous distraction gave Tournak time to notch another arrow. Again, he shot the bear at close range, driving the arrow deep between its ribs.
Shock and pain delayed the creature’s reaction time, if not its rage. It roared through a gaping, fanged mouth. He was able to fire a third arrow into the bear’s throat. When it again turned to Tournak and reared up, Saxthor jumped forward, and this time he made a slashing uppercut into the animal’s side. As the wounded assailant turned, Saxthor slashed its belly.
The bear’s entrails spilled out onto the ledge. The bear looked down, stunned. Men and bear stood momentarily in suspense. Then the bear slumped forward onto its remaining paw, holding its bleeding arm close to its body. It looked at the men, gave one last roar of defiance, and toppled forward over the ledge. The tangled intestines followed the beast over the edge like a huge, uncoiling snake.
“We’re still alive?” Saxthor said to Tournak.
Bodrin and Tonelia came up from behind Tournak on the narrow outcropping. Bodrin picked up the paw and stared at the huge thing, then thumped the claws. He handed the trophy to Saxthor. All stared until Tonelia broke the silence. “Well, shall we go back inside and see if the bear left any hyrax?”
The men looked to each other, then at her.
“We don’t have enough firewood to cook a bear, do we?” Tonelia asked. She was first back in the cave.
“She even thinks like Bodrin,” Saxthor said.
Tournak shook his head. “The girl has spunk and a great sense of humor.”
They laughed. Bodrin still had a smile on his face when they went back into the refuge.
“Pity the bear didn’t stay up here, we could have a real feast, and there’d be enough fat to keep the fire burning all night,” Tonelia said.
Bodrin went back out and peered over the precipice. The bear was nowhere in sight. There was no way of retrieving it. He shook his head at the loss and returned to the campfire; the others were rekindling.
“At least we know nothing else will bother us in this cave,” Tournak said. “That bear would eat anything coming in here.”
They got out the usual fare of dried meat and bread for dinner and talked about the events for the rest of the evening.
“We’ll not miss cave bear tracks in the future,” Saxthor said. “That’s a hard-learned lesson.”
Next morning, they packed up and headed east again. A higher and steeper mountain forced them to go around and deeper into the mountains. The undergrowth got thicker and soon ended in a sheer rock wall with only a deep gorge splitting it.
“We have to go down through the chasm,” Tournak said.
“It’ll cost at least an extra day, but it would take longer to go back and around the southern slope,” Saxthor said. “The canyon is deep as if the two parallel mountain ridges crashed together there and split apart to the roots.”
“All the tracks lead into the gorge. Strange, there’re none coming this way,” Bodrin said.
“I guess some herd must have gone in, trampling those tracks coming out,” Saxthor said.
The troupe went down the slope into the gorge. The steep slopes blocked sunlight as they descended deeper until the path disappeared under the granite. The trail ran beside a stream that flowed beneath the overhang into the cave. That was enough for Twit, who flew up and over the granite cliff to await them on the other side.
“I don’t like it,” Tonelia said.
“This is the only way through here,” Saxthor said. “We’ll lose three days going back or go on through here.”
“The animal tracks go under there. It must open up on the other side somewhere with the stream,” Bodrin said.
“The sooner in, the sooner out, but draw your swords and be careful.” Saxthor took the lead. He bent down and went under the rock overhang. The darkness filled his view, and the low rock ceiling kept him bent over for about fifteen feet. Finally, the rock opened up into a large cavern above the streambed. There was complete darkness inside the damp grotto, and this time they had no branches for light.
“Tournak, I think it’s time you used some magic,” Bodrin said. “Remember the wizard-fire trick you showed us on Helshia?” He gestured his thumb against his index finger.
“Ah, yes.” Tournak flicked his finger, cast a spell, and lit a pale blue light finger-torch at the tip of his thumb. With the low light, they were able to see numerous small albino fish and crayfish in the
stream. Tonelia shivered in the cave’s cool dampness. There was a caustic smell of ammonia. She looked at white worms slithering among the bones on the cave floor. Tournak’s finger-torch didn’t illuminate much space.
“There’re a lot of bones on the floor,” Tonelia said.
“You think they all wandered in and stayed until they died?” Bodrin asked.
“What if the cave doesn’t have an exit where the stream flows out, or worse, what if it flows underground?” Tournak asked Saxthor.
“Just follow the stream and see where it goes.”
Tournak led the cavers along the streambed with Saxthor behind, then Tonelia and Bodrin in the rear. Shaking and whimpering, Delia stuck beside Saxthor. They walked deeper into the cave, stepping over more bones. Tonelia heard a muffled cry behind her and spun around.
“Saxthor!”
Saxthor turned to see Bodrin dwarfed by an enormous cave cricket. It was thirteen feet tall at the height of its arched brown back. The elbow of those monstrous drumstick legs, as big at the base as a man’s torso, must have been eighteen feet high. The thing had one foot on Bodrin with mandibles about to bite.
“Stand aside.” Saxthor dashed around Tonelia and through the huge legs to plunge his sword in the cricket between the head and thorax. The thing was silent but reared back. It released Bodrin for a second, and without thinking, Tournak shot wizard-fire at the cricket’s head. A huge eye exploded. Its tiny brain fried in that instant. The cricket slumped to the cavern floor, then reflexes shot it blindly in the air, the last primitive response of those massive legs.
“What’s that?” Tonelia asked.
Bodrin got up, grabbed Tonelia’s hand, and pulled her away from it. “Who cares.”
Staring, everyone froze.
“I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that before,” Tonelia mumbled.
“In the Wizard Wars, the orcs used insects enlarged by magic and breeding as beasts of burden. No one has reported seeing any since,” Tournak said.
“Do you suppose there’re more of them?” Tonelia voice was shaky.
The four people backed toward each other in a huddle.
The Neuyokkasinian Arc of Empire Series: Books 1-3 Box Set High, Epic Fantasy on a Grand Dragon Scale! Kindle Edition Page 39