Nikulo writhed on the ground next to him, moaning and groaning in a fitful dream. Sweat poured from his brow, and he was shivering as the chills possessed his body. Talis shook him and yelled for him to wake up, but his friend was gripped by a far greater force.
A rustling in the trees above caused Talis to glance up and realize they were prey for some creatures descending towards them. He pushed Nikulo up to a sitting position, and slapped him hard on the cheek several times until his friend winced and blinked and opened his eyes.
“Can you stop hitting me?” Nikulo put a hand to his face and rubbed it, staring warily at Talis.
“You were having a nightmare!”
Terror poured into Nikulo’s eyes, and after a moment he drooped off to sleep again. Talis felt a sudden wave of sleepiness possess him as well, but fought the urge to close his eyes once he saw Nikulo’s reaction.
“Wake up!” shouted Talis, shaking Nikulo again. When the urge to sleep again came strong to him, he realized that the creatures coming towards them were causing the nightmares. They had to escape. But as he dragged Nikulo away, Talis’s eyes turned heavy as lead and his legs crumbled in fatigue. He simply couldn’t take another step.
The lower branches shook with the weight of the creatures, and flung up as they landed on the ground and made a withering hiss. Hundreds of piercing pale-green eyes bounced in the darkness as the things shambled towards them.
Talis knew they wanted to eat them, to drink their blood and consume their flesh, he could feel malicious cravings flowing from their eyes. He had to fight them, to stay alive and help Mara. She was out there waiting for them to come. He raised his hands and prepared to cast Light Magic and banish the black night.
But just as he tried to cast the spell, a numbing dizzyness washed over him, sending him toppling to the ground. He couldn’t move and by sheer will alone he kept his eyes open, despite the overwhelming urge to sleep.
Charna darted past him, and Talis swore her fur glowed golden, illuminating the darkness as she bounded after the creatures. He could hear Charna hissing and yowling and the creatures yelping and grunting. Out of the corner of his eye he spied the mottled pink and grey hairless creatures swarm over Charna, dampening her light, casting ugly squirming shadows up to the trees.
Talis found himself roused after the creatures had focused their energies on Charna. He pushed himself up and stumbled towards the creatures. For fear of hurting Charna, he concentrated Fire Magic on the insides of each creature, each spell causing an explosion of blood and organs and hairless skin to shower across the forest. He ducked, trying to escape the sick fragments from splattering onto him.
Soon he finished the last creature, and rushed up to where Charna lay on the ground. Her body twitched. Hundreds of small slashes and teeth marks marred her once beautiful coat. Sadness flooded inside, and he found his face scrunched up as he choked back the tears. She was still alive, and panted weakly, puffs of her breath wafting out into the cold night.
Talis lifted her, and carried the lynx back to Nikulo and lay her at his feet. Talis shook him awake. “You have to help her, Charna is hurt!”
Nikulo’s sleep-weary eyes darted open at his words, and Nikulo rummaged around in his pack, withdrawing several vials. He kneeled next to Charna, and quickly poured the vial’s contents over the wounds. Charna whimpered and yowled softly, but Talis was pleased to see that she was responding to the medicine.
“What happened to her?” Nikulo laid his hands over her wounds, and light glowed underneath her skin.
“She saved us, but there were too many….”
Nikulo raised an eyebrow, his face curious and dismayed. “Saved us from what?”
“We better get out of here, in case there’s more.” Talis glanced above at the limbs swaying in the soft breeze. They wouldn’t be able to survive another attack, not with Charna injured.
Talis withdrew the Surineda Map from his pack, and spotted Mara far ahead in what looked like a field or a clearing. He put the map away, and swung his backpack around.
“Let’s carry her, she’s not that heavy.” Nikulo wore his pack, and helped Talis lift Charna. She licked Talis’s arm, her golden eyes slits, her body purring appreciatively. She truly was a gift from the Goddess Nacrea; she’d saved their lives. Talis said a silent prayer to the Goddess, thanking her for the gift.
As they strode in the direction of Mara and the sorcerer, Talis told Nikulo the story of the creatures and the nightmares. “I did have horrific dreams,” Nikulo said. “I was being attacked by a flock of roasted pheasants and barrels of ale. Very strange.”
Talis chuckled, and they rested awhile, swapping turns to hold Charna. After carrying the lynx for several miles, Charna twitched, eyes alert, and pounced from his arms. She licked her shoulder, sniffed the air, and bounded off after something.
“Thanks to your healing, she’s feeling better.” Talis smiled at Nikulo. “I thought we’d lose her.”
“We can’t lose our precious cat.” Nikulo rubbed his chest and grinned. “How far away is Mara now?”
“Far…farther than before when we went to sleep. So they’ve been traveling through the night.”
“Maybe they found horses…or something to ride.”
Talis glanced around the sparse forest, and up ahead spotted fields of grass or wheat swaying under a soft breeze. He had an idea. “I think we’ve been using the map incorrectly.”
“How so?”
“Look.” Talis spread the map out, and closed his eyes. He told the map of his desire to see people and dwellings and cities. When he opened his eyes, the map zoomed in closer and displayed several farms and a village nearby.
“That’s amazing! I never know it could do that… We could rest at that village, it’s quite close,” Nikulo said, and glanced at Talis.
“Is there any place to truly rest on this world?” Talis could only think of home, and his mother’s cooking, and the crackling fire at the hearth. He was tired already of this strange world.
“Let’s go. Maybe we’ll find an inn.” Nikulo pulled Talis’s arm and they strode off towards the field. Soon they reached a river meandering through stands of what looked like willow trees, and eventually reached a village surrounded by tall spiked wooden walls. Torches blazed atop each of the towers. The path of the river split right through the village, and underneath the walls.
At the main village gate, a hulking man wearing sheepskin patrolled outside. He held a gnarled wooden staff. When he spied Talis and Nikulo lumbering close, he whistled, and several wolves with glowing red eyes charged them.
16. FIORAN VILLAGE
Nikulo placed a hand on his temple as the wolves bared their fangs, rumbling and growling as they stalked closer.
“Don’t,” Talis whispered, holding Nikulo’s wrist. “Let’s see what they do first.”
“Who’s out there lurking in the dark?” shouted the man in sheepskin. He marched over, his movements stiff and jerky, as if his leg had been injured.
“Just two young travelers.” Talis spread his hands wide in a gesture of peace. “We seek shelter and food for the night.”
“Two foolish travelers out on a night like tonight?” The man peered incredulously at them. “And you came from the Vacran Forest?”
Talis shrugged, and glanced back at the dark mass of the distant forest. “We are strangers to your land, and unfamiliar with the dangers that prowl out in the dark.”
“And you were waylaid by strange creatures, were you not?” the man said.
“How did you injure your leg?” Nikulo tilted his head sideways, studying the man.
“My leg? Oh, this old war injury?” The man slapped his leg and grimaced. “It pains me much, but I’ve learned to live with it, I suppose. Why do you ask?”
Nikulo swung around his backpack. “You see I’m a healer, of sorts. I might be able to aid your suffering.”
The man laughed and coughed and slapped his chest. “Oh, really now, I’ve seen them all and to n
o avail. Their treatments may help for a time, but it always comes back, especially in the winter when it’s cold. But thank you for your kind thoughts.”
“No, I can actually help. I’ve the gift of healing magic.”
“Magic?” The man’s face paled, and he took several steps back, eying them suspiciously. Talis realized they should be more careful revealing too much, especially here in this strange land. He sent a warning glance to Nikulo.
“What my friend means is that sometimes the gods of healing listen to his prayer of supplication.” Talis bowed low to the man.
The man’s expression softened, and he cleared his throat. “I see… Well you won’t be needing that here in the humble Village of Fioran. We’ve not much use for magic here. You may enter and stay for a night, but I expect we’ll be wanting you to leave in the morning. Strangers are allowed to stay at the Dancer’s Rest, the inn at the far end of town.”
Talis and Nikulo followed the man as he limped towards the gates. Charna dashed up alongside Talis, her eyes narrowed at the wolves. The man raised his wooden staff and rapped hard four times. “Open up, you laggards! We’ve got two travelers that need lodging at the Dancer’s Rest.”
The small inside gate creaked open, and two boys peered through. “Travelers? At this late hour?”
“Yes, yes, now one of you escort these gentlemen to the Dancer’s Rest.” The man scowled at Charna. “And keep your cat out of trouble, best keep her locked up in your room, or we’ll throw her into the pens with the wolves.”
Talis ignored the man’s taunt and scooped Charna into his arms. One of the boys motioned them inside where torches illuminated the cobblestone streets, splashing wavering shadows across the mud and brick walls of the houses crammed together. They were the only ones out, except for rats and stray dogs wandering about. The smell of hops and manure and piss infected the air.
“I’m Tad,” said the boy. “Why out so late after dark?”
“We got lost,” Talis said.
“I’m surprised you didn’t get killed.” Tad kicked a stone and sent it skittering after a rat darting down a gully. “The only reason we’re safe is cause these walls, they keep the nasty creatures out.”
Nikulo wrinkled up his nose and frowned, as if all the nastiness were inside the walls. “Hope this inn of yours smells better than here.”
“Oh its not so bad…you get used to it.” The boy round a corner and motioned to a dilapidated building at the far end of the street. “There she is, the Dancer’s Rest. I’ll wake the owner and he’ll find you a room.”
“Looks more like the pig’s rest, if you ask me.” Nikulo sidestepped a fresh pile of dog poop.
The boy shrugged. “Pig or a dancer, it’s all the same, you’ll find rest there. Especially now that the fields are still growing. Come harvest time and the place will be packed.”
“Lucky for us,” Nikulo muttered.
Tad rapped on the front door of the inn, and they waited quite awhile until Talis could hear shuffling sounds come closer to the door. A beefy man with a surly expression on his face opened the door, staring at Talis and Nikulo with suspicious eyes.
“What’s the bother all about, waking me at this ghastly hour? You boy? And who are these two, anyways…I’ve never seen them before.” The innkeeper sniffed. “They smell like the forest…I don’t like the forest. Why did you bring them here?”
“Master Gilliam commanded us to take them here.” Tad’s voice went whiny at the sour face on the innkeeper.
Talis felt around in his pocket, and withdrew his coin purse. “We’ll pay you for troubling your sleep, kind sir. A room would be greatly appreciated, and breakfast later in the morning.”
The innkeeper scowled at the silver coin Talis displayed. “What’s this? Is it silver?”
“A silver coin—”
“A coin? What’s that. Silver I know, but coin…?” The innkeeper showed Talis a silver ingot. “You’re strangers from a strange land. Where exactly are you from?”
Talis glanced at Nikulo, smirking slightly. “I don’t think you’ve heard of it, our land is very far away past the forest and the badlands.”
“Hmmm…I’ve heard rumors of such a kingdom. There was an old man just here last evening, with a girl about your age, but he purchased mules and left before nightfall. Rather strange fellow.”
Talis’s heart leapt at the news, the innkeeper was talking about Mara! So they had acquired animals to ride, no wonder they were making faster time. How could they catch up to them? They had to find mules or horses of their own.
“Do you think in the morning you could point us to your stables?” Talis eyed Nikulo. “We’d like to purchase horses of our own.”
The innkeeper scoffed. “Come on inside, you’re letting the cold in. Horses you won’t find, but mules… well, perhaps you’ll be lucky since it’s not harvest season.”
Inside, the inn was shabby and smelled of ale and beer and mulling spices. Coals inside the hearth burned low, giving out smoke and barely any light at all. The innkeeper’s candle bounced up and down as he trudged along the narrow hallway, and up stairs that led to the rooms. He showed them to a cramped room with a straw bed covered in a tattered green blanket with oily stains scattered across the surface.
Talis winced and covered his nose at the smell. “You don’t have anything else, I suppose?”
“Be thankful I’m letting you stay at all.” The innkeeper shut the door behind them.
The next day’s breakfast of hot porridge and bacon, eggs and potatoes in a hash was a bright spot in an otherwise bleak night. The innkeeper’s daughter was another bit of brightness. Nikulo practically glowed when she brought him his food, and actually displayed a wide smile (though he didn’t realize bits of bacon stuck were stuck in between his front teeth) when she came again and poured him some hot mead.
“What a girl,” Nikulo said, and took a long drink of the honey mead.
“How can you drink that stuff…they make it too sweet.”
Nikulo waved the idea away. “She’s the sweet one. I’d drink whatever she’s pouring.”
“Including cow piss?” Talis chuckled, and ate another bite of the potatoes and eggs.
“You’re just jealous she’s got eyes for me.”
The innkeeper’s daughter sauntered towards them, her eyes teasing them like she knew exactly what they were talking about. “More mead, kind sir?”
“You can call me Nikulo… And what’s your name?”
“Ophellia.” She glanced at Talis. “Your friend seems a bit lost…late night?”
Talis yawned, and nodded. “Indeed, and a rather lumpy bed of straw.”
Ophellia opened her mouth wide, and glared at her father in the far corner. “I can’t believe he stuck you in that room. We’ve plenty better rooms available. I hate him.”
“It was that room or out in the forest.” Nikulo rubbed his head, his expression displeased at the thought. “That terrible forest, we could have been killed if it wasn’t for Charna.”
“Charna?” Ophellia said.
“My lynx. She woke us from the nightmares the creatures were causing, and we…escaped. What happened there…” Talis noticed a faded bruise on Ophellia’s left eye and stared a little too long until she raised a hand to cover it.
Ophellia leaned in, and whispered, “He beats me, you know. That’s why I hate him. I never did him no harm, why does he hit on me so much?”
Nikulo glowered at the innkeeper, and clenched his spoon like it was a knife. Talis studied the girl, sensing sadness and shame. He opened his mouth to say something, but she raised a hand to stop him.
“I better go or he’ll suspect something.” Ophellia rushed off, pouring mead to the patrons at the other tables.
Talis held Nikulo back as he was about to go after the innkeeper. “Save it for later, I have an idea.”
They finished their breakfast, and Talis carried scraps of roasted chicken for Charna. She purred gratefully as he gave her the food.
Nikulo took another drink of mead from the mug he’d snuck to the room.
“I wonder if lynxes like mead?” Nikulo said, and tilted the mug towards Charna. She sniffed it, and her eyes brightened. “I guess she does… Whoa, don’t go drinking it all, now.”
Talis chuckled, and sat back on the lumpy bed watching her eat. He unraveled the Surineda Map and summoned the image of Mara. He frowned.
“They’ve stopped moving, strange.”
Nikulo peered over the map. “Maybe they’re resting? They can’t keep traveling like that. I wonder where they’re going?”
“I wish I knew. Let’s pack up and go.”
“What’s your idea for the innkeeper? I can’t stand the idea of that beady-eyed monster hitting on Ophellia.”
Talis slung his backpack around, and grinned at Nikulo. “I’ll show you.”
They found the innkeeper downstairs in a room behind the bar. He was counting silver and copper ingots when he looked up and scowled as they came inside and shut the door behind them.
“What do you two want? You had your breakfast, now get out here.”
“There’s the small matter of pointing us in the direction of the stables. Our mules?” Talis sauntered over and sat on the man’s desk.
“Get off my desk and get out of my inn!” The innkeeper’s face went red.
“Are you right or left handed?” Talis said innocently.
“What? What kind of an idiotic question is that?”
“You heard me. When you beat your daughter do you use your right hand or your left hand?”
The innkeeper sprang to his feet, and raised a clenched right fist at Talis. “I’ll kill you….”
Talis sent a painful amount of Fire Magic inside the man’s right hand, and smiled grimly as the innkeeper cried out and stared in disbelief at his hand.
“What devilry?” The innkeeper flapped his hand, glancing around the room. He sunk his hand into a mug filled with liquid, but it did no good.
Shadow Mage (Blacklight Chronicles) Page 11