The Bane of Karrak_Ascension II of III

by Robert J Marsters

  The three companions exchanged brief glances. “Forest nymphs,” sighed Faylore.

  “Don’t be silly, Faylore. There is no such thing. They are a myth. I mean, a being that exists solely to protect the trees, it’s absurd.”

  “Absurd as it may seem, my Lady, they are real. Not only have we seen them, we’ve been set upon by them. As Grubb said,” added Lodren, “they turned us into trees, Queen Faylore included. If it hadn’t been for Emnor and the other wizards, we’d still be stuck there now, made of wood and leaves.”

  Amazed by his revelation, Erenthas turned her attention to her daughter once more. “Does this mean that not only have you been risking your life travelling the wilds, but that you have also been consorting with wizards?” she asked, flabbergasted.

  “You say it as if it were a bad thing, Mother. To associate with them is not a bad thing. They are good people, as are my friends here,” replied Faylore, gesturing to Lodren and Grubb. “We are not simply united in order to protect only our people, we are united to protect the entire planet.”

  “What are you talking about? And what does all of this have to do with Jendilomin? How could she possibly turn people into trees?”

  “How did she seem, Mother?” asked Faylore, trying her best to avoid the questions her mother was asking, “Did you notice anything unusual in her behaviour?”

  “Faylore, you know that Jendilomin has always seemed a little preoccupied and distant, unlike you and Seenara, who were always up to no good with your inquisitive natures. I could never find you when you were children. You were always disappearing into the forests on some fanciful adventure. If it weren’t for the scouts keeping a close eye on you, we would have never known your whereabouts.”

  “Yes, Mother, but that was a long time ago. Where is Jendilomin now? And why did you not mention that she was here when we first arrived?”

  “She prefers her own company and asked that she be left in peace,” replied Erenthas. “But you still have not answered my question. What has happened to make you suspicious of your sister?”

  “My apologies, Mother, but the answers must wait,” replied Faylore. “It is imperative that we speak to Jendilomin now. Where can we find her?” she asked.

  “Somewhere around the small copse that lies slightly to the west of the city,” replied Erenthas.

  “Where Seenara and I used to play as children?” asked Faylore.

  Erenthas nodded, “You should find her easily enough. But take my advice, allow some of the guard to accompany you. There is a strange feel to the place of late, the air seems heavy and thick.”

  “’Ere we go again,” mumbled Grubb, nudging Lodren and pointing at his hammer. “Don’t forget to bring that with you, sounds like ye might be needing it,” he advised. Offering their respects to Erenthas, they left her company. Once Grubb thought they were out of earshot, he spoke again, “Do ye think she’s up to ’er shenanigans again, Faylore?”

  “Not really, Grubb. She’s by herself now. You heard what mother said. The forest nymphs didn’t even attempt to cross the river. They must have gone home once they parted company with Jendilomin,” she whispered.

  “You think she’s on her own, Faylore, but what if she’s not?” asked Lodren. “What if someone has seen something and is too frightened to mention it?”

  Faylore had been asking herself the same questions during her conversation with her mother. Unfortunately for them all, they were questions she could not answer. “All will be revealed no doubt, Lodren. For now, we can only hope that it is all innocent coincidence.”

  “Yeah. It’d be good for somethin’ to be a coincidence for a change,” chirped Grubb. “But, let’s be honest with each other for a minute, we’ve never been that flamin’ lucky so far, ’ave we?”

  “There’s a first time for everything, I suppose,” grinned Lodren, gently tapping Grubb on the shoulder.

  “Are we goin’ to take your mum’s advice and take a few guards with us?” asked Grubb, hopefully.

  “Of course not, Grubb, we always work alone. You know that,” replied Faylore, smiling at him.

  “We’re goin’ to get shot at again, or blown up or roasted. If she turns me into a tree again, Faylore, I swear I’ll…”

  “Oh, do stop moaning, Grubb, you know you love the thrill of adventure,” interrupted Lodren. “You wouldn’t still be here if you didn’t. You’d still be in your cave, eating by yourself in the dark and if that’s what you want, well, off you pop! Go on, don’t let us keep you.”

  Grubb frowned at Lodren, “Stop goin’ on at me, ye stupid Nibby. Save yer breath, we’ve got things to do!” Lodren knew that it was wrong to make fun of Grubb, but on this occasion, he had been unable to resist and a smug smile was now firmly planted across his face.

  They ventured into the forest, Faylore confidently leading the way. It was not long before they approached the small copse. As they did, Faylore slowed her pace, steeling herself for any nasty surprises. The air seemed cooler here and Grubb shivered slightly. Whether this was due to the temperature change or simply apprehension would never be known as it went unnoticed by the others. “It feels a bit… creepy in ’ere, don’t ye think?” he asked, quietly.

  “Maybe a little,” whispered Faylore. “Seems peaceful enough. The sun is still shining and the birds are singing. It is a different atmosphere to that of Cheadleford and that can only be a good thing.”

  “Oh yeah?” snorted Grubb. “Calm before the storm if you ask me.”

  “Nobody asked you,” noted Lodren. “Nobody ever asks you. But it never stops you, does it, misery guts? Can’t you just be a little optimistic for a change? Look,” he said, “No monsters, no hissthaar, no Dergon trying to shoot us, no zingaard trying to eat us and no glamoch trying to trample us. What more could you wish for?”

  “A bloody great castle with us inside it. Well, maybe not you, I’d leave you outside. They could shoot ye or stamp on ye or eat ye, then ‘opefully they’d leave the rest of us alone.”

  “It’s nice to know who your friends are, isn’t it? They’re the ones who always think of others before themselves. I swear you get grumpier by the day, Grubb. It’s a good thing I’m not like you or I’d take my hammer and squash your grouchy head.”

  “Come on then,” roared Grubb, transforming into Wilf. “Give it your best shot. I’m gonna rip your ’ead off, stumpy.”

  Lodren planted his feet firmly into the ground and raised his hammer, curling his lip with disdain as he faced the huge Wilf. “You take one step and I’ll flatten you into the ground,” he shouted.

  Faylore, alarmed by the aggression being shown by her friends, leapt between them, arms outstretched to keep them apart. She was astounded when Lodren actually swung his hammer at her.

  “You stay out of this!” he bellowed. “If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be in this mess, and as for him,” he added, nodding at Wilf. “He’s got it coming.”

  Luckily for Faylore, Lodren’s wild swipe had been half-hearted, allowing her to easily avoid his hammer. Lodren and Grubb circled one another as they traded insults. Lodren was spinning his hammer, his breathing becoming more like a growl and Wilf’s claws were clearly visible as he flexed his long fingers. It seemed there was nothing that Faylore could do to prevent the impending duel.

  “THAT IS ENOUGH!” came a high-pitched screaming voice from behind them. “Behave yourselves! You are acting like children squabbling over a favourite toy. Desist immediately. I am Jendilomin, Princess of Thedar, and I command it!”

  She suddenly ran between them and before either could move, she wrapped her arms around Wilf and began to hum. A fine lilac mist surrounded them both as she stroked Wilf’s cheek before turning to face Lodren and repeating the process. Seated on the ground, Wilf began to transform until he was a very calm Grubb. Lodren dropped his hammer and he too sank down, a silly smile on his face. Jendilomin turned to her sister. “It is so nice to see you, Faylore,” she laughed. “I trust you are well?” she added, grabbi
ng her sister’s hands.

  Faylore was both shocked and pleasantly surprised to see her sister, but initially, she was unsure of what to say. “I am well, thank you, Sister. Where did you come from? What just happened? Are my friends alright?” she asked, glancing from Lodren to Grubb and back again.

  “They will be fine in a few moments. What about you, are you alright?”

  “Perfectly fine. Jendilomin, I don’t understand, they are the closest of friends. What would make them turn on one another so fiercely? Did you have anything to do with it?”

  “Of course not!” replied Jendilomin, indignantly. “Why would this be any of my doing? You are the warrior of we three sisters. You are the one who carries your weapons of war. Your longbow, your dagger and your sword are with you always and yet you accuse me of wanting to harm these beings.”

  “Of course not, Sister, but after your behaviour with the forest nymphs, I am sure you must understand my scepticism?”

  Jendilomin looked puzzled. “Are you quite well, Faylore?” she asked, seeming most concerned. “Are you suffering with a sickness, or a fever perhaps?” she added, feeling Faylore’s brow.

  “No, of course not!” Faylore replied, brushing her sister’s hand away, roughly. “Why would you ask such a thing?”

  “Your friends are obviously affected and I feared that you were suffering from the same delusional state. Forest nymphs? They are nothing but a myth.”

  CHAPTER 18

  “So tell me, Emnor, how far is this village you mentioned? Merra, Merra…”

  “Mellanthion, Jared,” said Emnor, correcting him. “About five miles as the crow flies. But as we are not crows, you can double that distance.”

  “Are we certain to find a horse trader there?”

  “As I said before, Jared, Harley acquired a pig for me there once, but that was some time ago. If the village is still there, we should be able to purchase what we need.”

  “That, unfortunately, is something we must face whatever our destination. These are dark times for us all, Emnor. To have to consider whether a place still exists before setting your course for it is something that has never been a concern before.”

  “I have to agree. If Karrak can eradicate all life from a city as large as Borell, a small village in the wilds would be an easy target.”

  “Our only hope is that Mellanthion is too small and insignificant to be of any importance to him,” replied Jared.

  “For the moment, it may be. But it is only a matter of time before his gaze falls upon every member of the free world. In his mind, they must serve him or die.”

  “Looking on the bleak side, gentlemen,” said Hannock, “what are we to do if this ‘Mellanthion’ has been destroyed?”

  “We must think positive, Captain. Mellanthion will be there. Our route to it, however, will be difficult, I suggest we focus on that for now.”

  “It can’t be that difficult, surely? Faylore and the two little fellows would have taken this route to begin with,” suggested Hannock.

  Emnor smiled at Hannock, “My dear Captain, none of us are as fleet of foot as a Thedarian. For instance, have you witnessed one of them climb a tree? As for the others, Lodren is nomadic by nature, and the Nibby are a hardy breed who love nothing more than climbing sheer rock faces. Then of course, there is Grubb; a Vikkery, a shapeshifter, who can transform into an eight-foot-tall four-armed creature and has no difficulty climbing. That, of course, is if he decided not to simply transform into a raptor and soar above any obvious obstacles.”

  “Some people have all the luck, don’t they?” laughed Hannock. “But you have to admit, Emnor, none of them have my charm or good looks.”

  “Or your modesty,” muttered Drake.

  “You’re getting to know him quite well, aren’t you, Drake,” laughed Jared, turning to face the young wizard. “Harley, you’ve visited Mellanthion before, what’s it like? I mean, do you have any idea where they obtain their livestock?”

  “I don’t know much, I must admit. I know that there are farms on the outskirts of the village, so I presume that they must breed the livestock on those. I saw sheep, goats, pigs obviously and an abundance of fowl. As for horses, I only saw a few pulling carts. I don’t remember seeing any that were saddled, but I wasn’t really paying that much attention. I was there to buy a pig.”

  “So you have no idea where they get the horses from?” enquired Hannock.

  “Not for certain, but there were a few in a paddock. Some of the villagers were attempting to put bridles on them, as I remember, but they didn’t seem keen on the idea and kept bucking and kicking as soon as anyone got close,” replied Harley.

  “You know what that means, don’t you?” said Hannock, winking at Jared.

  “They’re wild horses!” exclaimed Jared. “The villagers were trying to break them in. If we’re unsuccessful with purchasing horses, we can catch our own.”

  “Which may be a better option, to be fair. Our coin is beginning to run a little low, Your Highness. I mean, we haven’t exactly had the chance to nip back to Borell to visit the treasury, have we?” said Hannock.

  “Do you know something, Hannock? The last thing on my mind of late was the thought of not being able to afford any supplies we may need.”

  “No. It must be a hard life knowing that if you run short of money you simply have to give the order and someone will refill your pockets with gold,” murmured Alex, giving Jared a disdainful look.

  “Oooh, did I sense a little bit of jealousy there, Alex?” laughed Drake. “It’s such a shame we can’t all be born rich.”

  “Even if one is born into wealth but is never allowed to see so much as a single gold coin,” Alex added, a look of disgust on his face.

  “What are you talking about, boy? Hold your tongue unless you wish to explain yourself!” snapped Yello.

  Jared stared at Alex, squinting slightly. What was he saying? Was he trying to tell them something, but lacked the courage to come straight out with it?

  Alex suddenly gave a little laugh, “Had you going there, didn’t I? Sorry, I couldn’t resist. It’s a story I heard when I was a boy. An evil uncle had his nephew kidnapped as an infant because he stood to inherit a large fortune, or something like that. You know the sort of tale. The boy grows up poor but ends up coming home to claim what is rightfully his.”

  “Your storytelling is in poor taste, Alexander, and your timing even worse. I suggest you think about what you’re going to say before you open your mouth in future,” advised Emnor.

  “It was a joke, that’s all. A joke! Nobody seems to mind when Drake plays jokes on everyone, why should it be different when I do it?”

  “You are forgetting one thing,” said Hannock, putting his arm around Alex’s shoulders, “DRAKE’S AN IDIOT!”

  ***

  The group had departed Reiggan Fortress at daybreak by the ‘back door’. Now, only the faintest outline of the wizard fortress could be seen in the distance. They carried the supplies they had thought necessary, slung in makeshift packs on their backs as they trudged slowly between the abundance of boulders and rocks that littered the mountainous terrain. A fine dust rose from their feet with every step, the red tinge quickly beginning to settle on the skin of their exposed hands and faces. The water they had brought was proving to be far too little. With every thousand yards they covered, one of them needed to pause for a drink. Apart from Yello, Hannock was the most travelled of them and he suggested that they wrap their faces with rags in order to keep them from breathing in the choking dust. Taking a blanket, he tore it into strips and handed one to each member of the party, hoping that his idea would aid in the conservation of what little water they had. It was hard going and, as expected by Emnor, it was not long before Yello called for a brief stop. He rubbed his leg and began to rummage through his pack to find the pain-relieving Abigail’s Mercy.

  “Would you prefer to take one of the boys and go on ahead, Yello?” asked Emnor.

  “No, no, I’ll be f
ine. Just a few minutes to rest my leg and we can carry on,” he assured his friend.

  “We could do with Grubb being here. He could probably help with the pain,” suggested Hannock.

  “Oh, I don’t need any help with the pain,” chuckled Yello. “There’s plenty without anyone’s help.”

  “No! What I meant was…”

  “I know what you meant, Captain, and I thank you for it. I’m afraid, even if he were here, our Vikkery friend would be able to do little for an old wizard like me. A battered body such as mine can only be patched up so many times. Alas, there are no more spaces on which to place them. What you look upon, Hannock, is no longer a body, just a pile of patches,” said Yello, smiling at him. “But I will not cheat and go on ahead, I will keep my place with the rest of you. If I fall behind, you must not wait for me. I’ll catch up one way or another.”

  “I thought Karrak was a lunatic,” said Hannock, helping the old wizard to his feet. “But he’s not half as mental as you.”

  ***

  The day passed slowly and, as he had predicted, Yello began to fall behind. One of the procession would pause occasionally and look to their rear to make sure that they had not lost him completely, only to witness him stubbornly hobbling as fast as he could in order to keep pace. They were not completely unsympathetic to the determined wizard’s resolve. After a whispered conversation, Harley had deliberately slowed his pace and was now at Yello’s side. They discussed their adventures to date. Harley took the opportunity to raise a point with which he was concerned. “Master Yello?” he began inquisitively.

  “There are no masters here, Harley. Just you and I. Call me Yello, the time for masters has passed. It passed with the destruction of Reiggan. Plus, it makes me sound so bloody old. And if you say that’s because I am, you’ll get my staff across your backside,” he said, attempting to smile but managing only a grimace. “Now, what’s on your mind, Harley?”