by Marc Anthony
Morhion felt his head being tilted back. He resisted, the cords of his neck standing out with the strain, but it was no use. Icy, invisible hands tangled through his long golden hair, then moved to stroke the warm flesh of his throat. Suddenly the bodiless fingers tightened. Morhion choked, unable to breathe. His hands scrabbled at his neck, but they found no purchase against the incorporeal grip that strangled him. A roaring noise filled his ears. Everything grew dim…
"No, not yet," Serafi whispered.
The freezing hands released Morhion's throat. He staggered backward, drawing in shuddering breaths while brilliant sparks of light exploded before his eyes.
Serafi's voice reverberated with menace. "Do not think that you can escape your vow through death, Morhion. Your body is my property, and I will be watching over it."
Morhion wanted to shout, to hurl some curse at the spectral knight, but Serafi melted into the air and was gone.
Mari arrived a short while later. She stepped through the tower's door along with a flood of late afternoon sunlight. It was time to begin their search for Caledan and the Shadowstar.
When she saw Morhion, concern lit Mari's eyes. "Are you all right, Morhion? Your neck… it's been bruised."
Hastily, Morhion turned up the collar of his purple vest, concealing the livid marks. "It is of no importance," he said, more sharply than he intended. But she had caught him off guard.
Mari looked unconvinced, but when she opened her mouth to ask another question, a slight figure stepped from behind her.
"Hello, Morhion."
Mari looked surprised, but amusement flickered across Morhion's usually impassive visage. This was unexpected… or had it been prearranged?
"Hello, Kellen," the mage said.
"Kellen, what are you doing here?" Mari asked sternly. "You should be back at the inn with Estah."
Though the halfling healer had wanted to join the search for Caledan, Morhion and Mari had convinced her that someone needed to stay at the Dreaming Dragon in case Caledan returned. Reluctantly, Estah had agreed to remain behind, though she was not pleased about it.
"It's all right," Kellen said gravely. "I left her a note so she wouldn't wonder where I went."
Morhion gave the boy a speculative look. "And just where is it that you are going, Kellen?"
"With you, of course. You're going to need someone with the shadow magic on your journey."
Morhion glanced at Mari. "The boy is right, you know."
"I don't care if he's right," Mari countered crossly. "Right has absolutely nothing to do with it. He's only eleven years old, and he's not coming with us."
Morhion made a decision. "Listen to me, Mari," he urged quietly. "You know as well as I do that Caledan's power over shadows has become chaotic and dangerous. We may have to face shadow creatures like those in the Zhentarim lair. And if we do, we may indeed need Kellen's shadow magic."
Mari wasn't budging. "I packed supplies for only the two of us. And we don't have a horse for him."
"I'm small," Kellen offered. "I could ride with you or Morhion. And I don't eat much."
Mari let out a resigned sigh. She knelt and gripped Kellen's shoulders. "All right, Kellen. This is going to be a hard journey, and a dangerous one. Once we've left, there can be no complaining or begging to turn back. And you must do everything that I or Morhion ask you to do, quickly and without question. Do you promise?"
He nodded earnestly. "I promise, Mari."
She studied him for a moment, then smiled in spite of herself. "All right, then. Let's get going."
"Wait a minute!" a huffing voice shouted. "Not so fast!"
What now? Morhion wondered. He and Mari looked up in surprise to see a rotund figure stumble through the doorway before collapsing to the floor, wheezing. A willowy form stepped lithely over the prostrate bulk.
"I didn't know you could actually run, Cormik," Jewel said in sincere amazement. "Did you burst something, you silly goat?"
"I'm quite fine-no thanks to you, old witch," he grumbled, hauling himself to his feet. He wore a voluminous pearl-gray traveling cloak over his usual opulent finery.
Mari thrust her hands against her hips. "What now?"
Cormik pointed a chubby, accusing finger at Jewel.
"This crafty wench thought she would tag along with you on your quest, in hopes of learning the location of Stiletto's hideout." He glowered darkly at the matriarch of the Talondim clan. "Information she could then sell to other thieves for a profit."
Jewel let out a trilling laugh. She had clad her lean form in supple riding leathers dyed the same dusky violet color as her eyes. "You're angry only because I thought of the idea first."
"Actually, I thought of it first," Cormik grumbled. "You just run faster."
"Enough!" Mari shouted, holding up her hands. "It doesn't matter who thought of the idea first, because neither of you is coming with us." She looked to Morhion for support. "Am I right?"
"Actually, Mari, both Cormik and Jewel have many connections in the underworld-connections that may prove useful in our search for Stiletto."
She shot the mage a withering look. "Can't you be on my side just once, Morhion?"
He gave her a mysterious smile. "Perhaps I'll surprise you some day."
It was decided. Their plan was simple enough. They would attempt to follow Caledan's trail, asking questions about Stiletto along the way. Morhion had discovered an incantation in The Book of the Shadows, an incantation that could be spoken only by one with shadow magic who held the Shadowstar. If they gained the Shadowstar first, Kellen could recite the spell and reverse Caledan's transformation. At least, so Morhion believed.
But if Caledan reached the Shadowstar before them…
Well, it was best not to consider that possibility, for if Caledan completed his metamorphosis, Morhion was not certain anything could stop him.
Soon the five gathered before the gateway. The horses had balked at being led down the stone staircase, prompt ing Mari to scold her chestnut gelding, Farenth. He was a prideful beast and, thus insulted, decided to prove his mettle. When Farenth pranced down the steps, the other horses followed willingly: Morhion's jet-black stallion, Tenebrous; Jewel's fine-boned mare, Pearl, named for the white mark on her forehead; and Cormik's sturdy brown destrier, Plinth. Jewel and Cormik had brought a shaggy pony with them for extra supplies, and this provided a perfect mount for Kellen. The pony was a quick and lively creature that Kellen named Flash.
Morhion guided Tenebrous toward the blank stone archway and spread his hands. He concentrated, then spoke a single word, "Avarra!" which meant "open" in the language of magic.
The rough stone within the arch rippled, blurred, then seemed to melt away like mist. A series of rolling hills beneath a sharp azure sky appeared beyond the arch. Sunlight spilled thick and golden as honey over the dun-colored landscape. Faintly, Morhion heard the soft hiss of wind through dry autumn grass.
"Quickly," he said through clenched teeth. "I cannot hold the gateway open for long."
Hastily, the others rode under the arch. Sweat pouring down his brow, Morhion was the last, spurring Tenebrous through the magical portal. As he passed through, a thin curtain of cold washed over him, momentarily taking his breath away. He found the others on the other side, looking vaguely ill. It was disconcerting to ride a few dozen feet yet find oneself over sixty leagues away. By horse, the village of Corm Orp lay seven days north of Iriaebor. Vast distances were nothing to the gateway. There were still many of these scattered across the Realms. A man could travel instantly between any of them if he knew the right spells. And if he was lucky, Morhion added to himself.
"It worked," Morhion murmured in relief.
Cormik gaped at him. "You mean there was a chance it wouldn't?" he asked. "What might have happened?"
"I really don't think you want to know," Morhion replied acerbically. Looking decidedly queasy, Cormik didn't push the point.
Morhion turned his horse around to face the gateway h
overing in the air between two wind-worn standing stones. Through the arch, Morhion could see the chamber beneath his tower.
"Bahadra!" he spoke, adding a sharp gesture-"close" in the tongue of magic. With a flash, the gateway shut. Now, all that could be seen between the standing stones were wave after wave of hills marching toward a distant hue of jagged purple peaks. The Sunset Mountains.
"Let's go," Morhion said, turning his back to the mountains. He spurred Tenebrous into a gallop, and the others followed behind.
The five rode into Corm Orp with the long shadows of sunset At first glance, the village seemed pitifully small, no more than a score of stone buildings clustered around a wide place in the Dusk Road, which led from Iriaebor in the south all the way to the city of Elturel to the west. However, a closer look showed that the low hills bordering the vale were dotted with numerous brightly painted doors. Most of Corm Orp's residents were halflings, and the diminutive folk preferred to dwell in their snug underground burrows rather than in drafty aboveground houses like the big folk.
As they rode into town, the companions noticed what seemed to be signs of a bad fire. Broad swaths of the village commons were blackened and barren, and several stone houses had been twisted into grotesque lumps as if they had been melted by a terrible heat. The five travelers made for the village inn, a blocky, comfortable stone building that leaned against a steep slope. Inside, the Green Door was much larger than it appeared, for it extended back into the hillside and thus had rooms that would appeal to halfling as well as human patrons.
The companions stepped into the common room and were treated to several dozen suspicious stares. The barkeeper was the only human in the establishment; all of the patrons were stout, broad-faced halflings.
"I suppose this rules out appearing inconspicuous and mingling, loves," Jewel murmured.
"What ever gave you that idea?" Cormik replied acidly.
The halflings whispered to each other nervously, casting sideways glances at the newcomers. The barkeeper glared at them as he slammed several pots of ale onto the table where they had sat. It was clear that strangers were not welcome.
"I wish Estah were here," Mari sighed in exasperation. "She could tell us what we're doing wrong."
A halfling man at the next table looked up in surprise. "Estah?" he said in amazement. "You know Estah of the Dreaming Dragon?"
Almost instantly, the atmosphere in the common room changed. Numerous questions were flung out excitedly, and when the patrons learned that Mari and Morhion were in fact part of the legendary Fellowship of the Dreaming Dragon, the occasion turned into something of a celebration. Estah, it seemed, was a local hero. Morhion had forgotten that the halfling woman had grown up in Corm Orp. Within minutes, he and the others had been introduced to a dozen smiling halflings, each claiming to be Estah's cousin. However, when Mari asked about the strange happenings at the recent Harvest Festival, things turned somber once again.
The halfling who had first spoken to them finally answered Mari's question. His name was Tam Acorn, and he was one of Estah's multitudinous cousins.
"It was the stranger," Tam said grimly. "He was the cause of all the dark happenings. A man in black on a pale horse."
The companions exchanged glances. There was no need to say the name aloud.
"Can you tell us what happened?" Mari asked urgently.
Tam scratched his chin in thought, then began to describe the mayhem that had resulted from the stranger's wild music, and from the shadows.
Tam took his time, drawing out the tale. "We were lucky none of the village folk were touched by the shadowbeasts," he said finally, his voice hoarse with freshly remembered fear.
There was a long moment of silence. Finally, Mari leaned toward the halfling man. "How long ago?" she asked fiercely. "How long ago did all this happen?"
"Why, the festival was only five nights ago."
Mari looked at Morhion. He nodded in understanding. They had found Caledan's trail, and he was only five days ahead of them.
The following morning, they rode north out of Corm Orp in the pearly light of dawn, hoping to pick up Caledan's trail along the Dusk Road. The morning was bright and cold. Frost glittered on the ground like a sprinkling of crushed glass, and the dome of the sky was as hard and blue as a cobalt porcelain bowl. Periodically, they dismounted to search for any trace of Caledan's passing-all except Cormik, who stayed on his horse.
After this pattern was repeated a few times, Jewel made a disparaging remark to the patch-eyed man. "Tell me, my dear, bloated whale, are you afraid that if you get off your horse, you might not be able to get back on?"
"Not in the least, my sweet, witless strumpet," he said indignantly. "Unlike some of us, who in their senescence have become as nearsighted as a geriatric bat, I can see just fine from up here."
Jewel looked unconvinced. Indeed, getting Cormik onto Plinth's back that morning had been an arduous ordeal involving a fair amount of pushing, grunting, cursing, and-on the part of Morhion-a minor spell of levitation.
"Let's move on," Mari said in frustration. "There's nothing here."
"Many people travel the Dusk Road," Morhion said grimly. "In five days, all traces of Caledan's passage could have been obliterated."
Mari gave a tight-lipped nod but said nothing as she climbed back into the saddle. They nudged their horses into a trot, starting once more down the road.
It was midmorning, and the autumn day was turning fine, when Morhion noticed that only four horses were trotting down the dirt road. Kellen was missing.
"He must have fallen back," Mari said worriedly after Morhion called the others to a halt.
"Then we'd better go find him, and fast," Cormik said darkly. "1 wouldn't be surprised if there were thieves on the road. Other than ourselves, I mean."
They wheeled their horses around and thundered back down the road. As they rounded a bend and skidded to an abrupt stop, Kellen's pony let out a whinny and trotted toward them, trailing his reins. Flash's saddle was empty. Mari shot Morhion a fearful look. Unpleasant possibilities were numerous. Thieves were not the only perils in the wilderness. Morhion swore inwardly. If Kellen was hurt-or worse-he would never…
Jewel called out, "Over here, loves!" and the others hastily spurred their mounts in her direction. They found Kellen kneeling by the side of the dirt road, peering at something amid a tangle of brambles and witchgrass.
Morhion allowed himself a sigh of relief. "What are you doing, Kellen?" he asked sternly.
"I've found something," Kellen indicated solemnly.
The others exchanged curious glances, then dismounted and approached, pushing aside the underbrush to get a glimpse of Kellen's discovery.
By the looks of it, the milestone was very old. It was cracked and sunk halfway into the ground. Centuries of wind and rain had almost completely worn away the words carved into its surface. Yet it was not the basalt Monolith's sense of age that made the companions stare. It was the face. The milestone had been grotesquely distorted.
much like the stone houses in Corm Orp. One of its four surfaces bore a human visage. The image was crude and half-formed, as though it had melted before resolidifying. Yet its expression was vivid, a look of utter sorrow.
It was Cormik who finally spoke. In a low voice he said, "Well, at least now we know Caledan came this way."
Morhion drew out the ruby amulet he had forged. A spark flickered deep in the heart of the gem. Cormik was right.
Mari shook her head. "By the gods-look at it. The face in so unspeakably sad. He knows what's happening to him, doesn't he? He knows what he's becoming…" Her words trailed off.
"We should try to reach Hill's Edge before nightfall," Morhion said finally. "If Caledan continues to follow the road, people there will notice him."
Somberly, the others agreed. They thundered down the Dusk Road, leaving the eerie face of sorrow far behind.
Nine
The rolling landscape slipped by in a blur of russet, brown, and
burnished copper. As the afternoon wore on, dark clouds moved in from the west, accompanied by the low drumming of thunder. Soon the light began to fail, turning a dusky green. A storm was coming. Morhion tilted his head back, letting the wind tangle through his long hair. He loved storms. Like all wizards, he had a passion for gaudy displays of power.
Eventually the travelers realized they were not going to make Hill's Edge before dark. Morhion raised a hand, signaling the party to a halt. "We had better find shelter for the night," he advised.
They dismounted and began scouting to either side of the Dusk Road. It was almost dark when Jewel called out over the rising gale. The thief led the others into a nearby aspen grove where slender, leafless trees danced in the wind. In the center of the grove, in a massive granite outcrop, was the dim mouth of a cave. Just then, a bolt of lightning rent the sky, and the first cold drops of rain began to fall.
"I checked it out," Jewel shouted above the roar of the storm. "It's dry and goes back only a dozen paces. Plus," she added with a grin, "it doesn't appear to be inhabited."
Tethering the horses under the shelter of a tall pine, they headed into the cave. They spread their bedrolls on the sandy floor and soon had a cheerful fire burning, making the place warm and almost snug. Mari volunteered to cook and was soon stirring a bubbling pot.
Cormik rubbed his chubby hands gleefully. "So, what are we having for supper, Mari? Poached pheasant eggs seasoned with saffron? Braised fillet of young wyvern? Or perhaps"-he shivered with anticipation-"hummingbird tongues in a reduction of white wine and cloves?"
"Stew," Mari replied flatly. "We're having stew."
"Stew?" Cormik repeated the word distastefully. "I'm not sure what that is, but I must say I really don't care for the sound of it."
Apparently he didn't care for the taste of it either. While everyone else ate heartily, Cormik picked at the contents of the wooden bowl in his lap, periodically letting out a despondent sigh. He clutched his expansive stomach. "I'm going to waste away to nothing, you know."
As usual, everyone ignored him.