“Surely they’re long gone or dead by now?” Cedric asked, noting before the others that the passage of time was about a millennium. “The odds for trolls to be in the same place this many years later borders on being incalculable.”
“I’m not so sure,” Elister said. “There were Ulathans and Kesh a thousand years ago, and you are all still here.”
Dorsun was barely heard asking Khan, “What did the young man say?”
Khan replied, “Incalculable. It means that chances are slim that there would be any trolls remaining after so long a time.”
Dorsun nodded in satisfaction at the explanation, and Elister continued. “Khan, you said that the Kesh used trolls for various tasks in your military. May I inquire as to where you secured their services from?”
Several faces looked confused, but Khan understood clearly. “They were found dwelling in the northwest regions of our realm.”
“Exactly where the ancient subterranean city is located,” Elister said, though no sign of smugness was in his voice. “You simply must be prepared for them, as well as the dark creatures of the abyss, who surely would be attracted to such a place.”
“What kind of dark creatures might we be talkin’ about?” Horace asked, content to shoot questions at the druid much the way he practiced with the old Kesh crossbow that he claimed as his own.
“What’s it to you?” Agatha shot back. “You’re not risking your neck on this quest.”
Horace frowned. “I have a right to ask anything I want to.”
Salina interrupted them both as she looked at Elister. “It wouldn’t matter what these foul creatures could be. You intend for us to journey by way of this place of the ancients regardless, do you not?”
Elister nodded somberly. “It is not ideal in many ways, but at this time, the situation, as it is arrayed against us, warrants taking this risk.”
“So it was more dangerous before, but now with Khan’s mentor having overtaken the leadership in Kesh and repairing their crystal seeing ball there, this has become the lesser of two dangers,” Salina said.
“You are both observant and correct,” Elister said.
“Could the Kesh wizard not use his crystal ball to see if the way is clear or not?” Will asked, looking at Khan.
Khan answered, “No, Master Elister cleared my critir from being used by the former High-Mage, or any wizard or mage now, but within his domain, this forest, my critir is useless. I will need to be outside the Earlstyne Forest in order for my critir to work.”
“Will it work to locate Targon’s mother?” Salina asked.
“Only if I am close enough to her. The entire realm of Kesh is obfuscated by the Onyx Tower in much the same way that this forest is protected by the Arnen. The arcane defenses of the Black Fortress work against those wishing to harm it. This is not something that has been developed recently, but the founding wizards of Kesh imbued the arcane within the realm. It is as much a part of the realm as the forest is to Ulatha.”
“That’s just great,” Horace said. “It’s bad enough to be dealing with those bloodsucking wizards, no offense to present company, but now it’s ancient evil magics that we got to be dealing with. Ain’t no wonder that this world is so messed up.”
“Didn’t someone say that one of the wizards is now back in Ulsthor too?” Will asked.
“I did,” Elister replied.
“His name is Zorcross,” Khan explained. “He was my replacement to my former master, Ke-Tor, and recently elevated within my order . . . my old order.”
A few suspicious glances were always in order, but Khan was now immune to them. “Who’s that reckless fella, then, that our good lady and her boy were talking about back in Korwell? The one who took our good captain?” Horace asked.
“That would be an apprentice as well, though now I doubt any of us will be referred to by that title. We are all wizards now, and we are either for or against the High-Mage. That is how Ke-Tor works. He deals in absolutes, and either a wizard is with him or against him.” Khan gripped his staff tighter when mentioning fellow magic-users.
“So we’ll have to get into Kesh, perhaps running through a troll clan and encountering evil subterranean creatures, and then past this Zorcross wizard in Ulsthor and somehow make it into the heart of the strongest part of our enemy’s realm, all the way to the Kesh capital, Keshtor, is it?” Salina looked at Khan.
“Correct,” Khan said.
“We have to do all this with a bear, a wild woodland girl, two angry family members of an Ulathan officer, a fierce woodsman, and two Kesh rebels?” Salina summed it up.
“You forgot one Korwell soldier,” Will added.
“My apologies, Will, and not just any soldier, the sergeant of the gate no less.” Salina graced him with a smile, and Will’s countenance softened temporarily.
“There may be a few other dangers as well,” Elister said to a multitude of frowns.
“Such as?” Salina sighed, turning her attention back to the dead druid.
Elister looked at Khan, and then the old druid spoke. “We believe there’s at least one, if not more, Balarian assassins looking for you, aided by the arcane arts of the Kesh. Oh, and there are at least two barbarian clans moving south toward us as well.”
Horace interrupted. “Oh, this just gets better and better. Perhaps we should all just kill ourselves now or throw ourselves at the mercy of them blasted brigands.”
“Don’t talk like that in front of the children,” Olga said in a hushed voice, and several of the Rockton and Ulathan women nodded in agreement. One look at Agatha, and Horace closed his mouth as he was about to respond.
Elister brought their attention around one last time. “Let’s not forget the dragons either.”
“Bloody hell,” someone said.
Chapter 13
Heroes Quest
The rest of the evening, the gathering broke up into small groups, with most of the children being put to bed. Those leaving on the quest gathered the items they needed most, and some time was spent enjoying the cooler weather and a hearty stew that had been made earlier that day.
Early the next day, Salina came out of the cabin and walked over to Elister’s customary place in the clearing where he stood facing north. The sun had faintly lit up the eastern horizon, enough to see the jagged stark silhouette of the peaks of the Border Mountains. “Are you awake, Master Druid?”
“Yes. No need to use formalities with me after all this time,” the old man said without moving.
Salina watched as the Kesh men came from their makeshift tents set up on the side of the small barn. She noticed Targon and Monique were engrossed in a private conversation on the edge of the clearing to the west. “Do you think those two have found love?” she asked.
“Dear me,” Elister said, again without moving. “I’m not the person to be asked that question. Have you tried Agatha or Emelda? They are both more attentive to these matters than I am.”
Salina looked at the man, and then asked, “Did you ever love someone in your long life?”
The druid turned his head finally to make eye contact with the Ulathan noblewoman. “It doesn’t seem so long at times.”
“I mean,” Salina explained, “do you understand how I feel toward my husband? Do you understand what Targon and Monique may be feeling?”
“Of course I do,” Elister said, looking west this time at the young pair. “At least, I think I do . . . There was a time when I was young and one of my order was a woman. It’s hard to remember, but she was dear to me. I would like to think of it as love.”
“What was her name?” Salina asked.
Elister’s head went up, and his rocky eyelids came down slightly as if he was lost in thought, lost in his memories. “Elizabeth.”
She put a hand on his stone arm and waited for him to open his eyes fully and return to this time and place. “She must have been very special to you.”
A long pause ensued before he spoke, “Yes.”
“K
now, then, that if we secure the release of Targon’s mother . . .”
“Dareen,” Elister clarified.
“Then I will expect we turn all our attention and resources on either freeing Bran . . .” She let the words linger, allowing the dead druid to finish her thought for her.
“Or avenging him.”
“Then you understand where I stand?”
“I do,” Elister said. “Your love is noted and admired, as is your courage and selflessness. You sons will grow to be great and wise men. That, at least, is clear to me when so much else is not.”
“If we survive the coming of Father Death,” she elucidated.
“If,” Elister could only repeat.
For a long moment, they stood in silence, before Cedric arrived with their packs and the Kesh men joined them. They all looked to where the druid and Salina were looking, and watched in silence for a moment before Dorsun asked, “What are they doing?”
Monique was a tall girl, yet she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach the Ulathan Ranger and give him a kiss. She tucked the last of her handmade arrows into his quiver slung off his back. Salina answered the former Kesh brigand. “She’s resupplying him with arrows that she made.”
Dorsun and Khan looked from the scene to Salina and then back again before finally resting their gazes on the Ulathan noblewoman. “Really?” Khan asked.
“Yes, really,” Salina said, taking the pack from Cedric and looking back toward the cabin. “Where are the others?”
“Will’s coming now from the brook,” Cedric said.
“The wild girl is in the forest. She left less than an hour ago, though I do not know where she went or what she is doing,” Khan explained in too much detail, as usual for the Kesh wizard.
Salina left and headed toward Will coming from the south as she turned her back on Targon and Monique. Cedric looked at the two Kesh men and then shrugged and followed her. The Kesh looked at each and then at Elister, who said simply, “Don’t ask,” as he turned and walked north to where the trail left the homestead. To everyone’s surprise, the shrill squeak of Argyll came to them as the bird glided down onto the druid’s outstretched arm and perched there. What they discussed was unknown to them.
It took another ten minutes, but everyone gathered at the trailhead just past the graveyard and barn that stood on the north part of the homestead. Emelda and Agatha were up already and had packed dried meats and fresh berries into small burlap squares and handed them out to the travelers or helped them tuck the food into their packs. Will had taken several water flasks and filled them with fresh water. Argyll had left, flying north this time after only a brief visit.
Targon was the last to join them, and Dorsun greeted the young man as he arrived. “Taken care of your personal business?”
Targon smiled. “I have a full quiver now, thank you very much.”
Cedric snickered, and the two older women scurried away, mumbling under their breath. Most smiled, though, except the Kesh, who seemed confused as often was the case. “Ready, then, are we?” Elister asked.
Before anyone could answer, Salina asked Marissa, “You’ve been busy this morning. See anything?”
“No,” she responded. “It’s clear a good two miles out.”
“I could have informed you of that,” Elister said with a smile. “Did you have a chance to discuss the particulars with everyone involved?”
Marissa nodded. “Yes. I understand I’ll be with Core most of the time, and I’m fine with that.”
“Good,” Elister said. “Before you all depart, a quick word to you, Targon.”
“Go ahead,” the Ranger said.
“When you return, we’ll need to have a plan ready for you to secure the items I mentioned last spring.”
“I understand,” Targon said, looking at Cedric. “Do you think you’ve located the region where they reside?”
Cedric looked at Elister, and the old druid gave him a nod to explain. “We know the region but not the location. However, we were hoping with the improved powers of the Kesh wizard Khan that there could be an arcane way of locating the items.”
“You refer to the rod and shield that we spoke of?” Khan interjected.
“Yes,” Elister said. “It would have been ideal to have them now, but recent events have kept us from searching for them, and now, as the proverbial saying goes, time is running out.”
“Agreed,” Targon said to Elister, ignoring the others. “Let me bring her home, and then I quest for the realm.”
Elister looked at his Zashitor with approval. “Bring her home. Bring the others with you and . . . trust in Master Khan when in Kesh. Heed his words and council.”
“I will,” Targon promised.
“Good, then,” Elister said. “I have good news that will sound bad to you all, especially Salina.” At this, the druid raised his voice so all could hear him. Everyone piqued up at his pronouncement. “Salina, your husband is injured again. However, it brings a small measure of fortune, perhaps, to us at this time.”
“How is this possible?” Salina asked.
“You know he was to duel the Northman to the death; that much intelligence Khan was able to glean for us last summer.” They mostly nodded in agreement. “Well, there was some sort of incident during his healing and preparation that reinjured him. The Northman’s code and honor mandates that his opponent be given an opportunity to fight on equal terms. That is the only way the Northman can claim victory and his honor in the current crisis.”
“You mean he must wait longer now to allow Bran to heal further?” Salina asked expectantly.
“Something like that,” Elister said.
Khan took over. “The northern clans have unusual and unique customs when it comes to combat, honor, and pride. The man will not wait forever, but he has been defeated in some way enough to force him to take this course of action. His code will not necessitate a full healing, but enough that his opponent can fight reasonably well.”
“Why wasn’t I told earlier?” Salina demanded, her tone changing slightly to one of offense and impatience.
Elister answered, “Because we only learned of this a few minutes ago. That is why Argyll returned to give us this news. Otherwise, I myself was honor bound to ask him to keep watch. After this revelation, I’ve decided that we can spare the watch for a bit longer, as I need Argyll to ensure your safety once you cross into Kesh, starting with guiding you to where the gate of the ancients lie in Ulatha. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said that we would need every resource in this quest if it’s to succeed.”
“So Bran will remain alone,” Salina said. It was a statement and not a question.
“For now,” Elister said. “Time is passing so quickly with you all. Head north to the Hidden Hollow and pass into the far northern reaches of the Blackthorn. You’ve only been there a couple of times, but this time, you’ll go further than ever before. Argyll will pick you up from there and guide you. Go now. Hurry and may Agon speed and protect each of you.”
The sudden flurry of activity all but startled the group, and with a nod to each, they turned and followed Targon, who led them at a quick pace. The Kesh kept speed with the Ulathan woodsman, each matching his long strides with their own, as well as Will, but the others had to scurry to keep pace. Both Salina and Cedric expected as much, and Marissa was content to half walk, half jog in order to stay with the group.
The first half of the day was uneventful. They reached the road a couple of hours after midday and headed to the Hidden Hollow. It was a deep depression in the road where it sunk down below two large spurs of the Border Mountains that twisted directions and sank into the very ground in a roughly north-to-south fashion. Its significance was that it allowed the group to cross the road out of sight of the many guard posts stationed on it from the bridge to the west to the abandoned tower to the east.
The trail they used was visible to them, but the forest had a way of altering itself around it once they passed. It did so in such a manner tha
t unless invited, it was hard to detect anything. Dorsun called it druid magic, but regardless, it kept the Kesh brigand patrols at bay, and had done so for half a year. So despite it being broad daylight, they passed unseen and saw nothing themselves, such was the wisdom of the Mother’s servant.
After crossing the very road where they often harassed and intercepted Kesh supply caravans, they continued north where the forest was no longer thick and vibrant. They felt more exposed, especially once they were forced to climb the arms of the ridge pair that formed Hidden Hollow. They expertly moved from one grove of trees to another. They were still traveling due north now, paralleling the Border Mountains and entering territory no longer familiar to them. Only Targon had gone that far north a few times on his far-ranging patrols to scout for the enemy.
They rested in brief halts that sometimes resulted in a quick bite of food and a swallow or two of water. The land was much rockier to the north, and the trees started to be interspersed from the leafy deciduous trees to the needle-like coniferous variety. Once clear of the ridgeline, they started a series of gentle up and down movements over the encroaching mountain draws and spurs from the east. Right when Targon started to wonder if they were still moving in the right direction, a gentle sound reached their ears, and they saw the great falcon high overhead circling to their northeast.
Moving in that direction, Argyll led them to an old trail that seemed to seldom be used. The going got easier by using the trail that was closer to the mountain, and despite more hills and wasted energy ascending and descending the path, they made good time and found themselves making camp in a gentle hollow of the reinvigorated forest. The trees were more abundant again, as if the forest had a small part of it hanging on to survival from its parent.
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