by M. L. Forman
Alex accepted the reward with a bow and swiftly stored it in his magic bag. Then Alex pulled Tom aside for a private word.
“I know your newfound treasure looks like it has no end,” said Alex in a serious tone. “But I would advise you to be both careful and generous with your gold. You never know what tomorrow may bring.”
“You are wise as well as generous,” said Tom, bowing to Alex. “I will heed your words and always remember your kindness.”
Alex and Tom bowed once more to each other in front of their witnesses, and the return of the lost bag was done. As Alex turned to leave with Andy, Tom’s younger brother Jonathan asked the question Alex had been expecting.
“Are you . . . are you really a wizard?”
“I am,” said Alex with a wink.
Without saying anything more, Alex picked up an old piece of cloth that was lying on the floor. With a wave of his hand he changed it into a beautiful silk scarf, which he presented to Mrs. Cain with a smile.
“An impressive bit of magic that,” said Andy, as they walked back to the tavern where their companions were waiting. “It seems you’re becoming more of a wizard all the time.”
“It was a simple gift for a kindhearted lady,” said Alex. “Besides, it’s good practice.”
Chapter Seven
Goblins and Elf Blades
As Alex was getting dressed the next morning there was a sudden pop and a ding as a geeb appeared on his bed. He quickly paid for the message and then pulled on his boots. Once the geeb had vanished, Alex opened the letter, which was from Whalen.
Dear Alex,
I understand you have been talking to Sindar about staffs and about what your future may hold. Sindar was correct in what he told you about the difference between buying a staff and being asked to take one. That is one of the reasons I’ve told you not to buy a staff. For now, I will tell you this: a staff is a tool, and nothing more. As you seem to be getting along without this tool, I see no reason to burden you with it, at least not yet.
Let me know about the return of the second lost bag in your next letter. Also, don’t worry about the rabbit that got away. You are quite right in your guess—it wouldn’t do to have too many of something left running around.
I’m glad to hear that you are gaining more control over your emotions. I’m also pleased with the progress you have made in your studies. I’ve included more reading for you to do, and I will be sending you a few new books in the next day or so.
Keep your eyes open, and take care of yourself.
Yours in fellowship, Whalen
Alex joined the rest of his companions in the common room for breakfast, and then they all headed for the stables, ready to continue their journey.
He wondered if he should mention Whalen’s letter to Bregnest, but decided not to. Bregnest knew that he was writing to Whalen regularly, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about it to the rest of the company.
Bregnest seemed to be in a better mood this morning, more relaxed than he had been for the past several days. Perhaps it was because they had spent so little time in Ollvi returning the lost bag, or perhaps he had overcome his own doubts. Alex didn’t ask why, but he was glad to see that Bregnest was back to his old self again.
As Alex and his friends rode out of Ollvi, they passed the Cain house, which Alex pointed out to the rest of the company. He was pleased to see a large number of workmen at the house, and he hoped that the Cain family would find joy in their newfound wealth.
“It appears you’ve done them a great kindness,” Halfdan commented to Alex.
“I believe that I have.”
“I suppose you know what this means?”
“What?”
“It means your legend will continue to grow,” Halfdan joked. “The kind and generous Master Taylor, who refuses to accept the rewards due him.”
“Well,” Alex snorted, “I know one dwarf who won’t be writing my life’s story.”
“There is some truth in what Halfdan says,” Bregnest commented from in front of Alex. “Your generosity increases your honor, though it does little to increase your wealth.”
“Generosity where it is needed,” Alex answered after a moment’s thought. “If they’d been rich and snobby, I might have asked for more than the heir offered.”
“Which also shows your wisdom,” Bregnest replied.
Alex didn’t say anything more. He was much too happy to worry about being too generous or about having stories told about him. He knew that most people would think what they wanted to think no matter what he said. It was like how everyone believed he was a wizard when he was still only a wizard in training. He had tried to explain the difference so many times that he’d finally just given up.
The road they were following led almost due north, though slightly to the east from time to time. Alex wondered how far it was to the Mountains of the Moon, and how long it would take them to get there. He’d studied several maps of Norsland, but none of them showed distances. If the distance from Oslansk to Ollvi was any indication, he thought it would take them at least a month to reach the mountains, maybe longer.
That night, as the company ate their evening meal, Bregnest shared his concerns with all of them. He told them about his fear of having to remain in Norsland over the winter, and about his doubts of finding the Horn of Moran quickly. Alex thought this was strange because Bregnest had always been confident in the past. He wondered if Bregnest might be worried because this quest was to help one of his relatives, but he didn’t think that was the real reason.
“The guardians of the road could be difficult to pass,” said Andy in a thoughtful tone once Bregnest had finished speaking. “I’ve never seen a griffin, but I’ve been told that they can look inside a person and see what’s there.”
“That is true,” said Sindar knowingly. “Griffins can read a man’s heart, and if you carry evil of any kind, they will bar your path. They can be deadly enemies, so it is best to stay on their good side.”
“And a sphinx as well? I don’t know . . . ” Halfdan mused, shaking his head and stroking his beard in thought.
“What about sphinxes?” Alex asked, knowing almost nothing about the creatures.
“They always speak in riddles,” Halfdan answered. “If we don’t answer its riddle correctly, it will attack us.”
“That is true,” said Sindar. “However, if you don’t answer the sphinx at all, it will let you withdraw.”
“Have you met a sphinx then?” Val questioned.
“I have,” Sindar answered. “And I am relieved to say that I did not have to fight it.”
“So you guessed its riddle correctly,” said Val, sounding impressed.
“No,” answered Sindar, shaking his head. “I couldn’t answer the riddle, so I departed without speaking.”
“If a sphinx can out-riddle an elf, we may be in for some serious trouble,” said Halfdan.
“We do not know how far along the road the prince went, so our worries may be groundless,” Val commented.
“We don’t know if the prince even stayed on the road,” Bregnest added grimly. “The road is just the starting point. Though if we meet the guardians of the road, they may be able to tell us where to look for the Horn of Moran.”
They all agreed that it was pointless to worry about the guardians, at least until they reached the Mountains of the Moon.
They continued to ride north, and the days passed by with little to tell them apart. The ride was enjoyable and the landscape was pleasant, now that summer was coming to Norsland. Three days out from Ollvi they left the open fields of the settled lands and continued through large pine forests, mixed with wide areas of rolling grasslands.
The company continued to keep watch at night, and Alex continued to read and practice his magic in the early morning hours. Sindar seemed to enjoy watching Alex practice his spells, and he would sometimes make comments on how well Alex was doing. Alex also continued to update Whalen about the adventure, and about how h
is studies were going.
After three weeks of traveling, they could see distant snowcapped mountains ahead of them. Alex guessed they were the Mountains of the Moon, and he also guessed that it would take at least another three weeks for the company to reach them.
Late one afternoon, the company came to a sudden halt. The pine forest they had been riding through had ended, and in front of them was a steep, rocky hillside that dropped into a wide valley below. The road leading into the valley was badly damaged and worn by the weather, and it was overgrown with bushes and small trees in several places.
“We’ll wait for morning before trying it,” said Bregnest thoughtfully. “We’ve traveled far today, and the horses are tired.”
“Best to rest,” said Sindar, looking down the hillside at the broken and overgrown road. “It will take some effort to get down this safely.”
They all agreed that it would be best to wait for better light, and they moved back into the trees a short distance to set up their camp. They didn’t talk much as they ate their evening meal, and everyone seemed to have their own thoughts. After dinner, they sat quietly around the campfire, not even sharing stories as they normally did.
Without warning, Sindar suddenly jumped up and moved away from the fire. The others got to their feet as well, their hands moving to their weapons as they looked into the darkness. Alex wondered what had alarmed Sindar, but he didn’t have long to worry before Sindar reappeared.
“Alex, put the fire out. Quickly,” whispered Sindar. “There are goblins moving down the valley.”
Alex magically put out the fire so that there would be no smoke, and looked around at his friends’ faces. They all gathered around Sindar to find out what he had seen and how much trouble they might be in.
“Goblins are rare in Norsland,” Bregnest whispered.
“Rare, but not unheard of,” Andy added.
“I count perhaps threescore of them in the valley,” said Sindar. “Though they will have scouts out as well.”
“Do you think they are aware of us?” questioned Val, looking in the direction of the valley.
“I don’t think so. Our fire was small and hidden in the trees. And we are downwind of them, so they can’t have smelled us.”
“Threescore may be few for goblins, but more than enough for the six of us,” said Halfdan, fingering the ax at his side.
“We have a choice to make then,” said Sindar, looking at Bregnest. “We can remain where we are and hope they don’t discover us, or we can move back the way we have come, which might be the wisest thing to do. There is also a third choice, though I doubt any of us would like it—we could stand and fight.”
“All you say is true,” said Bregnest. “Battle, however, is the last thing we want.”
“If the goblin scouts are any good, they’ll find us here for sure,” said Halfdan.
“The horses are too tired for us to make a run for it,” Val added. “I doubt we would make it more than a mile or two.”
“Gather your gear,” Bregnest ordered. “We can’t stay here and we can’t run, so we’ll do what we can. We’ll walk the horses back the way we came, and hope for the best.”
“There was some rocky ground two, maybe three, miles back,” Andy whispered. “We’d be out of the trees but able to see anything coming toward us.”
“I remember some large rocks on the east side of the road,” said Alex. “If we can reach them, we would have some cover as well.”
“Two or three miles is a long walk, so we’d best get moving,” said Bregnest. “Keep your horses quiet, and no talking. Sindar, scout ahead of us, but not too far. If we are attacked, I want you close.”
They moved into the darkness as quietly as they could. The night air was still, and every sound they made seemed incredibly loud to Alex. He wished there was some wind to help cover the noise they were making, but his wish went unanswered.
Alex didn’t know much about goblins, but what he did know didn’t make him feel good. Goblins were warriors, and they could see in the dark. If the goblins found them, they would have to fight for their lives. And with sixty or more goblins so close, Alex wasn’t feeling too confident.
Without thinking about it, Alex rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. The touch of the cold metal calmed his mind, just as it had in the past, but this time he could feel the magic slipping into him, and with it came the desire to destroy the goblins. They were evil after all, and the world would be better if they were destroyed. In fact, they should be thinking of how to kill the goblins, not looking for a way to escape them.
“Take your hand off the sword,” a voice whispered. “Don’t touch it unless you are attacked.”
Alex jerked his head around to see who had spoken, but nobody was there. Slowly he let his hand fall to his side, his mind focusing on the path ahead of him. His desire to kill the goblins had been strong, but now it seemed foolish. Six against sixty? The company wouldn’t stand a chance in a fight; they would all be killed.
Time seemed to slow down. The rocky place Alex remembered seemed to be further away than he’d guessed. Troubled thoughts filled his mind as the group continued to walk, and the thoughts weren’t all about goblins. This wasn’t the first time he’d heard a voice that seemed to be coming from inside his own head.
Alex was starting to think they had gone too far, that they’d missed the rocky place in the darkness, when Bregnest came to a sudden stop. Without speaking, he motioned for the others to follow him off the road, pointing to a high spot a few hundred yards away where four stones, each one nearly as tall as Alex, formed a rough square, giving them some cover. They started forward once more, moving slower than they had before and unavoidably making more noise. Some of the rocks on the hillside were loose, and they clacked loudly against each other as the horses walked over them.
“This will have to do,” Bregnest said quietly when they reached the standing stones. “We’ll tie the horses between the rocks, and—”
His words were cut short as Sindar dove forward, knocking both Alex and Andy to the ground. Alex heard a loud crack, and then what sounded like a stick being dropped on the rocks.
“Arrows,” Halfdan growled. “We’re in trouble now.”
“Let the horses run,” Bregnest yelled. “Get into the square.”
Alex let go of Shahree’s reins as he tried to get to his feet. He could hear the other horses already running across the stony ground, but Shahree stood still, waiting for Alex to command her.
“Go!” Alex yelled, afraid that an arrow would hit his horse at any moment. “Guide the others to safety. I will call you when the danger has passed.”
Shahree snorted and dashed into the darkness, vanishing in seconds. Alex stumbled over loose gravel and crashed into one of the large stones, falling to his knees. His mind raced with fear, and he tried as hard as he could to focus and control his emotions. The goblins had them trapped, and he couldn’t see any way for them to escape.
“Is anyone hit?” Sindar questioned.
“Thanks to you, no,” Andy answered in a shaky voice.
“They will be coming soon,” said Bregnest. “I’ll take the north side. Sindar, the south. Alex and Val, the east. Halfdan and Andy, the west. Stay near the rocks, and don’t let them draw you away.”
Stay near the rocks, Alex repeated to himself as he drew his sword.
The magic of Moon Slayer flooded him, and just in time. As soon as the sword was in his hand the goblins came from all directions. Alex’s fear disappeared, and the desire to destroy the goblins was stronger than ever. Taking one quick step forward, he drove his sword through the first goblin warrior and was back behind the rocks before an arrow could find him.
Two more goblins appeared, one of them tripping over the body in his rush to reach the rocks. Alex brought his sword down on the goblin’s head, while Val took care of the other one with several quick slashes from both his sword and his dagger.
“Everyone still all right?” Bregnest q
uestioned in the darkness.
“That was only a test,” Halfdan commented after everyone had said they were fine. “They’re testing our defenses. They’ll come in greater numbers before long.”
“First they will give us some time,” Sindar added. “In case we decide to run for it and make ourselves easy targets.”
Sindar was right. The night was silent for a long time; Alex could hear his friends breathing around him. He knew the goblins were still there, just out of sight, waiting for the right time to attack again. The magic of his sword urged him to move forward, to go out and hunt down the evil in the darkness, but he resisted.
Alex tried to relax, but it wasn’t easy. Taking several deep breaths he focused his thoughts on something other than the trouble they were in. At first he couldn’t think of anything at all, and then he thought about the goblins. Why were they even here? The goblins had been moving down the valley, but where were they going? The more he thought about the goblins, the more he felt his magic moving outward, away from him.
Unsure of what he was doing, Alex let his magic flow. He felt the emotions of his friends for a moment—their worries and fears—but then his magic moved on. Hoping that his magic could somehow help, Alex focused on every thought and feeling that came into his mind. There was nothing for a time, and then a mix of hate and fear crashed into his mind. He pressed himself against the rock he was standing next to so he wouldn’t fall down. A wave of thoughts washed over him, and as he struggled to sort them out, he suddenly understood.
“They will come from the north in force,” Alex said softly. “One or two from each of the other sides, but at least a dozen from the north.”