Adventurers Wanted 2) The Horn of Moran

by M. L. Forman

  “Indeed, your kindness overwhelms us,” Alex replied.

  Alex and Sindar both bowed to Tip, which seemed to please him and make him laugh at the same time. Tip then led them to a small cottage just outside the brownie village. It was actually a very nice cottage, with one large room that had a table, a sink, and two beds in it, and a smaller room with a large bathtub in it.

  “I’ll leave you until the feast,” said Tip. “If you need anything at all, just ask.”

  “Thank you very much,” Alex and Sindar said at the same time.

  Tip closed the door behind him, and Alex looked at Sindar in amazement. He had never considered the possibility that brownies lived in the enchanted woods, though now he understood what Whalen had said about finding help here.

  “Did you know they were here?” Alex asked as he tested one of the beds.

  “No, but I could feel their goodness when we passed though the woods before. Though at the time, I didn’t know where that goodness came from.”

  “I suppose we’re lucky they decided to help us,” Alex commented, feeling sleepy once again.

  “I think we can thank your weir lights for that,” said Sindar, testing the other bed.

  “Why is that?”

  “Because they saw the lights and decided to investigate them. Tip told me before you woke up. They were impressed by the lights; I’ll be surprised if they don’t ask you to conjure them up again.”

  “That wouldn’t be a problem,” said Alex as he yawned.

  “Perhaps you should finish your night’s sleep,” said Sindar. “I’m going to take a bath.”

  “Wake me when you’re done,” said Alex, before rolling over and going back to sleep.

  When Sindar woke Alex, it was several hours later. Alex felt refreshed and hungry, now that he knew they were all safe. He rolled slowly off his bed and began taking off his boots.

  “I thought you might have needed sleep more than a bath,” said Sindar with a smile. “And now you’ll have to wait for a bit, as our hosts are bringing our midday meal.”

  “Excellent. I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.”

  There was a knock on the door, and a dozen brownies poured into the room before he or Sindar could even say, “Who’s there?” The brownies all carried trays of food which seemed far too large for them, but they managed somehow. The table was soon filled, and Alex and Sindar both thanked their hosts, which made the brownies burst into a fit of giggles. As quickly as they appeared, the brownies vanished, leaving Alex and Sindar to their meal.

  “Why do they laugh so much when we thank them?” Alex questioned as he started filling a plate with food.

  “It’s their way,” Sindar said. “They prefer their help and service to remain anonymous. So when we notice them doing things for us and thank them, they think it’s very funny.”

  “As long as they’re happy.”

  “They’re always happy. And it appears that they are good cooks as well.”

  As they ate their meal, Alex told Sindar what had happened in the Tower of the Moon. Sindar turned pale when Alex told him about the shadow, and about having met it once before in Vargland, but Alex didn’t ask Sindar if he knew what it was.

  “So you turned the stone into a breeze?” Sindar asked, making sure he had heard correctly.

  “I did,” said Alex. “I remembered the riddle the sphinx had asked, and it suddenly hit me that a breeze could never be turned back into a stone, or a magic bag.”

  “And the shadow had already left when you did that?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, it won’t be happy if it ever returns.”

  “I hope it never returns. But if it does, it will go crazy trying to figure out where the stone has gone.”

  “No less than it deserves,” Sindar observed. “I do feel sorry for Val though.”

  “So do I. I think he was once a good and honorable man.”

  “But he listened to the shadow,” said Sindar. “He made his own choice, and it was a poor one.”

  “There is something else I wanted to talk to you about,” Alex said, and then paused to consider his words. “The pendant you wear—the one you so desperately wanted just after the attack.”

  “Ah, yes. I have worn that for many years,” said Sindar. “It is an ancient talisman. There is some magic in it, as I’m sure you noticed.”

  “Yes, I did, but that’s not what I want to ask. You see . . . Well, it might be best to show you.”

  Alex reached for his magic bag and called out the pendant his father had left for him. Holding it up so Sindar could see it, he noticed a strange look on his friend’s face, a look that vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

  “My father hid this in his own magic bag,” Alex explained. “He left a note with it, telling me that I could freely trust anyone who wore this symbol.”

  “Your father,” Sindar repeated slowly. “Yes, I should have guessed, but . . .”

  “But?” Alex prodded.

  “It is difficult to keep track sometimes,” Sindar answered. “I should have given things more thought when we first met. Your father—his first name was Joshua?”

  “Yes.”

  Sindar nodded but remained silent for several minutes before speaking.

  “I met your father once, many years ago. I did not get the chance to know him, but he was well-respected among us.”

  “Among the elves, you mean,” Alex clarified.

  “Oh, yes, among the elves, but that isn’t what I’m talking about. You see, the pendant is a symbol of the ancient order of Malgor.”

  “The order of Malgor? What is that?”

  “Basically the order is a collection of people who gather information. We keep records about people, places, cities—all kinds of things.”

  “Why?” Alex asked. “What are the records used for?”

  “From time to time we discover something important. I say discover, but it is more like making connections between points of information. When we do find something, we pass the information along to the people who need to know.”

  “I don’t understand. What information? Who runs the order? Why was it set up in the first place?”

  “I can tell you some things, but not everything,” said Sindar after a moment of thought. “For example, I can tell you that when I return home, I will report on this adventure and the fact that there appear to be more goblins in Norsland than there once were—including the presence of a goblin shaman. The order might decide that they need more information about goblins in Norsland, or they might just let the kingdoms of Norsland know that there are more goblins.”

  “I see,” said Alex. “Still, who is in charge? Who decides what information is important? What else does the order of Malgor do?”

  “So many questions,” said Sindar. “As for the who and the why, I don’t think I should say. Many people who belong to the order do not know who is in charge, and since you are not a member . . .”

  “I’m sorry,” said Alex. “It’s just so interesting. Obviously my father was a member of this order, and he wanted me to trust any members that I might meet.”

  “Yes, but I think your father may have overstated his desire. I would not be so quick to trust completely if I were you. You are a wizard after all, and blind trust does not go well with that title.”

  “You don’t think I should trust the members of the order?”

  “I think you should use your own judgment,” said Sindar. “Now, I think you should take a bath and get ready for the feast. It should be a merry night.”

  Sindar said nothing more about the order of Malgor, and Alex didn’t press him for answers. He knew enough for now, and he promised himself that someday he would know more.

  The brownies were thrilled that Alex and Sindar were their guests and would squeal and giggle when either of them would thank them for their kindness. Alex tried hard to remember all the brownies’ names, but there were just too many of them, and the brownies all looked very much
alike to him. Whenever he would call a brownie by the wrong name, the brownie would think he was making a wonderful joke, and then tell him its correct name. In the end, Alex stopped trying to sort it out.

  The days passed swiftly, and the brownies never seemed to grow tired of Alex and Sindar asking them questions or thanking them. Often Alex would conjure up weir lights and send them floating around the village, changing colors from time to time as they went. The brownies seemed to enjoy the lights even more than Halfdan had, and it made Alex happy to hear them laugh in surprise whenever one of the lights changed colors.

  After a week in the village, Alex sent Whalen a long message, telling him everything that had happened at the tower and how he and Sindar were now guests in the brownie village. Alex also spent a fair amount of time in his bag, sorting through the treasure he’d recovered from the tower. He was hoping to have the treasure sorted and divided before they started south once more, but that was going to take some work. A few weeks later, Whalen sent a reply to Alex’s message.

  Dear Alex,

  You have done better than I had hoped. I am impressed with the way you’ve handled things. I never would have thought to change the stone into a breeze. Very clever on your part, I must say.

  I do have some ideas about what the shadow is, but it will take some explaining, which I would rather do in person. I hope to meet you on your return to Telous, or perhaps in Alusia. I believe Bregnest, once he is recovered, will insist that you all go with him to complete your adventure by returning the Horn.

  I was sorry to hear about Sedric Valenteen, but, as you said, he made his choice. You did what had to be done, so don’t blame yourself for what happened.

  Continue to study your books, and feel free to start looking through the upper library, which you now have in your bag. I don’t think you will need to update me quite so often, but feel free to write if you have questions. Also, I think you can judge for yourself when you should and should not use your powers, so don’t let my earlier warnings stop you from doing something you feel needs doing. Of course, don’t use your powers for just anything; use your common sense and you should be fine.

  Yours in fellowship, Whalen

  P.S. Just a reminder to honor your promise to Tip. I know you would never break your promise on purpose, but you may find it difficult to keep once your friends recover. Perhaps you and Sindar should agree on a story for your friends. You still have time to think of something before they wake up.

  Whalen’s letter lifted Alex’s spirits, and that afternoon he started working on a story with Sindar. They decided, after some debate, that the simple truth would work best. No mention of the brownies would be made, but the fact that the two of them had been stuck in the woods would be enough.

  “Our adventure climbing down the mountain will be far more interesting,” Sindar commented. “The fact that we spent a few weeks or even months in the woods, with nothing to do but wait, will not attract many questions.”

  As the days passed, Alex continued to sort the treasure from the tower and search for the Horn of Moran. Other days, he would look through the large library or visit with the brownies.

  Winter continued, and Alex and Sindar both watched the weather for any sign that they could safely move on. Sometimes Alex would wander to the edge of the enchanted woods and look out across the frozen waste, thinking about the future. He appreciated Usel’s warning about not being in the frozen waste when winter came. The snow was almost as deep as Alex was tall, and the wind blew wildly across the open land.

  Alex used his time to study and practice his magic, and to just think. He even had time to reread some of his books and learn how to magically mend Halfdan’s cooking pot. It was an odd bit of magic, but after a little practice, Alex was able to make the pot as good as new. He was pleased with his work, and he knew Halfdan would be glad to have his pot back.

  “You seem strangely quiet,” said Sindar, one night after another excellent feast with the brownies. “Are you troubled?”

  “Not troubled. Just thoughtful.”

  “More like a wizard all the time.”

  “Or more like an elf,” Alex answered and laughed. “I was just thinking about something—something I’m not likely to find an answer to.”

  “And why would you spend time thinking about things that have no answers?”

  “Oh, there is an answer, I’m sure of that,” said Alex. “I’m just not likely to find it anytime soon.”

  “Then I suppose thinking about it won’t hurt, as long as you are prepared to wait for your answers.”

  “I can wait. I believe I am less hotheaded than I once was.”

  “I believe that you are,” said Sindar.

  It wasn’t until Alex had sorted almost all the treasure from the Tower of the Moon that he found the Horn of Moran. It was about eighteen inches long and perhaps eight or nine inches across at its widest point. It was made of a black material that Alex had never seen before, and the gentle curve made it look like a horn from some enormous animal. True silver bands had been wrapped around either end, and there were loops in the silver where a strap could be attached so the horn could be carried. Alex showed the Horn to Sindar, who was stunned when he saw it.

  “It’s been carved from a Durnlow horn,” Sindar whispered in awe.

  “What’s a Durnlow?” Alex questioned.

  “They are a rare and magical creature, something like a giant goat or perhaps more like a ram,” Sindar explained. “Stories say that they are even more magical than dragons, and that to see one means good fortune for the rest of your days. Their horns cannot be taken from them, but they can be given as gifts to those the Durnlow deems worthy.”

  “It is one of the three guardian objects of Alusia,” said Alex. “It makes sense that it would be something as special as a Durnlow horn. I wonder what it sounds like. You know, when the true king blows it.”

  “I would not try to sound the Horn if I were you,” said Sindar. “If it makes no sound, we will think it a great joke, but if it plays a note, then what?”

  “It won’t play a note,” said Alex.

  “You do not know that for sure. Would you risk adding king to your already long list of titles?”

  In the end, Alex took Sindar’s advice and returned the Horn to his bag. He really didn’t think the Horn would sound for him, but he didn’t want to risk being called a king as well as a warrior, a wizard, and a dragon slayer.

  Winter held an icy grip on the land, but as time went on, there was little new snow. Alex knew that they would soon be able to leave the enchanted woods and continue their adventure, even if the temperature remained cold. Alex would be sad to leave the brownies, but he was also looking forward to meeting Whalen in Telous.

  One night, after another long feast, Tip came to their cottage. He was smiling, but even with his cheery face, he seemed sadder than Alex had ever seen him before.

  “It is time,” said Tip. “Winter is not over, but I think you will be able to travel south without too much trouble. Tomorrow I will lead you to your friends, and you can continue your adventure.”

  “We will be sorry to leave your village,” said Sindar. “You have been most kind to us and to our sleeping friends.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing.” Tip laughed. “We seldom have guests, and such excellent guests at that.”

  “Can we do anything to repay your kindness?” Alex asked.

  “You can keep your promise, which I’m sure you will,” Tip answered. “And if you get the chance, you might come and visit us again.”

  “Then we will hope for such a chance,” said Alex. “Though you will forgive us if we don’t bring such sleepy friends next time.”

  “Oh, of course,” said Tip. “Now I’ll let you get some sleep, and tomorrow we will be on our way.”

  Tip left Alex and Sindar alone, but they didn’t feel like talking. They had agreed on the story they would tell their friends and the answers they would give to any questions. They had asked each
other about the story so many times that they both knew every detail by heart. They both hoped that the story would satisfy their three sleeping friends.

  Alex went to bed, and as he was falling asleep, he heard Sindar humming softly to himself in the darkness.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Awakening

  The next morning was full of mixed feelings for Alex and Sindar. The brownies made a great fuss over saying good-bye and wishing them good luck. None of the brownies would accept any kind of gift, laughing whenever Alex or Sindar offered. Alex thought it strange that the brownies would be so helpful and yet so unwilling to receive anything in return. He thought there was a good lesson in their ways, but he knew that few people would see it.

  Tip led Alex and Sindar through the woods for most of the day, but there was little talk as they went along. Dozens of brownies accompanied them, and when the group stopped for the night, the brownies took care of setting up camp, and before long they were all sitting around the fire, eating.

  After they had eaten, Sindar told a story about an adventure he had been on, but Alex wasn’t listening. His mind was already racing ahead, thinking of the dangers they might still have to face as they returned to Alusia. He had thought that finding the Horn would be the hardest part of the adventure, but now he worried that returning it to the rightful king might be harder still.

  They continued walking all the next day, and as night was falling, they came to a large meadow. Alex and Sindar spotted their three friends lying in the soft grass at the edge of the meadow. They looked as if they were sound asleep, but otherwise quite normal.

  “In the morning I will tell you how to wake them,” said Tip. “Then we will leave you, and you can wake your friends and go on your way.”

  “Where is the road back across the frozen waste?” asked Sindar.

  “If you leave this meadow at the far end, you will come across the road very soon,” Tip answered, pointing. “You might have trouble traveling through the frozen waste, but if you continue south, you will be safe enough.”