“Keep your voice down,” Malik said. “The wolves are still nearby, and we are nowhere near shelter.”
The sun had set, and the pair had ventured out from where they hid in a shed nearby once the wolves passed. They were unable to find anything and were forced to return until nightfall when Bran felt the tug on his wife’s hairbrush again. Despite it being night, the pair had ventured for a second time to the exact same spot and crouched in the dark looking around for signs of passage by anyone. Bran asked, “Do you think the lich’s magic is faltering or not working properly?”
Malik shook his head, “No, to the contrary I’d say the wolves vacated this area specifically so by his command so we could have safe passage. I’d say his magic is quite strong and working well. Perhaps you are doing something wrong or not being truthful with what the magic is telling you?”
“I want to be reunited with my wife more than anything and I said I’d find her with this spell of that creature,” Bran said. “Besides, just a moment ago you told me to be quiet, so the wolves won’t hear us, so which is it? Do they serve him or the wild?”
“I believe they serve him but not in the same manner as the undead. In fact, I believe they are more or less guided by him and not controlled. Either way, I don’t want to test my theory with more than a hundred wolves and find out I’m wrong so there is nothing wrong in us being cautious.”
“Have you ever seen so many before in one place?”
Malik shook his head. “No. I’ve seen a couple dozen up north and less than that down south, but only a fraction of what I see here. This isn’t natural.”
“Well, what do we do?” Bran asked. “We can’t stay here all night and I have no indication that my wife is anywhere, near or far.”
“Fine,” Malik said. “We go back to that estate and spend the night then try again in the morning. Like I said, I don’t want to test my theory and we can’t stay here much longer without doing exactly that. I still can’t understand how they could have passed here in the new snow without leaving tracks.”
“I trust your skills in that area, Scout.” Bran said, using the man’s military title as a compliment. “Let’s do that then and wait for first light. Maybe we’ll see something we’re missing in the dark.”
Malik nodded, “It’s too dark. Let’s go. Tomorrow we’ll resume the hunt again.”
The man took off running easily through the snow and Bran trudged as best he could behind him. He dearly wanted to see his wife but watching the former scout navigate the wild so easily and effortlessly gave Bran pause to what the man’s sibling could do, and he didn’t like the Kesh’s chances against these particular brothers. Bran would hope to stay out of the way and survive.
The time passed and after three uneventful watches the companions resumed their journey. They had all agreed that there must have been an egress near to the door that they used to exit into the cavern system that they found themselves in, but it had either been destroyed, blocked, or caved in. In the dark and haste they probably missed it. They found it difficult to believe any simple coming or going to the estate would require more than a day’s travel through such rough terrain.
After two days of travel they started to worry. “We must be well north into those hills we saw.” Salina looked around after they had stopped for a meal break.
Khan had to magically enhance Targon’s axe at least twice since doing it the first time. His staff had nearly unlimited power and would glow all night if he didn’t extinguish it when they wanted to sleep. “It is difficult to ascertain distances underground but based on your observations along with the passing and marking of time that I have attempted to track, and I would say your hypothesis is a well-founded one.”
“What does that mean for our quest, if anything?” Will asked, taking a sip from their flask and swishing it around. It was close to empty and everyone understood what that meant.
Cedric chimed in, “I’m almost out of water too.”
“Who would have thought we’d be trapped underground,” Will lamented. “I thought we’d get in and get out. A quick heist of that there shield and off we’d go back to Ulatha.”
“You forget the second part of our quest,” Khan corrected the man.
“Oh, yeah,” Will said sheepishly, “Seek the undead priestess of who knows what and see if she’ll agree to work with us and not kill us.”
“It can’t be that bad, can it?” Cedric asked. “I mean, many of these souls were once upright citizens and members of civilized realms.”
“Well—” Will was about to answer and then was cut off by a deep rumbling. A chuckle that reverberated throughout the cavern.
“Oh no,” Salina said.
“What is that?” Cedric asked in a hushed tone as they drew their weapons silently.
“That,” Khan began, “Is the sound of it getting worse. Much worse.”
Will looked at the man and scowled. “Speak plainly. How much worse?”
“Trolls,” Khan said. “Hill trolls. Much worse than mountain trolls.”
A deep voice echoed throughout the cavern as if affirming the Kesh’s statement. “Kill the invading scum. We eat their bones tonight lads.”
Chapter 15
Treaties and Negotiations
“Well, the traps have been set and your birds are keeping watch,” Dareen said, coming to stand next to Elister near a rise at the edge of the forest. The pair stood facing north and could barely see the old keep that had guarded the ancient trade road for centuries. The Kesh had reinforced parts of it with bricks and their reddish hued color contrasted and clashed with the old, grey-black gloss of the original stone material.
Elister turned to her and nodded. “They’re my friends is all. In Argyll’s absence they will help keep us informed with the undead army approaching from the west and the Kesh army at the pass.”
“Do you still plan on having these two armies meet again?” Dareen asked.
Elister nodded, “That would be ideal, but again I can’t really say it’s a plan as much as a hope. The main thing we have going for us is the Mother and her love for her children who reside in the Earlstyne Forest.”
Dareen nodded and didn’t try to correct the druid. More and more of late he was reverting to his former self of a thousand years ago in his current state. “The forest is well protected then?”
Elister nodded, “I am but a conduit of Agon and her handmaiden. Soon, however, the Father will approach, and things will become rather more challenging.”
“What exactly does that mean?” Dareen asked. “I understand about Akun and all, but I’m curious as to the challenging part of what you said.”
“You see Tyra there?” Elister nodded to his left where the green dragon laid on its stomach, head between its massive forearms as it slept lightly, dozing with slow, but deep, gasps of air. “She wakes early usually, at least for a dragon, and her other kind will be waking from now through spring. When they do, they will take flight and we will have to deal with those creatures as well as the armies assembling around us.”
“Do they wake every year?” Dareen asked.
Elister chuckled, “Every two-hundred of them. This will be the fifth time since her hatching that the Father approaches and when the twin sisters align between the Mother and Father we shall see the Pentium Passing. A chance for the portal between worlds to open and who knows what that may bring.”
“You know so much,” Dareen said, awe in her voice. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say it’s from experience.”
“You are both wise and astute,” Elister said. “We’ve discussed this before, but what I haven’t told you is that nearly a thousand years ago I stood right over there, not far from where we stand now, and watched as the passing occurred. I had friends and leaders of the realm pass through the gate. They did not return. I understood then that I’d have to wait a thousand years for the next opportunity and so I bided my time and slept with Tyra keeping the lands and realm hereabouts safe from those who
would bring destruction, blight, and injure the Mother’s creations.”
“You mean near the old keep?”
“Exactly. Our elders knew the location of the portal and the complex, tower and walls were built to house and protect a garrison to guard and defend the portal. Over time, it was overrun, forgotten and abused. Now it’s purpose and destiny approach and we are so few. This may be the last stand of men in the foreseeable future and I cannot allow the forces of evil to overcome us this time. If so, it will be irreversible.”
Dareen pulled her cloak tighter against her to protect from the northern wind that was blowing over the snow-covered terrain. “You’re scaring me.”
“I’m sorry, my dear. Not my intent, but the truth must be told. As we discussed upon your return, you and your family play a key role in the future of this realm and, indeed, the many other realms of Agon. Your son must succeed in bringing forth the Fist of Astor from her deathly prison if ever the evil lurking over this land is to be banished. Fight fire with fire.”
“Why did you never tell us about your existence or the dragon, or what was to come to us? I lost my husband to those brigands. Why did you not save us those many years ago?”
Elister stood and he would have wept if he had working tear ducts. The sadness, however, was evident even across his rocky countenance. With heavy words he answered her. “The Kesh are also powerful. Their leader at the time was involved heavily with the dark arts. His cloaking of their plans was both powerful and effective. It took great effort for me to pierce their veil and see what they were doing. By the time I could react, waking Tyra, which is something I have done rarely, they had already chased you from your abode and killed our Zashitor.”
Dareen bowed her head and tried to keep from crying. She failed. Two tear drops fell, one from each eye as her memories returned from over seven years ago. “I don’t want any of this.”
Elister nodded. “We often don’t. It’s something that simply happens, and we can find ourselves in the middle of something that developed around us. The Mother will call upon us if necessary, though not always by design nor chance. Something tells me that this task falls to you and your children. Why? I cannot say for sure. Somethings happen for a reason and other things don’t.”
“My children deserve better than this.”
“Most of us do deserve better,” Elister said gently. “Deserve doesn’t always have a role in these equations.”
Dareen sniffled and then wiped her face dry with the sleeve of her cloak. “I guess you’re right. I wish we could end this and return to our peaceful way of living.”
“Who knows? Maybe one day, the Mother willing, you’ll find your wish fulfilled and live to begin a new era for Agon and the born-again realms within her.”
“That would be a dream come true,” Dareen said. “I may even live to be a grandmother one day. Especially how that young lady looks at my boy.”
“Oh, I hadn’t noticed.” Elister said awkwardly.
“It’s quite alright,” Dareen told him. “A mother sees these things… a mother knows these things.”
“If you say so,” Elister said. “I lost my mother when I was still a child. Well, my biological mother that is.”
“I understand.” Dareen said. “Do you miss her?”
Elister paused frozen for a long minute as he often did and Dareen waited patiently for him to answer. Finally, he responded, “It was so long ago that all I can remember of her was her love and sacrifice for me.”
“That is enough,” Dareen stated.
“We should return now. Another storm is brewing, and the wind will pick up by this evening,” Elister said. “You should have the others prepared for more than a few days indoors at this pace.”
Dareen laughed. “We’ve been ready for weeks now, Elister. You should know that.”
“Oh you have been?” Elister said, raising a rocky brow and turning his head to look at her. “I don’t remember, but that is good news. In the meantime, Tyra and I will keep watch. The next wave of undead will be passing by here sometime this evening and their master always seems to have quite a few of them enter our forest after crossing the bridge.”
“Be careful then,” Dareen said. “Both of you.”
Dareen left and after nearly an hour Elister said, “We will. We both will.”
The last few days had been brutal. Hermes had found himself backtracking along with a score of soldiers to reach the northern pass only to be forced to hunker down in an overcrowded tower at their northern pass a day’s ride or so north of Ulsthor. As was customary, he was granted his own room in the tower, but an extra twenty soldiers were harder to lodge. Most slept in the common room on the ground floor below.
He was the only rider, as his troops were marching on foot. He did, however, have two pack ponies that were slow but steady and they carried two chests with silver, copper, and bronze items plus some light packs filled with cotton, a bolt of silk from across the east and various other pottery and knickknacks that the northmen coveted. This would be the down payment, if not the full amount paid for their services for the next year.
He had daily contact via his critir with his master, Zorcross, who would update him on the building of the new wall as well as receiving his own report on his progress north. To date, he was technically still in Kesh and about ready to leave, passing into the Dragon Lands north, seeking one or more clans of the barbarians that inhabited the region.
So it was that after the storm, he departed with ten crossbowmen and ten spearmen, all Kesh in origin. Two handlers, one each for the ponies, marched on foot and lead the beasts by their reins. The Balarian mercenaries remained with Zorcross, stationed at the Ulathan Pass. He was expecting a rather long ride and so was somewhat surprised to find a scouting party waiting for him after a day’s ride north. The leader spoke the common tongue and bade him to follow them.
Another two day’s journey and they entered a rather large village that was temporary in nature. Kesh raiding parties usually had to travel a good week out before finding elements of the Northmen. Each realm gave the other a good bit of buffer between them since they both carried out raids that were most violent in nature. Hermes noted that they were outnumbered ten to one upon arriving at the camp. His troops took a defensive position in columns of four. The inner two with five bowmen each and the outer row with five spearmen to protect the bowmen with their Kesh wizard in the middle.
They stood like that for a long time before a familiar face joined them coming from a large tent in the middle of the encampment. The man spoke, “Akrik ni to koe tahey ni mood.”
“Well, I did not expect to see you so soon either, if it makes any difference, Chieftain Kaz.”
The use of the man’s title was obvious to all and could be considered a sign of respect. The lead scout walked to Kaz’s side and stood close as the large Northman leader spoke to him softly. Then the man turned to Hermes and asked. “What do you want here?”
Hermes thought to himself, That was rather rude, but then knew that they had departed on less than ideal terms. Clearing his throat and sitting as upright as he could on his mount, the only one in the group or camp for that matter, he replied, “I come from the High Mage of Kesh himself seeking an alliance with the men of the north. We can—”
Kaz interrupted him, “Krik no tu.”
Hermes was a bit flustered. “Of course I still have my staff.”
“Ahouk to bood.”
“Well, it is a replacement yes. You were there when I lost my last staff, but that has nothing to do with why I am here.”
Kaz leaned in and talked to the other man obviously wanting his next words translated. The scout looked at Hermes when Kaz was done and asked, “Why should he not kill you now?”
Hermes placed a hand on his chest in mock horror. “Why would he kill me in the first place? I have done nothing to him. Our last adversary was mutual and we both lost. Tell him I am here to negotiate on new, more favorable terms for him and his cla
n. Besides, I am a wizard, that is why he should not kill me.”
The man spoke in their language and then Kaz said, “You never good liar. You owe plenty for last treaty. You no pay.”
“Well,” Hermes said, allowing a more pleasant expression to cross his face. “Your common has improved greatly. I can understand you clearly. Have you been practicing?”
“Ko to akrik,” Kaz said impatiently.
“I am sorry, but the old terms were with the old High Mage. We have a new High Mage now and understanding your situation as well as history, he has authorized me to negotiate on his behalf. Would twice the prior amount be acceptable?”
“You no pay before,” Kaz said, foregoing his translator.
“That is why we are offering twice the amount,” Hermes said, already reaching his maximum authorized negotiating price in a matter of seconds. If the High Mage knew, he would never allow Hermes to treat with any mercenary group ever again.
It didn’t help that the northmen began to stand and some even reached for their weapons which put the entire Kesh party on edge. The scout listened and then said, “Our leader wishes to know why our clan should assist you and your puny army which ran from the demons in combat. That does not make you worthy adversaries. Why would we want to be associated with you?”
Hermes wasn’t expecting such a question. If truth be told, his screams were rather high pitched and even to his own ears he sounded much like a young lady screaming in fright. It was, most likely, the last thing this rough and tough Northman heard coming from the leader of the Kesh. He would have to be political but savvy as well here. “We retreated, much like your clan did, in order to regroup and fight another day. Since you departed, the undead invaded our land and then we pushed them back winning three battles in the last three weeks. Finally, Akrik kohoun to note ka Ulathan de krow.”
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