by Alex Cannon
CHAPTER 19
Hamilcar new he would kill Hutch.
They were getting close to the land of the Zmarly. Hamilcar and Hutch had been traveling together now for six days. Hutch knew of a pass through the mountains called Telusian.It apparently was the only way to get to the other side that did not require extensive, time-consuming climbing. Good thing Hutch knew that. If not, he’d already be dead.
Hamilcar could feel time slipping away.He had to locate the temple soon. If the Sword was there or not, it didn’t matter. He had to either mark it off the list, or mark it as the spot.
He sat in his small tent, huddling around a tired little lamp he had absconded. The diminutive flame was trying hard to fight back the cold.This night would prove to be the coldest of the season.He hugged his blankets tight and took a sip of his coffee, hot and sweet and good.
Tonight was the scheduled loqua meeting with his partner, who had hopefully made some progress.He had no information to pass along.
Hamilcar took a few more sips of coffee. He had had them put his tent away from the others. He wanted some privacy.Things would be simpler if no one knew the truth.
After a time, he blew out his lamp, tied his tent door shut and covered with his blanket.The blanket was rough and itchy, but Hutch had some bizarre idea that, if the men could rough it, then so could they! So no soft blankets, no pillows. What a boring man.Hutch was pulling a wagon whose wheels were about to come off.
Hamilcar guessed most of the camp was asleep now and his meeting would go unnoticed.
He was lying on his right side under the blanket and pulled the small stone from his hidden pocket.He placed it in his right hand and the purple-blue light to which he had grown accustomed began to fill the blanket with an eerie luminance.In the cool light he could see the upper torso of his partner.
“Hamilcar how goes the hunt?” the familiar voice asked.
“Not to well.We are still traveling east toward the land of the Zmarly.My traveling companion is adamant about locating this Telusian Pass. He seems to believe it’s the most expeditious way to enter their land.”
“I believe he is correct.Any other way and you would have to endure at least a week of scaling mountain walls. You would probably lose at least half your men in the process.That would be ill fortune with you entering the land of the Zmarly.”
“I am on the verge of killing this man. I wish to be rid of him,” Hamilcar blurted in a moment of exasperation.
“Stay with this Hutch, and do not let him onto what you are planning. Keep your men on alert at all times.Do not kill Hutch and his men before you obtain the location of the Temple of Saddig. They can be a target for Zmarly if you need to battle.”
“I will keep myself and my men in check.The Swords are worth more to us than my emotions.” But he would still kill that pompous lout.
“We must stay focused.”
“So tell me, how goes it on your end?”
“As well as can be expected.Some things occurred that give me concern, but overall everything is going well. You concentrate on your end. Once you have located the Temple, then many things will come together for us.”
“I will attempt to control myself.”
“When do you anticipate being in the Zmarly lands?”
“We are just outside of Schuff by about half a day.I would say in four days at the most.”
“Very well. We will meet again then.”
“Good hunting.”
“And to you.”
The light faded and he tucked the stone back into his pocket. He turned onto his back and began thinking of the same things he’d been thinking since he was a teenager.The things he would do with the Three Swords.He fell asleep with thoughts of power dancing in his head.
The next morning Hamilcar was awakened by one of his men with the rap on his tent pole.Hutch had demanded they were up and on their way before sunup every morning.Hamilcar had instructed his men he was to be awakened as late as possible.He hated getting up early in the morning. Despised it really. If the gods had meant for them to get up before the sun, then they would have placed torches on their heads.
He rolled over and sat up, scratching the sleep out of his eyes. His body was attuning itself to the rough journey.His aches and pains were due primarily to the poor sleeping conditions.His muscles were growing taut again, and his rear end was getting used to the saddle. The flab around his midsection was quickly retreating and he actually felt better than he had since being with Talitha.He missed her every day.
Hamilcar had never been a good traveling companion. He preferred to be left alone on long journeys and think on things of concern. Hutch loved to ride and talk endlessly about adventures he had been on, and enemies he had vanquished and whole bags of nothing.
Hamilcar stood up and stretched, his arms scraping the top of the tent.He shook off the shiver that ran down his spine. The night had gotten cold enough to freeze water he ventured.His nose was frozen. He wiggled it to make certain he could still feel it. Why had they decided to go on the hunt for the Swords during the winter?
“Get me some hot coffee!” he bellowed to the guard standing outside of his tent.
He heard scurrying of feet as the soldier made for the coffee.
He didn’t always ask for coffee in the morning.
A few moments later the soldier returned.
“Your coffee, Baron!” he said.
“Aye, thanks.”
Hutch and his men were ready before Hamilcar’s men. Every morning Hutch’s soldiers would have to wait while the Baron’s men broke camp and packed up everything.Hamilcar lorded it over Hutch, though neither man would bring it up.
They mounted up and began the trek southeast again. The Telusian pass was only about three or four days, if they rode with haste.The rolling hills of the area were a refreshing change from the thick woods they had been in.No road led from Schuff to the pass so they had to ride through the wild, over hills and dells. Hamilcar preferred this type of travel to plodding down a dirt road, kicking up dust.
The wind patrolling the area was brisk and blustery but not frigid.The Athanaya Mountains could be seen to the east as they serpentined southward, formidable even from this distance. Their gray hazy forms hunkered down, waiting. Come, they said, try to best me, try to climb over.
“Baron Hamilcar!” Hutch yelled from ahead.”Come see this!”
Hamilcar grumbled to himself about the inconsideration of others and the belligerence of captains in general. He kicked his horse forward to see what in the name of Zora, Hutch had found. He pushed past the group of men centered on something standing in the grassy ground.
There was a huge, white stone, flat on top, tall and wide as a man’s back.There was a picture carved of two battling men on the front. One of them had a baldhead and the other held a shield with a lion on it.
“What does this mean?”Hamilcar asked no one in particular.
“Aye, that is a good question,” Hutch replied.”That bald one there is a Zmarly warrior. I am not certain who the other is.That Lion emblem is one I have not seen before.”
“The lion insignia is of the ancient house of the Dalexch,” Hamilcar said.
“Ah. Then this stone must be at least five hundred years old.”
“That’s about right.The Dalexch ruled the entire land for almost a thousand years before it was broken up.They were a conquesting people and attacked the Zmarly two thousand years ago.Many on each side were lost.The Zmarly people were victorious and no one has attacked them since.”
“The Zmarly have been there for over two thousand years?” Hutch asked.
“They are an ancient race.”
“Then we shall have to sprinkle sweet words on their ears and heap bountiful gifts upon their heads when we meet them!”Hutch cried.
Hamilcar cringed inwardly. He was not looking forward to the coming meeting with the Zmarly.The boastful and ignorant speech of Hutch was doing nothing to mollify his growing unease. The land that occupied the
other side of those awful mountains stood and waited for him.
“So what does it mean?” Hamilcar asked again.
“I guess we will know once we go over,” Hutch said, looking at the mountains.
“Perhaps.”
Hutch turned back to Hamilcar.”Baron, we need to step up our speed. Will that be any problem with you and your men?”
“I think we can keep up.”
“We will be riding fast.”
“Ride as hard as you wish, captain, do not worry about us. We will be there, like a shadow, the entire way.Get me to the Telusian Pass and I will take the lead from there.”He spun about and walked stiffly to his horse.
Soon they were tearing over the land that flew by in a blur.Hamilcar blanked out all thought and focused on the riding. He would do away with that damnable Hutch soon enough.Then he’d have a reckoning with King Andard as well.Once the Swords were his he would be more a terror and scourge than all of the Dalexch combined. All would either fall before him or join him.He would be the undisputed King of the lands.A huge castle would be built for him between Rommel and Kitarssis. He would rule and all would pay homage or die. The thought warmed him and his spirit lifted.The sun was beginning its descent behind the horizon.The night was going to be a chilled one.
Hutch called a stop to the troops and they pulled up.
“We shall camp here for the night,” he called.
The men began to dismount and set up camp.
Hutch steered clear of Hamilcar.Hamilcar was glad for that.He just wanted to be left alone.
The camp was set up and the cook served up a warm and robust stew filed with vegetables, roots and rabbit.The food was so good Hamilcar had one of his men get him a second helping.He drank deeply from his canteen.Hutch had warned them that water would be scarce on the other side of the mountains.Hamilcar had plenty and if he didn’t, he’d just kill part of Hutch’s men and take their water.
After he finished his second bowl of stew he walked off into the night by himself.The sky was clear and the stars twinkled.He pulled out his pipe and filled it with his favorite weed.He lit it with quickflint and puffed silently in the night. The moon was at its half point in the month and he could see miles in every direction from the rise on which he stood.The monolithic mountains hunched silently less than three days away.Just as soon as Hutch found the Pass he was so adamant about, they would penetrate and be on the other side.He wondered silently if the mountains were as overpowering and foreboding on the other side.
Three days later, the mountains grew.
The Athanaya Mountains stood ominously over the troop of men; which suddenly seemed insignificant.Snow covered the upper elevations. Weeds and scrub bushes populated the base. No grass grew and only a few trees fought through. The wind seemed to anticipate their arrival and began whipping about madly.Hamilcar thought he heard a wolf howl in the distance, but it may have been just the wind.From where he was, the mountains looked to be right upon them, but he knew they were still a few hours away.
“The pass is just a short trail to the north of here.” Hutch yelled over to him from his horse.
“Can we traverse it tonight?”Hamilcar asked not looking at the man.
“Possibly.The sun will set soon, but the pass is cut low through the mountain and easily traversable.We need not go too high in elevation to get to the other side.”
“Then let’s be about it.”
They rode for another hour and Hutch called a stop. He turned to his men.”Let us all rest here for a short time.Dismount and stretch your legs. There will be no stopping once we get into the Telusian Pass.Nightfall will await us on the other side. So stand ready!Once through we will look for a place to hole up.”
The men dismounted, all but Hamilcar. He was itching to get to the other side of the mountains.This was just a step in the right direction, not a destination.He was so close to the Sword that he could almost feel it. At least he hoped. In his mind he could picture it sitting on some huge dais in a temple, a beam of light shining down upon it.He pictured himself picking it up and releasing its power on all who opposed him.He smiled.
After a short while Hutch ordered the men to remount and proceed.The ground steadily rose up to meet the mountain.Hamilcar could see no pass and was wondering if it was indeed possible that one did exist and how anyone could have located it in all of these colossal mountains.
The land grew rockier and Hamilcar noticed Hutch being more careful with the path he chose. The mountains stood directly before the group of men.If seen from a distance they would appear as ants slowly crawling up a huge hill.The sun’s light was shining from behind and lit the way.Hamilcar was concerned with the amount of daylight left.
As they climbed, the wind steadily increased to a strong gale.Hamilcar tightened his coat and gave his horse a reassuring pat on the neck.The land grew harsher as they traveled.Muddled browns and grays intertwined with a medley of oranges and umbers.Rocks that had slid down from upper reaches littered the area, a stark reminder of what waited for the unwary and ill prepared.Hamilcar stared above them into the far reaches and looked for any other boulders prepared to fall.His eyes were untrained and he could discern nothing but the long crevasses and crusty upper reaches that created the mountain.Suddenly it occurred to him if someone were up there on the mountain they would be able to see him and his men climbing.What startled him more: he would not be able to see them above him.He forced his thoughts to the task at hand. If there were bandits or rogues out there watching them, there was nothing he could do about it now.
They appeared to be heading for a huge wall of stone.Far ahead he could see Hutch moving, leading the men up the mountain toward the inexplicably formed wall of rock.
Suddenly Hutch made a sharp turn to the left and disappeared.
Hamilcar blinked and stood up in his saddle to get a better view.Row after row of men disappeared as well.They turned to the left and were gone. He pushed his horse ahead to get a better look. As he neared the magnificent wall it suddenly occurred to him that the actual formation of the wall was positioned such that it looked like a solid piece.The gap was only visible if a person was standing just to the left of it.Anyone looking from down the base of the mountain would only think it was a solid piece of stone.
Beyond the first steps it opened up, and light shone in from above.A tight squeeze, but it appeared to widen as it progressed.
Before he stepped into the Telusian Pass he turned and looked back down the mountain.
They had only come up about one thousand feet.But the view was awesome.He could see for miles to the west and to the north.He was impressed with the late afternoon sunlight as it cascaded down upon the land.Soon the winter would be here and the green would be gone.Hamilcar soaked in as much as his mind could remember. He turned and entered the Telusian Pass.
The pass was a tight squeeze but his horse was able to make it through the first opening.The pass was deep and vegetated mostly by scrub weeds and plants.Periodically, pebbles and showers of orange dirt would rain down. Far, far above him the top of the pass and a ribbon of sky peered down. The sun’s light would soon be gone, leaving a deep and dangerous darkness.He could feel an anxiety build up as they rode.He kept looking above; waiting for the inevitable fall of boulders he knew must come. The walls were making him claustrophobic and he began to feel the tickle of panic.How did air get this deep into the pass? Was there enough to breathe? His lungs begin to constrict, getting smaller and smaller.
The Telusian Pass wound back and forth, causing Hamilcar to feel as if it were trapping him on all four sides.He was growing more and more anxious by the moment, his heart ramming in his chest. He had the mad idea of bolting toward the exit. The claustrophobia would only get worse after the sun had set.He broke out in a cold, greasy sweat. His breathing became more and more labored.He remembered how he would never let his brother cover his head with leaves when they played outside their home.He couldn’t breathe with even that thin layer of leaves
over his head.
The men in front stopped, and his heart almost leapt from his chest.He could not get a breath. He pulled his collar away from his neck. Why had they stopped?What was going on ahead?The men in front had made a corner and he could not make his way past to find out what in the blazes was stopping them.He wanted to berate the men blocking the way, but he could not gather a breath.The fear of being trapped in this abysmal pass was about to drive him out of his head.He frantically fought his way forward, men finally pushing against the side of the canyon as he forced his way through.His throat was tight and his breathing was almost done.He had never experienced such an acute case of claustrophobia before. He must get out!
As he rounded the corner, it became apparent why they were stopped.His breaths became shallower and his heart rocked.
A rockslide had fallen in the pass, blocking their way.
Hutch was inspecting the pile.”Looks like we are going to have do some digging.”
Hutch was having no problems breathing and Hamilcar hated him even more for it.
Suddenly from behind they heard loud thunder of stone and rumble of boulders. Hutch drove his horse by Hamilcar and as he rounded the corner a huge cloud of dust and debris engulfed him.They were trapped. Hamilcar passed out and fell off his horse.
He awoke, he was drowsy, his head hurt. Did he hit it? He saw ropes dropped from above, the ropes tapping quietly on the rocky walls.Figures descended the ropes and landed without effort on the floor of the pass.How long had he been out? What had happened? The figures held staffs out, ready for attack. Carefully they began moving about the dead men.Dead men? Hamilcar swooned for a moment, loosing all thoughts.He opened his eyes again. They were spirits moving through the dusty cloud. They made no sound. No crunching of rocks under boots, no heavy breathing, no speaking. Their faces were inscrutable in the sullen dust. One bent over Hamilcar.
“Moolout shendaya effburt feris toom,” he said.
“Weko nyan grapie mih diw su!” another voice said through the dust.
Hamilcar, now barely awake, heard the speech with a knot of dread. These were Zmarly. And they took no prisoners.
Two more Zmarly dragged two other prostrate men where Hamilcar lay. He guessed they wanted to kill them all at once.
Sure enough, they ripped open the first man’s tunic and drove a sharpened stake through his chest.The man lurched one last time and then fell limply to the dirt. Hamilcar could not tell if it was one of his men.He really didn’t care.He was trying frantically to think of something. He could not get a good breath. What had been claustrophobia was replaced with fear and a will to live.Thick dust clung to the air and he could not grab a breath. He coughed once and gave up the sleeping ruse.
Hamilcar fought to get up, but his actions were merely taken as resistance. The Zmarly moved to him.He was too weak to battle for his own life and helplessness beat at him with a fist of anger. He sucked in a deep breath, only to cough it out again in a burning thunder of air. Two Zmarly grabbed him and held him down. They ripped his shirt, and he watched in horror as another lifted the bloody stake, ready to strike.
No! Not this way!He squished his eyes closed, not wanting to see the killing thrust. He hated to die this way, weak, unmanned.
“Nye! Nye! Gret nyan brast mih!” came a voice over the shoulder of the first man.
“Terribum too Saddigi! Werso nyan mootis!” another voice said.
“Tu! Thwa shiow go chechen?”The three men standing over him peered.They seemed to have a look of awe, fear and anger all at once. Hamilcar looked up at them. Why did they stop?He should be dead.He should be.He got mad again.
A small groan next to him made him look over.
Damn it!It was Hutch. Of all the people!Hamilcar chastised himself.The man may come in useful later on.Perhaps.He looked up at the men who were now six in number.They stood over him, staring.
Hutch sat up and looked about.He saw the six Zmarly and almost stood up, but caught himself.“What are they doing?”
“I don’t know.” His voice was still raw from the intake of dirt and grime.He coughed.
“What are they looking at?” Hutch asked.”What’s got them so spooked?”
“Who knows?” Hamilcar said, lying back down.
Hutch looked over at him.”Hey, where did you get that mark?”
Hamilcar looked up at him.”Why?”
“That’s what they’re looking at,” he said, indicating the Zmarly.
Hamilcar lifted up and looked down at his chest.
The tattoo was there-- An equilateral triangle with a star at each point.Each star was inked black.The middle of the triangle was sectioned into three parts, which were colored red, green and blue.
“That’s just wonderful,” Hamilcar said.
.