Hold up the roof by beams so thick.
Where beam connects to wall on high,
There rests an eye for you to prick.
At midnight through the window fast
Shine Moonbeams on floor’s small dent,
There place the ring the beam to cast
Through eye to stone, the light is sent.
Now open there the stone’s hard face
The cell contains the jewel’s box.
Grab quick the jewel from out the space
For as light fades, comes back the rocks.
He put on the ring and necklace again, then descended the stairs to the room below. Massive oak beams high above the floor supported the heavy roof. How was he to get up to the beams?
“Bodrin, can you and Tournak come up here, please?”
Tonelia had to come along, and the group puzzled over how to get to the beams when the tower’s contents had long since rotted.
“When I was a child, I stacked storage boxes to climb up and get cookies,” Tonelia said. “Why not get the cellar crates to do the same?”
The men looked at each other and, without speaking, brought up the crates.
“The ‘eye for you to prick’ must be the eyelet that holds the rope for the light fixture,” Saxthor said.
“The rope is gone, leaving the eye open,” Bodrin said.
They stacked the crates until they were high enough to test the stonework surrounding the beam containing the eyelet. Saxthor opened the window that would receive moonlight, and they swept the floor.
“That’s all we can do for now,” Saxthor said. “While we wait for nightfall, Tournak, can your magic push back the subterranean water so we can retrieve and burn the orc bodies before they contaminate the water supply and tower?”
“Not sure I can do that, Saxthor.”
“I’ll try, nothing to lose, I guess.”
They went back to the cellars and tapping the dragon ring’s power, Saxthor willed back the groundwater until Tournak could cast a spell to reseal the walls.
“That should hold at least until a new garrison can seal it permanently,” Tournak said. “You’re getting the hang of the dragon’s power.”
They spent the afternoon removing and burning the orc bodies, then dozed after dinner to pass the time. Saxthor awoke half an hour before midnight when Twit flew down and pecked his ear. He woke up the others, and they returned to the tower’s highest room. Saxthor searched for a floor dent in the moonbeams’ path. He inserted the ring in the dent so the approaching moonbeams would strike the crystal.
“Bodrin, stay by the ring in case it needs adjusting. Don’t touch it unless I tell you to move it.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Bodrin saluted and grinned at Tonelia, who scrunched a grin until Saxthor looked at them, and they got serious. Saxthor noted the moonbeam’s angle to the ring and looked up at the beam’s eyelet. He climbed up the wall, placed crates, and waited.
In a few moments, the moonbeams hit the Celestial Fire Topaz. Blue rays shot from the crystal and up through the eyelet. The rays struck the wall’s seventh stone on the eyelet’s far side, dissolving the enchanted stone’s face. Barely within reach of Saxthor’s hand was a small copper box in a cavity.
“Grab it,” Bodrin said.
Saxthor grabbed the jewel case. Just as his hand pulled back, the moonbeams passed off the stone, and the rock rematerialized.
“That almost caught my hand in the cavity when the stone rematerialized.”
“There’s no time for that kind of thinking,” Tournak said.
Saxthor climbed down and opened the copper box.
“It’s the glowing Red Ruby of Courage,” Tournak said.
Saxthor stared into the luminescent depths of rich flame red. He looked about then put the gem in his tunic’s pocket. As she had done with the Imperial Topaz of Sincerity, Tonelia sewed the pocket shut, securing the ruby from loss. Finally, she stitched another pocket for his use.
9: On to Graushdemheimer
King Grekenbach of Graushdem
“No ornsmaks, no owls or hawks, no messengers and no Memlatec,” Saxthor said. “How do I get word to Memlatec or the queen about the need to garrison the Talok Tower? Clearly, Dreaddrac’s king is infiltrating the Southern kingdoms with operatives to sabotage defenses when his armies march south. No one knows the extent of the damage, but we’ve seen enough to be alarmed.”
“The need to find the jewels and recreate the crown is even more urgent than we thought,” Tournak said.
Saxthor slammed his fist on the table. “Well, we can’t spend more time trying to warn Memlatec. We have to press on.”
Bodrin strapped on his sword, picked up his pack, and looked at Saxthor. “Where to now, fearless leader?”
Saxthor spread the traveling map on the table, while Tonelia and Bodrin finished packing and made final preparations to leave. Studying the terrain details, Saxthor turned to Tournak, who had just hoisted his pack.
“As a member of the court, I hate to enter Graushdem incognito,” Saxthor said. “We might be imprisoned if discovered.”
“Understood,” Bodrin said.
Tonelia rolled her eyes. “Back to the dungeons.”
Saxthor looked again at the map.
“It’s too dangerous to go back the way we came, and the Talok Mountains here are too steep and dangerous. It looks like we must go around the mountains and up through Graushdem to the Wizards’ Hall.”
Tournak cleared his throat. “The Graushdem court has been suspicious of Neuyokkasin for generations, Saxthor. Graushdem’s King Grekenbach the Third felt threatened when your grandmother, Queen Lyttia, assumed the Talok-Lemnos throne, extending Neuyokkasin’s reach to the Graushdem border.”
“Do you suppose King Grekenbach is still suspicious of aggression?” Saxthor asked. “Hoya would be the first to know if Graushdem was threatening. Did you hear anything about it, Tonelia?”
“Not really.”
“I heard nothing at the Hoyan inn,” Tournak said. “We must be careful, though. Neuyokkasin is three times the size of Graushdem. Let’s hope after so long with no Neuyokkasinian invasion, King Grekenbach realizes Neuyokkasin isn’t threatening. Should they discover us traveling through Graushdem, it would likely ignite old suspicions. We could be imprisoned, or worse, for spies.”
“Spies, imprisoned…,” Tonelia said.
“I expect Graushdem now relies on peace with Neuyokkasin not wanting a backdoor attack,” Tournak said. “The whole northern region is a set of checks and balances to counter Dreaddrac’s power. I doubt King Grekenbach would risk antagonizing Neuyokkasin at his back. We just need to be careful.”
“Then we’ll go around the mountains and up through Graushdem to the Wizard’s Hall,” Saxthor said. He folded his map, tucked it away, and, with pack in hand, led the troupe off to the northeast.
They followed the Talok Mountains’ southern edge through the hills, evading discovery. Travel was relatively easy, and they made good time. When they crossed the Graushdem border, the troupe went deeper into the mountains.
“We must avoid Graushdem’s great Castilyernov Tossledorn,” Tournak said.
“Tossledorn the fortress?” Tonelia said. “I’ve heard that’s a fearful place.”
“Grekenbach the Third built Tossledorn to defend the border from invasion when Neuyokkasin absorbed Talok-Lemnos,” Tournak said. “Graushdem’s size and position require the king to maintain a state of military preparedness. It’s not the richest of kingdoms, but the kings intend to hold their lands. Tossledorn is that clear message.”
When the travelers first saw Tossledorn, it loomed up from the narrow strip of land between the coast and the mountains.
“That’s impressive.” Tonelia stepped back, studying it.
Bodrin squinted. “Yes, and there’s also a lot of activity in the town below.”
“It appears the king is fortifying the castilyernov,” Saxthor said. “King Grekenbach is worried
about something.”
*
Traveling at night, the trekkers came out north of the Talok Mountains onto a large stream carrying mountain water to the sea. Bodrin was first out of the trees.
“I guess we cross that to continue north to the Wizards’ Hall,” Bodrin said.
Saxthor’s arm held back the travelers at the forest edge. “Look down there, two ogres plodding around in the stream, stabbing at fish. Keep low and quiet.”
“One ogre’s chewing a raw fish,” Tournak said. “That other one is cursing and kicking the water. He can’t get one.”
The successful ogre stabbed another fish and tossed it up on the bank. An orc rushed from the bank’s reeds and grabbed it, then ran back in the undergrowth.
Bodrin looked at Tournak. “Did you see that?”
“Yes, and look at the cattails rustling all along that stretch of the stream.”
“There must be at least a cohort of orcs with the ogres,” Saxthor said. “They must be slipping through the mountains to Talok Tower to join the others we just wiped out.”
“Such a large number wouldn’t be able to slip through Graushdem unnoticed without a wraith to lead and keep them out of trouble,” Tournak said. “The wraith is hidden somewhere until dark. We won’t be safe around here after sunset.”
“If they get to the Talok Tower, they’ll send word to the Dark Lord that someone has discovered their infiltration. We have to stop them here,” Saxthor said.
“Say what?” Tonelia said.
“Nothing we can do against such numbers,” Bodrin said, patting Tonelia on the shoulder. “We’d have to destroy a cohort before dark, and that’s only hours away.”
“There’s a way. It’s risky, but it should work,” Saxthor said.
“Tell me, what exactly does ‘should work’ mean?” Tonelia asked. Her brows furrowed above her frown.
Bodrin and Tournak looked at Saxthor, then Bodrin turned to Tonelia.
“Well, it means we aren’t likely to live through his plan,” Bodrin said. “Saxthor’s made up his mind. There’s no use noting the low probability of survival.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Tonelia stared at Saxthor; her voice laced with fear. “Do I still count our number at four? Did you hit your head and now see multiple images?”
“There she goes,” Tournak said under his breath. “Better sit back and wait for this to blow itself out.”
“Saxthor, what did you have in mind?” Bodrin asked.
“We need to catch an orc.”
“Uh-huh,” Tournak said. “The four of us snatch a screaming orc from a full cohort? And to do this, we’re going to ...”
“Cohort!” Tonelia said, “He said cohort.”
“The orcs are following the ogres upstream in hopes of catching fish the ogres toss to them. We can catch a fish farther down around the river bend.”
“Catch a fish, I follow that part,” Bodrin said.
“Then we come back here and toss it just out of an orc’s reach. It’ll flop around; an orc is bound to notice it. When he comes this way, Tournak’s magic can make the fish flop this way ahead of the orc. You can do that, can’t you Tournak?”
“Yes, I can do that.”
“Once away from the others, we knock the orc unconscious.”
Tonelia was gnawing her fingernails. “Then what, we going to lure all of them, one by one, before the ogres notice or the wraith wakes up at dusk.”
“Tournak, as the shortest, we’ll dress you in the orcs uniform,” Saxthor said. “You can stamp around in the meadow across from the fortress where the Tossledorn guards will see you. Re-dress the orc in his uniform for the troops to find and rough up the trail back to the stream. Then you run back here. Meanwhile, the garrison musters and dispatches troops to investigate. The soldiers seize the orc and search for the others. We hide up on the mountain and watch.”
“It could work,” Bodrin said, rubbing his chin.
“More likely to get us killed or captured, too,” Tournak said.
Tonelia nodded. “I thought of the killed or captured part right away.”
“You have a better plan?” Saxthor asked.
The silence settled approval. Bodrin and Tournak went back downstream and returned with fish. Saxthor was propping a large log against a tree and worked to hold it with a stick.
Tonelia stared at him. “What’re you up to now?”
“Let him finish,” Bodrin said.
“Tonelia, would you get some cord from the packs?” Saxthor heard no movement, paused, and looked up at her.
Tonelia threw up her hands and searched for a cord. Saxthor tied the twine to the limb’s prop-stick and laid the rest across the ground over to thick bush a few yards away. Frowning, Tonelia watched the activity with crossed arms until realizing what Saxthor was up to. She rushed to hide the cord under leaves.
“Stay back,” Saxthor said to Bodrin and Tournak. “Don’t get wet feet on the leaves. It’ll give us away.” Tournak and Bodrin stood bewildered, each holding a live fish in his hands. “Bodrin, give your fish to Tournak. Tonelia, go with Bodrin up on the hilltop and watch from there.”
Tournak tossed the live fish out on the grass by the stream away from the ogres, but so orcs would see it. He used his magic to flop the fish, and soon an orc was pursuing it until just under the log.
“The orc is going for it,” Tonelia said from the hilltop, shaking her head. She looked back behind her.
“What’re you looking for?” Bodrin asked.
Tonelia bit her lip. “An escape route if this doesn’t work.”
When the orc leaned down under the log to pick up his prize, Saxthor yanked the string, and the falling log knocked him out. Saxthor thrust his fist in the air.
Saxthor and Tournak carried the orc back through the brush, making heavy swipes through the grass with their feet as they walked beside the stream. When they got about halfway between the fortress and the orc troop, they stripped off the orc’s uniform. Tournak put it on. He began shaking himself in it as Saxthor slipped away.
“Wow,” Bodrin said, “The orc must have fleas.”
“That orc must be nasty,” Tonelia said. “You’ll have to scrub Tournak down when this is over. They should smell the orcs from Tossledorn.”
Tournak hurried across the stream and down to the plain across from the fortress. Pretending to hunt in the grass, he held up the orc’s spear and stabbed up and down, thrashing about in the grass.
A guard on Tossledorn’s battlements must have seen the orc’s bobbing spear in the distance. The alarm sounded.
“They’ve spotted him,” Bodrin said.
“Yes, I see that,” Tonelia said. “I wish I could see well. Tournak needs to get out of there. The soldiers at the fortress are buzzing about, and they’re already coming through the gatehouse.”
Tournak dropped down in the grass and slunk back to Saxthor. They redressed the unconscious orc and laid him out as though he hit his head on a rock. Covering their trail, they slipped back to the hilltop with Bodrin and Tonelia, who watched it all.
“The Tossledorn soldiers found the orc. They’re tying him up,” Bodrin said.
Saxthor nodded.
The soldiers followed the trail upstream to the other orcs. By then, more troops spotted the ogres still fishing further upstream. A soldier blew his horn, summoning reinforcements from Tossledorn.
Following the alarm, the ogres rushed back to defend the orcs emerging from the banks, and a fierce battle ensued. By nightfall, all the orcs and ogres were dead or captured. The Graushdem soldiers returned to the fortress with their prisoners.
*
Shortly after that, the wraith awoke from his daytime hiding place and discovered his charges captured or killed.
The phantom wondered where the stupid ogres were as it began searching for them. He was enraged they’d wandered off with the orcs. He’d have to incinerate an ogre to teach the rest a lesson.
*
“It’s too da
ngerous to try to cross the open lands beyond the stream while the soldiers are still flushed with excitement,” Saxthor said. “They’ll be alert and looking for movement. We’ll have to camp here in the hills tonight.”
They moved higher on the mountain behind a peak, well out of sight of the fortress. Just as Tonelia was about to light the fire, Bodrin dropped down and grabbed her hand.
“What is it?” Tonelia asked.
“Look there just beyond the trees down by the stream, you see it?”
The moonlight just highlighted the wraith’s black form searching the battlefield.
“Saxthor, Tournak, get down. Be quiet.” Bodrin pointed.
The four watched the wraith. When Bodrin moved, his arm bumped Tonelia. Saxthor saw her flinch, exposing the goosebumps covering her arm.
Tonelia glanced at Saxthor. “I do hate those things.”
The wraith was very clever. Passing through the battlefield, it came to where the Tossledorn troops discovered the unconscious orc.
“The wraith knows there’s more in play than soldiers, orcs, and ogres,” Saxthor said. “Look how it’s moving side to side. It knows something is amiss.”
“I bet it wishes it had a ghoul,” Tournak said. “Feeding on the dead, a ghoul’s sense of smell is more acute.”
“Wraiths and ghouls-- what do we do? It’s going to track us down.” Tonelia rubbed her arm. “I’ll never forget the wraith and those ogres that snatched me in Talok Tower.” She shuddered, and Bodrin wrapped his arms around her.
“You can only destroy wraiths with extraordinary energy or sunlight,” Tournak said. “Sorblade’s power and bolts of wizard-fire colliding destroyed the two in Talok Tower. This one won’t like telling the Dark Lord it lost so many troops. We’ll have to dodge it and hope it doesn’t find us. It’ll hide from its master so long as it can.”
They hid and watched all night. At dawn, they slipped down the hill, over the stream, and into the marsh beyond.
* * *
For a diversion, Magnosious was lying on his back up on the hilltop above his lair, flaming unsuspecting vultures that soared on thermals to The Crypt. The dragon liked to blend in against the rocks, then at the last second, snort a tiny flame. If his aim and timing were just so, he could sear a buzzard, cooking it rare, then catch and swallow it in one gulp before it hit the ground.
The N Arc of Empire- Complete Series Page 45