by Brian Murray
“Aye, Baron. My apologies for our rudeness, we’ve had problems with slavers recently,” he answered, bowing his head.
The baron relaxed. “Gammel, this man is a friend,” he said, walking to stand next to the former blacksmith.
A short uncomfortable silence followed. “My apologies again, Baron. This is Thade, landowner of these parts.”
“Master Thade, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
Thade bowed. “And you, Sire.”
“No such formalities here, son. This is my friend and comrade Gammel. Gammel, this is Master Thade and General Dax.”
“General no more, Baron,” corrected Dax.
Gammel nodded at the two men, but still held his sword ready.
“Come, come gentlemen, I have a lump the size of an egg on my head that’s throbbing, and no time for this pretence of strength. Gammel, my friend, please put away your sword. Dax, Thade, please put away your weapons. Let us at least be civilised.”
Gammel looked at the baron, who gave a nod. He stabbed his sword into the ground and crossed the camp to face Dax. Gammel stood over a head taller than Dax. Two powerful men faced each other, neither giving in. Dax put away his axes and held out his hand. Gammel gazed at the hand for a brief moment, then grasped it warrior style at the wrist. Dax grasped Gammel’s wrist.
“Welcome to our camp, Dax.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Gammel walked over to Thade and repeated the greeting. The men then settled around the fire in silence.
“So, Baron, what brings you to my lands?”
“I am on my way to see the King.”
“Where are your men?” asked Dax.
“Dead,” replied Chelmsnor solemnly. Seeing the pain in the baron’s eyes, Gammel continued the story.
“Men from the north came to Evlon and razed it to the ground. All are dead.”
“The whole city?” asked Dax, greatly surprised.
“Aye, the whole city is dead.”
“Who?”
Now, the baron continued. “A man named Naats Flureic, and his men who follow the Black Banner. One of his warriors killed more than ten of my personal guards single-handed; an awesome sight, I must admit. The rest of his men killed all living in the city. All dead, my city died within one hour. The men are evil, Dax, cruel. He . . . he killed children in front of me, the townsfolk’s children.” Chelmsnor lapsed into silence and Gammel again took up the story.
Finally, Gammel reached their current mission. “So we’re going to our king to request that our army march.”
“I don’t understand,” admitted Thade, shaking his head.
“What do you not understand?” stormed Gammel aggressively.
“The city is . . .”
“Dead,” barked the blacksmith. “What part of that do you not understand? Men, women and babes were all killed, and the city unmercifully put to the torch.”
Dax also saw the hurt in Gammel’s eyes and reached forward to squeeze Thade’s arm to stop him speaking. Dax spoke softly, “I mourn your loss, my friend.”
Gammel looked into the warrior’s violet eyes. Seeing sympathy there, he bowed his head and whispered, “Thank you.”
“We will help you,” announced Thade.
“Of course we will,” added Dax.
“Thank you,” whispered the baron, his voice choked with emotion.
“We rest tonight and then make our way to our home. We will rest there and get some hot food into the pair of you. You look like you could do with a hot meal, Baron.”
“That would be very kind, Gen – Dax.”
“Think nothing of it. And a change of clothes is in order. You cannot visit our liege dressed in travel-stained clothes.”
The baron chuckled. “You are quite right.”
Thade and Dax left the camp to retrieve their belongings.
“General Dax?” asked Thade.
Dax chuckled. “Aye, my friend, once I was General Dax.”
“How, when?”
“Not now, we need to protect the baron.”
“Evading a question about yourself, my friend,” said Thade, smiling.
Dax did not answer.
***
The men woke at dawn and started their journey to Thade and Dax’s home.
“Unfortunately, we need to take a slightly longer route back,” announced Dax. “The River Dyna will be flowing high with melted water from the mountains and a wagon cannot cross safely. We will have to cross the river at Single Tooth Gorge. The bridge is wide enough there.”
“How long will it add to our journey?” asked Chelmsnor from the wagon.
“About two days.”
***
The company of Dark Brethren reached the campsite and read the signs. Two more travellers had joined the pair they sought. Several days back, the Dark Brethren had spotted the tracks of six horses looping back into the forest, and presumed they were either raiders or slavers from the Empire. The soldiers pressed on without hesitation, turning south towards Single Tooth Gorge in pursuit.
***
The six men pursuing Ireen and Tanas managed to follow behind the chasing company of Dark Brethren. The group all wore heavy cloaks with deep hoods, travel-soiled from their journey. They stayed a discreet distance to the north, to avoid being sighted by the company of warriors, but remained close enough so they could push hard and reach them within half an hour. The six reached the campsite where Ireen and Tanas had joined two other travellers. The campsite was still fresh, less than a day old. The four travellers left the camp together, followed by the company of soldiers. They turned south, heading for the gorge that cut through the Glass Mountains. They headed for Single Tooth Gorge.
***
Tanas felt ill at ease with the closeness of Megan. He had enjoyed her company but was not comfortable with her approaches. He never had a woman remain so close to him and was not adept at dealing with people at close quarters. The group camped for the night in a clearing off the main throughway, where they enjoyed Gan-Goran’s cooking. After the meal, Ireen made an effort to hold a conversation with Megan. Surprisingly, the two women had a lot to discuss, without any sneering or jibes. Tanas left them to it. He wandered off into the woods and found another clearing where he sat alone, his mood melancholy.
“May I join you, my friend?”
“Of course, Master-Magiker.”
“Please call me Gan.”
“Aye, Gan.”
“Why are you in such a sombre mood this evening?”
“I, for the first time, feel so alone.”
“But you are with friends.”
“Yes, I know, but for the first time I want to share the same things as my friends.”
“I do not understand.”
“On the road today you spoke of a view when we crested a hill. I felt the awe from everyone in the way they spoke. But as much as Megan tried to explain it to me, it was meaningless. I have not ever been able to use my eyes.”
“Would you like to?”
“Do not jest,” retorted Tanas.
“I do not jest, my friend. As you correctly described me earlier on, I am or should I say was, a master-magiker and I still have some skills. Would you like to see just once?”
Tanas sat in silence for several minutes, unable to answer.
“I do not wish to press you, Tanas.”
“I would like to see, but . . .”
Gan-Goran finished the man’s sentence. “But you are scared.”
“Yes.”
“Scared of when the darkness will have to return.”
“Aye.”
“The choice is yours, my friend. I will not push you.”
Tanas was opening his mouth to answer when he was interrupted.
“Ah, there you are. You’ve been missed,” said Megan, sitting next to Tanas, who flinched very slightly.
“We are coming back now,” declared the warrior.
“Remember what I said, Tanas,” said Gan-Goran
in a low voice.
“I thank you for the opportunity.”
***
Later that evening, everyone except Tanas slept. The warrior lay on his back, unable to relax his mind. He moved to Gan-Goran and tapped him gently on the shoulder.
The master-magiker’s eyes opened, instantly alert.
“May I speak to you?” Tanas asked softly.
“Yes, my friend.”
“Can you let me see . . .?” Tanas let the sentence go unfinished.
“Yes, of course,” answered Gan-Goran.
“No, no, I want to see just Megan, please.”
“I do not understand.”
“Just her please.”
“Oh, I understand. She is a beautiful woman.”
“That’s what I would like to see.”
“Fine, come and sit in front of me.” Tanas did as instructed. “Now this is going to feel very strange,” Gan-Goran continued. “You only want to see Megan?”
“Yes.”
“Fine, then turn your body slightly to face her.”
Tanas obeyed, chuckling nervously.
Gan-Goran placed his hands on Tanas’s head and chanted softly for several moments.
“I will say one word of power and the spell is complete. As soon as I remove my hands, the spell will be broken. Now I have shielded everything except Megan. Are you ready?”
“Yes, I am ready,” replied Tanas, unsure, his eyes closed.
Gan-Goran muttered a word of power, completing the spell.
Tanas slowly opened his eyes and, in the light of the dying campfire, saw Megan’s flaxen hair. He cocked his head to one side and something stirred inside him. He lifted his hand and saw his own flesh. His hand. His being. Megan turned over and Tanas saw her face.
“Is that beauty?” he asked softly so not to wake the maiden.
“Aye, my friend, the best there is.”
Tears of joy rolled down Tanas’s cheek and then . . . Megan opened her eyes and Tanas saw her large, round blue eyes.
“What’s the matter, Tanas?” she asked, her voice full of sleep.
“Nothing is wrong, everything is fine.”
“You can see me?” she asked, smiling dreamily.
Further tears rolled down his face. “Of course not,” he lied, “I cannot, now go back to sleep.” He shook his head free of the master-magiker’s grip and his world once again plunged into darkness. He surged to his feet and raced into the forest, thumping his head on a low branch in his haste.
***
Tanas sat alone on a rock. He had seen; the shock still gripped him. His body shook with fear and the sense of loss and then he cried freely, his body rocking back and forth in emotional pain.
He arrived back at the camp just after dawn, where Ireen was stirring some bubbling hot oats. Tanas felt unsure of himself as he sat down near the fire.
“Good morning,” said Ireen.
“Good morning,” Tanas answered. “I’m famished.”
“Good. I didn’t think anyone could eat my cooking unless they were dying of hunger.”
“Add honey to it, and I will happily eat anything,” said Tanas, forcing a smile.
“Honey has been added by your humble servant.” Ireen stumbled over the last word, as she definitely was not accustomed to calling herself a ‘servant’. But among friends, it sounded good and for the first time in her life, she was truly contributing to a group.
***
After they broke their fast, Gan-Goran returned. “We have to hurry,” he said, rushing his words.
“What’s the sudden rush?” asked Ireen, frowning.
“I sense evil pursuing us.”
“Evil?” asked Tanas, suddenly wary.
“I believe the worst kind, my friend.”
Tanas heard the subtle hint of panic in the older man’s voice and immediately began to worry for the safety of Megan and his new friends.
“Let’s saddle up and go,” he commanded, strapping on his sword harness.
***
The Dark Brethren were now only an hour behind the four travellers. They crested a small hill and could now see their quarry. Without stopping, they pressed on at a gallop.
***
Gan-Goran told Tanas they had to push their horses to reach the bridge on the far side of the gorge as soon as possible. Tanas sensed the increased tension in the old man’s voice.
“The evil you talked about?” asked Tanas.
“Yes,” said the magic master. “It is growing, they’re getting closer.”
Tanas did not answer; he leaned forward and whispered something to Essie. The small group pushed on towards the gorge.
***
The six men in pursuit closed the gap to the Dark Brethren. They saw the soldiers spur their horses into a gallop and also spotted the four travellers in the distance. The six men gave chase.
Chapter 8
Thade and his company reached Single Tooth Gorge in good time having had an uneventful journey – so far – to the infamous ravine. The gorge was one of the few pathways through the northern stretch of the Glass Mountains; a range of volcanic rock that continued north for fifty miles, and south for over two hundred miles to the sea. The Glass Mountains were born from a massive volcanic eruption millions of years earlier during a time when vast ice flows covered the land so the molten rock solidified almost instantaneously, forming glass-like rock with a deep green lustre.
The rock was so sharp it could shred a man, should he slip and fall. The range was a natural defence against any attack on the Kingdom from the east. When the river was swollen from melt water, like now, it was the only way to cross the River Dyna, apart from travelling into the foothills of the Great Mountains. To the west of the gorge on Thade’s land was a bridge, fully maintained by the Rhaurns, being one of their major routes west for traders.
Single Tooth Gorge was not wide; only four wagons could ride side by side. A wider gorge was far to the south near the coast, used for most trade. The gorge got its name from a tall, single cylindrical rock structure resembling a lower canine tooth, in the middle of the pass. It had once been a volcanic vent, rising up vertically, perfectly straight. At this point in the gorge only a single wagon could pass each side of the ‘tooth’ or two cavalrymen riding side by side, so only twenty to thirty warriors could hold the gorge indefinitely. During times of war, the gorge became one of the defensive positions for the Rhaurn army, to stop any invasions.
Thade and Dax led Gammel and the baron to Single Tooth Gorge from the north, on the eastern side of the Glass Mountains. Thade halted, so that the wagon with Gammel and Chelmsnor could catch up. The wagon pulled alongside the two men.
“Once over the bridge, a day more, and we will reach my home,” proclaimed the former gladiator.
“A night in a soft bed would be very welcome,” commented the baron with a heavy sigh, shifting his weight on the wooden seat.
“Aye, and some good hot food,” added Gammel, nodding.
“Careful of the rocks here,” warned Dax. “They are as sharp as glass and can cut you to ribbons. It is several thousand strides long, so be careful.”
The men in the wagon just stared silently at Dax as he described the features of the gorge. The others said nothing, but heeded his warning. They urged their horses forward and started into the gorge. The rocks glistened as the afternoon sun caught the highly reflective surface. After several minutes, the travellers reached the tooth. To Dax’s surprise, one-half of the gap had been blocked by a fresh rock-fall that had not been there a few days earlier. Luckily for the travellers, the other side of the gap remained clear, and the men slowly passed through. Gammel looked up at the tooth and marvelled at the glossy green rock. All around him the walls sparkled and bathed the men in speckles of light.
***
Tanas and the travellers with him crossed an open field about a mile before Single Tooth Gorge. Ireen looked back to marvel at the rolling green fields they had just crossed. She stared in open delight at
the lush pastures and then, cresting a hill behind them, she saw a company of men dressed in black, all riding black horses.
“Gan, do any of the Kingdom’s forces wear black?” she called over her shoulder.
“No my dear, why?” he responded, swivelling in his saddle.
Megan responded first. “It’s them! They’ve found us!” she shrilled loudly.
“It is who?” asked Ireen, her voice echoing Megan’s, full of fear. “Who is it?”
“They are the elite in the Darklord’s army,” answered Gan-Goran. “The Dark Brethren, as they call themselves, are a group of fanatics who believe in the second coming of the Dark One.”
“How far to the gorge, Gan?” asked Tanas.
“About a mile or so.”
“Well, let’s ride and ride fast. They’ll not venture far into Rhaurien land,” said the blind warrior, hoping, rather than knowing.
“I’m not too sure about that but it is a good enough idea.”
The four travellers urged their horses forward into a gallop and headed for the gorge.
***
The Dark Brethren had not stopped the previous night, as they wanted to capture their quarry in the open, before they reached the gorge of glass rock. The warriors crested a grassy hill and saw their prey – they were close. In the distance, they saw the four travellers spur their horses into a gallop. The Dark Brethren did not hesitate and charged after the travellers, trying to cut them off before they reached the gorge.
***
The six pursuing men took a slightly different route from the Dark Brethren. Knowing the gorge was the only way through the Glass Mountains, they hoped the soldiers did not reach their prey before then. They reached the grassy hill at the same time as the Dark Brethren, though further north. They saw the four travellers in the distance pause, then, to the south came the distance rumble-like thunder from the Dark Brethren’s horses, as they charged in pursuit. Without hesitation the six men spurred their tired horses, hoping to reach the travellers in time. But they had more ground to cover.
***
Fear rose in Megan’s body when she saw the Dark Brethren give chase. She stared at Tanas’s back, willing his fearless strength into her. She had just found him and tears of despair swelled in her eyes. She had not thought twice about her troubles since meeting the warrior and it seemed happiness beckoned, yet the damned gods would take it away again.
