-
Hours later, Draydon had disappeared far behind them. The rutted road had turned into a rough, seldom-traveled trail as they neared the base of Firestorm Mountain. The main trade road cut through the lower passes and had split off several miles back. The three horses and the trailing pack Drendals plodded along the vague trail, small puffs of dry dust swirling around their shod hooves. The sun stood near its zenith, quickly heating the stifling afternoon air. There was no breeze at all, and it was eerily quiet. This close to the mountain the days turned warm quickly, with the nights becoming frightfully cold.
Looking up at the looming cliffs and snow-covered peaks, Jalene realized just how hard the trip ahead of them was going to be. She hoped the lucrative reward at its end would be worth the strenuous effort. She knew she would have to keep a careful eye on her two companions. Her well-being, she suspected, was not at the top of their agenda. Of course, theirs wasn’t at the top of hers either once she was through with them.
“There are some pretty strange animals that live on the slopes of this mountain,” muttered Kason, spitting on the ground, his horse standing next to Jalene’s, staring at the mountain with disdain. “Parts of the mountain are still badly poisoned from the Worldfire, and animals that live there have offspring that are often malformed. Some aren’t even recognizable as to what beast sired them. That’s what makes their hides so valuable in Draydon; many are one of a kind.”
“If we run into one, you will be very glad you brought us along,” added Clyton, patting the dangerous looking hunting knife attached to his wide leather belt.
“I can protect myself if necessary,” Jalene replied coldly, kicking her horse in the side and continuing on up the trail.
They continued on the narrow, rocky trail that slowly wound its way up the steep slope of the mountain. “Don’t forget the other night,” she warned menacingly, looking back at the two men who were slightly behind her. “That was only a small demonstration of my power.” She wanted to remind them who was in charge.
Silence fell as the three continued along the trail, each lost in his or her own private thoughts. Their horses’ hooves clattered against the stones and hard rock. Clyton and Kason both stole occasional greedy glances at the captivating pouch attached to Jalene’s waist, which contained the precious gold coins. What they could do with those, and where had this woman gotten all those gold coins to begin with?
Both knew that, on a trip like this to Firestorm Mountain, more than one person had failed to return. If there was an accident and the coins were to end up in their fortunate hands well, everyone knew the mountain was extremely dangerous. The men looked at one another meaningfully, knowing what the other was thinking. Perhaps this woman wasn’t nearly as powerful as she claimed.
Jalene was well aware of the occasional furtive glances cast at her coin pouch from the two men. There was no doubt, from the frequent looks they gave her and the quiet whispers between the two, that her continued good health wasn’t their ultimate goal. She doubted the two men would try anything before they found the cave. Both were insatiably curious about what the mysterious cave contained, something she would make sure they never found out. What was in the cave Jalene meant to possess and no one else would be allowed near it!
She had been very evasive whenever they asked questions about this trip to the cave and what she hoped to find. Once there, she would no longer need their feeble assistance. They would be the ones who would suddenly find themselves expendable. It wouldn’t be the first time, or the last, that she had used men to accomplish her goals and brutally discarded them. With a hidden, malicious smile, she looked forward to that moment. She would see how brave these two fools acted in the face of impending death.
As they climbed, the trail became rougher and wound around large boulders, stunted trees, and bushes. The air began to take on a chill as they went higher up on the mountain until Jalene was forced to put on a light jacket. She glanced around at the rough mountainside about them; only the barely visible trail allowed them to continue to climb. Steep cliffs, massive boulders, and loose rocks would prevent climbing anywhere else. Occasional tufts of pale yellow grass edged up between the rocks where a wayward seed had found fertile soil and precariously taken root. Other than that, everything looked dead and bleak.
“We’ll make camp up ahead,” ventured Kason, reining up beside Jalene and pointing toward a flat area farther up the rocky slope. Several large green trees were visible where he pointed.
“Why there?” Jalene asked sharply and a little suspiciously. The trees were the first she had seen in awhile.
“The plants and trees in that area look normal and are free from the Worldfire ground poison. We have camped there before, and it should be safe,” Kason replied. “There’s also a small spring where we can water the horses. It would be best if we spent the night there before continuing. We’ve made considerable progress today and late tomorrow we should reach the pass that crosses to the far side. We’ll camp at its entrance before venturing into the pass itself, which is extremely rough and difficult and shall take most of the daylight hours to cross. At this time of the year, there may still be some deep snow in parts of it.”
“Very well,” replied Jalene, feeling her body aching from today’s exertion. She had a potion she had mixed before they left using a weak sorcery spell, which would help her recover during the night, though she knew she would pay for it later. The power always took its toll, it gave nothing freely.
-
Lynol finished another strenuous night of studies, practicing the lessons Malcon’s thick book had guided her slowly and methodically through. She could now light candles with a quick thought and a gesture. She had discovered that incantations were only necessary on occasion. They merely served to strengthen the spell. She read that in order not to feel worn out the next morning to eat some fresh fruit immediately after each session.
Reaching out confidently with her mind, she felt for and found the old rooster sleeping in the hen house. With some gentle prodding, she heard him crow loudly, voicing his ire at being disturbed from his peaceful night’s slumber amongst the hens. With a satisfied smile, she released the rooster and settled back.
Lynol could now cast simple spells without touching the amulet, which lay reassuringly between her breasts. She could feel its comforting warmth whenever she worked her sorcery, and on harder spells, if she held it, the amulet did seem to help her focus better. Getting up, she moved her fingers in a complicated gesture, putting the candle and lamp out.
Lynol walked down the short hall to the kitchen where her father sat staring out the kitchen window toward darkness-shrouded Firestorm Mountain, a warming fire burning in the old wood stove. An unearthly silence held sway, at least for tonight, over the dark, malevolent mountain.
“Lynol, how did your studying go tonight? Are you learning more spells from Malcon’s book?” asked Damon, turning away from the window and wondering if Lynol had anything to do with that crazy old rooster crowing well after dark. From what he could tell, his daughter seemed to be growing more confident in her abilities as she studied the sorcery book.
“Fine, Father,” Lynol replied wearily, taking a seat next to him and choosing a piece of fruit out of the basket that was always present on the kitchen table. It was another benefit of living on the best producing farm in their community. Their fruit trees normally bore an over abundance of fruit. “It’s much more tiring than what I expected. I can hardly imagine what the harder spells might do. I've just barely gone through the first few pages in the book. There’s so much to learn.” Lynol took a small bite out of the red, juicy apple, enjoying the sweet, tart taste in her mouth while reflecting over what she had learned tonight.
“Yes, you have a lot to learn, with little that I can do to help,” Damon replied, wishing he could do more. He was just thankful they at least had the sorcery book. “If only we knew how much time we have before Gilmreth awakens. It could be months or it could be years.
”
Damon feverishly hoped that it would be years. It would take time for Lynol’s abilities to grow and for her to learn how to use them properly. If Gilmreth awoke too soon, he knew there would be nothing they could do.
“Or it may not be in our lifetime,” Lynol reminded him, taking another small, delicate bite out of the juicy, red apple she held. “We can’t be certain that Gilmreth is awakening, or that I’m the sorceress of the prophecies.”
Lynol still felt very uneasy about what her future might hold. She knew all the signs pointed to her being that sorceress, but she was having a hard time accepting it and all its dangerous ramifications. In between practicing the few simple spells she had learned, she spent a lot of time wondering about her future.
Damon was silent, watching Lynol. He knew in his heart that Lynol was the Sylvar sorceress of the prophecies. There were things about the prophecies he hadn’t told Lynol lest he frighten her too much. He knew from the highly detailed description of unfolding events that Lynol was indeed the sorceress mentioned.
“There is naught that we can do but wait,” said Lynol, trying to sound more confident than she felt. She knew how worried her father was. She couldn’t hide the fact that she was extremely concerned about the implications her abilities implied also. “I’m going to take a walk down to the garden to get some fresh air, would you like to join me?”
“I’ve had a long day, and I have to work the lower meadow tomorrow to prepare for the next hay cutting,” replied Damon, standing up and yawning, feeling more tired from worry than actual work. “You go ahead, I’ll see you in the morning; just don’t stay up too late.” Walking away from the table, Damon went down the long hallway and turned into his bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Lynol got up and walked out onto the porch, drawing in a deep breath of the cool, fresh night air. Looking up, she saw a thin crescent moon shining wanly down on the quiet countryside. Only the sporadic chirping of crickets disturbed the peaceful night.
Stepping off the porch, she walked slowly down to the garden. After pausing briefly, she went on to come to a stop in front of the waiting Sylvar Stone. The massive stone and handprint were just barely visible in the weak moonlight. Hesitatingly, she reached out her hand toward the imprint and then stopped, unsure of herself. Remembering what had happened the previous time, just the thought of touching the stone made her apprehensive. She stood there for a moment, staring at the stone, and feeling indecisive.
“What am I afraid of?” Lynol chided herself, feeling foolish. “The stone didn’t harm me before.”
Fortifying herself, she placed her hand firmly upon Malcon’s handprint. Instantly, a tingling sensation raced up her arm. The amulet between her breasts blazed up, responding to the sudden flow of power from the stone. Amazed, Lynol stood there transfixed with her hand on the imprint as the entire stone became surrounded by an eerie blue radiance.
The vision of a tall, handsome, older man suddenly formed clearly in her mind. He was dressed in a light blue robe with the ages old symbol of the house of Sylvar, a dragon spewing fire, upon his cape. His light blue eyes and thick blond hair spoke of immense inner strength and wisdom beyond his years. She hadn’t expected to experience another vision by touching the stone, or for it to react so suddenly to her touch.
“Two months from tonight when the moon is full, you must stand before this very stone with your hand upon the imprint,” the vision said in a clear, powerful, flowing voice. “Speak the name Malcon Sylvar and that which you seek will be found. The time of the final prophecy is nearing.”
The vision faded. Realizing she had closed her eyes, Lynol opened them. The stone was again cold to her touch and the blue radiance was gone, leaving her standing in darkness. Her amulet still felt warm beneath her shirt. She removed her hand from the handprint.
“That which I seek will be found,” she repeated, still in a daze, folding her arms protectively over her breasts and gazing at the darkened stone in confusion. “What can that mean?” In addition, what was the reference to the final prophecy?
For a long moment Lynol stood, staring transfixed at the darkened stone, wondering what mysteries it held, and fearing its implications. Did the stone hide some mysterious power that might be able to help her against Gilmreth, or did it hide a warning about her impending doom if she ever had to face the dragon? Had her newfound knowledge of sorcery from Malcon’s book caused this second reaction from the stone?
Feeling weariness nearly overwhelm her, Lynol turned and trudged slowly back to the house. She felt weak in both mind and body. Her thoughts seemed clouded, and her mind filled with doubt. The vision had been so strong and draining that she collapsed on her bed still clad in her clothes. As she drifted toward sleep, she wondered just what the apparition had meant when it mentioned the final prophecy. She was soon sound asleep and as she slept, her dreams turned toward Gilmreth and the fate that awaited her in a now very cloudy future.
-
For the next several days, Lynol busied herself on the farm. Dresdia finally came over and they canned all the berries they had gathered. When they were through, both girls were covered in sticky red berry juice, but they had nearly six-dozen small jars of preserved jelly.
“We can trade half of these in Galvin,” Lynol said, pleased with all the extra jars of jelly they had. Their canning efforts would bring them a good price at the general store.
“This is the most we have ever done,” commented Dresdia, nodding her head and looking at all the jars of jelly they had. “Gwen will be pleased with us bringing these extra ones to her.”
“Did you have anything in mind you would like to get?” Lynol asked Dresdia, her eyes sparkling.
The two girls always split the profits from their canning evenly. In addition, some shopping at the Mystol’s store would be a lot of fun. Lynol knew that Gwen would love to see the two of them.
“I don’t know,” replied Dresdia thoughtfully, wiping red berry juice off her cheeks. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. “Mother would probably like me to get a good bolt of cloth for her to make some new clothes. Lately, I’m growing out of everything it seems.”
“I know just what you mean,” replied Lynol, looking down at her own clothes which fit rather snugly around her hips and breasts. “Let’s go down to the pond in the meadow and go swimming,” suggested Lynol, wanting to get the sticky berry juice off.
It was a warm day and using the wood cook stove to make the jelly had really warmed up the kitchen, even with the door and windows open. A nice, refreshing swim sounded enticing to Lynol.
“Good idea,” Dresdia replied enthusiastically, not really wanting to walk home covered in red berry juice in the hot afternoon sun. “Swimming sounds great!”
The sticky stuff was hard to get off anyway. The small pond was in a secluded spot at the edge of the meadow and was spring fed and surrounded by tall trees, which made it refreshing and clean. Dresdia loved to go swimming in its crystal clear water with Lynol. “Kalvin would die laughing if he could see us now.” Looking at how much of the red stain from the berry juice covered both of them she giggled, smiling at Lynol.
“I’m sure he would,” Lynol replied with a gentle smile. “Kalvin never misses a chance to make fun of us.”
An hour later, the two girls were frolicking in the clear spring water, splashing each other with their youthful laughter echoing through the lower meadow.
“Kalvin still wants to go to Firestorm Mountain,” ventured Dresdia, standing in water that just came to the top of her firm, youthful breasts. “The idea still frightens me. I don’t know if we should go anywhere near that dreadful mountain.”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” replied Lynol, turning to float face up in the water.
She had given the matter a great deal of thought. She had a strange feeling that it was extremely important to make this journey to the mountain. They might never have this opportunity again. If Gilmreth was to awake before she was re
ady it would be far too dangerous to travel anywhere near the vicinity of the mountain, even their homes might become unsafe.
“It would allow us to spend the entire day together. I doubt if anything is there after so much time. If we go, we need to be careful that no one finds out. Your parents and my father would be highly upset with us,” Lynol said.
Lynol didn’t like the idea of not telling her father, but she knew that if she did he would never allow them to go. For some reason, she felt it was important they make this trip. She didn’t know if it was her newfound abilities causing this or some other inner sense.
“That’s a certainty.” Dresdia replied somberly, knowing how upset her mother and father would be if they found out. “I just don’t feel right doing something our parents would object to.”
The thought of going to the mountain still made her immensely uneasy. However, if Lynol was willing to go, then she guessed it would be all right. It would allow them to spend the day together. Besides, if they were very careful, what real harm could it cause?
“Hi girls,” a youthful masculine voice yelled suddenly from the edge of the pond.
Kalvin came around a large tree and froze spellbound at seeing Lynol’s exposed nude body floating enticingly in the water. Lynol lay exposed, her peach-sized breasts plainly visible above the surface. He drank in the captivating view, feeling his face grow uncontrollably warm. He felt frozen, unable to take his eyes off Lynol. He didn’t know what to say or what to do.
“Kalvin!” screamed Lynol, feeling embarrassed and flustered at her exposure, diving under the water to come back up safely behind Dresdia.
She folded her arms protectively over her exposed breasts, feeling her face and everything else turn a beet red. She couldn’t believe he had snuck up on them this way. She felt so embarrassed!
Gilmreth the Awakening Page 12
